THE BEST OF JAMES ANDERSON

 

Image Credit- NDTV Sports

Venue- Trent Bridge, Nottingham [July 2014]

Whenever we talk about James Anderson, we talk about his swing bowling. However, in this blog post we will talk about his extraordinary batting performance. In the summer of 2014, Indian Cricket Team toured England to play 5 test matches. The first test of the series took place in Trent Bridge wherein Indian Captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first. The pitch was a batting paradise and bowlers were struggling to take wickets from day one itself. Murali Vijay scored a brilliant 146 which helped India reach a respectable total in first innings. In addition to Vijay, MS Dhoni [82], Bhuvneshwar Kumar [58] and Mohammed Shami [51] too scored wonderful half-centuries for their side. It is interesting to note that the last wicket partnership between the Indians were of 111 runs. Indians were eventually bowled for 457 in their first innings with James Anderson being the leading wicket taker [3] for the English.

In response the English scorecard at one stage read 298/9. They were still 159 runs behind the Indian total and this is when James Anderson came in to bat. However, what happened next was truly unbelievable. James Anderson started batting like a top-order batsman. Be it pace bowling or spin, Anderson was playing everything with ease. Not only he played shots down the ground but was also not afraid of playing lofty shots.

He stitched a massive 198 runs partnership with Joe Root and helped England take lead in the first innings. By the time Anderson was out for 81 [130 Balls; 17 4s'] the English scorecard read 496. Joe Root remained unbeaten at 154. 

[Postscript- The match ended in a draw because of Stuart Binny's half-century in the second innings, however it is interesting to note that he was dismissed by Cook who is definitely not known for his bowling. James Anderson was awarded the player of the match award for his all-round performance.] 

To watch the innings of James Anderson, Click Here.  

THE PARTNERSHIP

 

Image Credit- Hindustan Times.

Venue- Adelaide Oval, Adelaide [December, 2003].

In the Australian Summer of 2003/04, Indian Cricket Team toured Australia to play 4 test matches. The first match at Gabba ended in a draw and now all eyes were set in the Adelaide Oval. On a batting friendly wicket, Steve Waugh won the toss and elected to bat first. The Aussie openers gave hosts a quick start before debutant Irfan Pathan picked up the wicket of Hayden. The Australian scorecard read 22/1 and this is when Ponting steeped into the ground. 

And Boy! What happened next was truly incredible. Ricky Ponting scored a majestic 242 of 352 deliveries. In this innings of his, he hit a total of 31 boundaries. No Indian bowler was spared. Furthermore, Justin Langer and Simon Katich too scored valuable half-centuries and helped Australia reach the total of 556 in their first innings, Anil Kumble was the leading wicket taker for the Indians as he picked up 5 wickets in the first innings. 

In response Indians started slowly and steadily. However, Andy Bichel picked up 3 quick wickets and pushed Indians to backfoot. To make matter worse, Sourav Ganguly lost his wicket in form of a run-out. The Indian scorecard read 85/4 and this is when VVS Laxman joined Dravid at the crease. One more wicket and the game would have been over for the visitors. It was a precarious situation. 

 However, this is when Dravid and Laxman showed their persistence and patience as they avoided taking any chances by leaving all the good deliveries. David played some incredible shots of both pace and spin. Laxman, on the other hand, tirelessly used his wrists to flick balls to legside boundaries. In the evening of the second day, Laxman reached 50. The Dravid-Laxman partnership scored 95 runs for the fifth wicket from 29.3 overs as India finished the day at 180/4 from 51 overs. Without giving the Australians too many opportunities, the duo batted very well.

On the morning of the third day, the duo started from where they left yesterday. Both the batsmen were avoiding all sort of risky shots and were playing along the ground. Barring a few occasions, it was all drives. The Australian pace attack were struggling in front of Indian wall.  It was indeed a delight to watch them bat. 

By the time VVS Laxman was dismissed for 148, the Indian scorecard read 388/5. However even after Laxman was dismissed, Dravid continued his merry run and brought up another double hundred. It is worth mentioning that not only Rahul Dravid was the highest run-getter for the Indians in the first innings but was also the last batsmen to be dismissed. By the time Dravid got dismissed for 233, the Indian scorecard read 523- Just 33 behind the Aussie total. The Indians were back in the game because of the huge partnership between Dravid and Laxman. 

