tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11395327026201714142024-02-29T05:12:16.232+05:30From the diary of a cricketerJersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-3184354247064584232023-07-03T23:39:00.002+05:302023-07-04T21:23:08.588+05:30 How South Africa saved my life<div><img alt="Pakistan v South Africa - ICC Women's World Cup 2017" class="hZVNRZlme158h7gXWOXc" data-testid="zoom-image-card-image" height="399" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/800702078/photo/pakistan-v-south-africa-icc-womens-world-cup-2017.jpg?s=2048x2048&w=gi&k=20&c=NXX03NBs1h9wRC1028kn6dULWHdS8_VrMmBh7wNklZo=" width="640" /></div><div><br /></div>Have you ever felt such an attachment to a team that you live and breathe their results? Have you ever become so invested in their success that every move of each one of their players becomes something you track — simply because? Have you rearranged your routine to make sure you’re able to watch said team? And has this team’s success sometimes lifted you from the depths of darkness? If you’re a sports fan, I bet your answer is yes.<br /><br />Sport is like that… it draws us in, wraps us tightly in its grip, and before we know it, there’s no escape. Often, there’s no logical explanation as to why you love a certain team. It could be a loyalty that is passed down through generations, a connection that grew when your favourite player joined them, a fascination that began due to an obsession with their jersey (you know who you are!) or something even more bizarre. <br /><br />Today, I’m telling my story of a sports team that saved my life… Dramatic, I know, but hey, it’s my story. This is a team to which I will show unquestioned loyalty — simply because… Well, really because, they brought me back — the cricket-obsessed, cricket-dreaming/ eating/ sleeping maniac… the one who’s room was covered with posters and inspirational quotes; whose cupboard was filled with jerseys (read: painted t-shirts), and books about players all around the world. <br /><br />Because, truth be told, for the last few years, I have wanted nothing but to shut that side of me down. I had briefly given up, and had wanted so badly to turn my back on the game and never look in its direction again… I felt broken, battered, but mostly betrayed — by my dreams, by the mantras being thrown in my face (hard work = success — it's not a direct equation, you know), by my blinding ambition, and somewhat by the people around me (although, truly, they had nothing to do with it). Therefore, I wanted to run as far away as I could — to drift off into the abyss of nothingness… <br /><br />But I digress… This is not a dark story. So, let’s get back on track, shall we? <br /><br />First, a history lesson: <br /><br />If you’re a women’s cricket fan (I assume you are since you’re reading this blog — OR you’re my mother!) you’re probably aware that until 2014, the South African women’s team didn’t have too many opportunities to play against the top nations (or didn’t have an opportunity to play much at all outside World Cups). It wasn’t until the introduction of the ICC Women’s ODI Championship that they began to play regularly. So, of course, it wasn’t until 2014 that I started to really pay attention to them. <br /><br />Why 2014, you ask? Well, because they toured India for the first time, and yours truly was picked in the <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-women-tour-of-india-2014-15-797883/india-a-women-squad-2-day-warm-up-798127/series-squads" target="_blank">India A squad</a> to play against them in the tour game before the Test match. So, true to character, I absolutely positively had to do my share of research which essentially meant obsessing over every player in their squad and making sure I knew everything I could about them! <br /><br />While the game didn’t happen (visa issues or some such), it was, in many ways the beginning of a relationship (for those <i>Ae Dil Hai Mushkil</i> fans, “ek tarfa pyar”) that would keep me together in the years to come. <br /><br />In 2014, South Africa did something that I had not seen before — they were the first non-Australian team to canter to victory against India in India as if was no big deal. I sat in the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore watching stunned as Chloe Tryon climbed into Shubhlakshmi Sharma in the 50th over of the <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-women-s-championship-2014-2016-17-772563/india-women-vs-south-africa-women-2nd-odi-797903/full-scorecard" target="_blank">2nd ODI</a>. She pummeled her past long on, over mid wicket, and deposited her into the stands over long off. It was breathtaking. It was scary. It was, in many ways, downright unbelievable. <br /><br />For one, I had never seen Shubh treated like that. She was one of the premier pacers in India — someone who, at her best, could bowl a searing yorker and had an exceptional cutter up her sleeve. She had the skills to be an excellent death bowler, but was being treated like she was bowling pies. Two, I had never before seen a woman hit with such ferocity; not in the space of an over; not an onslaught that would reduce the bowler to tears, crush her confidence, and make her question the very meaning of life.<div><br /></div><img height="336" src="https://cricketfanaticsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/200209WhiteFernsvSA_126.jpeg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: block; margin: auto;" width="640" /><div> <br /><div>Tryon’s blitz saw South Africa reach a total of 186 — a target that India chased down with relative ease thanks to Shikha Pandey's maiden ODI half century. But that day I caught a glimpse of what they could do, and I was hooked. <br /><br />South Africa would go on to win the ODI series — a historic achievement — their first bilateral series win v India in India and all that. They did it without Shabnim Ismail — the speed demon that we had all been warned about. They did it after getting mauled in the <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-women-s-championship-2014-2016-17-772563/india-women-vs-south-africa-women-2nd-odi-797903/full-scorecard" target="_blank">Test match in Mysore</a>. They did it just after what was an <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/this-could-be-the-start-of-great-things-mignon-du-preez-734729" target="_blank">incredible run</a> in the T20 World Cup. Their performances were proof that this was a team meant to be taken seriously — a team of supremely skilled cricketers who only needed more opportunities to show what they could do. <br /><br />The celebrations after the third ODI were relatively muted (at least the ones we saw were)— warm hugs (as is the way with SA), excited high-fives, a few players jumping around, and some applause in the direction of the sparse crowd. The result should have felt like an upset, but in reality, it didn’t. India had been thoroughly outplayed. Mignon du Preez’s side had romped home. They were the better team in that series. There was no competition really… they were thoroughly clinical and had well and truly won me over. <br /><br /></div><div>Over the next few years, as I learnt more about each of their players, the obsession grew. It <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2020/03/mignon-du-preez-forever-captain.html" target="_blank">began with du Preez</a>, extended to Ismail (#TeamPacer, of course) and Dane van Niekerk (oh, those wrists) and reached a crescendo with Marizanne Kapp (<a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/07/marizanne-kapp-wanda-maximoff-scarlet-witch-marvel-womens-cricket.html" target="_blank">#TheRealWanda</a>)… And then when the Lees, Khakas, Wolvaardts and Luus’ came along, there was really no turning back. I celebrated their wins as my own. I had all their names tattooed on my forehead — not literally, of course, but you know what I mean! South Africa were my team. Nothing or no one could change that — except maybe, a blue jersey! </div><div><br /></div><div><img height="438" src="https://www.india.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Capture-108.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; cursor: zoom-in; display: block; margin: auto;" width="640" /><br />Inspired by those women, I tried to crank up the pace (and failed) like Ismail. I dropped and ran and moved around my crease like MdP, practised “breaking my wrists” when hitting through cover like DvN, and celebrated with the ferocity of MK (because, seriously, that’s the only thing I could dream of doing like her)… Cricket was fun because of them… they made me want to be better. They made me want to try new things. They showed me that the “little guys” could consistently punch above their weight too — with the fight of DvN, the fire of Kapp & Ismail and the heart of MdP, it was all possible.</div><div><br />But in 2017, it all came crashing down…<br /><br />As my dreams began to slowly but steadily dissipate around me, and the reality of my career started to dawn on me, I desperately clung on to the few things that made me feel centered, still somewhat in control. <br /><br />I felt betrayed by cricket, the people in it, and by my own ambition. None of this was supposed to happen. I had gotten so close to what I wanted, but then saw it slip through the cracks as my mind gave in. I hated where I was when I should have been on the top of the world. Cricket, and the field was the last place I wanted to be… but work didn’t allow that. And so, within that darkness, I held on tight to South Africa — my little candle to fight off the demons in the dark. </div><div><br /></div><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1388680685" id="1xVInYICSF9J9JUz7L2yVg" style="border: none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'1xVInYICSF9J9JUz7L2yVg',sig:'9xlKrqNWXATkR6zEW9kkSajSwd0bnFR2UhSGK7LU_mI=',w:'594px',h:'561px',items:'1388680685',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><div> <br />Luckily for me, the start of the year had a lot of them — the World Cup qualifiers, the Quadrangular series involving India, Ireland, and Zimbabwe and the World Cup in the middle of the year. <br /><br />I lived that tournament with them. Pumped my firsts and jumped for joy when they <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cricketworldcup/videos/2017-womens-world-cup-pakistan-and-south-africa-play-out-a-thriller/292144101838441/" target="_blank">snuck past Pakistan</a> in that first game, watched in disbelief as they <a href="https://m.facebook.com/icc/videos/south-africa-roll-out-west-indies-womens-world-cup-magic-moments/382733226539670/" target="_blank">annihilated West Indies</a>, felt my heart sink when Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/426937" target="_blank">put them to the sword</a>, and curled up into a ball and cried when they crashed out in that <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/2509926" target="_blank">semi-final</a>. That tournament was in many ways, the start of the dominance of their golden generation, and it was when that "ek tarfah pyaar” grew stronger — #ForCaptainKerk & MdP. <br /><br />My highs and lows in the years to follow somewhat mirrored theirs too. From <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ind-w-in-sa-2017-18-1123199/south-africa-women-vs-india-women-3rd-odi-1123205/full-scorecard" target="_blank">MdP’s incredible knock</a> in the ODI series against India that gave me a second wind, to the disastrous 2018 T20 World Cup campaign when I was mentally at my lowest, to the revival that came in 2019-20 — a time when I finally learnt to detach, “let go” (a little like Elsa) and trust myself on the field. Their performances (and in many ways, their lives) fueled mine as well. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*** </div><br />More than three years have passed since I last played a game; close to two since I <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTZhBPUgPPS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">‘officially’</a> retired, and while I’ve used the time to come to terms with my broken dreams, and search for new purpose, it is the South African team and its players that have helped me hold on when I’ve least wanted to. When I tore down the posters and the quotes in my room, and repainted the walls dark purple (from blue), it was watching them that kept me sane. <br /><br />Let me be honest, it’s not easy covering Indian cricket as an “almost, but not quite” when you haven’t had time to process or grieve your own shortcomings. Every day, felt like a personal attack — like my failures were being examined under the spotlight… My <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/02/seeking-stillness.html" target="_blank">mind kept shouting</a>, “Those who can't do, teach; and those who can't even teach, write!” <br /><br />It was around then — when it felt like there was no respite, from my mind, from Covid, from all of it, really — that I decided it was time for a break. Emboldened by South Africa’s prolific run of form through 2021, I finally decided to put myself first and walked away from work. </div><div><br />Once again, when I thought I’d have nowhere to go, South Africa came to my rescue — the people and, unbeknownst to them, the players. Gsport and Kass Naidoo allowed me to look at the team through a global lens — to write about a group of players who were dominating the world. Those opportunities, to focus on a team that had for so long been my favourite somewhat freed me up, but more than anything, the opportunity to put India on the back burner and allow myself time and space to heal was exactly what I needed. </div><div><br /></div><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1405460889" id="1Yh2yHm8R6x3ohJfUDsyfQ" style="border: none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'1Yh2yHm8R6x3ohJfUDsyfQ',sig:'-4MJoB8EqHdNW2WwdNug3pLbORZTglSWZPjkdf1UlIM=',w:'594px',h:'398px',items:'1405460889',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><div>As I watched the 2022 ODI World Cup, wrote about the players, interacted with them through press conferences and interviews, I found joy again… I was invested in the team and it’s performances as more than just a fan — it was my work too, and boy was I learning to to enjoy it. Watching Laura Wolvaardt stroke her way to the top (briefly) of the run charts and then listening to her call herself “dumb” in a press conference, seeing Marizanne Kapp consistently snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and deflect all or any praise to her teammates, cheering on Ismail, Khaka and Klaas — important cogs in the best pace attack in the world — as they ripped through batting line ups, and seeing <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/04/mignon-du-preez-everybodys-champion.html" target="_blank">my hero</a>, Mignon, struggle through the start of the tournament, but continue to bring energy and enthusiasm in the field before she shattered a billion hearts, somehow, made the load on my shoulders lighter… Things no longer felt so dark or dreary. There was an enjoyment in all of it… <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/12/12-months-on.html" target="_blank">slowly, it all came back</a>… slowly I found that old cricket fanatic again… slowly that little candle that I was so desperately hanging on to, South Africa, guided me to the light at the end of the tunnel… <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*** </div><br /></div><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1239455284" id="mnEgHInTSLFzTNEA48mmSg" style="border: none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'mnEgHInTSLFzTNEA48mmSg',sig:'qaIB3f4OJmEQgF5z1bBML9UbvWpH2yLv1MFGbJcHob0=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1239455284',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><div>My admiration for Mignon du Preez and Marizanne Kapp is no secret… I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever tried to hide it! <br /><br /></div><div>Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that I was recently told that I should grow out of my hero worshiping. That I should no longer openly claim to be in awe of these women. That I should now be beyond all that. More “mature”, professional, even. I mean, which self-respecting 30-something-year-old makes posters, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn9zpfVITd_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">and t-shirts</a>, coins hashtags or changes flights for anyone? (Dear God, I hope one of you is thinking of yourself)! <br /><br />My answer to that — I don’t think I’d ever be able to tone down that part of me. As a journalist, I understand the need to be objective, to bring balance to my work, to see the facts. As a journalist, I will continue to try and do that — see both sides of the coin when I must. But as a person, I will, first and foremost, always be a fan. A South African women’s cricket fan. These women saved me from a darkness I never thought would end. They kept me sane. They kept me going. (One foot in front of the other, #AlwaysRising, anyone?) So, why wouldn’t I celebrate them at every opportunity? Why wouldn’t I want to remind them and the world of their awesomeness? I am, in many ways, here because of them. I stayed in this sport because of them. I am beginning to find a new purpose because of them… <br /><br />South Africa saved me — the cricketers, the people, the place (I’m looking at you, #DreamTeam)… I found it all again: my passion, purpose, and a quality I used to think was my greatest strength — perseverance… It’s fighting it’s way to the surface again. <br /><br />I’ve accepted my fate as an “almost, but not quite”. I’m learning to find my space in the ecosystem. While i’m not yet sure where that is, I know some day (hopefully soon), I will find it. For now, I know I have the skills to flit in and out of different spaces in order to figure out where I fit. <br /><br />After all, a wise person once told me, “… Have faith that it will all work out…” <br /><br />That’s it — THAT’S what South Africa helped me find… My faith… In me… <br /><br />#StrongerTogether</div></div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-65572048040836850612022-12-07T15:06:00.000+05:302022-12-07T15:06:20.913+05:3012 months on...<p>6 December 2021 – my first official day as a freelancer – was one that came with nervousness, excitement and relief. It was like a long exhale having held my breath for far too long. It was an adventure into the unknown. I was dreading it… but there was also a glimmer of hope.</p><p>What followed was a year of unending questions, doubts, crippling anxiety, fear and hopelessness intertwined with fleeting moments of excitement, relief, gratitude, inspiration and determination. There were the highs that came with covering a World Cup, working with some wonderful people (thanks for taking a chance on me), speaking to some of the world’s best, and a sense of freedom that came with going to another country, but the overwhelming feeling was one of doubt and being directionless.</p><p><i>Did I do the right thing? Am I any good at what I do? I am no longer useful. Will people forget me? How do I stay relevant? What if I fail? Maybe I’m just a fraud… I don’t know any of this. What skills do I even have? Yup, I’m definitely a fraud…</i></p><p>With every passing day of little to no work and every incoming rejection (however nicely wrapped), my mind grew louder. It didn’t help that all the changes in my life were happening together: the transition from player to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTZhBPUgPPS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">‘former’ player</a>, from full-time employee to freelancer; I went from having a very structured existence where every hour of my day was planned (and had purpose), to suddenly feeling like Katy Perry’s plastic bag “drifting through the wind, wanting to start again”.</p><p>At the start, I tried to spend my time <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/02/seeking-stillness.html" target="_blank">reflecting</a> on the year gone by – my attempt at staying still. But that was way harder than I initially thought… I then tried to give in to my emotions, stop fighting them, and simply be, but when has an overactive mind been willing to sit through anything?</p><p>It helped in between that I <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf9_NllPTMl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">travelled to another time zone</a> – far away from the cricket and everything else…</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p>Now’s the time for a bit of a backstory:</p><p>Cricket and I have had a strange relationship over the last few years… since 2016, as far as I can remember. Shortly after my best, most consistent season, I felt drained and was left with no motivation. I had played every game for Hyderabad, taken the new ball and bowled with the most control and variety I had in my career. I had made the South Zone squad and taken the new ball as well. I was the fittest I had ever been, the most aware and most confident ever. But as the season came to a close, I knew I no longer wanted to be there. I had gone from the person who spent every waking hour on the ground or watching/ talking cricket, to the one who wanted to leave before she got there, who needed space to breathe. I couldn’t keep up with it – my mind was exhausted, I needed I break. But how can you even think those things when you are so close to making a breakthrough? And, of course, I guilted myself into continuing; convinced myself it was a phase; got told off for talking about the way I felt and retreated into a shell, doing the only thing I knew best – training till I dropped, till I had no energy to function for the rest of the day, till my body had convinced my mind that I had done enough (which was usually far too much).</p><p>A few months on I got called up to an India A camp and things only got worse. I was ready physically – fit, aware, skills sharpened – but my mind was all over the place. Panic attacks and constant doubt are not good companions to have in a competitive high-performance environment. I tanked – in the camp, in the season. But somehow, I made the zonal team and had a wonderful time and a pretty decent tournament. I convinced myself the environment needed changing and hence <a href="https://womenscriczone.com/ananya-upendran-sikkims-avage-captures-the-flavour-of-2018-19-indian-domestic-season" target="_blank">went off to Sikkim</a> where I had the two best years of my career. But numbers rarely make up for what’s going on in your head. The cricket was enjoyable, but everything around it was becoming too much. My numbers didn’t matter because “they came at the wrong level”… I knew I wasn’t making the step up, so what was the point? <i>Maybe I should just walk away and accept that I am a failure. That I am not good enough.</i></p><p>Walking away from the game was hard, but I didn’t get the distance I needed at the time – working in the space doesn’t allow that, does it? That meant wounds festered and the scars never quite healed. But it also meant that I became very skilled at patching myself up… Surface level repairs are all you really need.</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p>Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It brings so much clarity – something I have achieved a fair bit of in recent times. Until a few months ago, I always saw myself through the lens of failure. Never earned an India cap, never won a championship, always playing second fiddle to the superstars… A nobody. A forgotten footnote.</p><p>Now, I see things in a different light…</p><p>Maybe I never played international cricket, but I had an enjoyable run as a state cricketer – played alongside some of the most accomplished players in the country, made some wonderful friends, was part of one of the best teams in India and had my moments as well. Maybe I didn’t get where I wanted, but I got pretty darn close. So maybe I’m not as big a failure as I convinced myself I was?</p><p>Success, after all, is different for everyone. The problem is that we’re often told that being successful means reaching the top. Being the very best. Not YOUR very best, but THE very best. And so, we assume it looks the same for everyone. But it isn’t… Our journeys our different, so maybe our destinations are too?</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p>More than 12 months since that day of dread, things have gotten better…</p><p>I started the year wondering <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/search?q=%23WhereIsMyCraigCumming&src=typed_query&f=live" target="_blank">where my Craig Cumming</a> was. In the end, I found my Kass Naidoo: the woman who propped me up with her words of encouragement and nudged me to build myself back up again… It was through those conversations that I found myself again. She was the first piece in the puzzle.</p><p>(In case you are reading, thank you Kass – for everything. I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be here without you).</p><p>I started the year without direction or a *****y clue what I was doing with my life, but through conversations and little nudges from Karunya Keshav and Snehal Pradhan, I found a sense of purpose again.</p><p>I started the year with absolutely no motivation or understanding of where I fit in, but thanks to prods from Shikha Pandey – who herself was having a tough time – and the drive, commitment and resilience she has shown, I continued to put one foot in front of the other to “see where life would take (me)”.</p><p>I started the year wondering whether I should stay in the cricket space – my relationship with the game had suffered for far too long – but now, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClWe7UbB7Bn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">thanks to a group of teenagers</a>, things are on the mend…</p><p>There’s nothing quite like watching age-group cricket – the sheer joy and innocence of those participating. The excited screams, the cries of anguish and despair, the flowing tears… All of it. The emotions are raw, unbridled. The players are so good, but they don’t yet know it. They are hungry and eager. They are ambitious. They are not yet consumed by doubt and poisoned by the pursuit of perfection… They reminded me of all the things I love about the game – the friendships, the competition, the thrill of a win, the celebrations and the adrenaline rush… But most of all, they reminded me of all the amazing people this game has introduced me to. I spent a couple of months watching some wonderful young athletes strut their stuff, and along the way, I truly found myself (and my love for the game) again. Along the way, I learnt to breathe.</p><p>… I know that’s not the final piece of the puzzle, and there’s plenty of distance to cover and healing to do, but as I sit here, writing this, readying myself for my fifth day of work at <a href="https://www.gosportsfoundation.in/" target="_blank">GoSports Foundation</a> working as a Programme Lead for the Equal Hue Cricket Excellence Programme, that final day at Women’s CricZone – and all the things in between – feel so long ago. I feel a sense of relief wash over me, but this time, I feel at peace. I feel content and useful again. The doubts are still there, but the volume has decreased.</p><p>Of course, the psychoanalytical babble in my head is telling me I attach too much of my value/ self-worth on this thing called a job. Maybe that’s true. But for the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I can really make a difference… That I can have a positive impact on the lives of a few young players. That’s all I really ever wanted to do when I was playing. India was the ultimate dream, but around that, it was to try and have a positive influence on those around me and inspire them to be the best people and cricketers they can be.</p><p>Now, I have the opportunity to try and do that and it excites me more than ever…</p><p>To those who helped me get to this point (there are so many I have not named, and I apologise for that), thank you. Every little interaction (over coffee, chilly mango ice cream and otherwise) and word of encouragement has meant a lot to me.</p><p>A wise person recently told me, “It’s okay not to change the world in a day” – I think I’m finally beginning to understand that. I think I’m finally getting the hang of being still!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6EeF9Ozx642acjm7nvHsgBgtk9YpZmP4zv2J6UC3DA4NQDt2JyoEZ6fz7ptpYPGAZssS3_v15mOvAWHxZzhmnOhOnxLUY2Uq4dxNTjgJmkXc8PSKJ-oMyIu5UPGxk3p_aXQaIDlcbSe29SS9uvmwlnFD354YeBv6yDaviUdqN9pVDfKizxfZ9srG/s4032/IMG-0793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6EeF9Ozx642acjm7nvHsgBgtk9YpZmP4zv2J6UC3DA4NQDt2JyoEZ6fz7ptpYPGAZssS3_v15mOvAWHxZzhmnOhOnxLUY2Uq4dxNTjgJmkXc8PSKJ-oMyIu5UPGxk3p_aXQaIDlcbSe29SS9uvmwlnFD354YeBv6yDaviUdqN9pVDfKizxfZ9srG/w480-h640/IMG-0793.