The Reverse Sweep

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

It was going to take something pretty special to wake this lapsed blogger from his slumber. KP's childish spat with his team mates and the ECB? Not a chance. England winning a Test series in India? No way. An Ashes series in England? Close but no cigar. The retirement of the Little Master? You bet it does. Rip van Winkle has arisen (as I Am the Resurrection by The Stone Roses blasts out of my hibernation cave).

In pure Rafa Benitez style - except with no rants required - here are some facts we'd like to celebrate about the remarkable career of Sachin Tendulkar:

• Longevity: An international career of 25 years is a staggering achievement and one that aptly apes the player with a similar sobriquet as Tendulkar: Sir Jack Hobbs - The Master.  
• Records: Where do you start? 200 Test matches, 463 ODIs, just shy of 16,000 Test runs with 51 hundreds and close to 18,500 ODI runs with 49 tons. Wherever you look, the numbers are extraordinary.
• Sachin's 99.94: Incredible as it may seem, the Little Master's record number of Test hundreds is vulnerable with Jacques Kallis just seven three-figure scores behind and a certain Alastair Cook positioning himself well. But, Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI hundreds brokers no such threats. The closest challengers still playing (Chris Gayle with 21 and Virat Kohli with 17) are simply miles behind. This is Sachin's 99.94.
• Dignity:  Rarely can someone be so good at what they do that not even a smidgen of arrogance or cockiness is detectable. That fact that Tendulkar has been and will continue to be deified by 1bn countrymen makes his modesty all the more remarkable.

But is he cricket's best ever batsman? At the risk of being declared a heretic, this writer thinks not. Don Bradman wrote an indelible claim to that title when he retired with that average of 99.94 to his name. You need to add a batsman of the class of Clive Lloyd's Test average to that of Sachin's final score of 53.78 to reach the Don.

Whilst you can't compare eras that still brokers no argument in our book. Better to celebrate Tendulkar's career as the remarkable one it was rather than making claims that are impossible to substantiate.

Sachin has been amazing and I for one have enjoyed watching him grow from boy to man over his remarkable tenure of a quarter of a century as King of India. Cheers Sachin. 

Where next?

Sachin Tendulkar & Jack Hobbs: Masters with much in common

The 30 Greatest Batsmen Ever: Part 1 (30-21), Part 2 (20-11), Part 3 (10-1)

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

England vs South Africa - too close to call again?

We were fortunate enough to attend the inaugural lunch of the Wisden 150 Club at the Kennington Oval earlier this week where Michael Atherton and Allan Donald relived their memorable contretemps at Trent Bridge in 1998 as well as other notable encounters between the two.

Whilst the Chatham House Rule prevents us from divulging what Messrs Atherton and Donald actually said whilst we enjoyed a glass or two of a rather fine Bordeaux, we were reminded that clashes between South Africa and England tend to be extremely close.

Think back to 1994 where Devon Malcolm’s nine for 57 squared the series at The Oval, or 1995 where after four drawn Tests including Atherton’s famous 185 not out at the Wanderers South Africa prevailed in the final Test at Cape Town. Three years later in England, the home side came back from one-nil down to take the last two Tests and the series. Then in 2003, having ended Nasser Hussain’s reign as skipper and scoring double hundreds in each of the first two Tests, Graeme Smith saw his side pegged back at The Oval to see the series end two Tests apiece.

England then won another close series in South Africa in 2004/05 as they toned up for a titanic Ashes series six months later. The two-one score-line was reversed in the summer of 2008 when Smith finally led his side to a series win in England and saw the back of another home skipper in the shape of Michael Vaughan. Finally, in 2009/10, England somehow escaped with a drawn series having secured thrilling nine-wicket down draws at Centurion and Newlands.

By now you probably get the picture – England and South Africa Test series are always close and if anything this upcoming series could be the closest yet as there does not appear to be a hair’s breadth between the sides. Whilst the series is scandalously being played over just three Tests – especially as it pits the best two teams in the world against each other (forget the updated ICC rankings published at the weekend, which surely erroneously placed Australia at number two), a thrilling contest awaits.

As the home side, England probably just have the edge, but an opposition containing batsmen such as Smith, the classy Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and the underrated AB De Villiers plus a bowling attack of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Imran Tahir will provide Andrew Strauss’ team with an almighty Test.