[Postscript- In the second innings, Agarkar broke the spine of the Australian batting order as he picked up 6/41 in his 17 overs spell. The Aussies were bowled out for 196 in their second innings with Indians needing just 230 runs to win the test. The Visitors chased it down comfortably with Rahul Dravid scoring another brilliant 72*. For his extraordinary batting, Dravid was awarded the player of the match award as Indians took a 1-0 lead in the 4 match series.]

To watch the highlights of the partnership, Click Here. 

KOHLI ENDS CENTURY DROUGHT

 

Image Credit- Sportstar- The Hindu

Venue- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad [March, 2023].

 

In the spring of 2023, Australian Cricket Team toured India to play 4 test matches. At the end of 3 tests, the hosts were leading the series 2-1. Even though the visitors were lagging behind, but their victory in the 3rd test meant that they were the ones who had the momentum on their side. 

In a batting friendly wicket, Australian Captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat first. Riding on the centuries of Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green, the visitors ended up scoring a massive 480 in their first innings. Except Ashwin every Indian bowler struggled in front of Aussie Batsmen. Ravichandran Ashwin ended up as the leading wicket taker for the hosts in the first innings as he picked up 6-91 from his 47.2 overs spell. 

In response the Indians started slowly and steadily. Shubman Gill scored his first test hundred on the Indian soil and brought Indians back into the game. However it was the ton of King Kohli which stole the show. Virat Kohli scored a well composed 186 from 364 deliveries. The King not only scored boundaries of the loose deliveries, but also scored a lot through singles and doubles in order to keep the scoreboard ticking. 

It was the ton of Virat Kohli which ensured that Indians take a big first innings lead. It is worth mentioning that not only Kohli scored the highest for team India, but was also the last batsmen to be dismissed in the Indian innings. Due to Kohli's magnificent 186, India ended up scoring 571 in their first innings. 

The 4th test eventually ended in a draw and Indians won the series 2-1. Virat Kohli was awarded the player of the match award for his excellent 186. Furthermore it is pertinent to note that by this 100, Kohli ended the three years century drought in test cricket. It was indeed a ton to remember. 

To watch the knock of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

OH JIMMY - YOU BEAUTY

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo 

Venue- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi [December, 2022].

In the winters of 2022, English Cricket team toured Pakistan to play three test matches. The first test of the series took place in Rawalpindi. On a batting friendly wicket, England Captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first. And Boy. What a decision it turned out to be. The English Batsmen just blew away the Pakistani bowling line up as they amassed more than 500 runs in just 75 overs of play. Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook all managed to score 100s as the visitors ended up scoring 657 in their first innings.  

In response the hosts scored 579 in their first innings as Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq and Skipper Babar Azam managed to score 100s for their side. Will Jacks was the leading wicket taker for the visitors as he picked up 6 wickets in the first innings.

It appeared that the match will end in a dull draw. However the English batsmen went on an attacking mode from ball one itself and ended up scoring 264 in just 36 overs. After batting for 36 overs the visitors declared and now it were the hosts who needed 343 runs to win the test. The match which everyone expected to be a draw could now have a result. 

During the run-chase the Pakistanis were always on the backfoot and the England veteran James Anderson ensured that he wins the game for his side. On a flat deck he picked up 4 wickets and made a mess of the Pakistani batting line-up. Anderson bowled with so much of precision that it became difficult for the hosts to score runs. The Pakistanis were ultimately bowled out for 268 runs in their second innings as the visitors won the game by 74 runs. 

On a pitch wherein the batsmen stole most of the show, it was 40 years old Jimmy Anderson who eventually turned to be the match-winner.  

To watch James Anderson's spell, Click Here. 

THE DAY IRISH SILENCED THEIR NEIGHBORS

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo

Venue – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore [2nd March 2011].

It was the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Ireland were facing their neighbours England in a group stage game at Bangalore. On a batting-friendly wicket, English captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat first.

Strauss and Pietersen gave England a solid start. The duo stitched an opening partnership of 91 runs in just 13.3 overs. Pietersen scored a brilliant 59 off 50 deliveries, whereas the skipper scored 34 off 37. The middle order continued from where the openers left. Jonathan Trott scored a crucial 92 off just 92 balls and helped England cross 300. He was assisted by Ian Bell, who also scored 81 on this batting paradise. At the end of 50 overs the English scorecard read 327/8.

The Irish needed 328 runs to win the game, which did not look easy in front of the English pace attack. Furthermore, the men in green lost their first wicket on the first ball of their innings as their captain, William Porterfield, was bowled for a duck by James Anderson. Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce did have a 50-run stand, but at the end of 24.2 overs the Irish scorecard read 111/5. They needed more than 200 runs in 25 overs with just 5 wickets in hand. Everyone was expecting an easy win for England, and then a miracle took place.