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-2333290197051545702022-10-09T16:58:00.000+05:302022-10-09T16:58:11.579+05:30Niranjana Nagarajan's comeback quest<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the last five domestic tournaments, spread across three seasons, Niranjana Nagarajan has scored over 800 runs and taken more than 35 wickets. In 2019-20, she registered her maiden T20 century when opening the batting against Mizoram. In 2020-21, she finished as the highest wicket-taker among the seamers with 14 scalps. In 2021-22, she grabbed her second List-A six-for, ripping through Uttarakhand’s line-up to finish with figures of 6 for 37 – the second-best figures in the season, and the best by a pacer. Every year, her knocks on the selectors’ door have become progressively louder, but so far, they have been ignored. <br /><br />At 34, Niranjana, a pace bowling allrounder from Tamil Nadu, is no spring chicken. She last played for India in 2016; she last featured in a Challenger Trophy in 2016-17; and the last time she played at a ‘higher’ level than the state team was in 2018 – the last inter-zonal tournament in Trivandrum. If you were a betting person, you may be hesitant to bet on a comeback. Yet, speak to Niranjana, and there is an undying belief that comes through in her voice: a determination and willingness to swim against the tide in order to reach her destination. You may even finish the conversation emboldened to part with your money. <br /><br />“I truly believe I can still open the bowling for India and I can still bat for India. I have that self-belief in me,” Niranjana told me at the close of last season. “I’m just in the mode of doing what it takes to come back into the limelight and the national side again. I’m still playing only because I want to get there again. The passion has not reduced even a bit. I don’t know what the selectors think, but my duty is only to perform and get them to consider me.” </span></p><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/160422397" id="NNMecNUARDZmgO6NTwwn4Q" style="border: medium none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'NNMecNUARDZmgO6NTwwn4Q',sig:'baT_QtohAmjWZ99jpofoyQdaz_7GVhImYlOaw5Ti8Bs=',w:'594px',h:'390px',items:'160422397',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Between 2008 and 2016, Niranjana played two Tests, 22 ODIs and 14 T20Is for India. Her early career was interrupted by injury and illness which meant she rarely got consistent game-time at the top level. But even in her limited chances, the right-arm seamer, showcased flashes of brilliance: none more memorable than her four-fer against England in a historic Test match win at Wormsley in 2014. She was, however, unable to build on that promise, shuffled in and out of the XI before being left out entirely, but those experiences have helped her develop the steely resolve that defines her years later. <br /><br />“One thing which I learnt being a sportsperson is that you have to be very tough in your mind. The graph keeps changing: if it goes up it has to come down and if it comes down it has to go up again. But, of course, coming up depends on how you are putting in efforts – your work ethic and all that.” <br /><br />“I understand that to make a comeback a normal performance is not enough. You have to show them performances where you are noticed. I thought somewhere in Pune (one-day tournament) I did that, but sometimes you have to be prepared to fight more. Probably what I have done so far is not enough – I have to do more; I have to be extraordinary. That is something I am aiming to do this time.” </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8hHYjqVaSOkXFJ10djj9x0a0cZ1eNryOwqMy9Rs5j9stmY80w52tYdaapsY5met2cyXwf5XQDDr0UcVvmnUF2sr0Gvn6WJEvb48U_5EybZmiPSp5bkxZvNr6S7kBsS1HeTkDrx0Tuhk2VqUpJ_Xp9X1_ekEUNDlhR-LRVFlAbc5y3JroMN1aSJy6/s478/Screenshot%202022-10-09%20at%2016-50-17%20Niranjana%20Nagarajan%20on%20Instagram%20Left%20from%20trainin..%20wantin%20more%20%F0%9F%92%AB%E2%9C%85.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="478" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8hHYjqVaSOkXFJ10djj9x0a0cZ1eNryOwqMy9Rs5j9stmY80w52tYdaapsY5met2cyXwf5XQDDr0UcVvmnUF2sr0Gvn6WJEvb48U_5EybZmiPSp5bkxZvNr6S7kBsS1HeTkDrx0Tuhk2VqUpJ_Xp9X1_ekEUNDlhR-LRVFlAbc5y3JroMN1aSJy6/w640-h572/Screenshot%202022-10-09%20at%2016-50-17%20Niranjana%20Nagarajan%20on%20Instagram%20Left%20from%20trainin..%20wantin%20more%20%F0%9F%92%AB%E2%9C%85.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(credit: Niranjana Nagarajan/ Instagram)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In her attempt to return to the Indian squad, Niranjana has left no stone unturned. Always seen as a talented allrounder – gifted with a sense of timing with the bat, and a strong, sturdy frame that allowed her to bowl a heavy ball and extract bounce from the pitch – the Tamil Nadu stalwart has, in recent times, found an extra gear with her training. There is purpose in everything she does, whether on or off the field. Her regime is properly planned out, with each session having a particular focus, and her diet has changed drastically– gluten free, lactose free and a reduced intake of carbohydrates. <br /><br />“I want to improve every day – that’s how I go about all my practice sessions. In fact, I plan my sessions in terms of how it should be, what I need to work on, and even my training sessions and I am well guided by my trainer. It’s all very well thought out – focused on what we want to achieve. Every small thing is planned in detail. <br /><br />“I’ve always prepared with the same intensity for each tournament. But more recently, I’m trying to work a lot harder on my physique. Like, you know I’ve been with a dietician; I’ve been more conscious about my eating habits and how my intake impacts me. <br /><br />“See, I am basically a foodie – I won’t shy away from saying that! I love food,” she laughed. “I had to cut down on so many things, and found it difficult for the first 10 days or so. Everything had restrictions on it. But then I got used to it. So, if I am cutting down on something which I love the most, it should tell you what it actually means to me to get back to the higher level again.” <br /><br />Those new habits are a far cry from the younger Niranjana – the raw, rugged allrounder who “ate whatever she saw”. </span><br /></p><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/147504709" id="FnRA_FzaRq14z3SYzu1W2Q" style="border: medium none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'FnRA_FzaRq14z3SYzu1W2Q',sig:'YYERkDWowAcwKFGxOjt09Z-sNCOgsFYt4ywxQsfOJMc=',w:'594px',h:'432px',items:'147504709',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“As you grow older, you understand the importance of all these small things. When I was younger, maybe, there was no one to tell me about being conscious of my diet and all, but to be honest, this mindful eating has completely changed me as a person and a player. I am more confident of what I am doing on the field and that I can keep that intensity for longer periods.” <br /><br />Having failed to make any of the Challenger Trophy teams despite promising numbers in 2021-22, Niranjana used the hurt and frustration to further fuel her fire. She is determined to put in performances that will help her smash down the door. <br /><br />Fitter, leaner, stronger, smarter, and driven by an undying belief, Niranjana is prepared to make a splash for Tamil Nadu in the Women’s Senior T20 tournament that marks the start of the 2022-23 season. Grouped alongside defending champions Railways, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, the side will kick off their campaign in Guwahati on Tuesday (October 11). <br /><br />With a T20 World Cup and a potential Women’s IPL looming, Niranjana has plenty to aim for. The odds may be against her, but if anyone has the passion, zeal and innate desire to overcome them, it is the chest thumping, fist-pumping, ground beating, roaring, passionate fast-bowling allrounder that is Niranjana Nagarajan. <br /><br /></span></p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-1886516144107778602022-09-17T19:21:00.003+05:302022-09-17T19:34:26.287+05:30Preview: ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlc2PVcVbYimb2f4HP1dEfIK66Hee0rxFbwRcbez2ACHColKPGx8tnJ1i4g_RXtkqgODqU_aQoRPkfX8gbboNUkF25e8fXPiAZAmHL8lmYlDwGih431LyLywwzf_91Ex84urNRkWRzRUtLU1xuFvZyKBPNgT8P53i0iQCUjxxaFz7V_EzxNR9j2sRU/s4000/Captains'%20photo.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlc2PVcVbYimb2f4HP1dEfIK66Hee0rxFbwRcbez2ACHColKPGx8tnJ1i4g_RXtkqgODqU_aQoRPkfX8gbboNUkF25e8fXPiAZAmHL8lmYlDwGih431LyLywwzf_91Ex84urNRkWRzRUtLU1xuFvZyKBPNgT8P53i0iQCUjxxaFz7V_EzxNR9j2sRU/w640-h360/Captains'%20photo.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The eight captains pose with the trophy. (ICC)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div> The 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa is fast approaching. The dates are out, the venues nailed down, and the excitement around the tournament is building nicely. However, before we get to South Africa for the first game, there is the simple matter of identifying the final two teams who will make the trip there. That will be done over the course of the next week at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi, where between September 18 to 25, eight teams will battle it out for that coveted prize.<br /><br />Bangladesh and Thailand, who were part of the previous World Cup in 2020, will be joined by the five regional qualifiers — Papua New Guinea (EAP), Scotland (Europe), United Arab Emirates (Asia), United States of America (Americas) and Zimbabwe (Africa) — and the highest ranked non-winner, ie Ireland. The teams have been divided into two groups of four and will play each other once, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-final. The winners of the two semi-finals will seal their place in next year’s World Cup.<br /><br />The qualifiers played in 2019 saw Bangladesh and Thailand make their way to the World Cup in Australia in 2020. Therefore, both teams enter this tournament as favourites, but the likes of Ireland, Zimbabwe and Scotland will pose a huge threat.<br /><br />Ahead of what looks like it’s going to be a tightly contested tournament, here’s a quick run through of the teams and what we can expect from each of them.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GROUP A</b></span><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Bangladesh</b></span></div>Defending champions Bangladesh have been handed a bit of a blow on the eve of the competition with seam bowler and attack leader Jahanara Alam ruled out of the competition with a hand injury, and batter Fargana Hoque having tested positive for Covid-19. Alam will be replaced by her understudy, left-arm seamer Fariha Trisna who was part of the squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year, while Shohely Akhter has been named as Hoque’s replacement.</div><div><br />The Nigar Sultana-led side have not played any international cricket since the pinnacle event this March and will possibly go into the Qualifiers slightly rusty. However, the group have had the opportunity to play some domestic T20 cricket back home and had several national camps in the lead up to this tournament. Despite the lack of international game-time, the experience within their ranks should see them qualify for the semi-finals.<br /><br />As always, spin will play a massive role in Bangladesh’s campaign with the likes of Salma Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, Nahida Akter, Fahima Khatun likely to spearhead the attack. Medium pacer Ritu Moni, who has a variety of slower deliveries up her sleeve will also be someone they rely on heavily with the ball. But Bangladesh’s batting remains a concern. Power-hitting has been their Achilles heel for several years now, and with Fargana likely to miss a few matches, the likes of Nigar, Rumana, Murshida, and Shamima will be expected to do a bulk of the scoring.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_QGVjQqrDvRDw3Z8iZeKZxkLfhmT_fiN-4Wr_it6YHuH-8uwjNm4Vx1wdqM82mohRlmo5YxO_-3W7l9mxsJK26Ss6g3iJGHOtwFdzdoM61cULha--eaNAZ4atKO7pXUBlP-JQhQq0VmDN2R2ylBYLlrckSEZHy4cPOu5y9ijK_hoJSGaOM1P5Ako/s4000/Salma%20Khatun%20(C)%20of%20Bangladesh%20celebrates%20with%20teammates%20after%20dismissing%20Meg%20Lanning%20of%20Australia%20during%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women's%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20match%20between%20Bangladesh%20and%20Australia%20at%20Basin%20Reserve%20on%20March%2025,%202022%20in%20Wellington,%20New%20Z.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_QGVjQqrDvRDw3Z8iZeKZxkLfhmT_fiN-4Wr_it6YHuH-8uwjNm4Vx1wdqM82mohRlmo5YxO_-3W7l9mxsJK26Ss6g3iJGHOtwFdzdoM61cULha--eaNAZ4atKO7pXUBlP-JQhQq0VmDN2R2ylBYLlrckSEZHy4cPOu5y9ijK_hoJSGaOM1P5Ako/w640-h360/Salma%20Khatun%20(C)%20of%20Bangladesh%20celebrates%20with%20teammates%20after%20dismissing%20Meg%20Lanning%20of%20Australia%20during%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women's%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20match%20between%20Bangladesh%20and%20Australia%20at%20Basin%20Reserve%20on%20March%2025,%202022%20in%20Wellington,%20New%20Z.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bangladesh celebrate a wicket (ICC)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In past qualifying events, conditions have often suited Bangladesh’s slower bowlers. However this time around, it is expected that runs will flow (at least at the start of the tournament). If that is the case, it remains to be seen how a weakened Bangladesh will respond. Will they live up to the tag of favourites? Or will the qualifier queens finally be overthrown?<br /><br /><b>Key players:</b> Salma Khatun, Nigar Sultana, Rumana Ahmed<br /><br /><b>The big group game:</b> v Ireland<br /><br /><b>Captain speak:</b> “I think in terms of experience and quality, we are right up there. The players have been together for a while and therefore the team spirit is excellent. I believe we are prime contenders to qualify for the main event, and there, the challenge is to live up to expectations. I am very confident in the capabilities of my team, but we have to play our natural game and be consistent.”<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Nigar Sultana (c), Sharmin Akter, Shamima Sultana, Fargana Hoque*, Rumana Ahmed, Ritu Moni, Lata Mondal, Salma Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Fariha Trisna, Fahima Khatun, Sanjida Akter, Marufa Akter, Shohely Akhter*<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span>Ireland</span></b></span></div>Having missed out on the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia, Ireland will be very keen to right the wrongs of the last qualifying event. They have, since 2019, introduced more contracts, extended the tenure of head coach Ed Joyce, found a group of promising fast bowlers and attacking batters, and played plenty more cricket.<br /><br />Ireland have had a busy few months, playing against South Africa, Pakistan, Australia, Netherlands and Scotland before they reached the UAE. They look like a well-oiled unit and are led superbly by Laura Delaney who is the calm, composed leader in charge of a fairly young group.<br /><br />The introduction of seamer Arlene Kelly — who played domestic cricket for Auckland in New Zealand — has further strengthened their line-up. The likes of Gaby Lewis, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast and Cara Murray appear to have ‘come of age’ and are slowly becoming accustomed to the pressures of international cricket. They have shown plenty of promise in the lead up to the tournament and Ireland will thus be expected to sail into the semi-finals.<br /><br /><b>Key players:</b> Gaby Lewis, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson<br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Both Gaby Lewis (32*) and Orla Prendergast (38*) have retired not out as Ireland move on to 110-1.<br /><br />Scorecard here: <a href="https://t.co/snsTmh6RcY">https://t.co/snsTmh6RcY</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackingGreen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackingGreen</a> ☘️🏏 <a href="https://t.co/3ItKg6L2Nj">pic.twitter.com/3ItKg6L2Nj</a></p>— Ireland Women’s Cricket (@IrishWomensCric) <a href="https://twitter.com/IrishWomensCric/status/1569641793376903168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <b>The big group game:</b> v Scotland<br /><br /><b>Captain speak:</b> “I think the biggest challenge for us will be playing in these conditions. The weather here is quite different to what we’re used to in Ireland, high temperatures and humidity. The majority of the team have never played under lights, we have two games under lights so that will also be a good challenge.”<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Laura Delany (c), Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Scotland</b></span></div>Winners of the European Qualifiers, Scotland’s squad has a very familiar feel to it. The Bryce sisters, Kathryn and Sarah, are the superstars within the line-up and will need to do much of the heavy lifting with the bat. They have, however, found some support in the form of their newest recruit, Saskia Horley. The right-hand batter, who previously played domestic cricket in Australia, made her debut for Scotland in their last series against Ireland managing over 90 runs in two innings. At only 22, her calming presence in the middle order will take the pressure off the Bryces, hopefully allowing them to play with a sense of freedom at the top.<br /><br />In the qualifying event in Spain, it was Scotlnd’s bowlers who really stood out. The spin duo of Abtaha Maqsood and Katherine Fraser combined to dot down the opposition in what were very slow conditions. The European champions will hope they can play a similar role in Abu Dhabi as well. The pace group, consisting of Kathryn, Megan McColl, Katie McGill, Priyanaz Chatterjee will keep the batters honest, consistently attacking the stumps. If conditions play in their favour, the Scots could be a handful. However, their lack of international cricket in recent times, could prove to be costly.<br /><br /><b>Key players:</b> Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Bryce, Katherine Fraser, Saskia Horley<br /><br /><b>The big group game:</b> v Ireland<b><br /><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1269504303" id="xvVXUfBuSeJWyiCbsInkow" style="border: medium none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'xvVXUfBuSeJWyiCbsInkow',sig:'xXkcmIFsTFM9Ka0ylD33ieiW26ZaIcwy3S8N-tm-bxU=',w:'594px',h:'388px',items:'1269504303',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><br />Captain speak:</b> “I think this team’s strong point has always been the strength in our bowling with fantastic spinners in Katherine Fraser and Abtaha Maqsood, but we have also really developed strength and depth in our batting line up, that can win us games of cricket.”<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Kathryn Bryce (c), Sarah Bryce, Abtaha Maqsood, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Ailsa Lister, Katherine Fraser, Kathleen McGill, Priyanaz Chatterji, Lorna Jack, Megan McColl, Ellen Watson, Hannah Rainey, Olivia Bell, Saskia Horley, Rachel Slater<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>United States of America</b></span></div>The lowest ranked and least experienced team in the group, there is a quiet sense of confidence around this young USA squad. Although they go into the tournament without left-arm seamer Tara Norris and one of their most experienced batters, Shebani Bhaskar, there appears to be a real expectation and excitement within the squad. Maybe it’s the fearlessness that comes with youth? Or maybe it’s the exposure several of their players have gotten over the last few months? Whatever it is, if USA are able to hold their nerve, they could cause on upset on a good day.<br /><br />However, their batting looks bereft of power. With the omission of Bhaskar and Norris and the injury to young Gargi Bhogle, the line-up will now rely heavily on the contributions of skipper Sindhu Sriharsha. The teens around her — Anika Kolan, Lisa Ramjit, Mahika Kandanala, Disha Dhingra, Snigdha Paul — will bring the intensity between the wickets and a sense of inventiveness, but when the team is under the pump, it is Sriharsha’s experience they will turn to.<br /><br />It is in the bowling and fielding departments that USA could prove to be particularly tricky customers. Young Geetika Kodali, elevated to the position of vice-captain, will spearhead the attack alongside Suhani Thadani, Paul and Isani Vaghela. Fresh legs in the field mean they will throw themselves around and chase balls down as if their life depends on it. If the opposition aren’t careful, those efforts could result in wickets. And on a good day, it could lead to positive results for Sriharsha and co. (just as it did in their final game of the quadrangular series).<br /><br />While finding a place in the top four may be a slightly beyond their reach at this point, the tournament will prove to be a massive learning experience for the younger members of the group — something they will hold close to their hearts with an Under-19 World Cup on the horizon.<br /><br /><b>Key players:</b> Sindhu Sriharsha, Geetika Kodali, Suhani Thadani<br /><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://admin.womenscriczone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Sindhu-11.35.05-AM-e1570457406885.jpg" height="299" src="https://admin.womenscriczone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Sindhu-11.35.05-AM-e1570457406885.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sindhu Sriharsha plays a cover drive. (ICC)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>The big group game:</b> v Scotland<br /><br /><b>Captain speak:</b> “The main theme of the tournament has been to be adaptable. The team has been committed and showing progress. We have trust in our training and preparations leading up to this Qualifier and believe we can stand up to any challenge we face.”<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Sindhu Sriharsha (c), Geetika Kodali, Anika Kolan, Bhumika Bhadriraju, Disha Dhingra, Mahika Kandanala, lsani Vaghela, Lisa Ramjit, Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni, Preeti lyenger, Ritu Singh, Snigdha Paul, Suhani Thadani, Taranum Chopra, Yashaditi Teki.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Group B</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Thailand</b></span></div>After a thrilling show in the 2020 edition of the <a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/lessons-laughs-leadership-and-a-love-of-the-game-thailands-memorable-t20-world-cup-campaign" target="_blank">T20 World Cup in Australia</a>, Thailand have now become the sweethearts of the cricketing world. A fast-improving team who have, in many ways, been the shining example of what investment and smart planning can do for a team, for the first time in their careers, Thailand will go into a global event with the spotlight firmly on them.<br /><br />As always, it is Thailand’s bowling and fielding that are seen as their strengths. One of the most tactically astute teams, they will look to squeeze opposition batters with their strong spin attack led by Nattaya Boochatham, Suleeporn Laomi, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Sornnarin Tippoch and the left-arm sensation Thipatcha Putthawong.<br /><br /><a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1208724287" id="1qhTQXcBSGhGj6rz0X6yuQ" style="border: medium none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'1qhTQXcBSGhGj6rz0X6yuQ',sig:'6l1KViuoDsJl3OvmthoUjMlFJ3bkMapaUTblFAmB5jY=',w:'594px',h:'441px',items:'1208724287',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><br /><br />With the bat, Nattakan Chantham is their superstar. However, the emergence of Chanida Sutthiruang as a powerful batting option has added some power and depth to what was otherwise seen as a very top-heavy line-up with Boochatham, Chaiwai, and Nannapat Koncharoenkai playing the role of able supporting acts.<br /><br />In the lead up to the tournament, Thailand spent several weeks training and playing matches in India, formulating new game-plans, trying out different combinations and getting some much-needed game-time under their belts. They arrived in Abu Dhabi early and participated in a quadrangular series (involving Zimbabwe, USA and UAE) where they finished second.<br /><br />The expectations at the start of the tournament are that Thailand will be one of the teams to make their way to South Africa. But will they be able to handle that pressure?<br /><br /><b>Key players:</b> Nattaya Boochatham, Nattakan Chantham, Chanida Sutthiruang<br /><br /><b>The big group game:</b> v Zimbabwe<br /><br /><b>Captain speak:</b> “Our team’s objective is to win the tournament. We are a strong unit and have great teamwork and everyone will contribute to our success."<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Naruemol Chaiwai (c), Nannapat Khoncharoenkai (vc/wk), Nattaya Boochatham, Chanida Sutthiruang, Natthakan Chantham, Sornnarin Tippoch, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Suleeporn Laomi, Rosenanee Kanoh, Thipatcha Putthawong, Phannita Maya, Suwanan Khiaoto, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Nanthita Boonsukham<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Zimbabwe</b></span></div>Zimbabwe have enjoyed an extensive period of preparation leading into these T20 World Cup Qualifiers. They began with a tri-series in Namibia, then enjoyed an <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/09/learning-to-beat-heat-and-win-against.html" target="_blank">18-day stint in India</a> where they played matches against several local teams before heading to South Africa for a five-match T20 series against their Emerging side and then playing a quadrangular series in Abu Dhabi. The Mary-Anne Musonda-led side have registered series win across all four tours, making them one of the form teams in this group. <br /><br />Having missed the 2019 qualifiers because of an ICC suspension, the players are hungrier than ever to prove their worth to the world. They are eager to qualify for what would be a home (Africa) World Cup for them and know they have the ability and experience to get over the line. With a new coach, Gary Brent, at the helm, the side are more aware of their strengths, have more clarity around their roles and know how they need to play to get where they want.<br /><br />On paper, Zimbabwe have what could be termed as the most powerful batting line-up in the competition. With <a href="https://gsport.co.za/sharne-mayers-the-world-cup-is-the-ultimate-dream/" target="_blank">Sharne Mayers</a> at the top, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Mary-Anne Musonda, Modester Mupachikwa and Precious Marange to follow, they have boundary-hitters scattered through the order. It a strength they will hope to capitalise on in what are likely to be batting-friendly conditions. With the ball they have plenty of variety, beginning with the left-arm seam of Nomvelo Sibanda, the pace of Esther Mbofana and Josephine Nkomo, the off-spin of Loryn Phiri and Loreen Tshuma and the left-arm “mystery spin” of Kelis Ndhlovu.<br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">16-year old Kelis Ndhlovu took 6-16 as 🇿🇼 beat Scotland by 9 runs in an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier warm up match in Abu Dhabi.<br /><br />🇿🇼 94 in 19.2 overs (Musonda 30, Mugeri-Tiripano 26; Maqsood 2-5) <br /><br />Scotland 85 in 18 overs (Chatterji 32, Bryce 14, Ndlovu 6-16, Sibanda 2-7) <a href="https://t.co/JnxkfGNpJ3">pic.twitter.com/JnxkfGNpJ3</a></p>— Zimbabwe Cricket - Women (@zimbabwewomen) <a href="https://twitter.com/zimbabwewomen/status/1570864633669615617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> Recent form and team strengths suggest that Zimbabwe should make it to the final four. Once there, it will be all about how the hold their nerve.<br /><br /><b>Key players:</b> Sharne Mayers, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Mary-Anne Musonda, Josephine Nkomo<br /><br /><b>The big group game:</b> v Thailand<br /><br /><b>Captain speak:</b> “Our team’s objectives at the tournament are mainly to apply ourselves and go through our processes thoroughly while taking each game as it comes. We want to qualify for the World Cup, but we understand that getting there will take us managing all moments as they will come in each game. We want to play a brand of cricket that we have been playing in the last couple of months, which is playing with freedom and being brave. All the other finer aspects in each department sort of take care of themselves.”<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Mary-Anne Musonda (c), Modester Mupachikwa, Kelis Ndhlovu, Sharne Mayers, Josephine Nkomo, Precious Marange, Christabel Chatonzwa, Loreen Tshuma, Loryn Phiri, Nomvelo Sibanda, Esther Mbofana, Pellagia Mujaji, Audrey Mazvishaya, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Francisca Chipare<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>United Arab Emirates</b></span></div>Winners of the Asia qualifiers, hosts UAE are the dark horses of Group B. A young group of players with plenty of talent, they will be heavily reliant on the batting trio of Esha Oza, Theertha Satish and Kavisha Egodage, all of whom participated in the FairBreak Invitational tournament earlier this year. UAE will be without their stalwart and batting backbone Chamani Seneviratne, who was one of the stars of that Asia qualifier. Without her, the onus falls on Oza, who has two T20I centuries to her name including a mammoth 158 not out that came against Bahrain earlier this year.<br /><br />UAE have played as many as 18 T20Is this year, winning three out of four series at the start of the year. Most recently, they faced Thailand, Zimbabwe and USA in the quadrangular series earlier this month losing all three of their matches to finish last.<br /><br />While the loss to a young USA team would have irked them so close to such a massive tournament, Chaya Mughal will have to lift her team and make sure they are able to turn their form around. They will have the advantage of playing at home in front of a vocal crowd. So they will have support to fall back on.<br /><br />Although there are worries with the bat, UAE’s strength lies with the ball. Led by the canny Mughal, they also have the pace of Khushi Sharma, the spin of Oza, Egodage and Vaishnavi Mahesh whom they will rely on to pick up wickets.<br /><br />Drawn in a pool with two form teams, UAE will have to play out of their skin to topple one of them and make the semi-finals. If their bowling clicks, they have a chance, but truth be told, it will be an against the odds achievement.<br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"My earliest memory of cricket would be watching the 2011 World Cup final. After that, I always wanted to play the game." 💬<br /><br />UAE's Esha Oza on how she started playing cricket and her journey so far ⬇️</p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1530624953128587264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <b>Key players:</b> Esha Oza, Chaya Mughal, Kavisha Egodage<br /><br /><b>The big group game: </b>Thailand<br /><b><br />Captain speak:</b> “We have been preparing and working really hard despite the weather being extremely hot. Our outdoor centre wicket practice and match simulation is something that is really helping us at present. Clearing the boundary ropes is something that we have been focusing on and we will be utilizing that in the coming games.”<br /><br /><b>Squad:</b> Chaya Mughal (c), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Siya Gokhale, Priyanjali Jain, Lavanya Keny, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Indhuja Nandakumar, Esha Oza, Rinitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Theertha Satish, Khushi Sharma<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span>Papua New Guinea</span></b></span></div>PNG played their last international on 7 September 2019. So, when they finally take the field on Sunday (against Zimbabwe), it will be after a gap of 1,106 days.