After a seemingly never-ending diet of Twenty 20 and fifty over cricket, the series cannot come soon enough even if the biblically bad weather will no doubt rear its ugly head. We’re so excited, we’ve even started updating this blog again!

Where next?

Who gets in an England-South Africa composite XI?

The pursuit of greatness & the England cricket team

The Plan by Steve James | Book review

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

South Africa's trouble at home

Pakistan seem to be doing quite nicely thank you despite security concerns preventing them from playing home internationals in their own country. As England may well find out in a few weeks, the pitches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have proved a home from home for Misbah-ul-Haq's side.

South Africa must be giving serious consideration to inventing security concerns in their own country given that they have not won a series at home since defeating the mighty Bangladesh in both Tests of a two match series way back in November 2008.

Since then they have lost one and drawn another series with Australia, also drawn with India and somehow let England escape with a 1-1 scoreline back in 2009/10.

What is the reason for this malaise? It is certainly not because they are a weak side. Dale Steyn at his best is reminiscent of Malcom Marshall in his pomp and a top six containing the likes of Hashim Amla, AB De Villiers, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis is as good as any in world cricket.

An unadventurous approach, a surprising tendency for batting collapses and the lack of a penetrating spinner whilst Imran Tahir gets his bearings are all possible reasons, but there must be a confidence issue too.

What else can explain the performance against a Sri Lankan side that hadn't won in its 15 previous Tests and had never won a Test in South Africa?

Smith's side may well right the wrong in the series decider in Cape Town this week, but the vulnerability that was on show at Kingsmead last week and The Wanderers against Australia just a few weeks ago means that what should be a very powerful side is someway short of challenging England as the best Test side around.

At the moment the sum of England's whole exceeds its parts, the same can not be said for the Proteas.

Where next?

The best Test XI of 2011

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Dear Santa... - What have these cricketers requested for Christmas?

It's that time of year again and like the rest of us, the cricket fraternity have been compiling their list of requests for Santa.

Here's what some of them may have asked for this Christmas: 

Daniel Vettori - Protection. With 2011 having seen a number of dictators leaving this mortal coil, along with President Assad of Syria, Dictator Dan is one of only a handful left

Phillip Hughes - It's not exactly been a good year for poor old Phil, so his list to Santa is bulging with wishes such as a request to rescind his decision to opt out of BBL now that he has lost his Test place, a book of the best Worcester hosteleries ahead of his stint with the county and for Chris Martin and Martin Guptill to be sent on a one-way mission to Mars

Ricky Ponting - A time machine so he can relive past glories

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - A DVD of The Great Escape and a tunnel making kit

Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard - Lucrative contracts in the new Twenty 20 leagues in Outer Mongolia, Belarus and the Falkland Islands

Stuart Law - A one way ticket from Dhaka to Brisbane

Ijaz Butt - World War III 

Kevin Pietersen and Andy Flower - A bottle of paraffin, some matches and a lorry full of Graeme Swann's autobiography

Jonathan Trott - A Bob Willis voodoo doll

Jesse Ryder, Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith - A KFC bargain bucket per day for life

Shane Warne - Some humility

Kamran Akmal - A new pair of gloves made of industrial strength velcro coupled with a small accident for brother Adnan

Darren Sammy - Catching lessons from Kamran Akmal

Sachin Tendulkar - Something about a 100th hundred. Not quite sure what that is all about

Shane Watson and Zaheer Khan - New bodies in time for the Boxing Day Test.

Where next?

Chasing Sachin by Adam Carroll-Smith | Book Review

Jack Hobbs by Leo McKinstry | Book review

Check out some of our Cricket XIs: They also played cricket, Rugger Buggers, Cricketing Criminals , A team of cricketers that died young, The Worst Australia Ashes XI of the last 30 years, The Worst England Ashes XI of the last 30 years

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The criminally underrated Younis Khan & the criminal negligence of Ijaz Butt

The esteemed Indian cricket writer and fellow Liverpool fan Dileep Premachandran brought an interesting statistic to our attention on Twitter yesterday.

In illustrating Australia’s batting deficiencies, he highlighted that in an era dominated by batsmen only the discarded Simon Katich has a batting average of over 50 in Tests played since 1 January 2006.

