India v Kenya semifinal

[krkode]

India looking good at 193/2 in 40.4 overs. I wonder if they can notch up 300...

 

[aussie_beater]

I wonder if they can notch up 300...

Fell short by 30 runs...good effort from Ganguly, but the last over turned out to be an anti-climax of sorts with only five runs coming off it.

I felt that it was not a very good wicket to bat on with the moisture soaking in from the rain in the last two days, and making it slow.Also the outfield is quite slow and the ball from any lofted shots that land in the outfield with a thud almost dig in instead of moving.Also nicely timed shots that clear the fielder can be chased down by the fielders before the ball reaches the fence.

Let's see how the Kenyans reply, but with a chance of rain in the evening you never really know what its gonna come to.

 

[marc71178]

Amazingly, despite only batting reasonably well against one big nation, Ganguly is 2nd in run-getters for the Tournament!

Helps to have 2 tons against Kenya and 1 against Namibia I guess?

 

[Anil]

270 for 4 is a good total and in normal circumstances should be a winning score against Kenya. However, if rain butts in and the overs and runs are reduced, then it becomes a kind of a lottery. Depends on how the Indian bowlers keep their head if there is any slam-bang stuff from the Kenyans(which is very likely) who have little to lose at this stage.

 

[aussie_beater]

Amazingly, despite only batting reasonably well against one big nation, Ganguly is 2nd in run-getters for the Tournament!

Helps to have 2 tons against Kenya and 1 against Namibia I guess?

I wouldn't rate the hundreds against Kenya as too lightweight like the one against Namibia.Kenya is playing well and even the Aussie top order has found it difficult to score runs against them.

 

[Anil]

I wouldn't rate the hundreds against Kenya as too lightweight like the one against Namibia.Kenya is playing well and even the Aussie top order has found it difficult to score runs against them.

Yeah, those last two hundreds against Kenya have been very responsible innings, one under considerable pressure.

 

[krkode]

I too wouldn't rate his Kenya and Namibia hundreds too lightly, for he scored them under considerable criticism and pressure (atleast, one of the games).

Besides, most other players from group A played those very same teams and none of them got hundreds aginst them. You can't downplay Ganguly's centuries as being "low quality" because most of the other batsmen from other countries couldn't do it.

 

[luckyeddie]

I can't remember a thing that happened.

 

[Anil]

Dravid is giving away a lot of byes. Semifinal nerves? Could prove to be expensive against the Aussies(assuming India makes the final).

 

[aussie_beater]

Dravid had a torrid time behind the stumps today specially keeping to the slow bowlers.....if he doesn't improve his keeping to the slower bowlers in the finals, then India will surely be in deep trouble.

 

[Anil]

16 byes is definitely too much. Dravid has to be really careful in the final. 39 extras against Kenya did not mean much, but against the Aussies could make all the difference.

Great bowling by the pacers, Zaheer in particular and a very comfortable win in the end. Wonder who is the man of the match? Candidates should be Ganguly, Zaheer and Tendulkar.

 

[luckyeddie]

I've a sneaking suspicion that Dravid's bust a finger.

I doubt of he'll play on Sunday

Hope I'm wrong

 

[Anil]

I've a sneaking suspicion that Dravid's bust a finger.

I doubt of he'll play on Sunday

Hope I'm wrong

Why do you feel that? Did he have some kind of treatment during the match or something? It'll be a big blow for India if it's true.

 

[luckyeddie]

Why do you feel that? Did he have some kind of treatment during the match or something? It'll be a big blow for India if it's true.

No treatment.

Second or third ball of the innings, he dived and just got a finger to one wide from Zaheer Khan.

Every time late on that the ball went into his gloves (when I was watching and Ranjit was doing a stint on the updating) you could see him wince.

Just a feeling (having broken fingers so many times myself).

I really hope it's just bruising, but he's definitely done something.

 

[krkode]

Oh dear, I hope nothing bad happened to Dravid :O That would be shocking...

Anyway, nice win for India...Ganguly again coming good

 

[aussie_beater]

I am not sure if he had a problem with his finger but he sure looked quite vulnerable behind the stumps and sometimes had no clue which way the ball was turning when the slow bowlers were on and also was failing to read the bounce while standing up.

 

[Anil]

Just hope he is alright. Just in case he has to sit out the final, who would be the replacement? It has to be Parthiv Patel, right?

 

[krkode]

Yeah, Patel is our only option, but I personally feel, it's the wrong match to change a team (but if they have to they got to), and Patel's match inexperience and lack of match practice could be a waste of a batsman in a VERY important game...:wow:

 

[aussie_beater]

Just hope he is alright. Just in case he has to sit out the final, who would be the replacement? It has to be Parthiv Patel, right?

There is no other keeper in the touring party, besides Patel....

 

[marc71178]

If the worst comes to the worst, and Patel comes in, would you bat him at 7, or would you ask him to play the Dravid role (coming in earlier if there's quick wickets to stabilise?

Other than that, can AA keep?