<br /><br />Having reached the semi-final of the previous qualifying event in 2019, PNG may find it hard to replicate those highs after such a long hiatus. Their only international (match) preparation that we know of came via two warm-up matches against Ireland where they largely struggled to keep pace with their opponents.<br /><br />What set PNG apart in 2019 was their attacking intent in the field — players breathing down the batters’ neck, diving around, cutting off singles and making scoring even harder on damp surfaces. If they are able to pull off something similar in this tournament, their opposition could be in for a scare.<br /><br />While there is little doubt of the talent within the unit — the likes of Sibona Jimmy who shone in the previous event, skipper Kaia Arua, seamer Ravina Oa, wicketkeeper-batter Brenda Tau and Tanya Ruma — the lack of game-time could come back to bite them. If they were to beat even one of the teams in their group, it would be seen as a massive win considering what has passed over the last couple of years.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image" class="css-9pa8cd" draggable="true" height="427" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDi9OjTW4AAxWCf?format=jpg&name=medium" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sibona Jimmy was a standout for PNG in the 2019 qualifiers. (ICC)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Key players:</b> Sibona Jimmy, Brenda Tau, Kaia Arua<br /><br /><b>The big group game:</b> v UAE<br /><br /><b>Captain speak:</b> “This will be a very challenging tournament for us as we’ve been away from playing international cricket for almost three years due to COVID-19. But we have been training and are looking forward to playing in this tournament and hopefully qualifying for the World Cup."<br /><br /><b>Squad: </b>Kaia Arua (c), Melanie Ani, Vicky Araa, Hollan Doriga, Kevau Frank, Veru Frank, Sibona Jimmy, Ravina Oa, Tanya Ruma, Pauke Siaka, Brenda Tau, Henao Thomas, Mairi Tom, Isabel Toua, Naoani Vare</div><div><br /></div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3AHWdxOshNM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-55654672728977038562022-09-02T17:44:00.003+05:302022-09-02T17:53:00.936+05:30Learning to beat the heat and win against spin: Zimbabwe’s India sojourn<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YC78PpM5E3GqRidsmcqEVnFt231LYZ0068ck6MIXd-yf6SU4DhXKjbpq7YR_pv6eii1n4jRIFVeqsokHw7Pr60bS-bpeJWcEtIf_5n497mT6mOhvIqa85Js32oEk-G3xgsBCanERVhQoS2yi2ZTmCon9fVC9cY-paoH1qOCOgMBMJxppjXwJhues/s1080/FYgcIQHWAAEhuuR.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YC78PpM5E3GqRidsmcqEVnFt231LYZ0068ck6MIXd-yf6SU4DhXKjbpq7YR_pv6eii1n4jRIFVeqsokHw7Pr60bS-bpeJWcEtIf_5n497mT6mOhvIqa85Js32oEk-G3xgsBCanERVhQoS2yi2ZTmCon9fVC9cY-paoH1qOCOgMBMJxppjXwJhues/w640-h480/FYgcIQHWAAEhuuR.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Zimbabwe squad in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru (Zimbabwe Cricket - Women/ Twitter)</i></span><br /><br />It’s a rather humid morning in Bengaluru thanks to the overnight rain. The sun is out, beating down on the still slightly damp outfield of the NICE Cricket Arena. <br /><br />At one end of the ground, the NICE Academy players are sitting in their dugout, sharing a laugh as they prepare for their warm-up. At the other end, the Zimbabwe women’s cricket team have already begun their pre-match routines. <br /><br />It is July 29, Zimbabwe’s last day in India – the end of an 18-day tour during which they played a total of nine limited overs matches against NICE Academy and Karnataka State Cricket Association teams, all in preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Dubai beginning on September 18. <br /><br />“We arrived here on 12 July,” batter Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano tells me. “It’s been a great experience being here and playing in India for the first time. We have learnt a lot about playing spin and have also gotten used to the heat, which has been really helpful looking ahead to the qualifiers in Dubai.” <br /><br />Scheduled to leave the hotel late that night, the visitors have agreed to play one final T20 before they head back home for a two-week break. <br /><br />For Zimbabwe — who began their tour with a five-match T20 series against NICE, which they won 3-2 — it is an opportunity to spend time in the ground and with the players who made their trip so enjoyable. <br /><br />“It’s been a life experience for them, really,” Gary Brent, Zimbabwe’s head coach says, as we settle into a chat near their dugout while his team prepare to take the field. “One thing I did tell the girls was to embrace everything – the food, the experiences on and off the field, the opportunity to speak to the other girls… Just lap it all up.” <br /><br />Left-arm seamer Nomvelo Sibanda and Esther Mbofana take the new ball and are almost immediately put under pressure by the NICE opening pair of Vrinda Dinesh and G Prerana. Brent’s smile widens. <br /><br />“This is the kind of pressure we are going to experience in the qualifiers. Teams are going to take us on and we need to be ready for it. So, this is great.” <br /><br />Although it’s the end of what has been an intense tour, there’s still a great deal of energy around the group: the squad are excited by the opportunity to play another competitive game. <p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steps out to the offie and smacks her over long-off. First six of the day for Vrinda! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NICEvZIM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NICEvZIM</a> <a href="https://t.co/n5is5nxDQL">pic.twitter.com/n5is5nxDQL</a></p>— Ananya Upendran (@a_upendran11) <a href="https://twitter.com/a_upendran11/status/1552897906130112512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2022</a></blockquote><p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>“In Zimbabwe, we don’t play as much cricket as we would like. I mean, just on this tour we have played nine games in 20 (18) days which for us is like ‘Wooooah!’ But the more games we play, the more game awareness we get – you’ve got to go through stuff to gain experience, you know,” the former Zimbabwe men’s fast bowler explains. <br /><br />After the seamers went for plenty, Zimbabwe’s spin duo of Loreen Tshuma and Loryn Phiri pull back the scoring rate with a couple of wickets. Vrinda, however, decides to counter-punch. She plays a few wristy flicks off the back foot, some sweetly timed drives and also uses the paddle sweep effectively. <br /><br />Brent is excited: “This is something I’ve been trying to convince the girls about – the use of the sweep shot. It’s not something we do a lot in Zimbabwe. <br /><br />“In Zim the ball tends to keep a bit low, so everyone just gets on that front foot and reaches from there. If you do that here, you are very easy to bowl to. That vacant fine-leg region is something we need to start using to our advantage – even if just to manipulate the field or put the bowler off.” <br /><br />It is something skipper Mary-Anne Musonda also alluded to when we spoke earlier in the tour: “The sweep – and all its versions – is something we are working on. I think it is a confidence thing when it comes to execution.<br /><br />“Through most of the games, we haven’t had anyone at square or fine leg, so it’s something we could try, but I for one am not really comfortable with that shot just yet. I prefer stepping out or using the depth of my crease to play back,” she said. <br /><br />This understanding of the different ways to tackle spin is what has pleased Brent most. <br /><br />Since the start of 2021, Zimbabwe have lost 100 wickets to spin across 30 one-day and T20 matches – often crumbling at the mere sight of an opposition spinner. <br /><br />“Those experiences made us realise that we had a lot of work to do with facing spin – especially leg-spin and left-arm spin – and so, we’ve been working on our scoring options, not to get dotted down,” said Musonda. <br /><br />Through this tour, each batter has identified their own method to counter the turning ball. For Musonda, it’s playing later and off the back foot. For Mugeri-Tiripano, it involves sweeping and coming down the track. For senior batter Sharne Mayers, it is using her wrists to manipulate the ball into gaps. <br /><br />“Now, they are realising there’s different ways to play spin – it has been more effective to play later off the back foot, or if you are going to come down, really go at the ball,” explains Brent. “That’s still a work in progress obviously, but our awareness, and understanding of what suits a specific batter is heightened because we are playing so much.” <br /><br />Musonda puts down this improvement to not just being able to train and play matches, but also pick the brains of the opposition bowlers themselves. <br /><br />“We have had the opportunity to talk (about) and discuss these things (with opposition), and you can actually get a clearer picture of how they go about it; the thinking behind the plans.” </p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvXW_4fI7g3pZrijcZeXP4zy6dZ9wemBNXNbdm0pMmw75NC5-qmHyT7nKa73URstBZPtnaW1Af9Rv4YV9V7GijBwpZ2BipzZCHNqUBDxtIHZVD_6z6pbn-TfLqhS0h124zDHCo-1sfdLJb7Li2jUACL0oLvM2igrB5bwqCERBhCFGArvJHJ0M-hRJ/s1600/FY1pceWWYAEONnX.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvXW_4fI7g3pZrijcZeXP4zy6dZ9wemBNXNbdm0pMmw75NC5-qmHyT7nKa73URstBZPtnaW1Af9Rv4YV9V7GijBwpZ2BipzZCHNqUBDxtIHZVD_6z6pbn-TfLqhS0h124zDHCo-1sfdLJb7Li2jUACL0oLvM2igrB5bwqCERBhCFGArvJHJ0M-hRJ/w640-h480/FY1pceWWYAEONnX.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>NICE Academy and Zimbabwe players. (Zimbabwe Women - Cricket/ Twitter)</i></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Back on the field, Vrinda’s strokeplay is putting Zimbabwe under severe pressure. However, having been hit for a boundary through square leg, off-spinner Phiri tosses the next delivery up, slightly slower and a tad wider, forcing the right-hander to reach for the ball. Not quite to the pitch, Vrinda throws her hands through the line and is caught on the long-off boundary. It’s a crafty bit of bowling that sees Brent nod in appreciation. <br /><br />“One of the big positives from this tour is just how the players have adapted. We’ve obviously done a few things wrong, but I think that’s part of it. <br /><br />“When you come to India everyone talks about playing spin and what a big adjustment it is for the batters, but it’s the same for the bowlers. Here, the ball actually turns and the pitches are slow, so you have to make so many adjustments; that changes the length you bowl and the pace at which you bowl it.” <br /><br />Now, Sibanda dives full length to cut off a strong on-drive played by Inchara Nag. Although Zimbabwe are well in control of the game, having pulled back NICE from 56 for 1 to 94 for 6 in the 16th over, their intensity has not dropped. <br /><br />The effort is a reflection of Zimbabwe’s improved attitude towards fitness – they’ve gone from trying to avoid it, to now actually wanting to train. Despite a packed schedule, with as many as three one-day and one T20 match in the last five days, the squad have no injuries to report – the significance of which is not lost on their coach who is a CrossFit trainer himself. <br /><br />“Our fitness has been a big part that we focused on. I don’t think we were as fit or as robust as we needed to be (as an international team) and we have improved in that area dramatically.” <br /><br />With three overs left and NICE inching towards the 120-run mark, Musonda throws the ball back to Mbofana. She responds with a double-wicket over, further curtailing the host’s launch. <br /><br />“She’s picked up a couple of yards of pace and has really got the ball to move and carry through nicely. I’ve been really impressed with her development,” Brent says. <br /><br />“Those are the types of things you are looking for as a coach – you see the girls are really hungry to learn and get better and it’s really shown in some of their performances.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">At the other end, Esther Mbofana is bowling at a decent clip. Two wickets in the over - the first saw middle stump uprooted, the second (this incomplete video), caught at long off. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NICEvZIM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NICEvZIM</a> <a href="https://t.co/avRbEuYYfO">pic.twitter.com/avRbEuYYfO</a></p>— Ananya Upendran (@a_upendran11) <a href="https://twitter.com/a_upendran11/status/1552909329107337217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>As many as 16 players have made the trip to India, and with two of their best, wicketkeeper-batter Modester Mupachikwa and allrounder Josephine Nkomo, off playing club cricket in England, Brent has had the opportunity to test out a number of youngsters, some of whom have really stepped up, even in unfamiliar roles. <br /><br />But as much as the tour was about learning and providing opportunities, it was also about teaching the squad to win consistently. It was a fine balance, he says. <br /><br />“We’ve given players exposure to different situations. Some of the fringe players got the opportunity to play more central roles and some have grabbed that chance. It’s made things very clear with regards to selection in terms of finding our best squad for the conditions in the UAE.” <br /><br />After restricting NICE to a total of 125 for 9, Zimbabwe go into the innings break as the happier side, but their chase is rocked early. Left-hander Kelis Ndhlovu plays around a straight ball and is caught plumb in front of the stumps against the off-spin of Shreyanka Patil. At the other end, Mayers is stuck on the back foot, feeling for the ball. NICE can smell something. <br /><br />With little regard for the mounting pressure, Mugeri-Tiripano uses the sweep, cut and a strong backfoot punch to hit Patil off her line and give Zimbabwe some momentum. However, once she falls for a 23-ball 28, Zimbabwe suffer a mini collapse, and the previously buoyant dugout grows tense. <br /><br />“There have been times through this trip that we have reverted to our old methods against spin,” says Brent, referring to his batters pushing at the ball with their hands. “It’s a work in progress. We’re starting to learn from each other – communicating better about what’s working and what isn’t, and that’s been a massive change and a big help for all of us.” <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3k66bqU_YTN5SW-dsxivXZCsZTZT2eohigSoOnxzUYFLn30ZT0fIJ5RAcVTJKOyShOY6HUAEh1_3b3lcbHrqBmu0rXfXi4AiUYhOK-jHBzM8ruB4dQ86mKt8j0nhQKzsG9NE1U5LpRWyMsFZAUzU9CLvLB5AXKxZUr7r1YIPC9sL1v1zFsJLsmSa/s1080/FXs7VnWVsAMZhBt.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3k66bqU_YTN5SW-dsxivXZCsZTZT2eohigSoOnxzUYFLn30ZT0fIJ5RAcVTJKOyShOY6HUAEh1_3b3lcbHrqBmu0rXfXi4AiUYhOK-jHBzM8ruB4dQ86mKt8j0nhQKzsG9NE1U5LpRWyMsFZAUzU9CLvLB5AXKxZUr7r1YIPC9sL1v1zFsJLsmSa/w640-h360/FXs7VnWVsAMZhBt.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The players shake hands (Zimbabwe Cricket - Women/ Twitter)</i></span><br /><br />Out in the middle, wicket-keeper Pellagia Mujaji and allrounder Christabel Chatonzwa are slowly rebuilding. By hanging back and punching to the sweepers, they stay abreast of the run rate, aware that they have the power of Precious Marange still to come. <br /><br />As has been the case all day, the momentum swings again. NICE dismiss Mujaji and Tshuma in quick succession and Zimbabwe are left needing 32 runs in 22 balls. In jogs Marange; the bat, a toothpick alongside her broad frame. <br /><br />“She’s a rugby player, this one is – the oldest in our squad,” Brent points out. “She makes things happen.” <br /><br />Off the next 10 balls, NICE’s spinners concede only six runs and it seems like Zimbabwe may have left themselves too much to do off the last two overs – the last of which will be bowled by leg-spinner Leshan, who only conceded nine runs in his first three overs… <br /><br />Marange takes 13 runs off the penultimate over, including a <a href="https://twitter.com/a_upendran11/status/1552934089983897601?s=20&t=zSGVx57_y41tTtFxMQ3fBw">mighty six</a> over long-on that sails out of the ground. Zimbabwe’s younger players are out of their seats again. <br /><br />With 13 required off the final over, Marange is on strike. She begins with a powerful slog sweep that just evades the diving Vrinda at deep mid-wicket and effectively seals the game with a classical lofted extra cover drive that races to the boundary. With one needed off the penultimate ball, Chatonzwa scores the winning runs with a trademark backfoot punch through extra cover. Zimbabwe race on to the field to embrace the batting pair. They have found a way to win again. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Precious Marange. Clutch! <a href="https://t.co/sv4oIu9Y7B">pic.twitter.com/sv4oIu9Y7B</a></p>— Ananya Upendran (@a_upendran11) <a href="https://twitter.com/a_upendran11/status/1552935748436779008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>“Great game, hey?” Brent smiles. “Good way to end the trip.” <br /><br />After a short celebration and a quick cool down, the players take the opportunity to chat to their opponents. <br /><br />“Through the tour I think we’ve developed a really good relationship,” Mayers says while packing her kit bag. “I think we’ve learnt as much from the opposition as they have from us. <br /><br />“I have personally learnt to think about the game differently – just seeing the way Vee (Vrinda) and Shrey (Patil) and the other girls go about their batting has been great. And then, having conversations around that with the coaches and getting to practice those things has been super useful.” <br /><br />Musonda chimed in: “I think we now have an idea of what we need to work on. This has really shown us that it’s different from playing games against boys back at home, because now you have different conditions, different sides, different way of thinking, seeing how others play and seeing how you respond as well.” <br /><br />After a couple of weeks off, Zimbabwe are now in South Africa where they are playing a few games against the Emerging team before going to Dubai for another preparatory series involving Thailand, USA and hosts UAE. <br /><br />“We have done a lot of spin stuff here, so hopefully there it will be more pace in SA – just an opportunity to remind ourselves of our strengths in those conditions,” says Brent. <br /><br />“In terms of preparation, we are ticking most boxes and we want to be starting to really play our best cricket by the time the qualifiers come around. Heading to Dubai early means we can hit our straps and get used to the wickets quickly.” <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg0xYELwjvAfXaKWbrd0sBfIfiuQxP4b7GGRnnBG3SJH7FsieZ5UALkdrQdpDvL43CTFuXuDifbmsLUaWaAte3b2FyXisFvk2OuhUL-t2EgmWI2ktmwSDjirJeNZ4vcrz2XJulDnyny8Sz4AUmtZqwrFNsnfbZPgY7cFBuHVgmtoCy39of97lo4Ym/s1600/FY1pc2zXkAMWaMN.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg0xYELwjvAfXaKWbrd0sBfIfiuQxP4b7GGRnnBG3SJH7FsieZ5UALkdrQdpDvL43CTFuXuDifbmsLUaWaAte3b2FyXisFvk2OuhUL-t2EgmWI2ktmwSDjirJeNZ4vcrz2XJulDnyny8Sz4AUmtZqwrFNsnfbZPgY7cFBuHVgmtoCy39of97lo4Ym/w388-h518/FY1pc2zXkAMWaMN.jpg" width="388" /></a></span></span></div><p>Once there, Brent is aware the challenges will be different. Not only will his players have to deal with the sharp turn and searing heat in Dubai, but there is also the matter of a place in the T20 World Cup at stake. <br /><br />He understands the need to keep the players relaxed and away from any possible distractions. For now, it’s about making sure they stay focused on the plan and the process. <br /><br />“We know what we want to do and, more importantly, how we want to play,” he explains. “The players are buying into that style and they’ve seen results on this tour. So, that’s going to be the focus in the qualifiers as well. It’s obviously a higher-stakes environment than what we’ve experienced here, but these girls are playing some really good cricket; some amazing things will pan out.” <br /><br />Mayers, who has been part of previous unsuccessful qualifier campaigns adds: “I think the thing with this team is that everybody is clear in what they need to do. Everybody has had conversations with the coaches and knows what is expected. <br /><br />“We know we won’t get to the World Cup if we block the ball. And if you’re going to bomb out, bomb out swinging; bomb out trying to do the right thing and go to the next level. So that (clarity) has been a game changer. <br /><br />“I think we trust ourselves a lot more now. We are no longer overawed by the more established teams – that’s something that used to happen. But we’ve played these teams (who are going to participate in the qualifiers) before. We know we can beat them. <br /><br />“It’s a confidence thing – this trip has helped us build that,” she laughs, hurrying off to join her teammates in the bus. <br /></p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-24616723815439666822022-07-10T20:36:00.002+05:302022-07-10T20:53:37.612+05:30Being Wanda and the Witch: the different shades of Marizanne Kapp<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIajLRZewT6jp8KQVFJ5YEfXE9jVkr02bCus20g9wNgaBWiEja6fKaxSsPAC9G1y1Z9qSdW44_8Awlarnwm52AQh0CBBpIazcspPD4BoowTcsUWGLcjvm8cPtfQdnTdAC5xArBVkw_0_tvWapxbAMvTwd-7hwotJzWSXa0uLvpO9VZMqPDSLij_NKQ/s2000/Untitled%20design(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIajLRZewT6jp8KQVFJ5YEfXE9jVkr02bCus20g9wNgaBWiEja6fKaxSsPAC9G1y1Z9qSdW44_8Awlarnwm52AQh0CBBpIazcspPD4BoowTcsUWGLcjvm8cPtfQdnTdAC5xArBVkw_0_tvWapxbAMvTwd-7hwotJzWSXa0uLvpO9VZMqPDSLij_NKQ/w640-h512/Untitled%20design(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Marizanne Kapp is a complex character. Her on-field persona – that of a typically angry, snarling, unhappy fast bowler, almost always on the verge of an outburst – is in stark contrast to the slightly shy, kind, and soft-spoken person she is off it. It is hard to believe that both are born of the same person. One has the heart, passion, protective instincts, deep knowledge and powers of Wanda Maximoff, and the other, the rage, ruthlessness and determination of the Scarlet Witch – both separated only by a “white line”. </p><p style="text-align: left;">“We call it white-line fever,” Dane van Niekerk, Momentum Proteas skipper and Kapp’s wife told <a href="#">Scroll.in</a> earlier this year. “People think she’s this angry person and never happy, but she smiles a lot. She’s soft-spoken and she’s got a big heart.”</p><p style="text-align: left;">Years ago, whenever Kapp took the field, opposition knew she was out to destroy them. She’d stand at the top of her mark, not a hint of emotion on her face, staring down the batters, only letting out a scream of exultation when she got through their defences. There was an unmistakable intensity and focus around her that only added to her ‘angry fast bowler’ persona. She was a weapon with her target locked in; nothing or no one could distract her. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Away from the ground, in interviews and interactions with the fans and her teammates, Kapp was a different woman: quiet, kind, somewhat shy, and in the words of van Niekerk, “a real softie”. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Through much of her career, Kapp made sure that the driven, often hostile cricketer was kept at arm’s length from her softer alter-ego… But recently, it seems their lives have started to overlap, forcing the 32-year-old to find a sense of balance within her own little ‘multiverse of madness’. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Now, the smile, the warmth, and the sense of calm that define her as a person, are all becoming part of her persona as a player. Yet, none of those qualities have been able to take away from the drive, passion and single-mindedness that have been her on-field trademarks. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Where once Kapp’s sneers appeared to cover up a sense of doubt, her demeanour now conveys a deep sense of confidence. The desperation to prove a point has disappeared. Now, in the eyes of those who know her best, she seems acutely aware that she is one of the best players in the world. She has done the work, has the experience to soak up the pressure, and believes that her skill and tactical acumen will pull her through. </p><p style="text-align: left;">She is still that powerful weapon; just far more complex, confident and sophisticated than before: the Wanda Maximoff from the ‘End Game’. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Since January 2020, Kapp has statistically been the best allrounder in the ODI format with an average difference (batting average - bowling average) of 24.71, well above even the likes of Stafanie Taylor, Tahlia McGrath and van Niekerk herself. During this time, she has inspired South Africa to series wins in New Zealand and India, performed admirably in the West Indies and single-handedly taken her team over the line in several World Cup games earlier this year. In domestic leagues around the world, she has won titles with the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred in England and the Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League, also being crowned Player of the Match in both finals. She has, through this period, been at the very top of her game and even though the rankings don’t reflect it, Kapp is seen as arguably the world’s leading allrounder in women’s cricket – a title she <a href="#">proved worthy of</a> during South Africa’s one-off Test against England in Bristol last month. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Walking in to bat with her team reeling at 45 for 4 on Day 1, Kapp put her head down, soaked up the pressure and went on to play a knock that put South Africa in a position of relative strength. She guided a young, inexperienced lower-order through a tricky couple of sessions when England’s bowlers were on the charge, before, in true Scarlet Witch style, unleashing the might of her power in the final session. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In the process, Kapp not only emphatically eliminated the “nightmare” of her debut Test, but also notched up her first Test century, recording the highest score by a South African and the highest score by a No.6 (or lower) in women’s Tests: a mammoth 213-ball 150. For a player who came into the match unsure of whether she should even play, Kapp showed immeasurable patience, a keen understanding of the situation and a single-mindedness to keep her team in the contest. She absorbed the ammunition that her opponents threw at her, and when they grew tired and let their guard down, she opened fire. It was a cold, calculated approach. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/43800000/Family-is-Forever-WandaVision-1-09-The-Series-Finale-marvel-series-on-d-43826538-1920-1080.jpg" class="shrinkToFit" height="360" src="http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/43800000/Family-is-Forever-WandaVision-1-09-The-Series-Finale-marvel-series-on-d-43826538-1920-1080.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Like Wanda Maximoff, Kapp is hugely protective of her friends and family... (@WandaVision/ Twitter)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">With the ball too, Kapp led an under-strength attack admirably. Her trademark accuracy and swing troubled England at different times through the innings, and while she was unlucky not to pick up her maiden Test match wicket, the 32-year-old managed the bowling group brilliantly. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Often stationed at mid-on or mid-off, Kapp was constantly in the ears of the younger bowlers, making suggestions, adjusting fields or simply having a quiet word to calm their nerves and get them to focus on the job at hand: small reminders to stay patient, to stick to their plans, and to bore the batters into making a mistake. It was about doing the simple things right. </p><p style="text-align: left;">All of Nadine de Klerk, Tumi Sekhukune, Anneke Bosch and Nonkululeko Mlaba responded to their senior charge’s calls, keeping England honest through much of Day 2, before the wheels came off in the final session. </p><p style="text-align: left;">England took a 133-run lead as they declared early on Day 3, and by the time the final day came around, South Africa had their backs firmly to the wall. But somehow, they held on. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Sekhukhune showed the doggedness that Kapp had displayed through the first innings, batting for over three hours for an unconquered 33. She shared a 63-run stand with Kapp who scored 43 not out before the rain came and scuppered England’s chances of pushing for a win, allowing South Africa to steal two points from an encounter in which they looked dead and buried only a few hours before.</p><p style="text-align: left;">At the centre of it all was Marizanne Kapp – Wanda, Witch and all – able to channel the best traits from both personas.