The top ten (minimum qualification ten innings), which is dominated by batsmen from the sub-continent makes interesting reading (see full list here) and in reverse order from 10-3 comprises Misbah-ul-Haq, Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacques Kallis, Thilan Samaraweera, Jonathan Trott and Mohammad Yousuf.

But it is the identity of the top two that is perhaps the most interesting.

On reflection it is not a huge surprise to see Kumar Sangakkara with a stellar average of 68 at the top of the pile such is the brilliance and consistency of his batting. Moreover, the fact that he had the added challenge of captaining Sri Lanka for most of the period makes his record all the more impressive. Bowlers shouldn’t rest too easy either as if Sangakkara’s return from his most recent series is anything to go by (a defiant 516 runs at 86 against a dominant Pakistan) he is getting better and better.

Nestling just behind Sangakkara in second place is Younis Khan. Yes, the same Younis Khan that was treated so shamefully by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s former idiot-in-chief Ijaz Butt. Younis averages 65 in the period despite being betrayed when captain by a clique led by Shoaib Malik, ostracised by Butt and left out of the side. The fact that he averages over 80 since his return shows up Butt for the utter fool he is – if any further proof was required on that count.

Misbah’s calm captaincy and even calmer presence at the crease is one big reason why England should be wary of their upcoming series with Pakistan. The criminally underrated Younis is another.

England’s post-Ashes celebrations in 2005 were brought crashing down to earth in Pakistan a few weeks later and the newly crowned number one Test side could suffer a similar fate in the UAE against the same opponents in the next couple of months unless they are at the top of their game.

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Younis Khan

Responsibility and Misbah-ul-Haq

The Ten Commandments of Ijaz Butt

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Who should England pick to face Pakistan?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Thilan Samaraweera's raw deal

Who do you think has the best Test average of those that have played at least three matches since New Years Day 2008?

Perhaps surprisingly, it is not Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla or even Jonathan Trott. No, the man who heads the table is that most underrated of cricketers - Thilan Samaraweera.

Samaraweera has scored 2,561 runs in 28 Tests during this period with seven hundreds and an average of 69.21 - only Younis Khan and AB De Villiers average over 60 during the same time.

But this excellent record didn't prevent Samaraweera from being dropped by Sri Lanka after the home series defeat by Australia in August.

Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors, has stated that Samaraweera, who is 35, would not figure in the long-term plans of the selectors who intended to give more opportunities to youngsters.

That is all very laudable, but Sri Lanka can ill-afford to leave someone of Samaraweera's quality, experience and recent record out of the side at the moment. Indeed, there is a sense that they are a side in freefall with no bowler to speak of (Lasith Malinga apart, and he doesn't play Test cricket).

Samaraweera has been belatedly called up to the squad for the daunting looking trip to South Africa, where to be frank one fears for Sri Lanka's ability to make the Test series competitive.

It was ridiculously harsh to drop him and we have no doubt that Sri Lanka will need him over the next few weeks as they rely on Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Samaraweera to keep the effervescent Dale Steyn from running through their batting.

Where next?

Sri Lanka know what they had and they know that it has gone

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

The ten most poignant cricket memories of 2009

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

In a piece on Cricinfo just five months before his death, Peter Roebuck asked Who are cricket's future greats? 

Roebuck concurs that cricket has seen its fair share of great players since the emergence of the formidable West Indies side of the late seventies. He goes on to name  half a dozen current batsmen deserving of the great tag: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Jacques Kallis, Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting, before adding the caveat that all are within a few years of retirement.

When it comes to bowlers, Roebuck argues that only Dale Steyn is worthy of a place in the pantheon of bowling greats. This is hard to contradict as those closest to Steyn like James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Zaheer Khan would seem to fall into the ‘very good’ rather than ‘great’ category.

We’d concur with Roebuck that of the current crop of batsmen, Hashim Amla seems the most likely candidate to attain greatness in the coming years. His Test career took a while to get into top gear, but his sublime style and appetite for runs has grown and he averages over 70 since the start of 2010. Judging by his recent hundreds against Australia in Cape Town and Johannesburg the best is yet to come.

The past week has thrown up two more fledgling candidates, albeit two at the outset of their careers but whose promise seems unlimited.

A lot of people are getting very excited about Australia’s new fast bowling discovery Patrick Cummins. Even as thoughtful, respected and usually restrained observer like Christopher Martin-Jenkins writes in today’s Times that Cummins is a gem in the mould of Dennis Lillee and Glenn McGrath.