Kevin 'O'Brien started smashing boundaries all over the park. Whoever bowler came in got hit. Be it Broad, Anderson or Bresnan, everybody went for runs. He scored a brilliant 113 off just 63 deliveries and brought the Irish back into the game. In this innings of 113, Kevin 'O'Brien hit 13 boundaries and 6 sixes. By the time he was dismissed, Ireland needed just 11 runs off 10 deliveries, which they eventually chased down in the next 5 balls. In addition to Kevin 'O'Brien, Alex Cusack [47] and John Mooney [33] also played vital knocks to win the game for their country.

The impossible happened in Bangalore. The Irish silenced their noisy neighbors.  

To watch the Highlights of that Match, Click Here. 

THE BEST OF BLACK CAPS

 

Image Credit- ICC Cricket

Venue- The Rose Bowl, Southampton [June 2021].

New Zealand was facing India in the final of the inaugural ICC Test Championship. Initially the game was supposed to take place in Lords. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the venue was shifted to the Rose Bowl. In a bowling-friendly condition, New Zealand Captain Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to field first. 

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave India a solid start as they stitched an opening stand of 62 runs in 21 overs. However, the Kiwis made a comeback as India lost three wickets in quick time, and the Indian scorecard at one point read 88/3. At this stage Kohli was joined by Rahane in the middle. The duo defended the deliveries, which were hard to play, and played shots on the loose ones. It appeared that Kohli and Rahane will take India to a respectable total. However, all-rounder Kyle Jamieson picked up the wicket of Kohli at a crucial juncture [Ind 149/4] and broke the spine of the Indian batting lineup. Post that no Indian batsman lasted long, and at the end of 93 overs, the Indians were bowled out for a mere 217 runs in the first innings. Rahane was the top run scorer for India as he scored a crucial 49 in such a tough wicket. Kyle Jamieson was the leading wicket taker for the Kiwis as he picked up 5 wickets in the first innings.

In response, the Kiwis scored 249 runs in their first innings. Devon Conway scored a wonderful half-century, whereas Williamson scored a crucial 49. Mohammed Shami [4] and Ishant Sharma [3] were the leading wicket takers for the Indians. However, the Kiwis managed to take a crucial lead of 32 runs.

It is pertinent to note that due to rain, a lot of time was lost. Furthermore, because of the summer showers, the ultimate test went to the sixth day. On the morning of the 6th day, the Indian scorecard read 64/2. They had a lead of 32 runs. Furthermore, their best batters, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, were on the crease. 98 overs were left in the day, and everyone was expecting an exciting contest. 

However, it was the men in black who came on strong on the ultimate day. The Kiwi pacers were simply unplayable. The Indians were bowled out for a mere 170 runs in their second innings. The Kiwis needed just 139 runs to win the game and lift the mace. It was never going to be easy to defend such a small total. Despite this, Indian bowlers tried their best to tame the Kiwi batsmen, but skipper Williamson and Ross Taylor had a different plan in mind. They batted sensibly and took their team to victory. Williamson played a captain's knock of 52 as the Kiwis chased down 139 with 8 wickets remaining. 

Kyle Jamieson was awarded the man of the match award for his all-round performance as the Kiwis lifted the test mace. The 21-year wait finally came to an end. The Kiwis were on the top of the world. 

To watch the highlights of the test, Click Here. 

THE CLASH OF THE TITANS

 

Image Credit- The Indian Express.

Venue- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai [May 1991]

Ranji trophy is one of the oldest and most prestigious cricket tournaments of our country. Even though IPL has taken all the limelight today, but the prestige of Ranji trophy will always remain intact. Today we don't see international cricketers toiling hard for this coveted trophy. However this was not always the case. Legendary Sachin Tendulkar played a total of 38 Ranji trophy games despite of his hectic international schedule. In those 38 games he averaged 87.36 which is truly unbelievable. Out of the 38 games he featured in, he faced defeat in only one game. Which match it was? This blog deals with that. 

In the summer of 1991 Kapil  Dev led Haryana were facing the tournament favorites Mumbai in the finals of the Ranji trophy. The match was to be played in Wankhede Stadium which was a bonus to the Mumbaikars. Kapil Dev won the toss and elected to bat first. On a batting friendly wicket the Haryana side did not start off very well as they lost their first wicket at the score of 5. It is when Ajay Jadeja joined Deepak Sharma on the crease and slowly and steadily the duo brought back Haryana into the game. Jadeja missed a well deserved hundred as he was dismissed for 94, but he ensured that Haryana goes on to make a big score. Deepak Sharma scored a brilliant 199 before he was dismissed by Salil Ankola. Apart from Deepak Sharma and Ajay Jadeja, Chetan Sharma also scored a vital 98 and took Haryana total way past 500. Eventually the visitors were bowled out for 522 in their first innings. 