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The “white line”, it seems, no longer exists, and maybe that makes Kapp a more potent force than she was before. </p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-30677607056009022202022-07-02T10:35:00.006+05:302022-07-02T10:47:33.878+05:30Issy Wong brings energy and excitement to her audition as England's new playmaker<a class="gie-single" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1405489344" id="1zcUlsruRvFNvIlQ_ndQRQ" style="border: medium none; color: #a7a7a7; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'1zcUlsruRvFNvIlQ_ndQRQ',sig:'0pHjzR5m8uKwi9W3KmNkmO4y_CS40BCLKyO6xuqiM0I=',w:'594px',h:'372px',items:'1405489344',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><p>Issy Wong wasn’t meant to play. She was part of <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/england-vs-south-africa-women-s-test-five-new-faces-as-england-women-begin-new-era-of-test-cricket-1320722" target="_blank">England’s Test squad</a> against South Africa as a traveling reserve. She was meant to steam in in the nets and give England’s batters a hard time. She was meant to potentially run the drinks and soak in as much of international cricket as she could from the sidelines before she got a real go. <br /><br />Yet, when Emily Arlott had to be <a href="https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/31996/12640247/emily-arlott-out-of-england-womens-test-vs-south-africa-due-to-effects-of-covid-19-issy-wong-comes-in" target="_blank">withdrawn</a> from the squad quite late in the piece, it was Wong who got the nod to play ahead of ‘senior’ seamer Freya Davies. <br /><br />For a while now, there have been whispers around Wong and the energy and excitement she could bring to the England team. Her speeds were thrilling, her energy infectious, and her passion and exuberance, mixed with a sense of clarity, came as a breath of fresh air. <br /><br />Wong was supposed to be England’s answer to Tayla Vlaeminck and Darcie Brown – an aggressive fast bowler who would have the opposition hopping around. She was supposed to be their point of difference in what is a largely similar right-arm swing cartel. She was supposed to be the bowler who injected life into a contest when things were drifting. In short, Wong was supposed to be England’s fast, fiery enforcer: their next Katherine Brunt. <br /><br />It was fitting then, that it was Brunt, the OG, who<a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1541685384630964224?s=20&t=AV0bPihba0-AppFlQiHDkg" target="_blank"> handed Wong her Test cap</a> on the opening day of the <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-women-in-england-2022-1289256/england-women-vs-south-africa-women-only-test-1301327/full-scorecard" target="_blank">one-off game in Bristol</a>. <br /><br />“Being around you for the last couple of years has been a pleasure,” Brunt said at the cap presentation. “As soon as you came into the group, I was excited for you, but also a bit defensive. From day one, your talent was undeniable, but for me, it was the fire in your belly that makes you run around on your tiptoes and try to knock all of our heads off… You can’t coach that!” <br /><br />As she fought back tears and reeled off some “confusing advice”, you couldn’t help but think the baton was being passed: Kathy B had identified her successor. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Take care of this cap because you'll never get a first one again."<a href="https://twitter.com/KBrunt26?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KBrunt26</a> presented <a href="https://twitter.com/Wongi95?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wongi95</a> her England Test cap yesterday. ❤️ <br /><br />🏴 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvSA</a> 🇿🇦 <a href="https://t.co/FtXOPJh13L">pic.twitter.com/FtXOPJh13L</a></p>— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1541685384630964224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <p>Handed the ball in the ninth over on Day 1, Wong charged in against a tentative South African top-order, hitting the 115 kmph mark early in her spell. (It would be close to the fastest she managed through the game). <br /><br />The aggression was clear from the very outset – a short ball that saw Laura Wolvaardt weave out of the way – with animated ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ accompanying every delivery that she bowled. While the pace wasn’t quite Vlaeminck-esque, Wong’s late swing caused plenty of trouble, even resulting in her maiden international wicket. <br /><br />Off her 12th ball of the day, Wong tempted Wolvaardt into an off-drive. The delivery, that appeared to be moving away in the air, pitched and swerved in to the South African who was halfway through her shot when she saw the ball snaking between her bat and pad on its way to clattering into middle and leg stump. <br /><br />As Wolvaardt gaped in horror, Wong pulled out her trademark celebration. Charging towards the slip cordon, her right-hand pointed towards the sky and left-hand stiff alongside her torso, she gave a whoop of delight. Her teammates raced in her direction, some applauding, others jumping; excitement clear on each of their faces. <br /><br />Even from miles away, you could see shades of Brunt in every movement. </p><p>As the match progressed, Wong appeared more and more comfortable in the middle; like she belonged. The nerves were non-existent; the trademark smile never left her face. Bundled in a sweater, often stationed at mid-on, you could tell she was having the time of her life: this was a childhood dream come true. <br /><br />Whenever the 20-year-old came into the attack, she put South Africa to the test. While the pace and carry she managed to extract from the pitch was impressive, it was the accuracy, relentlessness and late swing that really stood out. <br /><br />For all the talk of her pace, she used the short ball sparingly: only as a way to ruffle up the batters; as a reminder that they couldn’t plonk forward and hope to negotiate her from there. She used it as a means to mess with their minds. And it worked. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0VIil9wt3X1RhJWODhcdgQrlzM2n9GZVoEePiTqFpwgMzqrqyEoMZFj6vUCEHcsiMBaW49exiHGTg-Zb8kA1claZfB_wXopD3cZo6nN4PwfwtHA9DCAy2bY2MmqfpH75KBWZrexmS74jL7UI7_ATzQOzA8d3q6nQ4kBu8zUMErqbsWYA3Z7U3OuD/s4299/Lauren-Bell-and-Issy-Wong-of-England-pose-with-their-debut-caps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3067" data-original-width="4299" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0VIil9wt3X1RhJWODhcdgQrlzM2n9GZVoEePiTqFpwgMzqrqyEoMZFj6vUCEHcsiMBaW49exiHGTg-Zb8kA1claZfB_wXopD3cZo6nN4PwfwtHA9DCAy2bY2MmqfpH75KBWZrexmS74jL7UI7_ATzQOzA8d3q6nQ4kBu8zUMErqbsWYA3Z7U3OuD/w640-h456/Lauren-Bell-and-Issy-Wong-of-England-pose-with-their-debut-caps.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lauren Bell (L) and Issy Wong (R) (ECB/ Getty Images)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> After castling Wolvaardt in the first innings, Wong altered her plans in the second, choosing to hit a hard length. With dark clouds hovering and spots of rain around, she got the ball to lift sharply off the surface, catching the South African opener off guard. Wolvaardt loosely wafted at the next delivery – a wide-ish ball – before tentatively pushing the next two to cover. Wong’s pace and unpredictability had clearly thrown her off her game… </p><p>Off the final ball of the over, Wong had her woman – caught at gully, going after another wide, short of length delivery. It was the kind she had left alone all day – until, that is, the fast bowler had shaken her up. <br /><br />Wong took off in celebration and England went berserk. They were well in control of the game, and weather permitting, looked almost certain to wrap up a win the next day. <br /><br />Up in the stands, Brunt was beaming. </p><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'CVaUhlEvT0tbJpuiOIwoog',sig:'PIQOvNt73aaAg9P-4i-yePa176Fp7XqenajZU3gdip0=',w:'594px',h:'372px',items:'1405488805',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});</script><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js"></script><p>Even on Day 4, as the covers came on and off and rain thwarted England’s attempts to secure a win, it was Wong who injected life into the contest. She had South Africa hopping around, creating chances whenever she took the ball. She was the only one who troubled Tumi Sekhukhune – her extra pace rushing the nightwatcher and getting her to edge a couple of deliveries that were angled across her. When Wong came on it seemed as if the discipline Sekhukhune had shown fleetingly abandoned her. <br /><br />Wong could do that to you – force you into something unnecessary – just like Brunt could. <br /><br />While she has not yet inherited her idol’s eccentric expressions, (or the new ball), in only her first international, the 20-year-old was England’s playmaker. Her bowling is full of heart, passion and plenty of skill that she will further develop in the years to come. <br /><br />England may not yet have an answer to Vlaeminck or Brown, but in Issy Wong they do have their next attack leader – one who will inspire another generation of children to run in hard and bowl as fast as they possibly can. One who will show a whole new group of people that cricket is for them too. One who will bring a fresh energy and excitement every time she takes the field. And one who, like her hero, will grow to be the heartbeat of the team. </p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-20209096096134178782022-06-28T12:02:00.000+05:302022-06-28T12:02:01.565+05:30The magic of Marizanne Kapp<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0l-CpXIj1EmW6p51gMi3I7iNY6tdeTKVt8ajd9ZFCQElkczhXX9VdFZJY267g1uAenex_X126GVQpwPEfUoQfXcQ8hTIcfn7wMBfadaZBeeEfDrlPhNJApfVYegrR-EYr5ra0nS5Wr9HB2gbCKwh15GFPTuAt57iN9N9r98oet6qQUxgusuP47iz/s2923/1405441615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="2923" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0l-CpXIj1EmW6p51gMi3I7iNY6tdeTKVt8ajd9ZFCQElkczhXX9VdFZJY267g1uAenex_X126GVQpwPEfUoQfXcQ8hTIcfn7wMBfadaZBeeEfDrlPhNJApfVYegrR-EYr5ra0nS5Wr9HB2gbCKwh15GFPTuAt57iN9N9r98oet6qQUxgusuP47iz/w640-h418/1405441615.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Marizanne Kapp celebrates her century (Getty Images)</i><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br />“… Like you guys know, (my) first Test match was an absolute nightmare,” Marizanne Kapp laughed when she addressed the media at the end of Day 1 of the <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-women-in-england-2022-1289256/england-women-vs-south-africa-women-only-test-1301327/full-scorecard" target="_blank">Test against England</a> at the County Ground in Taunton. She had just recorded a career-best 150 – the highest individual score by a South African woman in Test cricket – and was justifiably upbeat. Her innings of 266 minutes and 213 balls had lifted her team from a precarious 89 for 5 to a respectable 284 all out by stumps, emphatically washing away those “terrible” memories of India and saving the Proteas from a path they had hurtled down <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-women-tour-of-india-2014-15-797883/india-women-vs-south-africa-women-only-test-797899/full-scorecard" target="_blank">on her debut</a> 7 years, 7 months and 7 days ago. <br /><br />…7-7-7 is a number used in American slot machines to identify a jackpot. Some call it the ‘angel number’ or ‘God’s number’: one that is expected to bring good luck, positive change and divine guidance; a sign that the universe is on your side. <br /><br />When Kapp walked in to bat with South Africa reeling at 45 for 4 in under 18 overs, the universe seemed to be firmly against them. They were <a href="https://www.news24.com/sport/cricket/proteas/massive-blow-for-proteas-as-ismail-tyron-and-khaka-ruled-out-of-england-test-20220626" target="_blank">without the services</a> of three of their senior players – two of whom were ruled out on the eve of the Test match – they had lost the toss and been asked to bat in slightly gloomy conditions, and were being put under pressure by a young, <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/eng-vs-sa-womens-test-2022-issy-wong-lauren-bell-seize-chance-to-shine-in-front-of-england-s-old-guard-1321974" target="_blank">enthusiastic England seam contingent</a>. Luck was really nowhere in sight. <br /><br />But Kapp is a woman of immense faith; you only have to scroll through her <a href="https://twitter.com/kappie777?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">social media feeds</a> to understand that. So, if 7-7-7 were to work in anyone’s favour, you’d think it would be South Africa’s jersey no. 7. <br /><br />And so, as she went about trying to resurrect South Africa’s innings, minute by minute, hour by hour, you could feel the visitors beginning to gain a foothold in a match that seemed to be slipping before it even began. By the end of the day, she had batted them into a position of relative strength – one in which they will begin Day 2 with their noses ever so slightly in front. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">*** <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Since January 2020 – a time during which South Africa have won six consecutive ODI series and reached the ODI World Cup semi-final – Kapp has averaged over 50 with the bat. During this time, one of her greatest strengths has been her ability to bat with the lower order. She uses her endless reservoirs of energy and belief to inspire confidence in her batting partners. It is something she did several times through the World Cup, helping South Africa clinch close victories, often marshaling the lower order through crucial phases of the innings. She has brought a consistency to her game that was previously missing, working hard on her skills and using her tactical acumen to find ways to succeed in different conditions. While the rankings may not reflect it, her performances under pressure have meant she is now seen as arguably the best allrounder in the world.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />“I've always enjoyed my batting. I just feel like, at times, it's so difficult to focus on both bowling and batting.<br /><br />“I've been working with some special coaches as well - that's really helped me on this journey and I think it's just the confidence is growing and that's probably why I am starting to play a lot better,” she said of her recent growth as a batter. <br /><br />“I think it took one or two innings for me against some of the stronger teams (and) that just helped me cross that line. I think I should be good going forward now.” <br /><br /> On Monday, with South Africa in dire straits having lost <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/03/from-understudy-to-lead-actor-sune-luus.html" target="_blank">skipper Sune Luus</a> for a composed 26 shortly after lunch, Kapp took the reins and guided an inexperienced middle and lower order through the rest of the day. She did in Test cricket what she has become an expert at in the white-ball game. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF5-CfJ_-cFC6SEC0Uitgt8ov-ixfjZt-y6bOw_V9MGnorRCnFaWfpEKvQZpI3oUnVjGsEwieReuH70XiuXl613-IBJteV7yyWCPTxzxZqlzZLU9leOmnXjpXmJ_-kDyjyGuyoi0spsCoQznNssSdD5nDl164LN7nwoPPTyBfd4SC1PhfHPYREWK2/s5070/1405460898.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3394" data-original-width="5070" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF5-CfJ_-cFC6SEC0Uitgt8ov-ixfjZt-y6bOw_V9MGnorRCnFaWfpEKvQZpI3oUnVjGsEwieReuH70XiuXl613-IBJteV7yyWCPTxzxZqlzZLU9leOmnXjpXmJ_-kDyjyGuyoi0spsCoQznNssSdD5nDl164LN7nwoPPTyBfd4SC1PhfHPYREWK2/w640-h428/1405460898.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Marizanne Kapp was beaming at the end of day's play. (Getty Images)</i><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When England had their tail up, she wore them down, blunting the seamers and nullifying the threat of Sophie Ecclestone with her supremely solid defensive game. Where South Africa's top-order batters were slightly tentative with their footwork, Kapp made sure, precise movements, often from well outside the crease, getting right forward or back and covering the line of the swinging, swerving Dukes ball, before knocking it to the ground. The right-hander’s slightly open stance helped her tackle inswing better than most. Her secret was a still head that allowed her to keep her foot inside the line, giving her better access to the ball. For a while, she farmed the strike, allowing debutante Anneke Bosch to feel her way into the innings, but once they found their range, South Africa made sure to slowly shift the pressure on to England. <br /> <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It was not as if she shut shop and refused to score; for when provided even with a hint of width, she pounced like a hungry lioness. Her driving on the up was a thing of beauty – balanced stride forward, weight moving into the ball, and a mere knock on the head that saw the ball race to the boundary. If her back foot play against spin impressed in India, it was her front foot strokes that were the highlight on Monday. <br /><br />Her processes were simple. Her methods repeatable. And her focus fixed on one very clear goal: to dig the team out of the hole they were in. <br /><br /><i>Settle into stance. Tap bat twice. Look up. Negotiate delivery. Call. Step aside towards square leg. Shadow a defensive stroke. Touch the top of both pads. Adjust helmet. Walk back towards the stumps. Check grip. And repeat. </i><br /><br />She did it over, and over, and over. 213 times. Until she wore England down. Until she took South Africa to relative safety. <br /><br />As Kapp grew in confidence, so did her partners. She fed them constant instructions in Afrikaans: a strong stroke was applauded and encouraged, and a false shot resulted in a stream of advice. Her words willed South Africa’s lower order on. She shared a 72-run stand with Bosch (30), a 42-run partnership with Nadine de Klerk (9), added 25 runs with Sinalo Jafta (4) and 49 more with Tumi Sekhukhune (9*). With every passing over, she allowed South Africa to gain more footing in the game. With every passing over, the her magic became stronger. <br /><br />“I think it actually helps me a lot more than what it helped them,” Kapp said, when asked about her communication with the lower order. “Because if I focus on the other batter it seemed to take the pressure off me – that's what happened throughout the World Cup as well. So, I feel like when I give advice I kind of forget the situation we are in and it helps me focus a bit more.” <br /><br /> After tea, Kapp seemed to flick a switch, becoming more aggressive with ever delivery. She brought up her century with likely her streakiest shot of the day – an edge off Kate Cross that flew above the slip cordon and into the third man boundary. <br /><br />Her celebration was muted. There was no roar or clenched fist that usually accompanies a Kapp wicket. Instead, she raised her arms up to the sky, a wide grin upon her face, and took a few steps towards the dressing room where her teammates applauded their saviour. A warm hug with Jafta was followed by a quick look towards the heavens, possibly a quick prayer and it was on to business again. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aDa7vXMAw6-GKJV93tz3uprBRsMdgluIr93WP8xX6R49SaEkjRl-Zfd4uy9W11cb7d7-8UCUw6abdDz4c5av7CsxTBYgSM2hwBSZhFu9E8bqMXLnBEro7MttEcUeemUo7v0TzJoXhREK3a59QDl9cbAVJRJn5ziSjC_IVJFTwouaA5nDNiNpqWid/s3375/1405432905.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2162" data-original-width="3375" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aDa7vXMAw6-GKJV93tz3uprBRsMdgluIr93WP8xX6R49SaEkjRl-Zfd4uy9W11cb7d7-8UCUw6abdDz4c5av7CsxTBYgSM2hwBSZhFu9E8bqMXLnBEro7MttEcUeemUo7v0TzJoXhREK3a59QDl9cbAVJRJn5ziSjC_IVJFTwouaA5nDNiNpqWid/w640-h410/1405432905.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Kapp negotiated Lauren Bell's booming inswing with utmost ease. (Getty Images)</i><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Her hundred – only her second in international cricket – seemed to somewhat open the floodgates. She sliced Cross past point, crunched Ecclestone over mid-on, and slapped Lauren Bell through the previously unexplored leg side. She farmed the strike expertly, and England seemed to have no answers. <br /><br />It was a reflection of how well she knew her own game, how aware she was of her options and how much confidence she has gained as a batter. <br /><br />Kapp’s innings was ended by a moment of sheer brilliance from Tammy Beaumont, who, stationed at mid-off, took a few steps to her right, before leaping in the air to intercept a powerful lofted drive off Bell. It seemed a fitting end to an incredible knock. <br /><br /></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">As the crowd stood to applaud an extraordinary show of focus, fight and fluency, England broke their celebration to congratulate Kapp. The allrounder, meanwhile, was busy having a word with Sekhukhune – more instructions needed to be passed. Her job was not done. She would soak in the applause when she was finished helping out her teammates. <br /><br /> After a quick word with the incoming batter, Nonkululeko Mlaba, and handshakes from a few of England’s players, Kapp trudged off with her bat raised. A smile played on her lips. You could see the pride in her face. She had seen the team across the river. She had turned their luck herself. <br /><br /> Now, on Day 2, after an opportunity to rest, Kapp will lead the Proteas’ charge with the ball. In her own words, she knows it will be a tough task to restrict a strong England line-up. If South Africa are to take a lead, it is their jersey No.7 who will have to find some more magic up her sleeve. The rest, as they did on Monday, will play able support roles. But Kapp will be at the centre of it all; the one who can turn the universe in the Proteas’ favour. <br /></span></div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-41707804287152530052022-06-04T23:28:00.003+05:302022-06-05T00:43:23.131+05:30Gaby Lewis answers Ireland's call<p style="text-align: left;"><i></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvXNBBliR_lZgP7M-Xaub_zbsDZNXNkLDDl2eg79FxpgyKJlUoyJcqNza2ZQOhEcr4lIp1mOCFZxw9Vuwzj6QpNaNbf8JX3--Kg-lIWWwSNcDZxBRM3nEsGQHSJiAOQp9uGyOFioKWyPHbdxWy7CrPCxsf7jCy5MoCH1Jum7Lmr2qMRwJ6tHWhP7_/s1600/FUV9S4RWAAENxXQ.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvXNBBliR_lZgP7M-Xaub_zbsDZNXNkLDDl2eg79FxpgyKJlUoyJcqNza2ZQOhEcr4lIp1mOCFZxw9Vuwzj6QpNaNbf8JX3--Kg-lIWWwSNcDZxBRM3nEsGQHSJiAOQp9uGyOFioKWyPHbdxWy7CrPCxsf7jCy5MoCH1Jum7Lmr2qMRwJ6tHWhP7_/w640-h372/FUV9S4RWAAENxXQ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gaby Lewis celebrates her half-century (Ireland Women's Cricket/ Twitter)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><i></i><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Ireland, Ireland<br />Together standing tall<br />Shoulder to shoulder,<br />We’ll answer Ireland’s call! </i></p><p style="text-align: left;">As “Ireland’s Call” blared through the speakers of the Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin ahead of Ireland’s <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-women-in-ireland-2022-1316639/ireland-women-vs-south-africa-women-1st-t20i-1316642/full-scorecard" target="_blank">first T20I</a> against South Africa, one could see the pride on stand-in skipper Gaby Lewis’ face. She stood at the front of the team line, arm-in-arm with her companions, proudly belting out the lyrics. </p><p style="text-align: left;">At 21 years and 68 days she was the youngest player to ever captain Ireland and also the <a href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/gaby-lewis-set-to-become-youngest-ireland-captain-when-she-leads-womens-team-out-against-south-africa-41711449.html" target="_blank">first daughter of a former Ireland skipper to claim the armband</a>. (Her father, Alan Lewis led the Ireland men’s team 35 times). This was the moment she was born for! </p><p style="text-align: left;">If there were nerves around her captaincy debut, Lewis never showed them – not at the pre-series press conference and not once during the actual game. She went about her business, smashing the bowlers around the park and directing her troops in the field, with a purpose, presence and poise beyond her years. It was hard to believe this was her first game in charge. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Having lost her first toss as skipper and being sent in to bat, Lewis began her day with a reverse sweep off the bowling of Nonkululeko Mlaba. Although she didn’t get a run, the stroke was an indication of her confidence levels and the mindset she was in: there would be no poking and prodding, she meant to take the game on. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Lewis’ first runs came via a cracking pull shot that was barely hauled in by Anneke Bosch at deep square leg. She collected a boundary playing the same stroke a couple of deliveries later and the signs were ominous. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Nadine de Klerk was the only bowler to really trouble the right-hander – she got her to edge a delivery that flew between ‘keeper and slip, and then had her feeling for the ball outside the off-stump. Yet, Lewis remained unperturbed. As South Africa oohed and aahed, she stood her ground and shadow batted – taking a strong stride forward, closer to the previous ball, and watched as her bat flowed straight through the imaginary line, visualising herself creaming a drive through the off-side. An over later, she unveiled that same shot against Shabnim Ismail – caressing the ball on top of the bounce and watching it fly past cover for a boundary.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our first boundary 👊<br /><br />Gaby Lewis hits the final ball of the first over for four 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/HanleyEnergy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hanleyenergy</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IREvSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IREvSA</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackingGreen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackingGreen</a><br /><br />Stream: <a href="https://t.co/uPhHBiabCy">https://t.co/uPhHBiabCy</a><br />Scorecard: <a href="https://t.co/P3PWl7Zpft">https://t.co/P3PWl7Zpft</a> <a href="https://t.co/L5nFPKQNpg">pic.twitter.com/L5nFPKQNpg</a></p>— Ireland Women’s Cricket (@IrishWomensCric) <a href="https://twitter.com/IrishWomensCric/status/1532748124594249729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <p style="text-align: left;">While Lewis’ power came to the fore against the quicks – she dispatched them down the ground when they erred full, and pummelled the square boundaries when they dropped short – she showed her versatility and awareness against the spinners, pulling out the lap sweep against Mlaba and Chloe Tryon to expose the vacant fine-leg region. </p><p style="text-align: left;">When her opening partner Leah Paul scratched around in search of runs, Lewis had a quiet word with her from the non-striker’s end. She walked down the track, patted down the pitch, looked towards Paul, muttered a few words and nodded purposefully. She repeated the drill almost every ball. She was a woman on a mission. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There was a real presence around Lewis at the crease – she was clearly unconcerned by the reputation of her opponents. Between balls, as Sune Luus frantically adjusted the field and passed instructions to her bowlers, the Irish captain stood nonchalantly, her bat clutched in her right hand resting on her shoulder, her left hand placed on her hip, and her eyes, calmly surveying the field. She towered over those around her, literally and figuratively. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Lewis raced to her seventh T20I half-century in just 36 balls with a punch to deep extra cover off the bowling of Luus and, in the process, became the <a href="https://twitter.com/kaustats/status/1532767916378456066?s=20&t=SOFnWjE_MFlkwfzfRXQ2uA" target="_blank">second-youngest woman</a> (after Jemimah Rodrigues) to score 1000 T20I runs. It was an innings of real class: one in which she never really gave the opposition a sniff. </p><p style="text-align: left;">She raised her bat in celebration – once towards the dressing room and once towards the crowd that had gathered – and was warmly embraced by an elated Paul. There was no fist pump. No jump or leap in the air. She was as poised as ever, nodding in the direction of her teammates before handing out more instructions to Paul. She had only laid a platform; there was plenty more to achieve. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Maybe it helped that South Africa took a while to get used to the sluggish conditions. Maybe it helped that they refused to use too many changes of pace and often strayed short. Maybe it helped that they had only just reached the country and looked a tad flat in the field. Either way, throughout her time in the middle, Lewis made their attack look worse than it often was, highlighting her quality as one of the leading young batters in the world – something her former teammate Kim Garth emphatically declared in the commentary box at the start of the day. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, soon after reaching her milestone, the Ireland captain was run out by Tazmin Brits when trying to steal a second run. She walked back to the pavilion having scored 52 off just 38 deliveries, with the hosts sitting pretty on 98 in the 13th over. However, they were unable to build on that rapid start, eventually stuttering their way to 143 for 7. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUB_EzBuaqINHJpdTQyKeOwGOZBdvYZiuyS5MUsju7x5_pjU3IvoZV2-vWkHez_T9Jnif4zfFpJfFCQsywMNRM9nZ7qGuQ_VWP9PmPtnhUD8a106To_QEiHGfEPaLjrEHPrMpvBc55_W5iFaDQDl2jzB8irGP3roUmbksBP0XxgrQ-y8RUc9ichCP/s1600/FUWgOniWAAMhNwL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUB_EzBuaqINHJpdTQyKeOwGOZBdvYZiuyS5MUsju7x5_pjU3IvoZV2-vWkHez_T9Jnif4zfFpJfFCQsywMNRM9nZ7qGuQ_VWP9PmPtnhUD8a106To_QEiHGfEPaLjrEHPrMpvBc55_W5iFaDQDl2jzB8irGP3roUmbksBP0XxgrQ-y8RUc9ichCP/w640-h396/FUWgOniWAAMhNwL.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Leah Paul (L) and Gaby Lewis shared a 98-run opening stand. (Ireland Women's Cricket/ Twitter)</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">When Ireland took the field, Lewis’ confidence with the bat seemed to flow into her captaincy as well. After a short conference with wicket-keeper Mary Waldron, she handed off-spinner Rachel Delaney the new ball hoping to prize out an early wicket. What resulted was a first ball duck for Lara Goodall. Ireland celebrated wildly. Lewis came charging in from mid-wicket, leaping over the pitch to high-five Delaney, and in the process, knocked her down with the momentum. The pair spent a few seconds on the ground, laughing. It was the only time through the day that one could tell how young Lewis really was. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Through the game, Lewis constantly consulted with Waldron between overs. She’d then adjust her field, before heading off to cover, mid-wicket or the straight boundary. She knew what she was doing, but possibly needed some reassurance. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As Ireland chipped away at the wickets, the belief within the team continued to build. When Arlene Kelly cut short Brits’ onslaught with a sharp caught and bowled, they came bounding in to congratulate the debutante. When Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed by Cara Murray, they screamed and punched the air, sensing an opening. When Celeste Raack saw the back of Bosch just when she appeared to have found her range, they pumped their fists and embraced enthusiastically. And finally, when Tryon and Luus fell in quick succession, it was almost as if they knew they were well in control of proceedings – high-fives will suffice, thank you! </p><p style="text-align: left;">That is not to say that it was all plain sailing for Ireland – there were plenty of moments when they were put under pressure. </p><p style="text-align: left;">When Brits took to Kelly and Tryon pounded Dempsey around the ground, Lewis approached her bowlers calmly and had a quiet word. There was no animated arm flailing, no obvious expression on her face. Her actions simply seemed to slow down proceedings, and give the bowlers time to breathe; time to think; time to re-focus. Those were the moments when Lewis’ leadership abilities shone brightest. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As Jane Maguire closed out a historic 10-run win for Ireland, the group raced in to the middle. In the midst of that sea of shamrock green stood Lewis – arms spread wide and a mighty grin across her face. She was happy, but remained poised. She didn’t run about madly celebrating what was a momentous occasion. Instead, 21-year-old Gaby Lewis soaked in the moment, embraced each one of her teammates, sharing an especially long hug with Paul, before heading off to shake hands with the South Africans… </p><p style="text-align: left;">This was her day to savour. She had answered Ireland’s call. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Ireland, Ireland<br />Together standing tall<br />Shoulder to shoulder,<br />We’ll answer Ireland’s call!</i> </p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-11868493534919237322022-04-09T22:19:00.008+05:302022-04-10T11:31:57.463+05:30Mignon du Preez: Everybody's champion<div style="text-align: left;">I’ve watched <a href="https://www.cricketworldcup.com/video/2547010" target="_blank">that video</a> hundreds of times in the last few days. Every time, I’ve smiled. I’ve felt goosebumps when they talk about her. I’ve marvelled at <a href="https://www.cricketworldcup.com/video/2545697" target="_blank">THAT ridiculous catch</a>. I’ve felt excitement when they show clips of her batting. I’ve fought back tears when she says, “I try and let my light shine so that others can see” … And each time the video ends, I’ve been left feeling hollow, like my heart is literally dropping; and therefore, I play it all over again. On repeat. <br /><br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"If you have anything going on in your life, have any problems, or just want to have a chat, she is always the person to go to."<br /><br />Get to know Mignon du Preez, a "mother figure" in the South African team 📽️<a href="https://t.co/fl3TFR4KBT">https://t.co/fl3TFR4KBT</a></p>— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1506655777381142535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br /><br />Retirement is inevitable. Sometimes you see the announcement coming from miles away, and other times, it takes you by surprise; sucks the wind out of your sails, almost. <br /><br />Mignon du Preez’s <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialCSA/status/1511976581480263680?s=20&t=I5FynaClVPfyG-D1gz-1ig" target="_blank">announcement </a>was clearly well thought through. The words were perfectly picked. The reason was solid. The timing, impeccable. But that didn’t take away from the fact that it felt like a sucker punch. <br /><br /><i>How? Why? What? No! You can’t! You shouldn’t! You mustn’t! But…</i> <br /><br />There was supposed to be a stream of coherent thought. Instead, all I could manage was <a href="https://twitter.com/a_upendran11/status/1511978947042418695?s=20&t=I5FynaClVPfyG-D1gz-1ig" target="_blank">an emoji</a>. Days later I’m still struggling to find any words – the right ones are unlikely to ever come. <br /><br /><i>How do you write about the impact someone you didn’t know had on you? How do you explain what they mean to you without sounding creepy and stalker-ish? How do you declare an undying admiration for someone you didn’t even grow up watching without being overly dramatic? </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">In short, how do I write about Mignon du Preez?<i> </i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1999" data-original-width="2048" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vwnnxcXxNppbl1C2QhPI2OVfLsXCPGDVytnWS1xJRqBZjSqGbO5Q-EAtQM01BCb94hdXqGRKmJ3WRc7mxTry9ihfCuzHwAi6nmJ6ngc6UWV8Ck9gW0r2_6wrm4DuVFjnTOjINJXkPSM3F-mkNmlhWVy32jg__Fa3c5PtS_yL5htt-FmzPc5f3KIs/w640-h624/FN9SCq0VgAEidLH.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Anyone who knows anything about me, knows I admire Mignon du Preez. She dominates my Twitter feed like no other. (Okay, maybe #TeamPacer comes close, but you know what I mean). <br /><br />The thing is, du Preez didn’t start off as my favourite player. Of course, I knew who she was, but I saw too little of her to be awestruck by her skills. It wasn’t until 2014 (that T20 World Cup and the tour to India) that I began to more closely follow her career; and then, <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2020/03/mignon-du-preez-forever-captain.html" target="_blank">in 2016, I was completely floored</a>. <br /><br />My admiration began in the press conferences in 2016, when, as South African captain, she walked out to face the media throughout what was a disappointing World T20 campaign. As a batter, she couldn’t buy a run, but every time she answered our questions, that smile never left her face. She pointed to the things that her team was doing well, and never once allowed herself to be sucked down that dark hole of negativity just looming over her shoulder. <br /><br />From the point of view of a player who was struggling herself, du Preez’s attitude was exactly what I wanted to mirror. She became that ray of light that helped me keep at it. <br /><br /><i>I want to be like MdP – a calm, compassionate and positive captain</i>, I scribbled in my diary soon after I interviewed her in March 2016. <br /><br />After that, I consumed every bit of MdP content I could find– interviews, matches, articles. No amount was ever enough. I combed through the internet for a glimpse of anything – old or new, it was all welcome. <br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dT0fsE2auzfNBqU3Z-4oIqzPaEhqQdolkIQpM7_AofqNgSfjXWFh4BEnIUwD_bAJ7X7si1-vK-vroEtvzlgQaj3CtdLcrMccYaNSZH59jhZEOLCFZDphiuogFhvpfkQzShpftMjcZdQQSGHdaAQkyFWB0g0rbmvSn2ikeV_7GAA76CFaHBrBJfof/s2000/FPvZYhAaUAMu4fI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dT0fsE2auzfNBqU3Z-4oIqzPaEhqQdolkIQpM7_AofqNgSfjXWFh4BEnIUwD_bAJ7X7si1-vK-vroEtvzlgQaj3CtdLcrMccYaNSZH59jhZEOLCFZDphiuogFhvpfkQzShpftMjcZdQQSGHdaAQkyFWB0g0rbmvSn2ikeV_7GAA76CFaHBrBJfof/w640-h360/FPvZYhAaUAMu4fI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">All the great players have an aura around them – something that makes them seem almost superhuman. They are celestial beings descended from the sky, ruling the sporting world. They have abilities beyond our understanding – skills they perform effortlessly; that seems to flow like water; that they execute without a care in the world. <br /><br />Think, Laura Wolvaardt and how she makes batting look ridiculously easy. Her <a href="https://www.cricketworldcup.com/video/2545372" target="_blank">cover drive</a> is, let’s face it, otherworldly. Think <a href="https://www.cricketworldcup.com/video/2550762" target="_blank">Chloe Tryon</a> whose mishits fly for six – she makes you think she’s playing a video game. And then <a href="https://scroll.in/field/1019363/the-fire-that-she-has-the-many-sides-of-south-africas-magnificent-marizanne-kapp" target="_blank">there’s Marizanne Kapp</a> – that woman is a machine! <br /><br />But du Preez – all her incredible achievements aside – is the most human of them all. She makes you believe you have it in you to be a dominant international cricketer too. She makes batting look fun – tries so many different things, accessing so many different areas and does it all with that trademark smile. If you watch du Preez, she gives you a sense that international cricket is for everyone… Like we are all just a few years of hard work away from being high-quality players. You may not be blessed with the grace of Wolvaardt, the power of Tryon or the unending reserves of energy of Kapp… What you really need is the heart, passion and that sense of enjoyment of MdP. <br /><br />She is everyone’s champion. She is Mignon the Magnificent! <br /><br />That’s why I want to be like MdP. <br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">*** <br /></div><div><br />Women’s Tests don’t come around too often, so you’d think – unless you are Ellyse Perry – that women’s Test hundreds don’t come around that often either. But Mignon du Preez is special: one Test; one hundred. <br /><br />On a wearing surface in Mysore, where the Indian spinners got the ball to spit in all directions and Harmanpreet Kaur bamboozled the batters with her googly, <a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/rewind-memorable-ton-forgettable-test-for-mignon-du-preez" target="_blank">du Preez scored a valiant hundred</a>. <br /><br />Eight years later, she retires (with only one Test under her belt) as one of only three South Africans to score a Test hundred and the only one to manage it on debut. <br /><br />In ODIs, she is the team’s most capped player (154) – the first South African to play 150 ODIs – and their highest run-scorer (3760) as well. Her name litters South Africa’s record books, and she’s set the benchmark for the rest of her mates. <br /><br />But Mignon du Preez is more than just the numbers. It is what she brought as a leader, as a senior player, as someone who cared deeply about the people around that makes her so special. In many ways, she truly is “Ma Minxy” – not just because she is a little older than the others, but because it is just the way she is. <br /><br />She shepherded South African cricket into a new era – hopefully one that will see them continue to dominate ODI cricket in the years to come. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROK3jY7qadEcfjuq-Cb_VRdRGdU_Yyxcwz6Wmq68J182c6Whd1XrmRXPVfuJs1OMRqunsG44jEuki1o_tSkaSa7OkLZ9AkzYUqXt0wLWkeZ8BTvi7N9EEfwvuua10LLl0T3UU1N1d0gauxZbg0kP00ku-g-tevDwINIxdiwvjqyDrs5M2Aw_eQHUE/s4095/FOAxWdmWQAUfTFg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2730" data-original-width="4095" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROK3jY7qadEcfjuq-Cb_VRdRGdU_Yyxcwz6Wmq68J182c6Whd1XrmRXPVfuJs1OMRqunsG44jEuki1o_tSkaSa7OkLZ9AkzYUqXt0wLWkeZ8BTvi7N9EEfwvuua10LLl0T3UU1N1d0gauxZbg0kP00ku-g-tevDwINIxdiwvjqyDrs5M2Aw_eQHUE/w640-h426/FOAxWdmWQAUfTFg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>For someone who, for much of her career was seen as a grafter, the way she has reinvented herself into a top-class T20 player is nothing short of incredible. She’s found another level that’s allowed her to keep up with the ever-changing demands of the game. That changed mindset trickled into her one-day game and shone through in that <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/wwc-2022-ind-vs-sa-mignon-du-preez-rediscovers-her-mojo-and-its-come-at-the-perfect-time-for-south-africa-1307691" target="_blank">penultimate innings</a> she played. <br /><br />I know this is not the end and there is much to look forward to. After all, there is plenty of T20 cricket (and The Hundred) lined up. But truth be told, du Preez’s decision has left me feeling empty. It’s hard to contemplate a South African team without her. She was their energy, their centre, for so many years. <i>How can she not be around? </i><br /><br />I’ve tried desperately, over the last few days, to come to terms with all the many thoughts floating inside my head, but they still make little sense. I tried to find the words to write about MdP, and I know I haven’t managed… But if you’ve gotten this far, maybe just read this one final thing: <br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Dear Mignon, <br /><br />Congratulations on a wonderful ODI and Test career! <br /><br />If you ever read this, know that you are dearly loved and admired all around the world. You didn’t start off being my favourite cricketer, but the more I watched you, the more obsessed I became. The determination and fight you’ve shown through your career is incredible. I have no doubt we will see plenty more of it in T20s. <br /><br />I will miss watching you in the longer formats. I will miss the intensity you bring to the field. I will miss your animated celebrations and your wholesome hugs. I will miss watching a South African great strut her stuff in a format she was made for. But, of course, I can’t wait to see how much further you develop as a T20 player. <br /><br />Thank you, Mignon… For your generosity, your heart, your empathy and compassion. And thank you most of all for bringing light everywhere you go!<br /><br />Here’s to plenty more runs and wins… And here’s to a T20 World Cup. <br /><br />Go well, you good thing. As always, your timing is impeccable. <br /><br />With love, hope and a whole lot of wonder,<br /> #MignonsMinion – Always and forever!💚<br /><br />PS: I still want to be like MdP. <br /></i><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">(All pictures, courtesy Getty Images)</span><i><br /></i></span></div></div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-30786467958954721722022-03-31T05:57:00.002+05:302022-03-31T06:03:31.727+05:30From understudy to lead actor: Suné Luus' transformation<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUDlpr4P80N0c22BBfnMDY8GE20Veg-qEahPz4gjDQHxK69UTtq6E5SrpxXpXAtbM1FJpBSLqw-9-blDTdbqziKxpUIbmkJw2GiebuvNecyGPUPw9xFJM1zwXb5ICt9YlBOkc1RmaDtQVZw3HgPA_8fOmp_9ZVRMSf9gUlZaBlBDO7o0ppjWyjzfP/s1200/south-africa-skipper-sune-luus-16481083433x2.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUDlpr4P80N0c22BBfnMDY8GE20Veg-qEahPz4gjDQHxK69UTtq6E5SrpxXpXAtbM1FJpBSLqw-9-blDTdbqziKxpUIbmkJw2GiebuvNecyGPUPw9xFJM1zwXb5ICt9YlBOkc1RmaDtQVZw3HgPA_8fOmp_9ZVRMSf9gUlZaBlBDO7o0ppjWyjzfP/w640-h426/south-africa-skipper-sune-luus-16481083433x2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sune Luus prepares to lead her team into the field (Getty Images)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><i>An <a href="https://gsport.co.za/sune-luus-takes-centre-stage-for-momentum-proteas/" target="_blank">edited version</a> of this article was originally published on <a href="https://gsport.co.za/" target="_blank">gsport</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Suné Luus has performed multiple roles for South Africa.</div><br />At 16, she became an international cricketer. At 18, she was one of their premier spinners. At 20, she was their opening batter. At 21, she had her first taste of captaincy. At 22, she had been reassigned the role of ‘finisher’. At 23, she was dropped. By 24, she had re-established herself as one of the side’s top allrounders. And now, at 26, she is leading her country in the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.<br /><br />“There’s a quote (by Neale Donald Walsch) that goes ‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone’. I really like that quote; it is something I live by,” a 21-year-old Luus had <a href="https://youtu.be/koTqMmOD528">told ICC</a> in 2017.<br /><br />Over the last three years, Luus has been pushed firmly out of her comfort zone. In early 2019, she went from being dropped, to making a comeback and being thrust into a leadership position, all in the space of three weeks. It was the start of a whirlwind period that would see her captain South Africa against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home, and on a tough tour to India.<br /><br />South Africa managed to dominate in their own backyard, but the series against India was far from easy. The Proteas were thrashed, managing only one win in seven LOIs. Through the tour, Luus appeared hesitant when making on-field decisions, clearly short on captaincy experience. But despite the difficulties she took plenty of valuable lessons from that trip.<br /><br /><div>“I have learned patience,” she <a href="https://youtu.be/NrY96RMuBMk">told <i>gsport</i></a> at the time. “You are not always going to go home with a win. You’ve got to be patient with yourself and with your teammates.”<br /><br />Regular skipper Dané van Niekerk’s return to the setup later that year meant Luus took a back seat again, focusing on her own game leading into the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia.</div><div><br />Following the heartbreak of that tournament semi-final and an extended COVID-19 enforced break, South Africa returned to the international stage in early 2021. Luus was their skipper again; filling in for van Niekerk while she recuperated from injury. It wasn’t her spot to make her own. She was merely keeping the chair warm for van Niekerk’s return… <br /><br />Twelve months on, it seems 2021 served as Luus’ practice run for things to come.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div>When Luus came to India in 2019, she appeared to be a rather reluctant captain. There was thought behind every statement she made, but that clarity of thought rarely correlated with the happenings on the field.<br /><br />That sense of confusion reflected in some muddled bowling changes, hesitant chats with senior bowlers, a tendency to often second-guess herself and her own reluctance to bowl. Moments of pressure often saw frantic conversations with a group of senior players, and what resulted was often more confusion.<br /><br />In a team with some very senior players, a couple of whom are mavericks, on the field it looked like Luus, even as captain, was slightly low down the pecking order. On paper, she was meant to be in charge, but <i>how could she make a mark on a team that was only temporarily ‘hers’? How could she influence a group with so many strong personalities around?</i> For a long while, those were the questions Luus seemed to be grappling with.<br /><br />Back in charge in 2021, Luus led South Africa to a series win over Pakistan at home, and followed it up with a remarkable double series win over in India. She appeared calmer, and more sure of herself, in control of the conversations she was having and the decisions she was making. South Africa dominated the same star-studded Indian team that had crushed them only 18 months ago, and key to that turnaround was a more confident captain… With every passing game, it seemed Luus was able to better understand her identity as a leader.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZGRcT4JV4lKdCIvfHQEj25t8E8aFT0ssPS3GQ6EU84CJZiM6SI9JD_mn4PSZ06_5hvLRJmXEC0u3RB4GT266vFb0YcmWNKPR3Fr6kZl1RL7NcvDsQPFaDtyeiaz9hD3jHtcPugyJ5Ob4UwljivixN0Q2X1bXHdV1GNyGpjC083F6GAaqZspHIpYG/s4000/Sune%20Luus%20of%20South%20Africa%20bats%20during%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women's%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20match%20between%20New%20Zealand%20and%20South%20Africa%20at%20Seddon%20Park%20on%20March%2017,%202022%20in%20Hamilton,%20New%20Zealand.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZGRcT4JV4lKdCIvfHQEj25t8E8aFT0ssPS3GQ6EU84CJZiM6SI9JD_mn4PSZ06_5hvLRJmXEC0u3RB4GT266vFb0YcmWNKPR3Fr6kZl1RL7NcvDsQPFaDtyeiaz9hD3jHtcPugyJ5Ob4UwljivixN0Q2X1bXHdV1GNyGpjC083F6GAaqZspHIpYG/w640-h360/Sune%20Luus%20of%20South%20Africa%20bats%20during%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women's%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20match%20between%20New%20Zealand%20and%20South%20Africa%20at%20Seddon%20Park%20on%20March%2017,%202022%20in%20Hamilton,%20New%20Zealand.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Luus plays a delightful cover drive. (ICC/ Getty Images)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>That confidence in herself and her own style reflects in the way Luus now speaks about her role. There is an understanding that van Niekerk is still the ultimate leader of the side, but while she is wearing that captain’s armband, Suné Luus will bring her own unique style.</div><div><br />“Obviously, I have big shoes to fill with Dane. She's obviously a very good player and a good captain as well. But I think for me it's kind of just to make it my own. You can't really be like the person next to you. You've got to do what's right for you and what you feel you need to do. So, I think that’s just what I've been doing over the past couple of times that I’ve been given the honour to captain. I've just been putting my own spin on it and trying to do things my way as well,” she said in the pre-tournament press-conference.<br /><br />“I think I just try and stay as calm as I can. I think that really helps the team and that really just gives them the confidence to just back their skill and do what they can and to know that we trust them and I trust them with whatever they are doing. Just to stay as calm as possible and take it one ball at a time.”<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div>Since the start of her career, Luus has served as van Niekerk’s understudy – first as a leg-spinner and now as skipper. The 26-year-old was never really meant to take centrestage this early, but when has life ever followed the perfect script?<br /><br />It’s Thursday (March 31). South Africa are in the final four of the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and are set to take on England at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch in a repeat of the 2017 semi-final. They have a real opportunity to “make history” in a tournament they have been preparing for for five years now. At the centre of that campaign has been Luus, the batter and the captain. </div><div><br /></div><div>Five wins in seven matches, a place in the semi-final, 249 runs with three fifties, and now in her 100th ODI; Luus is finally ready to emerge from van Niekerk’s shadow.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>An <a href="https://gsport.co.za/sune-luus-takes-centre-stage-for-momentum-proteas/" target="_blank">edited version</a> of this article was originally published on <a href="https://gsport.co.za/" target="_blank">gsport</a></i></div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-67280012504720585102022-03-23T23:16:00.005+05:302022-03-24T05:33:07.211+05:30Cold, ruthless, cut from a different cloth: Meg truly is the mightiest of them all!<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img africa="" and="" at="" australia="" basin="" between="" border="0" cricket="" cup="" in="" march="" match="" new="" on="" reserve="" s="" south="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazpU28Vhfb8IWm8PISH5v8rfDPNBpGGU74sH9vg6j4dIQKFytYJ15EQr_BXpP7rm4h4LQm9iOmBB8xT_7lRopS6oSnQCTxIBr0qv03pOypLJ8PkFzg2FankNpOARP09Ib3EO5s2-Frsvj5RK-IR3pu0ywLMtaIybyHWmpr0-s8J-fsgVZd27yscvv/w640-h360/Meg%20Lanning%20of%20Australia%20raises%20her%20bat%20after%20scoring%20a%20century%20during%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women" wellington="" world="" zealand.jpeg="" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><i>Meg Lanning celebrates her century against South Africa in Wellington. (ICC/Getty Images)</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />When Meg Lanning made her way to the centre at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, Shabnim Ismail was in the middle of a fiery opening spell. The South African speedster had found her rhythm, found some swing and was making full use of the pacy Wellington pitch.<br /><br />In pursuit of 272, the six-time World Cup winners had slipped to 14 for 1 after their destructive opener Alyssa Healy had been nicked off by Ismail.<br /><br />“Hard hands from Healy, soft hands from Chetty,” Nasser Hussain had described the dismissal on air – Healy pushing at a delivery that shaped away and melted into the gloves of a diving Trisha Chetty.<br /><br />It was the kind of wicket that would have excited Ismail, just enough to channel the ‘demon’ within.<br /><br />Lanning had walked into the middle of a cauldron. South Africa’s biggest threat had her tail up. The slips were looming, the fielders in the inner circle were chattering, and Ismail had a visible snarl: the big fish was out in the middle, and she wanted nothing more than to take her down.<br /><br />Another fast delivery, just short of a length that shaped away had Lanning feeling for the ball. There were ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from behind the stumps. They sensed uncertainty. South Africa were in with a chance.<br /><br />A couple of leaves and a tentative prod forward later, Lanning was off the mark.<br /><br />At the other end she faced a stern examination from Marizanne Kapp whose tight lines had her flirting outside off stump on more than one occasion. As the ball slipped past her outside edge, Lanning let out an audible “Oooooh!” and when a nip-backer caught her inside edge, out came a frustrated “Nah!”<br /><br />When Kapp strayed wide, Lanning threaded the delivery past Mignon du Preez and Laura Wolvaardt, stationed barely eight meters apart at point, to pick up her first boundary. Then, when she over-pitched, Lanning unleashed a powerful square drive. She met the ball right under her eyes, nice stride forward, weight going into the shot and hands extended through the ball. It was her trademark.<br /><br />Her 17th delivery should have ended her day. It was another corker from Ismail that had her chasing the ball outside off stump. For a split second her hands left the little box they were in and followed the path of the ball as it snaked away from her after pitching. It was just enough for the ball to catch the outside edge of the bat and fly in the direction of Chetty and Sune Luus in the cordon. But the 'keeper was wrong-footed and before she could react the ball had raced off to the boundary.<br /><br />Despite those early fours, including one menacing flick over mid-on off Ismail, it wasn’t until the 44th ball of her innings that Lanning looked in complete control of proceedings: when she deposited an inswinger from Ayabonga Khaka – who had caused her some problems until then – over long-on for six. Nothing or no one could dislodge her now. South Africa had lost their chance – Lanning had bolted!<br /><br />“Sometimes you need a bit of luck, and I felt like I got a bit of that today. You’ve just got to try and make the most of it,” she said in the post-match press conference.<br /><br />"I thought myself and Rachael (Haynes) sort of negotiated those first ten overs reasonably well. You are always going to play and miss a couple and get a bit of luck every now and again. But it required a little bit of restraint and patience, I think, just to make sure we got through that period, which we were able to do.”<br /><br />Once that burst had ended, the game was far too easy. Lanning “broke the back of the chase” and then shifted to autopilot.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />Lanning’s runs sneak up on you. They come at break-neck speed, even though she never appears in a hurry. Most often, it doesn’t even look like she’s trying.<br /><br /><i>I mean, how in the world did she score that many? She only just came in to bat!</i><br /><br />With Alyssa Healy and Lizelle Lee, every ball is an event in itself. As a viewer, you expect something to happen. With Lanning, that’s rarely the case. She collects her runs with a caress here, a glide there, a touch here and prod there.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img and="" at="" australia="" between="" border="0" cricket="" cup="" england="" hamilton="" in="" march="" match="" new="" on="" park="" s="" seddon="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSdJWkaGx5yC-N5URmyyeHyST-S-6NbRIIH2PGA-OsrzmF5zOF49Tadpd0831IMGt375EedLPwufND34L-WrETcNqJRYDRcZumLYVKCdVcUCpSmuZQJK4XNkZtU2hUbgGil1twUqbjOpz688a9V_vWnpepqgkigyJoiX8G2z-e5ifGFmJVgSqFt3H/w640-h360/Meg%20Lanning%20of%20Australia%20bats%20during%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women" world="" zealand.jpeg="" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: start;">Meg Lanning plays the ball through the off-side. (ICC/ Getty Images)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />That is not to say her strokeplay is unremarkable. It's actually quite the opposite. <br /><br />One can get lost in Lanning’s grace. Her poise at the crease, her balance as she strikes the ball, the efficiency of her movements and the correctness of her technique are a sight for sore eyes. It's effortless. It's magical. It's classic Meg Lanning.<br /><br />Blink, and you’ll miss her fifty. Blink again, and she would’ve raced past hundred. And when you stop and rub your eyes in wonder, she would’ve helped her team chase down a total that was meant to be challenging. Instead, she makes it seem like child’s play.<br /><br />She's a high school bully in a primary school playground.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><p>Ismail was seething. She was in the middle of likely the fastest spell in the tournament. She had the Australian captain, who had already registered a hundred, hopping around, slashing wildly outside off stump, trying to catch up with the ball. She should have had her caught at slip. She should have seen the back of her. It was the second time in the day that the fielders had let her down. She deserved better.<br /><br />At the other end, Lanning stared down the track, expressionless. She knew she was being tested. But she also knew she could get through it. Australia were so far ahead of the game that she didn’t need to try anything. The spell wouldn’t last. She could bully the rest.<br /><br /><i><a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/all-hail-meg-the-mighty" target="_blank">Wait for the opposition to blink</a>. Under pressure, they will flinch first.</i><br /><br />“She was bowling quick. She didn’t bowl any bad balls really, during that period of play, and it sort of swung the momentum back in the favour of South Africa. It was great to get through that tricky little period,” she said in the post-match presentation.<br /><br />After that period, Australia flourished, cantering home with 28 balls to spare. Lanning was unstoppable... A Porsche with no brakes! </p><p>She finished unbeaten on 135 off just 130 deliveries.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;">***<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/#" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img africa="" and="" at="" australia="" basin="" between="" border="0" cricket="" cup="" in="" march="" match="" new="" on="" reserve="" s="" south="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYya8zQsb8sFzlK_-nUO56pfo2AKJ-BKZQ0760Bs9cScO7Zl2H_qvFrDezyqHTILhlTXsEfrLJQdodoFWgRFNe-dy9LED6FRQsd2v6oKZtuzyAo97XxENLtgB_-HX6muK2o5iBLVEDVEVIvDujjotSgZF0wayYA4JPrMYNHeoTsCqigas3EBrVehvm/w640-h360/Meg%20Lanning%20of%20Australia%20is%20congratulated%20by%20Chloe%20Tryon%20of%20South%20Africa%20after%20winning%20the%202022%20ICC%20Women" wellington="" world="" zealand.jpeg="" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><i>A high-school bully in a primary school playground! (ICC/ Getty Images)</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Lanning’s ODI record is incredible. Only 97 matches for close to 4500 runs at an average of just under 54. She has 34 scores over fifty, 15 of which are centuries.