New Australian coach Mickey Arthur also sees comparisons with Steyn and it has to be said that it is hard to recall a more impressive entry into Test cricket than the one made by Cummins in Johannesburg. His six-wicket haul almost single-handedly brought Australia back into the game and more than that it was the manner in which he bowled that marked him as something special. The fact he is only 18, and with just a handful of first-class matches under his belt is mind-boggling. Australia would appear to have found the basis from which to rebuild.

Another to provoke comparison with a recent great is the 22 year old West Indian batsman Darren Bravo, who with back to back centuries in the current series with India has the same batting average and just one run less than Brian Lara at the same stage of his career.

Bravo has reputedly based his batting on Lara and there is no mistaking the panache, style and manner of his fellow Trinidadian at the crease. Of the many promising players that have emerged in the Caribbean such as fellow batsman Kirk Edwards, speedster Kemar Roach and spinner Devendra Bishoo, Bravo stands at the head of the pack. A West Indian resurgence could be in the offing at last.

There are other promising young players – Virat Kohli to name but one, but the positive impression left by Cummins and Bravo in the last week means that they will be the ones to watch most closely over the next few years.

Where next?

Virat Kohli - The (Little) Master's Apprentice

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

Cricket Heroes: Hashim Amla

The contrarian erudite genius of Peter Roebuck

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia - South Africa marks out of 10

Graeme Smith - 5: Undone by Johnson first time around and the extra bounce of Lyons in the 2nd innings. Gamble to bring on Tahir in the final throes of the chase failed.

Jacques Rudolph - 5: Looked well set in both innings before two tame dismissals. Will need to start kicking on to resist the claims of Alviro Petersen for his spot in the side.

Hashim Amla - 9: Was content to be circumspect as Kallis blasted away at the other end on day one, before playing what appeared to be the crucial knock of the Test with his 2nd innings hundred. Averages over 70 since the start of 2010 and on this form has a claim to be the best batsman in the world today.

Jacques Kallis - 6: 1st innings 54 off just 41 balls was very un-Kallis like, before the big man was out-foxed by Cummins second time around. Disappointing with the ball again: he now averages 53 with the ball since the start of 2010 in stark contrast to the 80 he offers with the bat. Can he now be classed as an all-rounder?

AB De Villiers - 7: A pair of fluent fifties only tells half the story as his shocking 2nd innings dismissal poking at one from Cummins started South Africa's slide.

Ashwell Prince - 6: Nice 50 on day one before needlessly holing out to mid-on and then run out by Amla second time around.

Mark Boucher - 5: Safe enough with the gloves, but his batting powers look in decline as evidenced especially by his ridiculous dimissal in the 1st innings when his side needed him to dig in. 

Vernon Philander - 8: Two Tests, two five-fors and 14 wickets at 14. Where has he been? Bowled intelligently throughout and led the attack admirably as Steyn and Morkel failed to deliver in the 2nd innings.

Dale Steyn - 7: Brilliant in the 1st innings to inspire the South African fightback and Australian collapse, but not at his best second time around and will rue his late drop of Cummins. Useful 41 with the bat looked to have made Australia's target too stiff.

Morne Morkel - 5: Disappointing on a ground that usually suits him - think England in 2010. Can be a top bowler but is inconsistent too often.

Imran Tahir - 5: Mopped up the tail nicely in the 1st innings as a good leg-spinner should, but perhaps a bit disappointing second time around. But it was only his 2nd Test and Tahir is clearly a better option than Paul Harris.

Where next?

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - South Africa marks out of 10

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

What Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

What Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning

We’re not sure what Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning (although we can guess it was served on a large plate), but we hope it becomes a staple part of his diet.

Whilst we are happy to readily acknowledge that Kallis is a great batsman – you don’t score 12,000 Test runs at an average of over 57 without being exactly that – he is not one that we normally particularly enjoy watching at the Reverse Sweep.

Stodgy is the word that most readily comes to mind when trying to encapsulate a Kallis innings into one word, but his knock today in the 2nd Test at The Wanderers was anything but stodgy.

He came to the wicket when South Africa were 43/2 and proceeded to smash 54 off just 41 balls with 10 boundaries including two sixes.