In response the hosts were bowled out for 410 runs. Lalchand Rajput scored 84 whereas Sanjay Patil scored a crucial 85. Apart from these 2 batsmen every Mumbaikar got a start, but failed to convert it into something big. The hosts know knew that if they want to lift the trophy they have to win the game or else Haryana will lift the cup. As a result the Mumbai bowlers came out strong in the second innings and bowled out Haryana for 242 in the second innings. Despite all this the hosts needed 355 runs to win the match. Furthermore there was little more than 2 sessions left in the end of the play. As a result everyone was expecting a draw. Furthermore the Mumbaikars lost 3 quick wickets just at the score of 34. So it appeared that it is quite impossible for them to win the test. Even a draw looked difficult.

With only two sessions remaining, 321 runs to score, and seven wickets in hand, most of the teams would settle in for a draw. But the then Mumbai or Bombay was not an ordinary side. While Tendulkar, then 18 years old, was just getting started, Vengsarkar, who was 34 at the time, was past his prime but was still a batsman of the highest caliber. There was little doubt that they were two of the top batting talents in the nation, despite the fact that their careers may have been at complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

Tendulkar built the groundwork for Mumbai's pursuit. The young boy launched an impressive attack. Despite his youth, he engaged the opposition head-on and pursued targets like Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma. He scored 96 runs off of just 75 balls, including five sixes, and dominated his 134-run partnership with Vengsarkar. Sachin never lost his shape or played cross-batted. All of the spectator cricket fans in the stadium gasped in wonder after one of his strokes to Kapil Dev. He merely punched the ball off his front foot, which caused it to fly flat and strike the sightscreen even though it had been pitched slightly up.

After Tendulkar was dismissed, Mumbai still had a lot of work to do. The left-hander Vinod Kambli stepped in after Tendulkar's departure and scored vital 45 runs, thereby adding 81 runs with Vengsarkar for the fifth wicket. But while they were batting together, Vengsarkar began to cramp, so Rajput was asked to serve as his runner. Once Kambli was dismissed, it was up to the seasoned player Vengsarkar to help his team score the final 106 runs. The hosts appeared to have the advantage at that time with five wickets still remaining. But the game's twists and turns were far from over. The final recognizable batsman before the tailenders was Chandrakant Pandit, who entered at no. 7. However, he lost his wicket for only 12 runs after making a hasty hit. In no time Mumbai lost 3 more quick wickets and the scorecard read 305/9. The hosts needed more than 50 runs to win, whereas the visitors were just wicket away from a famous win. 

However Vengsarkar batted sensibly along with the number 11 Kuruvilla and took Mumbai closer to the target. The Mumbai scorecard read 352/9 with 3 runs required in 15 deliveries. It seamed that Mumbai side will clinch a famous win in the Wankhede. But, this is when we witnessed a final twist to to the tale.  The hosts had a terrible run-out. Kuruvilla attempted to play the ball backward square-leg but was mistaken for Rajput and was ultimately run-out. The defeat was painful for Mumbai. Standing next to the square-leg umpire, Vengsarkar saw the dramatic change of events and fell to his knees in tears. It was a terrible finale for a man who had scored an undefeated 139 off 137 balls while displaying equal parts brilliance and bravery. 

The entire stadium went silent. No one could believe what they have just witnessed.  The unthinkable had happened. The favorites have been defeated. Haryana under Kapil Dev won their first Ranji trophy. Till date this remained the only Ranji trophy game which Sachin Tendulkar lost. 22 years later he played his final Ranji game against Haryana in Lahli wherein he scored an unbeaten 79 and ensured that they win the game against Haryana. The side which did the unthinkable 22 years earlier. 

[The author failed to find a video recording of this test. As a result, no clip has been posted this time.]

References- 1. ESPN CricInfo.

2. Aditya Chaturvedi, Underdog Story: How Haryana defeated the mighty Bombay in the great Ranji trophy final of 1991, The Scroll. Accessible at-  https://scroll.in/field/961236/underdog-story-how-haryana-defeated-mighty-bombay-in-the-great-ranji-trophy-final-of-1991