<br /><br />Filter those numbers down to include only chases, and it reads: 53 innings, 2558 runs, 67.31 average, 94.18 strike rate and 21 scores over fifty, including 10 hundreds.<br /><br />Australia have lost only six of those matches. Lanning’s collective total in those six innings is 45.<br /><br />If you are an opponent, those numbers are frightening. If you don’t get her out early, there’s really no hope.<br /><br />Lanning is so good that her runs feel inevitable. She is so good, that we often forget to celebrate her genius. She is so good, that we only really notice her ‘failures’. She is so good, that when she achieves something extraordinary, we think of it as ordinary. <br /><br /><i>I mean, can you blame us? The woman doesn’t think anything’s a big enough deal! There’s always another peak to scale.</i><br /><br />That attitude is reflected in the Australian skipper’s celebrations. They last all of 8 seconds – a raised bat, a raised helmet, a slight smile and a quick hug. Then, after a nod of acknowledgement, it’s straight back to work.<br /><br />It’s like she’s almost embarrassed to celebrate…<br /><br /><i>Awww… I’m just doing my job, </i>you can hear her say<i>. My job is to finish the game for the team. The milestone doesn’t really matter. It comes along the way.</i><br /><br />… But maybe she was embarrassed by this one: hundred no.17? After all, it did take forever to come! <br /><br />The gap between international century no. 16 and 17 was 27 innings across 533 days. Not much for most, but an eternity for Lanning. The Australian captain scores an international century every 12.7 innings. She had to wait double that time to get this.<br /><br />You can understand the embarrassment now, can’t you!<br /><br /><i>Nah! Just not good enough, Meg!</i><br /><br />She’s a bully alright! An annoyingly humble one, too!<br /><br />At only 29, you know she’s only going to get better. Those record books are hers to rewrite. And you know, with that steely resolve in her eyes, she will go after them one by one.<br /><br />Years from now, when she looks back on her career, Meg Lanning will know she ruled the batting world, simply because she could.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/ruthless-competitive-meg-lannings-australia" target="_blank">She is cold. She is ruthless. She is cut from a different cloth.</a><br /><br />Meg truly is the mightiest of them all!Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-24775351253013858452022-02-27T00:06:00.008+05:302022-02-27T09:17:38.777+05:30Seeking the stillness<p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>Being still is hard.</p><p>When you think about it, it should be easy. After all, it involves doing nothing.</p><p>Over the last few months, I have tried desperately to be still. To take the time to breathe, to reflect, to just be.</p><p>Truth be told, it has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in recent times. The uncertainty that comes with freedom is daunting to say the least. After years of movement and structure, as a student, an athlete, a working professional, there was suddenly nothing.</p><p>Stillness is strange – it means the absence of movement. But my mind has not stopped racing since December. I have felt restless and frustrated and unsure of where to channel my energies. So many possibilities, so many ideas, but little (read: no) motivation. No deadlines to meet or plans to make, meant I didn’t have to dig into an empty reservoir of enthusiasm either. There was no need to plod on. I could just be.</p><p>Until a couple of months ago, my days have always been very structured – things that needed to be done, dreams that had to be worked towards. Now, it’s all dissipated. Turned to nothing, through choices I made.</p><p>Walking away from work was easy, but walking away from cricket was hard. I still pick up a ball, and my first instinct is to bowl… try and knock the stumps down. Try in vain (!) to knock someone’s head off.</p><div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6AK4lycwc1wXAtBFtx0CHqYz6kJW6SoWgU9FuQjoB_vuqa78l9VHmJKbudZxAkOPpx8hEOfSVi-z_Pgxvs3OPBRwq4CzaErDrUCgfl1UX6oN4hG_lW37iF05CrDGPvWvRgtivtsEwWxdhLX-RVlIa_YX8Oa56Ik2cQLtCt3uJxQMNI7NcFHvmYVBj=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="2048" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6AK4lycwc1wXAtBFtx0CHqYz6kJW6SoWgU9FuQjoB_vuqa78l9VHmJKbudZxAkOPpx8hEOfSVi-z_Pgxvs3OPBRwq4CzaErDrUCgfl1UX6oN4hG_lW37iF05CrDGPvWvRgtivtsEwWxdhLX-RVlIa_YX8Oa56Ik2cQLtCt3uJxQMNI7NcFHvmYVBj=w640-h390" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cricket used to be my happy place</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Going to the nets was one of my favourite things to do. How I talked myself into letting that go, I don’t know. Maybe it was years of disappointment – in myself, in the system, in all of it. Maybe it was finally growing up and accepting it was over.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember the day it all fell apart for me; the day I decided I had had enough. It was in the middle of Sikkim’s match against Chandigarh in Pondicherry. I had just been dismissed playing a horrendous lofted shot off Priyanka Guleria after seeing off challenging spells from their opening quicks. Normally, I would have admonished myself for the recklessness, gone back to the dressing room, sulked for a little bit before joining my teammates again. But that day, I walked to the dressing room calm as ever, sat down in my chair and broke down. The place was empty – the ground being a distance from the dressing room. I sobbed uncontrollably, wanting only to go home. When a teammate walked in, I headed into the shower and just stood there as the water ran over me. I hated it. I wanted to leave. I remember pulling out my diary just before our innings folded and writing ‘I think it’s over’, right under the match goals I had scribbled that morning. It was the worst I have ever felt on tour. Despite the runs I scored and the wickets I took, all I wanted was to get out of there. It was a feeling I had experienced before, playing in my last season for Hyderabad. But the difference was, that back then, while I hated the sense of insecurity within the environment off the field, I wanted nothing more than to be on the field – play, practice and chase my dream. In 2020, I was searching for an out despite playing some of my best cricket.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since then, I have searched for stillness. But all I have found is self-doubt. Questions in my head that have no answers; or maybe they are just answers I don’t want to find.</div><div><br /></div><div>I chose to walk away from the game for a variety of reasons – lack of motivation, opportunity, pent up frustration, but most of all, I chose to walk away because I didn’t want to end up resenting the game the way I have come to resent the system. Cricket is my happy place… Or, at least it used to be… It was where I wanted to be ever since I was 12 years old. It was my life for as long as I can remember. It was where I learnt to be still. But I had lost that space and was scared that cricket would also be the end of me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Don’t get me wrong, I still love the game, but I crave the opportunity to be involved in it on my own terms. There is too much scar tissue, much of which is fresh. And Indian women’s cricket is no place for the faint-hearted.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />It’s funny how our minds work. For a large duration of the second half of 2021, I remember myself counting down the days to December 5. There was an expectation/ anticipation around what would follow… Would I feel like a weight had been lifted? Would that light-bulb moment finally happen? Would I feel like me again? </div><div><br /></div><div>In my head, things were going to magically work out...</div><div><br />I was supposed to give myself two months to find some clarity. I was supposed to spend two months searching for answers. I didn’t have to be productive. I didn’t have to tick off any milestones. All I needed, was to be and let the world flow by.<br /><br />As I write this, the instructions sound simple. They should have been… But it does not work that way, does it?!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://resources.pulse.icc-cricket.com/ICC/photo/2018/03/11/4b79316c-2cec-4adc-b87c-6f9fb6a90d00/Suzie-Bates-11-March.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://resources.pulse.icc-cricket.com/ICC/photo/2018/03/11/4b79316c-2cec-4adc-b87c-6f9fb6a90d00/Suzie-Bates-11-March.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Like Suzie, I will continue to search for my centre. (ICC)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So now, a little over two months later, here I am, back in the space I ran away from. But I’m back on my own terms. No expectations. No obligations. Just celebrating the people I have admired and sought inspiration from over the years. <br /><br />While I am still searching for a sense of calm and stability, recently watching the likes of Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/02/maddy-green-new-zealand-amelia-kerr-cricket-mrs-fixit.html" target="_blank">Maddy Green</a> and (of course) the <a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/02/meghana-sabbineni-india-comeback-mulapadu.html" target="_blank">magical Maggie</a>, I realised something important: stillness is not necessarily only the absence of movement, but the presence of clarity. <br /><br />Through the ODI series between New Zealand and India, it was Bates’ clarity of thought and the precision of movement that resulted in her fluency. She was still in her crease, and momentarily still in her mind: able to simply act on instinct… They all were.<br /><br />People often say that the harder athletes try, the worse they get. Their muscles tighten, their movements become almost robotic and everything seems strained.<br /><br />This last while has felt like that for me. But I hope that, like I managed for the past 18 years, I find a way to translate my learnings from the game into my life as well.<br /><br /><a href="https://diary-of-a-cricketer.blogspot.com/2022/02/suzie-bates-new-zealand-india-odi-series-cricket-world-cup.html" target="_blank">Like Suzie</a>, I will continue to search for my centre, but this time I know to let it find me.<br /><br />Clear thoughts. Efficient movements. I hope I can handle that!<br /></div></div></div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-3603570741653895452022-02-21T22:07:00.009+05:302022-02-21T22:51:36.842+05:30Meghana's 1893 days in the wilderness<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLg73cGD0HoidBRegCnXNG6aRlEXwJUWPla7_GR1jDkbAJ0v7uyvTys_RRAyEEaZH2H5EevTSdJP5DLWhb01cBDKOfpS5MLt85uJKLhp_Qn8c4mIY683jtHyzU9VFlZllvs_Pfs-ybOhIc-2EbnYBleHwJlb-WtnvRPNpfMLKUNc_3nFXzjVkRnJIJ=s1024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLg73cGD0HoidBRegCnXNG6aRlEXwJUWPla7_GR1jDkbAJ0v7uyvTys_RRAyEEaZH2H5EevTSdJP5DLWhb01cBDKOfpS5MLt85uJKLhp_Qn8c4mIY683jtHyzU9VFlZllvs_Pfs-ybOhIc-2EbnYBleHwJlb-WtnvRPNpfMLKUNc_3nFXzjVkRnJIJ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(James Allan / Getty Images)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On 20 November 2016, when Meghana Sabbineni walked on to the field for the first time as an international cricketer, she was greeted by a boisterous crowd gathered at the Dr. Gokaraju Liala Gangaaraju ACA Cricket Ground in Mulapadu to cheer for their local hero. When she struck four boundaries on her way to a 16-ball 17 in India’s chase of 138, the crowd roared their appreciation. And when she was dismissed – lbw to Hayley Matthews – the disappointment was palpable.</div><br />A little over five years to that day, Meghana was back in her home ground – a little older, much wiser, and far leaner – but this time, she was an international discard, playing in an empty stadium (albeit in front of television cameras) for her place in the Indian team.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div>When Meghana first came into the domestic system, she was seen as an obscenely talented batter, but often missed the spotlight next her equally gifted opening partner V Sneha Deepthi. The pair, both highly rated by then Andhra coach and former India skipper Purnima Rau, made their List-A debuts in their early teens and quickly became key members of Andhra’s senior team. However, at age-group level, it was Meghana who became the more dominant force, often outscoring the more popular members of her cohort – the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya and Harleen Deol.<br /><br />Therefore, the India call-up in 2016 came as no surprise. Many believed it should/ could have happened earlier, when India hosted Bangladesh back in 2013, but either way, when the day arrived, there was much anticipation around her graduation.<div><br />While her performances didn’t set the world on fire, Meghana’s promise was obvious. She was untroubled by the pace of Deandra Dottin – who at the time was at the peak of her bowling powers – or the swing of Shakera Selman. Her front foot play was excellent – that cover drive on the up making an early appearance in her international career – but her wider game had some obvious limitations: she wasn’t the quickest between the sticks, and her back foot technique needed some work.<br /><br />Left out of the pre-World Cup training camp in 2017, Meghana spent the next five years charting a path back into the Indian side. She identified two key areas of improvement: fitness and consistency.<br /><br />“I have worked on my fitness from the last five years,” she said after India’s opening game of the LOI series against New Zealand in Queenstown. “That was most important aspect and I think that has helped me a lot to come here again.”<br /><br />The lost weight saw her speed across the ground and between the wickets improve. Better stamina levels made (big) run-scoring easier as well. Having to wait for an opportunity in a star-studded Railways XI further fueled her fire, and through this time, it was her self belief that kept her going.<br /><br />“Definitely, I have worked on my batting. I have always been an attacking batter, but I just wanted to consistently score runs in the domestic level so that the selectors see me,” she said.<br /><br />“I have never actually thought of that selection pressure – it was never there in my mind. So last five years also I have just focussed on myself: how to improve myself, how to become a better player, and I think it helped me.”<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: left;">There were 1,893 days between Meghana’s sixth and seventh internationals. Broken down, that’s 45,432 hours/ 2,725,920 minutes/ 163,555,200 seconds. It was time that the right-hander used well.</div><br />Between the dates of 4 December 2016 and 9 February 2022, India played a total of 114 LOIs. During that period, they handed out debuts to nine batters/ batting allrounders, tried 17 different opening combinations, changed coaches five times, reached two World Cup finals and one World Cup semi, conceded the Asia Cup, and ended Australia’s winning streak.<br /><br />While the women in blue were off trying to conquer the world, Meghana was busy conquering the country. She scored over 3,400 runs in First-Class, List-A, T20 and age-group cricket where she turned out for Andhra, South Zone, Railways, Central Zone and India A (and its Challenger Trophy variants). Her tally comprised 26 scores over 50, including five hundreds – three of which she scored in the last two seasons. In that time, she also captained Andhra, Under-23 South Zone, and India A, and also won two one-day titles with Indian Railways.<br /><br />When she was overlooked in 2017, Meghana scored a total of 633 runs through the remainder of the season. She followed that up with 648 runs in 2017-18, before clobbering 836 runs the following year. By 2019, Meghana was a consistent member of the India A side, traveling to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and also featuring in the quadrangular series involving Thailand and Bangladesh where she single-handedly took India B to the final with three consecutive fifties.<br /><br />For Railways, she was the backup opener, watching from the sidelines as Punam Raut and MD Thirushkamini made merry in the middle. When she got her chance, she grabbed it with both hands.<br /><br />The truncated 2020-21 season was when she really underlined her class with scores of 104, 13, 88, 62, 9 and 53 as Railways regained the title they had lost to Bengal two years ago. She backed that up with a <a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/meghana-sabbineni-indian-railways-north-star" target="_blank">tremendous run in 2021-22</a> - a journey that culminated in that empty ground in Mulapadu.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDufObj9mLQctfm7FTIznlm7CCIy1FVnuTUpNfwFNUKzjwZXwchCs0Y4w9lTeAfP3rBo1l5OrkiMdVWM4t8d4PPxjrrPbuUfC-R0V3HjYP0tO7LG0J1Sah4UNSzzZKuu-wtOWm4wgIpkwhnMvmSYgbHukD6TUgKuHBYnp4q4unnWLh3UOhdJNrtRV3=s1200" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDufObj9mLQctfm7FTIznlm7CCIy1FVnuTUpNfwFNUKzjwZXwchCs0Y4w9lTeAfP3rBo1l5OrkiMdVWM4t8d4PPxjrrPbuUfC-R0V3HjYP0tO7LG0J1Sah4UNSzzZKuu-wtOWm4wgIpkwhnMvmSYgbHukD6TUgKuHBYnp4q4unnWLh3UOhdJNrtRV3=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(James Allan/ Getty Images)<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table></div>When Meghana walked out to bat in international No. 7 – the one-off T20I against New Zealand in Queenstown – if there were nerves, they didn’t show. She tapped a single to get off the mark before tonking Sophie Devine over her head to pick up her first boundary of the day. It was a shot of utmost authority from a woman who had been out of the reckoning for the longest time. It was a reminder to those around that she’d been forgotten for too long. It was her way of saying she was ready to take every chance that was thrown her way – backup or not, Meghana Sabbineni would become central to India’s batting efforts when the door opened. She was here. She was ready. <br /><br />She followed up that knock of 37 in the T20I with scores of 4, 49 and 61 in the first three ODIs; her attacking style of play at the top of the order even overshadowing <i>wunderkind</i> Shafali Verma. She drove through the off-side with aplomb, making room to access her favoured area and pouncing on width any time New Zealand dished it up. When they became frustrated by her dominance on the front foot and resorted to the short ball ploy, she giggled at their anger before pummeling a couple of pull shots.<br /><br />She was no longer just a front foot bully; there was more to her batting than brute force. The kid could score on both sides of the field, and there was no fear holding her back.<br /><br />That Meghana’s natural game shone through in such a high-stakes environment has been the most pleasing aspect of her batting so far. Of course, self-belief has always been one of her biggest strengths – that innate faith in her talent has kept the engine humming over these last five years.<br /><br />In the third ODI on Friday (February 18), Meghana notched up her maiden international half-century, leading India’s charge with the bat. She caressed the first ball of the game for a boundary past extra cover, seemingly opening the floodgates with that stroke. What followed was absolute carnage – the kind we have become accustomed to seeing from Verma’s bat.<br /><br />Meghana ripped New Zealand’s attack apart, peppering the cover boundary, hitting with the swing – over and through the field – and going down the ground when the ball was pitched up. She hit her first ODI six with a powerful off-drive off Hannah Rowe before meting out similar treatment to Devine. The Indian opener took a particular liking to the New Zealand captain, carting her for 19 runs in a single over as she raced to a 33-ball fifty - India’s second fastest in the format.<br /><br />The fun didn’t last for too much longer as she was dismissed for a 40-ball 61, but Meghana’s chuckle as she celebrated her fifty underlined the kind of day it was. She was out there, in an arena that everyone knew she belonged in and was having the time of her life.</div><div><br /></div><div>In almost <a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/mackay-contemplated-retirement-after-of-2020-21-domestic-season" target="_blank">Frankie Mackay style</a>, she was saying, "hey look! I'm here. I'm back, and I should have been playing all these years!"<br /><br />Those endless hours in the nets and in the gym, those days in the field, and those years of waiting were all behind her. To quote Suzie Bates (albeit out of context), this was “party time”!<br /><br />No matter what happens over the next couple of games and through the remainder of India’s time in New Zealand, Meghana Sabbineni has laid down a marker – she’s set a standard for herself and for her competitors. She’s got the new-age style of play down to a T. She’s fit, she’s powerful, and she’s confident as hell. And in the years to come, she should be a central figure in India’s batting line up. Whenever that spot does open up, the cheeky grin, the flowing cover drive and an almost embarrassed celebration of a milestone won’t be far off!<br /><br />#MaggieIsMagic - and now you know why!</div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-16011254463959244742022-02-17T18:02:00.002+05:302022-02-17T18:34:22.865+05:30New Zealand's new troubleshooter<p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1139532702620171414/1601125446395924474?hl=en#" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2G4At-mN_HMlGnxzUxnhvrtUlnh6ylKqMzKgouchfgq5QjZJw-x-CEWjC-wVTJ-8-9y5Kd41GDTqBTXZCJvuMgdi1ZxoyFgHrtU46vTMfhlAlA0FOy9NPiuG4cfcrTftRCZ_p06C55N_z5QLK_Lq_AG5HXnDYVpuW9Tc4T2j2_Xy5WbYwkx25KxDu=w640-h400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jade Allan/ Getty Images</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In the first ODI of New Zealand’s five-match series against India in Queenstown, Maddy Green found herself opening the batting - a role she had performed only twice before, against South Africa in 2020. In her third attempt, she made a decent account of herself, scoring an enterprising 17 in a 54-run opening stand - the side’s first 50+ opening stand in 12 matches - with Suzie Bates before she ran past a delivery from Deepti Sharma. A couple of days later, in the second ODI, Green was back down the order at No. 5.<br /><br />A little over a year earlier, the right-hander had stepped in as the team’s premier off-spinner in the absence of Leigh Kasperek and Anna Peterson during New Zealand’s tour to Australia. Amy Satterthwaite, who had just returned from maternity leave was focused primarily on her batting, so Green, who had begun turning her arm over in the nets (and domestic matches) more regularly, was seen as an alternate option. She bowled 12.4 overs through the series in October 2020 without picking up a wicket, but she was there, answering her team’s call.<br /><br />For the Women’s World Cup in March-April this year, Green is the backup wicket-keeper in the squad - an understudy to Katey Martin. More accurately, a crisis manager in what would be a worst-case scenario for the home team.<br /><br />On Tuesday (February 15), in the second ODI of their series against India, commentator Craig Cumming made an observation about Green’s constantly changing roles.<br /><br />“Maddy Green is an interesting one because she opened in the first ODI, is batting at five now, and is the reserve ‘keeper,” the former New Zealand men’s international said. “She is one of those players in the squad that is going to have to fill a number of roles, which is never easy.”<br /><br />“Yes,” responded former White Ferns skipper Aimee Watkins, “she is one of those players who has filled lots of different roles, and I sometimes wonder would she prefer to know where she is batting and have a set place in the team? Or is she someone that thrives on knowing that she is ‘Mrs Fix-It’ and it’s her role to jump in whenever needed."<br /><br />"I know she is a great teammate in the sheds… And I guess her role in the team is ever changing to what is required.”<br /><br />Since her ODI debut for New Zealand in 2014, Green has batted in eight different positions (from Nos. 2 to 9) through her 44-match career. Her fluctuating role has contributed to rather poor returns at the international level – 777 runs at an average of 21 – and it has appeared for much of her career that Green’s place in the side has rested more on the runs she’s saved than those she’s scored. However, it seems the 29-year-old has finally found a sense of calm in the chaos.<br /><br />Late last year, on New Zealand’s tour to England, the right-hander made a massive contribution in the team’s only win in the ODIs, scoring an unbeaten 70 in their chase of 179. As the batting group fell around her, Green held one end up, chipping away at the runs. She first shared a 72-run stand with Satterthwaite for the third wicket and followed it up with a 52-run partnership alongside Brooke Halliday. But when Sophie Ecclestone and Katherine Brunt bowled England back into the game, it was Green who saw them over the line with three wickets to spare.<br /><br />The right-hander carried that promise into the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, where she scored 265 runs in four innings for Wellington Blaze, with one century and two half-centuries to her credit. Although she failed to meet those same lofty standards through the Super Smash, Green came to the party when her team needed her most – in the title clash against Otago Sparks. With a mind to right the wrongs of their previous final, the Blaze skipper smoked 55 off just 35 deliveries, sharing a 110-run stand with Sophie Devine as they piled up a total of 175 for 4. Wellington went on to clobber Otago by 75 runs and Green was central to that victory.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1139532702620171414/1601125446395924474?hl=en#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDmo-q313amq-VbcRUA_OPs9mdZxgW-mzNGjzj21fnwAsIoNypZG9pjwufh_OON3Xawx-OHvdnu2jDxckGWGDWhLJwpvBsH0KBeWrfkecWVTnLdZOb7UoFOmWAbRJbVv1uPyDn154EopVbQJwHQxNB6cj3zKhmn7lBVqm0KddweuJYF26wUJKkpZW9=w640-h426" /></a><br /><br />On Monday, when Green joined her Blaze lieutenant, Amelia Kerr, in the middle, New Zealand had collapsed to 55 for 3 in the ninth over chasing 271. The “three wise women”, their captain, their highest run-scorer, and the usual crisis manager, were all back in the hutch and the hosts’ under-performing middle-order had their work cut out. India’s finger spinners had finally found some rhythm and they could smell blood. But they didn’t anticipate that New Zealand had appointed a new troubleshooter – a certain Madeline Lee Green.<br /><br />While much of the focus had turned to Amelia Kerr and her deft late cuts and mouth-watering sweep shots, Green settled herself in slowly, collecting four runs off her first 14 balls. She serenely danced down the track and knocked the singles down the ground, her dismissal in the first game doing little to dent her confidence. She continued to use her feet, making full use of her tall frame to come forward or go back, toying with India’s fields. She didn’t try too hard to force the pace or find the boundary; there were gaps aplenty, so she hit them and ran hard. Once she settled in, the big shots were brought out – a couple of excellent lofted strokes over mid-off and two more over mid-on, all in “the Maddy Green arc”.<br /><br />As the Wellington pair batted on, New Zealand’s confidence grew. India, on the other hand, began desperately searching for answers. They had inexplicably allowed New Zealand to patch themselves together, averting what should have been a definite crisis. At the centre of it, was their new Mrs. Fix-It – jumping in to fulfill the team’s ever changing needs.<br /><br />Green’s 128-run stand with Kerr put New Zealand in a strong position in their chase of 271. Along the way, she brought up her third ODI fifty – her first at home. Although she got out soon after reaching the milestone, Green had underlined her leadership qualities in what was a difficult situation.<br /><br />While Kerr, quite rightly, stole the headlines for her match-winning 119 not out, it was her stand with her Wellington skipper that put them firmly on their road to victory.<br /><br />“Maddy is a quality ball-striker, she is one of the best ball-strikers in the country and that is a real strength of hers – we saw that today with her hitting straight,” Kerr said in the post-match press conference. “She’s got a lot of experience. She’s captained a lot of domestic teams, so she’s got a good cricket brain, and she gets on well with all the girls as well. She’s pretty patient and a good listener. She’s a great leader to have and she is a real professional. She fields well, she’s an athlete, so we’re lucky to have someone like her, and it’s awesome to see her go out and score runs because she’s worked very hard at it.”<br /><br />Maddy Green may not be a headliner just yet, but she is a key cog in New Zealand’s line-up – a player for all seasons.<p></p>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-28784385964482354542022-02-12T23:27:00.011+05:302022-02-13T21:04:44.410+05:30In search of the old Suzie<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRrBwgSWH4tijewJI1Q9BYDcdxAM0hbkRqbzjX8LP5_2MWa5t7-bW1Jc_ZO5hOGYWH2A9DRSc3t_sbEoX0KDWupZQXkv8uHFQpGayG10qMOVRB-2dKGEuG6TzQl7iHZQqv-PtMYJ0QLc7K4eedKtkxQ5vXxwK7E8Zc3_NwpQRl_NlezTTTVk3JeMwC=s1365" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="(Getty Images)" border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1365" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRrBwgSWH4tijewJI1Q9BYDcdxAM0hbkRqbzjX8LP5_2MWa5t7-bW1Jc_ZO5hOGYWH2A9DRSc3t_sbEoX0KDWupZQXkv8uHFQpGayG10qMOVRB-2dKGEuG6TzQl7iHZQqv-PtMYJ0QLc7K4eedKtkxQ5vXxwK7E8Zc3_NwpQRl_NlezTTTVk3JeMwC=w640-h362" title="(Getty Images)" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: James Allen/ Getty Images</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Suzie Bates brought up her 11th ODI century in the </span><a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-women-in-new-zealand-2021-22-1289028/new-zealand-women-vs-india-women-1st-odi-1289032/full-scorecard" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">opening game</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of the five-match series against India at the John Davies Oval in Queenstown on Saturday (12 February), there was a sense of relief that appeared to envelope her. It was the casting aside of months of doubt and frustration; the reassertion of her dominance at the top of the order; a reminder, from one of the game’s greatest, that there is plenty of fight left in the tank.