It was all over in a blur but not before Kallis achieved something that we didn’t think was possible – upstaging Hashim Amla, who played Kallis’s usual stodgy role with some aplomb whilst Kallis was plundering the Australian bowling attack.

If this continues, we will have to start suspecting that his hair transplant was done with follicles gleaned from one of Virender Sehwag’s batting helmets.

Where next?

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - South Africa marks out of 10

Dale Steyn's duel with Michael Clarke

Cricket Heroes: Hashim Amla

Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis & Sachin Tendulkar: Three masters at work

Jacques Kallis is cricket's Thomas More - 'a man for all seasons'

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - South Africa marks out of 10

Graeme Smith - 9: Guided his side to victory with his fourth hundred in a successful fourth innings run chase - the first man to do so in Test history.

Jacques Rudolph - 5: His first Test in five years and he made two appearances in the middle on the same day. Made 18 and 14, but he can't be judged on this crazy game.

Hashim Amla - 8: Amla is to batting what Beethoven and Sinatra are to music, Shakespeare to writing and Olivier to acting. Was given two lives and made the Australians pay with a sublime hundred. Bradman must have been some batsman to have had a career average over twice that of Amla.

Jacques Kallis - 3: Undone on review by Bowden and bowled too short on day one, but at least he was there when the winning runs were scored. 

AB de Villiers - 3: Another to fall victim to the merciless Bowden on review as the South African first innings collapse reached epic proportions.

Ashwell Prince - 2: Missed a full and straight one from Watson to register an unwelcome golden duck.

Mark Boucher - 4: In all the hullabaloo, it was easy to forget that Boucher registered his 500th Test catch when he snared Hughes in the first innings.

Vernon Philander - 9: A stunning debut by anyone's standards even if conditions helped. Put the ball in the right place and was rewarded with eight wickets.

Dale Steyn - 9: Bowled magnificently on day one to show that he is the best bowler in the world today by a country mile: hostility, pace, movement and aggression, Steyn has it all.

Morne Morkel - 8: Bowled too full on day one, but his radar was well and truly functioning on day two as he and Philander inspired the mother of all collapses.

Imran Tahir - 4: Struggled against the quick feet of Clarke, but this was not a pitch or a match for a leg-spinner to make his Test bow.

Where next?

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

Michael Clarke, Lara Bingle and Australia's 47 all out

Dale Steyn's place in the cricketing pantheon alongside Sachin Tendulkar

Dale Steyn's duel with Michael Clarke

Cricket Heroes: Hashim Amla

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Peter Trego and Somerset make us care about the Champions League...for ten seconds

There are many reasons why we are not tuning into the Champions League.

First, it is Twenty 20.

Then there is the fact that as we wrote last week, the whole franchise system and players like Kieron Pollard having a choice of whom to represent makes the tournament a bit farcical.

Finally, the tournament is so heavily weighted in favour of the IPL sides that we are surprised that the other teams aren't required to take the field blindfolded.

So we really couldn't give a monkey's left bollock about the Champions League.

But Somerset's win over Kolkata caused us to momentarily halt our antipathy.

Let's face it Somerset would probably finish second in one horse race, so there couldn't have been much hope for a side shorn of its England players Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler, without its talismanic captain and star batsman Marcus Trescothick and also deprived of the services of the aforementioned mercenary Pollard.

But led by Peter Trego - who may have bagged an IPL contract into the bargain - they did an impressive impersonation of David to beat the Goliath that is Kolkata and their international stars including Jacques 'toupee' Kallis, Brett Lee, Yusuf Pathan and Shakib al-Hasan.

Having been forced to care about something that would feature prominently in our Room 101 list, we are now worried that this might extend itself to other things such as Manchester United, Jordan (no, not the country) and Ed Miliband.

That is quite a frightening thought.

Thanks Somerset.

Where next?

The farcical Champions League and its band of cricket mercenaries

Cricket zeroes: The Harlot (a.k.a The Freelance Cricketer)

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Read all our County Cricket coverage

The A-Z of IPL3 -  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

 

 

South Africa choke in the World Cup - Part V

 
Whilst credit should go to New Zealand for ruthlessly exposing the mental fragility and brittleness of the opposition, this had to be the worst choke of all in a World Cup history littered with chokes for South Africa.

To put it bluntly, South Africa couldn’t have self-asphyxiated any better if they had all been wearing suspenders, put oranges in their mouths and tied a belt around their throats.