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bates’ match-winning 106 off 111 deliveries headlined a convincing 62-run win for New Zealand, allowing the hosts to take the opening game in a bi-lateral ODI series for the first time since June 2018. Incidentally, that same series, against Ireland, was when Bates scored her last (tenth) ODI hundred – a mammoth 151 off just 94 deliveries. For a batter of the quality of Bates, the wait was far too long, but after a lengthy </span><a href="https://www.womenscriczone.com/injury-milestones-and-a-home-world-cup-a-sit-down-with-suzie-bates" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">injury layoff</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, the runs couldn’t have come at a better time – heading into a home World Cup.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“It’s been a while since I scored a century for New Zealand,” Bates admitted in the post-match press conference. “Obviously, having a serious shoulder injury and coming back in the England series and not performing how I would have liked, there was maybe a few self doubts creeping in. So, it’s really nice to have got (runs) in the domestic summer and then here to start off the series so well and, I guess, get a little bit of a monkey off my back with a hundred.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the last few years, it has often seemed like Bates was trying to force something – impose herself on the opposition because the rest of the world expected her to. Her batting had too many moving parts – the shuffles down the track and across the stumps, the feints against the spinners, the sudden crouch as the bowler entered her bound… There was too much happening at the same time. It just didn’t seem to flow.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Through that period between 8 June 2018 and her hundred on Saturday, Bates managed 413 runs in 18 ODI innings, averaging a meagre 22.94 and striking under 65. Her form reflected in New Zealand’s struggles in the format – they managed only four wins in the 19 matches she played, languishing sixth on the ICC ODI Championship table.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the words of former White Fern and current Spark Sport commentator Rebecca Rolls, Bates “looked all over the place”. She was trying too hard to muscle it, and it just didn’t work.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="328" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AG_BeeogkEE" width="450" youtube-src-id="AG_BeeogkEE"></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><br />Come Saturday though, everything changed. She was still at the crease; not looking to walk across the stumps or charge down the pitch before she got her eye in. She simply held her ground, picked the length early and trusted her instincts – strong on the drive, quick on the pull, with a powerful sweep shot to boot.<br />She punched a delivery through cover to get off the mark in the first over, before pummeling a couple of pull shots to settle into her rhythm for the day.<br /><br />There were, of course, several nervy moments. An in-ducker from her old nemesis Jhulan Goswami that cut her in half, an under-edge pull off Pooja Vastrakar followed by a dropped chance, but as the innings progressed, Bates’ absolutely dominated proceedings. She climbed into the Indian attack any time they strayed. She pounced on anything short from both pace and spin, looking for scoring opportunities around the ground. She pushed the ball into gaps and ran like her life depended on it. She danced down the track looking to power the ball down the ground. And by the time the dinky shots were unveiled, Bates was truly in command. There was no getting out now.<br /><br />This was the Bates of old, the one who could impose herself on the opposition without even trying. All she had to do was bat naturally.<div><br />Up in the Spark Sport commentary box, as his charge raced to a half-century off 66 deliveries with a delightful lofted on-drive off Harmanpreet Kaur, Otago Sparks coach Craig Cumming elaborated on the doubt that had plagued Bates early in the season.<br /><br />“She actually didn’t start the season well,” Cumming told Craig McMillan on air. “She missed out in three games at the start of the 50-over season. But what was good about that was she spent a lot of time working on her processes and her ability to keep her mind under control, and the mental side of the game.”<br /><br />“Suzie Bates’ numbers are world class, but behind that there wasn’t a lot of confidence. It has been a hard year for her - she was returning from injury… But also she’s worked really hard on her technique and her game... Going back and trying to find the old Suzie Bates: how did she play when she was on the top of the world? What did she do? You mentioned before how strong she is on the leg-side, but actually, the funny thing is she actually rediscovered her off-side game and let the leg-side game take care of itself.”<br /><br />“I think with Suzie Bates, because she is so strong on the off-side, teams started bowling straight to her and in some ways, she tried to premeditate lap shots and ramp shots to try and access (those) areas, and she actually lost her ability to hit on the off side,” he reflected.<br /><br />After an early season blip where she managed only 18 runs in three innings in the Hallyburton Johnston Shield for the Sparks, Bates scored a half-century and century in the competition and followed it up by topping the run charts in the Women’s Super Smash (504 runs in 12 innings). The shackles had been broken; the “old Suzie Bates” had returned.<br /><br />“There was a lot of technical work and making sure my head was still, so that was, I guess, one part of it,” Bates would go on to elaborate after the game when asked about the work that went into the turnaround. “But I think it was just letting go of the expectations I was putting on myself, and that was at international level, at domestic level... Just expecting too much and not focusing on the process and trusting my game that it was enough and not always searching for something new; just backing what I had was good enough. I think someone like Craig (Cumming) at domestic level really understood that and helped me remember that. And then when you start scoring it just tends to flow a little bit easier and your mind’s a lot clearer, so I guess that’s where I am at the moment.”<br /><br />The still head was a standout of Bates’ innings on Saturday. It was evident when she tried to hit down the ground, holding her shape beautifully through those lofted shots; when she exposed her stumps and gave herself room to punch the spinners through the off side; and when she tried to access open pockets of the ground with all the different types of sweeps. Her foot movement against spin was immaculate. She camped on the back foot on a track where the ball appeared to "sit up", forcing the Indian spinners to toss the ball further up which allowed her to dance down the track or pull out the sweep. It was manipulation at its very best.<br /><br />It was only fitting that the 34-year-old brought up her century with a strong pull – a shot she had used well through the day. When Poonam Yadav pitched a delivery slightly short of length on middle stump, Bates went right back into her crease and creamed the ball towards squarish deep mid-wicket. As she completed the run, Bates clenched her fists, raised her bat – once to the dug out and once in the direction of her family – and embraced Amy Satterthwaite. The team rose in unison to applaud what was a fantastic innings, and Satterthwaite beamed at the senior pro and patted her on the helmet.<br /><br />As far as celebrations go, it was almost sombre – no hop, skip or jump, no fist pump, not even a customary wave of the helmet. But the sigh of relief from Bates was evident. She glanced to the skies as she exhaled. After an agonising wait, Suzie Bates shed the yoke she was carrying... She found her younger, stiller, more fluent self, and now, appears ready to re-conquer the batting world!<br /><br />“Some people have said, maybe the game has moved past her,” Cumming said. “Well, have a look in the mirror now… Second-most hundreds in ODI cricket!”</div>Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-5522537876992055652020-05-10T16:32:00.000+05:302020-05-10T16:32:35.706+05:30The year gone by...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the now, a year often feels like an eternity. But when you look back, it feels like it went in a flash. This past year has been a bit like that for me. I struggled to get through it, but now, I don't quite recollect why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">12 months ago, to this day, the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.womenscriczone.com/download/WCZ-V1-I1.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1589193886565000&usg=AFQjCNGemsklLWEgcWl8E1-Xy2DunFrzpg" href="http://www.womenscriczone.com/download/WCZ-V1-I1.pdf" rel="noopener" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">first issue</a> of the <strong>Women's CricZone Magazine</strong> was released. While I was not officially part of the organisation, having scrambled to help put together the first issue, I felt very much a key member of the team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A month earlier, when Yash Lahoti, CEO and co-founder of the organisation, had called to ask whether I was willing to take up the task of putting together the magazine, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As a child, when I first started following women's cricket - cue the pictures of Mithali Raj in her floppy hat grinding England to the ground on her way to 214 - I knew that all I wanted to do was make sure people knew the women's team was playing. I couldn't quite fathom why they got so little attention for playing the same game that the men did with just as much passion and dedication. They had to be seen - they more than deserved it. So, when Yash asked me if I would join, I had no hesitation in saying yes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Thus a month of scurrying ensued - sleepless nights, early mornings, endless conversations, hundreds of emails and much panicking. It was insane. But not once during the process did I ever question why I took up the challenge. There were two things pushing me on - the fact that this was for women's cricket, and the support of Sidhanta Patnaik.</span></div>
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Well done <a href="https://twitter.com/WomensCricZone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WomensCricZone</a> on the launch of this magazine. Delighted to be part of the first edition.<br />Download here: <a href="https://t.co/5leBYyNQTb">https://t.co/5leBYyNQTb</a> <a href="https://t.co/5ak1UQGFc4">pic.twitter.com/5ak1UQGFc4</a></div>
— Smriti Mandhana (@mandhana_smriti) <a href="https://twitter.com/mandhana_smriti/status/1126865727724539904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It was in fact Sidhanta's idea to start the magazine. He threw the idea to Yash, who upon his suggestion, came to me with a plan - something for which I will be forever grateful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A lot has happened since that evening on May 10, 2019. For one, India have become a force to reckon with in T20Is, Australia dominated the year - surprise, surprise - and oh, 86,174 people watched the T20 World Cup final between India and Australia at the MCG! So yes, women's cricket is gaining popularity (and fast). Looks like we got our timing just right with the decision to release when we did. Trust Sid to do that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To everyone involved in the creation of the first two issues of the magazine - thank you! Each one of you has been wonderful to work with. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I would ever get to interact with such incredible writers. I'm still a bit starstruck!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To all the cricketers - past, present and future - as I have said before, what we do is for you. Our aim at <em>Women's CricZone</em> is to provide the best possible coverage of the women's game. This magazine is dedicated to each and every one of you, all around the world, playing at every level. We see you, we're watching, and we believe all your efforts count.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, to all the fans and followers of the women's game - thank you for your support. Here's to many more years of entertainment!</span></div>
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Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-45374967239498628182020-03-29T22:28:00.000+05:302020-03-29T22:40:47.737+05:30Mignon du Preez - forever Captain Fantastic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>(Originally published on June 22, 2016 on the Wisden India website).</i></div>
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<span class="s1">It’s one thing to read about players’ insecurities and listen to their stories, but it’s quite another to actually see their struggles, however briefly, in person.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">I met Mignon du Preez once. For precisely 22 minutes. Despite South Africa’s disappointing campaign in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2016, she was smiling, upbeat and more than willing to have a chat. Never in my wildest dreams did I think meeting her would have a big impact on me. After all, since when have medium pacers idolised batters?</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It’s funny how, sometimes, the shortest interactions can have the deepest effects on people. For me, that moment came on March 29, 2016 at around 4pm at a hotel in Bangalore. I was there to interview du Preez, the then South African captain, a day after her team’s last league match against Sri Lanka Women in the tournament.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">It was one of my first interviews as a journalist with an international cricketer. I was excited and a little nervous too. After all, here was someone who had scored a double hundred in a 40-over match as a teenager, a century on Test debut, led her team to its first semifinal in a world tournament only two years ago ... and was arguably one of the best fielders in her team. What’s not to be nervous about?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">Quick clarification before I go any further: Mignon du Preez was never my idol. She was never a player I looked up to. She wasn’t someone I modelled my game on or aimed to emulate. She wasn’t even someone I saw much of till South Africa toured India in 2014.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">I had, of course, heard a great deal about her and was looking forward to watching her team play in the World T20. South Africa had risen quickly through the ranks and their captain had played a massive role in the ascent. Series victories against India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies meant South Africa were certainly dark horses coming into the tournament. But three losses against Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka meant they were knocked out in the league stage to end a poor campaign.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">Losses often come with disappointment and frustration, but as is the South African way, du Preez always found a ray of hope. The smile never left her face and the belief never left her voice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">I fell in love with the du Preez of the press conferences. She was gracious, positive, hopeful and brutally honest. She accepted responsibility for her team’s performances, and did not shy away from the fact that she, personally, needed to lift her game if South Africa were to put up better performances. She instantly became someone I wanted to be like. All of a sudden, du Preez became my hero.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">I can’t imagine going through a tournament with scores of 12*, 13, 10, and 0, having my team lose and still answer (some ridiculous) questions with a smile. I was having a tough time myself, dealing with a rather disappointing domestic season after the highs of the preceding one, and was searching for some inspiration. As it happened, du Preez provided just that.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">She looked at the bright spots, all the good things that had happened — Sune Luus’s five-for against Ireland, Shabnim Ismail’s fiery spell against Australia, her “world-class” bowling attack, and the rise of Dane van Niekerk and Trisha Chetty as a dependable opening pair.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">She spoke of things like individual improvement, team goals, the battles she fought as a player, and what her team has to look forward to. Her thoughts, beliefs and choices as a leader appealed to me. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that allowed me to connect with her. She may have been a star, but she was human after all.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">In those 22 minutes, she became the kind of player and leader I wanted to be. In 22 minutes she turned things around and inspired me to continue to work hard in pursuit of my dreams. By the end of the conversation, South Africa's jersey no. 22, Mignon du Preez, had become my hero.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">A sportsperson’s career is bound to be full of ups and downs. There are going to be times when you are struggling and not in the best of mindframes. Those are the hardest times. To have to face the media in those situations can only make things worse.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">But du Preez was special.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">On the field, she was still the best, even claiming what I believe was the catch of the women’s tournament to dismiss Suzie Bates. She was sharp with her fielding and bowling changes. With the bat, she looked all at sea against the spinners — pretty much a sitting duck — but you could tell there was still some fight left in her.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">Back then, I had absolutely no idea that du Preez had any thoughts of stepping down as captain. From everything she said that day, it seemed like she was in all truth the leader of the South African team. She had a clear vision and goal and backed her players to the hilt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1">The decision took me by surprise. It’s obviously something she has thought long and hard about. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe in Dane van Niekerk, South Africa will find the inspiration they dearly need. Maybe, with the weight off her shoulders, du Preez will be able to showcase her true potential.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-67155644021993232602019-06-11T19:08:00.001+05:302019-06-11T19:10:03.701+05:30Remembering a mentor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s strange how some people make such a significant impact on your life in a short space of time. Sidhanta Patnaik was one of those people for me. He was a friend, a mentor and an inspiration— someone I turned to for advice on all things writing and many things cricket.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I first met Sidhanta in August 2015 when I joined Wisden India. In his own words, “We may not have gotten off on the best foot, but the more we talked I think it is fair to say that we realised we were more alike than we first thought.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His passion for domestic cricket and the women’s game was something I greatly admired. He pored over scorecards and dug through the archives to find a scrap of information that someone may have missed. That anyone could be so incredibly thorough and meticulous when it came to his work, I thought, was incredible. What was most impressive though, was his willingness to ask questions. He didn’t presume to know everything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I first started out as a journalist, I was lucky to have been surrounded by so many incredible writers at Wisden India. To be honest, I was intimidated. Sidhanta may have picked up on this, because soon after we began talking and developed a solid rapport, he made sure to guide me every step of the way. He had come in as a rookie and built his portfolio brick by brick before he became one of the most respected journalists around, so he understood what I was feeling.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He encouraged me to come with him when he interviewed people— Purnima Rau, Harmanpreet Kaur, Nuwan Zoysa and Rumana Ahmed. I took notes on the kind of questions he asked, and how he picked out the smallest details and highlighted them in his stories. In fact, having interviewed Harman, Sidhanta asked me to write the profile. ‘You saw her even before she became the superstar she is today. There are details you can bring out that no one else will,’ he told me. It was a piece that gave me a lot of confidence because he had signed off on it, and it meant so much when he sent me a special congratulatory note the following day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another thing that Sidhanta taught me is that it is okay to be critical of people. Being critical is not the same as being vindictive. As journalists, it is our job to point out the flaws, otherwise we are more like cheerleaders or public relations officers. If the game is to improve, it is up to us to help change the way people see/ write about it, he often said.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We connected as followers of women’s cricket— we bonded over the game, the players and the possibility of development. Quite aptly he became the face of women’s (print) coverage in India— a constant in the changing landscape of the game. He brought to the notice of the country (and the world) the heroes— past and present— of the women’s (and men’s domestic) game.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was the little things about Sidhanta that stood out for me. He had the knack of building a deep connect with most people he met. Most players I know hold him in high regard— he was more than just a journalist trying to find a story; he became a friend.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He was always ready with advice, and always knew just what to say. Most recently, only a few days before his passing he had texted me about my future plans. When I told him I wasn’t sure about whether I should continue to play he simply said, ‘Keep plugging away. The light is always there.’ It was something that gave me a lot of heart. They are words that I will carry with me always.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He scaled many peaks as a journalist— covered ICC World Cups, U-19, men’s and women’s; wrote for numerous publications, and co-authored a book. That he filed one of his best pieces from the ICU makes me smile— typical Sidhanta, fighting the odds to get a job done because he was consumed by an idea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="pastedGraphic.png" src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/4845585a-829b-4ee4-ab89-a0fac27e0483" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a colleague, he was one of the best; as a friend, he was my guide, and as a person, Sidhanta will always be my inspiration. He never let the pain show, always asked how everyone else was doing, deflected attention and was one of the finest people I met. He leaves behind a rich legacy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As he wrote late last year, “Age is actually a number, and to measure longevity through the number of years we spend on earth is not an ideal way to substantiate quality. It’s about knowing what you want to do and dedicating yourself to that completely.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He was so full of life and always incredibly positive. I was lucky to have known and spent time with him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am forever indebted to you, Sid. You gave me opportunities when I thought there were none, and you were my guiding light every step of the way. I will be thinking of you every day.</span></span></div>
</div>
Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-13759172608835284312017-02-14T17:41:00.000+05:302017-02-14T17:50:00.034+05:30India v Zimbabwe: Talking points<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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India faced Zimbabwe in their final group match of the Women's World
Cup Qualifiers and duly trounced them by nine wickets at the P. Sara Oval on
Monday (February 13). There were as many as three changes in the Indian XI with Mona Meshram,
Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Soni Yadav coming in for Thirushkamini, Deepti Sharma
and Shikha Pandey (all presumably 'rested' ahead of the Super 6 stage). Zimbabwe were bowled out for a paltry 60 and India chased it
down with 41 overs to spare—well before lunch.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>The leggie</b><br />
Poonam Yadav may have missed the first match of the tournament, but ever since
her return to the playing XI against Thailand, she has made the most of every
opportunity with the ball. The diminutive leg-spinner from Uttar Pradesh
outfoxed the Zimbabwean batters with her loop, turn, variation and accuracy.
She used her newly developed googly to good effect, picking up five wickets for
only 19 runs, taking her tournament tally to 10 wickets in three games.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>The ‘keeper<br />
</b>In a cricket match, it is the wicket keeper who is seldom noticed, unless of course
she misses a chance. Anju Jain, one of India's finest 'keepers, once told me that the mark of a good ‘keeper is
not just soft hands and quick movements, but also the ability to fly under the
radar, because that means you are doing a wonderful job! On Monday, Sushma Verma
was outstanding with the gloves, taking three impressive catches while standing
up to the spinners-- two off the bowling of Rajeshwari and one off Poonam. Although
the commentators mentioned her often, it was all good stuff… In a game without
camera’s and replays, she would most definitely have flown under the radar!</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>The fielding<br />
</b>The Zimbabwe batters may not have really challenged India with the ball,
but Mithali Raj’s side didn’t do themselves any favours when they dropped two
straightforward chances in the field. The two fast
bowlers, Mansi Joshi and Soni Yadav, were the culprits, making lazy efforts to
first reach the ball and then take the catch. Zimbabwe weren’t able to take
advantage of the dropped chances, but going into the Super Six stage, India will
face better teams who are used to playing the One-Day format and will have the
ability to use such chances. It’ll probably be easier for India if they don’t
always make their bowlers take 12 or 13 wickets a game, and for that, they will
really need to lift their fielding standards.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Two standouts<br />
</b>Mary-Anne Musonda, Zimbabwe’s No.3, was easily their best batter on show,
scoring a 60-ball 26 with four boundaries. From the moment she walked out to the
middle she looked confident and ready for the challenge. Musonda batted with a
sense of authority, putting away the bad balls and keeping the good ones out.
She was certainly a cut above the rest.<br />
The moment of the day though, was when Precious Marange walked in to bat. She
strode to the crease with Zimbabwe in deep trouble at 35 for 5 having just lost
Musonda. Marange though, simply smiled, gloved punched her partner, took guard
and proceeded to deposit her first delivery over the mid-wicket fence! Rajeshwari,
the bowler, couldn’t help but laugh and look a little astonished—‘Where in the world did
that come from?!’</div>
<br />
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<b>Opener No.5<br />
</b>After her stint with the gloves in the previous match, Veda Krishnamurthy
was given yet another role by the Indian team management—this time as their opener. (India's fifth opener in this tournament after Deepti, Mona, Thirush and Harman). The
right-hander set the tone for the chase, taking 13 runs off the opening over. She
was clearly in the mood to finish the game quickly, but that didn’t mean she
was simply looking to pummel the ball. Veda played some exquisite shots in her
16-ball 29—the cover drive and the late cut down to third-man, my favourites! If
she hadn’t got out (caught at mid-off), my guess is India would have reached
the target in seven overs (at the most)!</div>
</div>
Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-73543797794965069102017-02-11T11:25:00.002+05:302017-02-11T11:35:47.926+05:30India v Ireland: Talking points<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Match two of the World Cup Qualifiers for India and another
easy victory. This time, they trounced Ireland by 125 runs at the P. Sara Oval
in Colombo on Friday (February 10), but to be honest, I think India will be
disappointed with the way they played. A solid opening stand was followed by
some tame batting at the back- end of the innings that took some sheen off an
easy win.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>The openers<br />
</b>For the second match in succession Deepti Sharma held her own as an opener,
scoring a fluent half-century, but this time she had the company of MD
Thirushkamini (who replaced Mona Mesham from the first game), the 26 year-old
left-hander, who has been in and out of the playing XI for the last 12 months.
The pair strung together a 174-run partnership against an Irish attack that
didn’t really look like they had the firepower to take wickets. At the start,
it was Thirush who played the more attacking role with Deepti taking her time
to settle in. Once the 19-year old reached her half-century she began to accelerate,
taking some pressure off her senior partner who seemed to have suddenly lost
her timing.</div>
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The pair played some exquisite shots both down the ground
and square of the wicket—Thirush’s straight drive off Amy Kenealy, and Deepti’s
powerful hoick over mid-wicket off Kim Garth (that came out of nowhere),
probably the pick of them.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Thirushkamini and the
‘World Cup’<br />
</b>There is something about Thirushkamini and the World Cup. She may not have
set the world alight in her first appearance in the world tournament in 2009,
but in 2013, Thirush became the first Indian woman to score a century in the
World Cup when she reached that mark against West Indies in India’s opening
game of their campaign. It was her first game in almost 18 months, having
missed the previous season due to injury, and the left-hander made a strong
statement with a fantastic hundred. Once again, with her place on the line,
Thirush smashed the hapless Ireland bowlers all around the park on rout to her
second ODI century. Her unbeaten 113 (146) included 11 fours and four sixes,
showcasing her ability to both time and pummel the ball. It may not have been
her most fluent knock, but she pushed through some tough periods and managed to
bat through the innings. These may just be qualifying matches, but it seems the ‘World Cup’ brings the best out of Thirush.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Getting the ball rolling<br />
</b>There was never any danger of Ireland getting close to India’s score of 250,
but to reduce them to 2 for 2 in 2.1 overs certainly knocked the wind out of
their sails. Shikha Pandey’s opening burst was extremely impressive. The
27-year old struck off the first ball of the innings, trapping Shauna Kavanagh
plumb in front of the stumps. She got the ball to hoop around which was a
pleasure to watch. In the domestic
circuit, Shikha is known for her ability to strike with the new ball as a
genuine swing bowler and that’s precisely what she did on Friday. She pitched
the ball up, got it to swing at decent pace and the Irish top order didn’t
really have an answer to her accurate in-swingers. The yorker she bowled to
dismiss Kim Garth, one of Ireland's best batters, was certainly the delivery of the day. 5-3-2-2—pretty good
way to start the innings!</div>
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Shikha was ably supported by Mansi Joshi, making her ODI
debut, who was unlucky not to have Laura Delany caught behind. Mansi
complemented her opening partner well, shaping the ball away from the batters
and hurrying them with her deceptive pace.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The second ‘keeper<br />
</b>If India were ever worried about going into the Qualifiers with only one ‘keeper,
they have found a solution! When Sushma Verma went off the field with what
looked like a niggle in the lower part of her leg, it was Veda Krishnamurthy who
took the gloves for India. She didn’t look to out of place behind the stumps
although her hands were slightly wider apart than most ‘keepers! Luckily the
bowlers didn’t test her too much and bowled right on the stumps. They waited
for Sush’s return to start tossing the ball a little wider!</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>A (slight) cause of concern<br />
</b>When setting a target, the theory in men’s cricket is to double what you
have at the 30-over mark…. Or is it 35? So one would assume that in women’s
cricket, 100 runs in the last 15 overs is possible—considering of course, that
you have wickets in hand. On Friday, India didn’t lose a wicket till the 40<sup>th</sup>
over. Against a mediocre bowling attack, with the ammunition India
possessed in their batting line-up, 100 runs in the last 10 overs wasn’t out of
their reach. It won’t be the fact that they didn’t reach a target of 270 or 280 that will irk them; just the way they went about scoring runs in the last 10
overs. Apart from Veda, who tried to get a move on, none of the
batters even attempted to play a big shot or push between the wickets. There
seemed to be no desire to crush the opposition and give them absolutely no
chance to win. India appeared happy with where they were placed and unwilling to
go out of their comfort zone and aim for a higher total. Where was that desire
to dominate that they had shown glimpses of in Australia?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I understand the pressure one faces when playing for their
place. When you are faced with such insecurities, your judgement is often clouded, because
every chance feels like your last. You feel like you have to do something big
to cement your spot before you can entirely focus on the team’s requirements—it
is only natural. In women’s cricket, especially in India, because of the way we
play (take your time to settle in and they attempt to accelerate), when the team requires a bit of a push, more often than not, at least one batter is
approaching a personal milestone. The situation is a double edged sword…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In India’s first match, against Sri Lanka, once Devika
Vaidya reached her 50 (her first in ODIs), she was clearly trying to accelerate playing more
attacking shots than she had in the first half of her innings. She was
dismissed for 89 and people said that there was a century ‘for the taking’. Had
she slowed down slightly (as is natural for someone who has not scored too many
hundreds) and reached her century people may have said she was playing for
personal glory. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Either way, it is not one or two batters who must
take responsibility for the subdued approach, but the entire batting unit. It is that kind of lack of intent that will hurt the Indian team against better sides. When you are in a position
to dominate, why not take it? If India had tried to accelerate and lost wickets
in the process it would have been okay. They had no chance of losing
anyway—Ireland were never realistically in the contest once India reached 200.</div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-30409055231405635822017-02-07T21:34:00.000+05:302017-02-07T21:34:05.804+05:30India v Sri Lanka: Talking points<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
India began their quest for World Cup qualification with a
resounding <a href="http://www.wisdenindia.com/match-report/deepti-vaidya-raj-drive-dominant-india-to-victory/240193" target="_blank">114-run win over Sri Lanka</a> at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Tuesday
(February 7). Devika Vaidya, Deepti Sharma and Mithali Raj shone with the bat,
playing vital knocks to propel India to 259 for 4 in 50 overs. The
Deepti-Devika partnership helped India build a solid base from which Raj,
Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy could launch. The match itself was a
pretty lop-sided contest, with the hosts slowly losing their way from the
middle of the Indian innings. Although their chase started promisingly, with a
40-run opening partnership between Chamari Atapattu and Eshani Lokusuriyage,
the fight fizzled out slowly as they stuttered their way to 145 for 8.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The star<br />
</b>India pulled a surprise in the fifth over of the day when they sent <a href="http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-article/devika-vaidya-her-attitude-is-her-strength/229769" target="_blank">DevikaVaidya</a> in at No.3, ahead of Mithali Raj. Whether it was because there were two
inswingers operating or because Devika was just hitting the ball well in the
nets, we will never know, but the move certainly worked. The 19-year old, only
playing her second ODI, stroked a fluent 89 to give the innings stability at
the start, and impetus in the middle. Those who have seen Devika play in the
domestic circuit know that her game is less about power and more about
placement and timing. She did that extremely well today, picking up easy
singles and also hitting the odd four. What was most impressive about her
innings was her ability to hit straight—an area I have seldom seen her score.
Her signature sweeps and dabs down to fine-leg were rarely used as the
left-hander preferred to wait on the back foot and milk the spinners through
cover, and when she chose to take the aggressive route, it was either straight
or through mid-wicket—areas the Sri Lankan fielders didn’t have covered. It was
a pity she didn’t get a well deserved hundred, but the fact that she got out
trying to push the scoring rate was very heartening. Team before self—I certainly
like this new India!</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The captain<br />
</b>A couple of overs before Mithali Raj walked in to bat at the P.Sara Oval,
the commentators (Ebony Rainford-Brent and David Townsend) were debating
whether India should consider sending Harmanpreet Kaur at No.4 to up the
scoring rate. With 20 overs left, they said, she would have enough time to
settle down and then lift the scoring rate. After all, she was fresh off a
successful WBBL where she was scoring at a strike rate of more than 140! To
their disappointment though, at the fall of Deepti Sharma’s wicket, with India
132 for 2 in 31.3 overs, Raj sauntered out in her trademark floppy hat. Having
opened for her domestic team in the T20 tournament that ended recently, this
was not an unfamiliar situation—just another T20 game. From the outset, the
ball hit the middle of her bat and she found the gaps with utmost ease. The Sri
Lankan bowlers may have allowed her to score through her favorite cover-point
area more often than they liked, but it seemed that Raj was simply playing with
the field, her unbeaten 69 coming off just 61 balls. Whoever said Mithali Raj
can’t up the ante?!</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The debutante<br />
</b>She may have flown under the radar, but Soni Yadav, the seamer from Delhi
who was rushed into the squad as a replacement for Jhulan Goswami, showed some
promise today. With the new ball, Yadav got good shape away from the
right-handers and bowled at a decent pace. Maybe it was the nerves of an
international debut, but she wasn’t nearly as accurate as she normally is on
the domestic circuit—bowling on both sides of the wicket and paying the price
for it.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The spin choke<br />
</b>As is customary, every Indian win must involve a ‘spin choke’—that time
when the spinners come on and rush through their overs, not conceding too many
runs, and the batters don’t know what to do. On Tuesday, the spin choke began
in the 10<sup>th</sup> over of the Sri Lankan innings, with the introduction of
<a href="http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-article/no-one-trick-pony-deepti-sharma-eyes-long-road-ahead/229302" target="_blank">Deepti Sharma</a>. Along with Ekta Bisht and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, she dried up the
runs, slowly sending the required run rate through the roof. The spin trio
quickly settled into a nice rhythm, bowling to their fields on a pitch that
didn’t offer too much assistance. It probably helped that the Sri Lankan
batters were extremely passive, refusing to use their feet to come down the
pitch or play the sweep to throw the bowlers off their line. 30 overs of spin
cost India only 58 runs and gave them five wickets.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>In the field<br />
</b>No win, even a really big one, is ever mistake-free. India, although
they have improved a great deal over the years, are not the best fielding side on
the circuit. On Tuesday too, there were a fair few lapses that they won’t be
proud of. The ground fielding was patchy at best, and the catching was well
below par. It seemed as though the fielders simply sitting back on the (inner)
circle and not attacking the ball to put pressure on the batters. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If India want to stamp their authority on this tournament,
they will certainly have to lift their intensity in the field. The lapses today
may not have cost them much (although there will be some disappointed bowlers),
but against better teams, these mistakes will certainly hurt. It is not as if
they are not capable of fielding well. They have some wonderful athletes like
Veda, Harman and Deepti to lead the charge, so there is certainly no excuse for
them to slack off in the next game. </div>
</div>
Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-80622343380105703922016-08-24T22:18:00.001+05:302016-08-24T22:18:10.028+05:30More than numbers: The M Shalini effect<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Californian FB", serif;">I’ve seen
a lot of my teammates walk away from the game—most of the time without the
slightest warning, without even saying goodbye. I have watched as they faded
away into the distance, and each time I have regretted that I/we never got a
chance to celebrate their achievements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">Recently,
another teammate, one of my dearest friends, chose to step away from the game
we love so much. It has still not sunk in. Playing in a
Hyderabad team without her will be strange, and I won’t believe it is possible
until it actually happens. When I heard the news, I realized that I didn’t want
to regret letting her fade off, and that it was time to celebrate a career that has
had a huge impact on mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">To me,
Mantravadi Shalini will always be a super star. When I first started playing,
she was the senior whom I used to carry extra peanut butter sandwiches for, who
was the ‘princess’ of camp because she had the most number of ‘fans’, and who
came whizzing in on her TVS Scooty milliseconds before the sessions were due to
start. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRX7YYidpoi84VkJnHNWvyJ3j-4LtRGdytIFPCYUgSGeCAxDoOC5BSfUqs6Qww-gJBqbzjBbhNgAghu8k4koJYB14a4kEl3E_nil9IJI_ptQpnOdJFTr2eg5lP8cYKuS9D316seTca0AU/s1600/DSCN0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRX7YYidpoi84VkJnHNWvyJ3j-4LtRGdytIFPCYUgSGeCAxDoOC5BSfUqs6Qww-gJBqbzjBbhNgAghu8k4koJYB14a4kEl3E_nil9IJI_ptQpnOdJFTr2eg5lP8cYKuS9D316seTca0AU/s640/DSCN0380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB", serif;">We didn’t
become instant friends, but I watched in awe as she tore apart bowling attacks
with an authority I had never seen before; her crisp cover drives finding the
gap no matter how many fielders were placed to stop them. She may not have been
the most technically correct, but she batted with flair, and soon became not only
one of my, but also my father’s favorite batters!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">I
remember the first hundred she scored for the state (then Andhra Pradesh) at
sub-junior (Under-16) level. We were playing Gujarat, not necessarily one of the strongest
teams, but they managed to make early inroads and we were halfway through out
batting line-up for not more than 50. Shalini (<i>referred to as Shalu later)</i>, who walked in at no.5,
assessed the situation calmly and proceeded to hammer the bowlers to all parts
of the ground on her way to an unbeaten 115. It was an innings of real
character, and for me, one that made her so special. She was captain of the
team and had been struggling with the bat, but she never once let the pressure
get to her. Granted, things got much easier after 25 overs (we were playing a 35
over match) when the bowlers and fielders got tired and started bowling full
tosses, but not once did she let her intensity drop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">It was the first of many knocks where she single-handedly turned the game on its head.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXU1yWYOSjY_xeSS0mNii8SMp_D3L75rW8qNuP_LfQm_T7Z_0ccBkI7Q8f170DPuxKI9EXjw9OvOfI897kaNwCxVxa8MXE0LwRH-SImW1EcdVOkDQiK3z8IdL_h1eOY6slr1dlCdN454M/s1600/1780867_605125762896183_1751683164_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXU1yWYOSjY_xeSS0mNii8SMp_D3L75rW8qNuP_LfQm_T7Z_0ccBkI7Q8f170DPuxKI9EXjw9OvOfI897kaNwCxVxa8MXE0LwRH-SImW1EcdVOkDQiK3z8IdL_h1eOY6slr1dlCdN454M/s640/1780867_605125762896183_1751683164_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">Years
later, once the BCCI took charge of women's cricket, Shalu had to reinvent herself from an accomplished
middle order player to an opening batter. In a line-up filled with the likes of
Diana David, Savita Nirala, Sravanthi Naidu and Mamtha Kanojia she was unable to
find a place in the XI, but she worked hard at her skill and fought her way
through to soon become the first name on the team list!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB", serif;">I was part of teams where she led from the front to inspire us to unlikely victories. She was a passionate captain-- one who shouted to make her anger and frustration evident, but she had a strange way of getting the best out of everyone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">I have
watched her play some incredible innings, running teams ragged with her terrific
strokeplay and rapid running between the wickets. She was the quintessential
cricketer—she could bat, bowl and field, and on her day, she could certainly
win a game on her own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">One such
day was back in 2011 in Ahmedabad. We (South Zone) were playing Central Zone in
the final of the NCA Inter-Zonal tournament and needed 175 to win. Having
faltered chasing an even smaller target against the same opposition in the
previous (league) match, we were determined to make amends, but none more so
than Shalu. She batted through the innings negating some early swing, absorbing
the pressure of a middle order collapse, and guiding the tail through the last
few runs. She finished unbeaten on 82, but to all of us who went charging on to
the field when the final runs were scored, her knock was worth so much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhcvvH2tqOfH4NtOts6iNKWyxXaKRoCNWEbzRahs5_gZi-q16SEKzRhCACCq2nOQRBNFjiKqCoPpB7-KvWpI6quFvcPy-x-YYTZaQzqierORld-bGSvdz4LWMjmfrq35VIguXsOvpoOc/s1600/DSCN0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhcvvH2tqOfH4NtOts6iNKWyxXaKRoCNWEbzRahs5_gZi-q16SEKzRhCACCq2nOQRBNFjiKqCoPpB7-KvWpI6quFvcPy-x-YYTZaQzqierORld-bGSvdz4LWMjmfrq35VIguXsOvpoOc/s640/DSCN0835.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">That
innings, deservedly, propelled her to bigger things—a Challenger series,
followed by a chance to face the visiting Australian team in 2012 (she was part
of the Board President’s XI)—but for some reason, she was unable to kick on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">There is
so much more I can say about Shalu, so many more innings I can describe, but if
I had to describe her as both a friend and a player I would have to say that
she was selfless. She was a team player through and through, and Hyderabad will
be poorer without her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">It was
not the numbers that made Shalu special, but the spirit she brought to the
team. At her best, she played with the freedom that few in the South do. When
she got going, there was absolutely no one who could stop her. The quicker, the
better—it was all cannon fodder for Hyderabad’s Quick Silver! With the ball,
she was highly underestimated. I believe she was a more useful and effective
bowler than many 'pure' bowlers. Once she got on a roll, she was pretty much a bowling machine, but
unfortunately, most often, it was the ‘getting on a roll’ that was difficult!
In the field, there was no one faster. No ball would pass, but if one got through it was 'head down and run hard', just like David Warner!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmki72CJoWMnfSmF_iJkc_FRSEVij6YMIFw_oyaWFYVk7dhVlwyPjETUkfeCYQtSg5CPF4Xx9eH_rIFcLpxHcRb2NGzMUO0khcb10InPqDCW7WSupEXY8-qoLkVxVQc15u17EVg46eUE/s1600/IMG-20141226-WA0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmki72CJoWMnfSmF_iJkc_FRSEVij6YMIFw_oyaWFYVk7dhVlwyPjETUkfeCYQtSg5CPF4Xx9eH_rIFcLpxHcRb2NGzMUO0khcb10InPqDCW7WSupEXY8-qoLkVxVQc15u17EVg46eUE/s640/IMG-20141226-WA0010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">Hyderabad
will miss her, of that I have no doubt, but I am pretty sure I will miss her
more. From someone whom I admired from a distance as a little kid, Shalu has
become a very, very good friend. She has been there every step of the way,
cajoling me on from mid-off, from wicket one (in every format) to now. She was
one person I knew I could count on… Someone whom I could have a laugh or a
serious chat with at the end of a hard day… She was the teammate who got me…
She knew what to say when and how… She pushed me to be better, taught me to
believe and made me a team player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB","serif";">I always thought there would be so much more to her story. Confidence/ belief is a strange thing-- it never matters how many people believe in you, all that counts is how much you believe in yourself. The fact that she got where she did is a huge testament to her belief and wholehearted effort, but I suppose sometimes things just get away from you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Californian FB", serif;">To the
captain under whom I started my career, thank you for everything. You are a
star, no matter what!</span></div>
</div>
Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-77369195323884751552016-03-12T14:59:00.002+05:302016-03-12T15:00:57.011+05:30Day 1: Life on the other side of the boundary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was nervous as I climbed up the stairs. It was barely 1.40 pm and the match was only due to start at 3 pm. <i>Why do I always have to be so early? I don't even know what I am doing here... What I am supposed to do?</i> I reach the second floor and see someone who looks as unsure as I do-- I smile nervously at her, and she nods back, I continue to climb slowly.<br />
<br />
Just one more floor, and I will be there... I get there and see a small sign that says 'media' centre. The hallway looks a little dark and dingy, not too inviting, but I walk in anyway. I climb a flight of steps after seeing a sign that says 'print media' and walk into this glorious looking glass covered room. The light pours on my face and I see the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in all its glory.<br />
<br />
Turns out I'm not the only early bird. I meet a friend inside and we talk a bit before I look to settle down in a better placed chair. I walk down towards the front of the box and watch the teams warm up. I am intently watching the Indian team go through a warm up routine that looks all too familiar... I try and identify each one... <i>'Mithali di... Veda... Jhulu di... That's Harry with her pink Nike shoes... Shikha and Smriti... I can see Sush with her hair tied up in a bun... Who's that in the floppy hat? Not Deepti, since I already saw her... Too short to be Ninja</i>... I wrack my brains and can't figure out who the player is... She's done stretching, she takes a few steps... That familiar style of walking and immediately I know-- Vanni!!!!<br />
<br />
As the Indian team disperses, my attention now turns to Ireland... They are playing football... I can hear the laughter up in the press box... It looks like lots of fun.<br />
<br />
Soon enough the match starts, and I am back to my regular routine of writing down all the random things I observe, drawing wagon wheels and generally 'oohing' and 'aahing' as proceedings unfold. My colleague next to me looks at my notebook and laughs a little-- politely of course!<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
Smriti Mandhana plays a glorious cover drive down the ground and i almost leap in my chair, my colleague laughs again and I say, 'I'm probably not the best person to watch a match with'... She politely says 'It is an interesting experience'... Smriti and Veda smash Ireland around and in the ten minute break I finish writing half my report...<br />
<br />
Shikha Pandey takes the new ball for India and strikes straight away. Before I know it Ireland are two down, and I am back to wagon wheel drawing, random observation writing and report updating.<br />
<br />
After some brilliant work from Niranjana Nagarajan brings to an end a rather impressive innings from Cath Dalton, the match comes to a quick end. Run outs galore, as Ireland's inexperience shows-- what could have been a close match thanks to Dalton's brilliance, peters out to an expected result-- a comfortable Indian win.<br />
<br />
The match is over, players shake hands, my first report sent, a few congratulatory messages received, and I have an hour or so to kill... What to do, what to do?<br />
<br />
The front of the press box has a small open area... So I go outside and look at the ground. I stand there, above everyone else and soak it all in... <i>How I would love to be on the other side, playing</i>... I think about the one match I played here... The one I think about everyday when I cross the stadium on my way to work... The only one that really matters... Not my best day, but one I will cherish forever-- that feeling of being superman!<br />
<br />
I stand there a little while longer, this time watching Sri Lanka and Bangladesh warm up. I spot Nuwan Zoysa, Sri Lanka's bowling coach, in the distance and mention it to my colleague, Sidhanta Patnaik. The genius story-teller her is, he thinks up a story angle and says we should interview him. We go down and wait for a while searching for the Sri Lankan team manager to ask for permission. I'm standing behind the fence, watching team's practice, and prepare for a match just like I do with my team... What I would give to be on the other side...<br />
<br />
Meanwhile the Indian team files in behind me to watch the match. I speak to a few of them and continue to wait... The match begins, but there's no sign of Zoysa so I go back upstairs to start on my second report...<br />
<br />
Almost 40 overs and a dinner later, Sri Lanka win after a few hiccups, and report no.2 has been sent in. It's almost 10.30 pm as I pack my bags, take one last look at the ground, and trudge off.<br />
<br />
I was dreading it... But not too bad a day for my first, I'd think-- <a href="http://www.wisdenindia.com/match-report/mandhana-shines-as-india-warm-up-with-win/203902" target="_blank">a master-class from Smriti Mandhana, superb cameo from Veda Krishnamurthy</a>, <a href="http://www.wisdenindia.com/match-report/oshadi-leads-sri-lanka-women-to-easy-win/203954" target="_blank">an Oshadi Ranasinghe hat-trick</a>, and a fantastic super over between SL and Bangladesh. Life as a cricket journalist-- what's not to love? Despite all the conflicting thoughts, a lot, I suppose!</div>
Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139532702620171414.post-76665371208990979052016-01-01T14:19:00.002+05:302016-01-01T14:33:09.890+05:302015: A year of transition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another year, another load of memories dumped in the back of
my brain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2015 was a strange year. I loved most of it, but couldn't wait for it to end as it drew to a close. It was one where I reached some amazing highs and
was then brought back to reality rather quickly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPA63fdTbSMFPwBuVt9lI5rhu8m5mmHJWvA18NZPcrQc-TMhSK58JlPDirgb4gJ6kZ0vxAN8slLToNAWNj0-LyOobF679qkIFqmDtSHRpjXcvN7YgH6e4C0viRwhfJYqv9jV3AmxlhI0/s1600/DSC_0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPA63fdTbSMFPwBuVt9lI5rhu8m5mmHJWvA18NZPcrQc-TMhSK58JlPDirgb4gJ6kZ0vxAN8slLToNAWNj0-LyOobF679qkIFqmDtSHRpjXcvN7YgH6e4C0viRwhfJYqv9jV3AmxlhI0/s400/DSC_0137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Zone Senior debut</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2015 saw my transition from a student to a ‘working
individual’. I went from living in the comfort of my parents’ home, to fending
for myself alone in Bangalore. From spending most of my day on the cricket
field, to trying to find two days a week to practice!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I learnt to cook, clean and talk to strangers—the last of
which I was never good at.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I got a job that I love, met some wonderful people, and
gained some perspective of life in general.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I turned from someone who was so focused on cricket that she
couldn’t see the end of her nose, to someone who came to see there is so much
more to life than just the sport.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2015 saw me make my debut for the South Zone Senior women’s
team, get selected for India Blue in the Challenger trophy and also
represent India ‘A’ against a touring New Zealand team in June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9ZFSDnSJz6zvnrFVWUiT-B-T-2IYyPluEDOx3nLz5Qn2FjcOBQTQ2P_I7eSRqMRUXFNiLgsGqfwYW-KZ-KNLZ-QR4Hu8FS173nAxdyI73p_s8aP6yNQCtFDrol5os3m5dSqi9D_IQgs/s1600/IMG_6690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9ZFSDnSJz6zvnrFVWUiT-B-T-2IYyPluEDOx3nLz5Qn2FjcOBQTQ2P_I7eSRqMRUXFNiLgsGqfwYW-KZ-KNLZ-QR4Hu8FS173nAxdyI73p_s8aP6yNQCtFDrol5os3m5dSqi9D_IQgs/s400/IMG_6690.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The highest point of 2015: India A vs New Zealand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Those were easily the best parts of the year for me, but it
was not all like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Life is not always going to be rainbows and butterflies—don’t
we all know that well!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Being alone in Bangalore, while certainly not the most
difficult place to live, was a little hard to start with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Figuring out how to
get around (it’s not easy with all the one-ways, trust me), where I could go
for practice, how to get there, and all that was a little tricky. But once I
got used to the place, the people and the traffic, I began to enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I suppose being alone was the biggest lesson of all—certainly
something I needed to push me along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The 2015-16 season hasn’t been my best yet, but it is
another year in which I believe I have grown much stronger. It is always
wonderful to be part of a team that is winning, but it’s even better when you
have the kind of quality we have in our team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To be playing alongside Gouher Sultana, Sravanthi Naidu and
Diana David after what seems like a while is more than I could ask for, and to
make things better, we’ve got Purnima Rau and Nooshin Al Khadeer, both
wonderful mentors as part of our coaching staff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDI2tP7B5tbP3-QjVw1BRJdnd0jLvjSnQz_uRkXd09Iz4nR1s-omwOapZR4Dke2_2WGg8L9DQ6uOhr9Jo6qySENL00A9BJIxiyQUxPvcRAQy-xhyphenhyphenLiYixE4xCPAG_lEkwpJh1d7uyNMi4/s1600/IMG-20151115-WA0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDI2tP7B5tbP3-QjVw1BRJdnd0jLvjSnQz_uRkXd09Iz4nR1s-omwOapZR4Dke2_2WGg8L9DQ6uOhr9Jo6qySENL00A9BJIxiyQUxPvcRAQy-xhyphenhyphenLiYixE4xCPAG_lEkwpJh1d7uyNMi4/s400/IMG-20151115-WA0009.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To play alongside Gouher Sultana is always a pleasure.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">2016 comes with great opportunities. We are in Kolkata for
the Twenty20-leg of the season. I couldn’t be more excited. The last time I was
here I was making my debut for South Zone—I’m sure good things are in store. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">After all, Hyderabadis are known to have a love-affair with the Eden Gardens!</span></div>
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Jersey # 11http://www.blogger.com/profile/07435111284283260074noreply@blogger.com0