South Africa has still to win a knockout match in the World Cup.

In 1992, they were plain unlucky.

In 1996 they won their group and were then stunned by the fourth placed team from the other group in the quarter final (sounds familiar?). But in their defence, it took a hundred by Brian Lara at the peak of his powers to defeat them.

Three years later they had two chances to extinguish Australia. Herschelle Gibb’s infamous drop and a superlative hundred from Steve Waugh in the first game and keystone cops running between the wickets by Allan Donald and Lance Klusener in the semi-final saw the Proteas splutter once again.

When they hosted the tournament in 2003, South Africa exited at the group stages after fatally misunderstanding Duckworth Lewis.

And then in 2007, it was old nemesis Australia again in the semi-final and a right royal thrashing.

But even with that chequered history, Friday was something special.

South Africa were on easy street at 108/2 with only 114 needed from 26 overs.

They faced a New Zealand attack of Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram and Tim Southee; which with all deference to Vettori is hardly the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Even when Jacques Kallis was out, South Africa should have eased to victory.

But they didn’t.

What unfurled can only be described as mental disintegration. How else can you explain the run out of AB De Villiers?

And that is why the South African cricket team will continue to be tagged as chokers.

Sounds fair enough to us.

Where next?

Lay off England after World Cup proves a bridge too far

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

World Cup Zeroes: Herschelle Gibbs

South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

An XI of unlikely World Cup heroes and a not so heroic 12th man

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

XIs: An au revoir to ODI cricket after the World Cup XI

 
Come the end of the World Cup, a number of leading players are likely to announce their retirement from ODIs. The following names with one notable exception make quite an XI – good enough perhaps to win the tournament if they could participate as an Invitation XI:

Sachin Tendulkar

The greatest ODI batsman of all-time, along with Viv Richards. Having severely curtailed the number of ODIs he participated in during 2010, the Little Master is likely to bow out of the format after the World Cup. Will he retire having led India to glory in the final in Mumbai? And will he score the three centuries he needs to reach 100 international hundreds?

Andrew Strauss

The England captain is 34 and has never looked entirely at ease in this format despite the attacking approach he has adopted since returning to the side in the Caribbean in 2009. The end of the tournament could be a good time to bow out, handing the reins to Alastair Cook and enabling Strauss to concentrate on the task of making England the number one test side in the World.

Ricky Ponting

The Australian captain’s gradual decline with the bat gathered spun out of control during the Ashes and this World Cup could well prove to be his last appearance in the Australian canary yellow shirt. If he manages to lead his side to an unlikely fourth successive triumph (and the third for Ponting as skipper) then he will have repaired some of the damage to his reputation caused by his woeful performances in the Ashes.

Jacques Kallis

Kallis is a big unit and despite his new head of hair, the years are catching up with him and injuries are becoming more frequent. Like the three illustrious names above him in this XI, Kallis too may decide that giving up the 50 over format will help prolong his test career, whilst also helping him earn the IPL megabucks.

Paul Collingwood

His poor return with the bat during the Ashes precipitated a premature retirement from Test cricket and unless he can recapture his form during the World Cup, England’s Ginger Ninja may decide to hang up his ODI cap after the competition too. Durham may be seeing even more of its favourite son in the forthcoming season.

Shahid Afridi

With the unpredictable Afridi anything is possible. So don’t rule out Boom Boom dropping a bombshell after the tournament and announcing his retirement from all cricket to take up a slot on Strictly Come Dancing. He is fond of a pirouette after all.

Kamran Akmal

If the butter-fingered keeper continues to spill chances behind the stumps and disappoint with the bat, he is likely to be ‘retired’ by an irate Ijaz Butt. That would be one life ban that no Pakistani supporter would complain about.

Brett Lee

It would come as no great surprise if Lee’s body gave up the ghost at the end of the competition. One wonders if he is in India just to promote his fledgling singing career. Could yet become the new James Blunt – as if we needed another one.

Shoaib Akhtar

A bowler who looks knackered after bowling just two overs on the spin, can’t last much longer, surely? A career in Bollywood awaits providing that the genital warts don’t return of course.

Zaheer Khan

It is a miracle that Zaheer has managed to come into this tournament fit and surely he will choose to concentrate on Test cricket and IPL riches after the World Cup. India should wrap him up in cotton wool, because without him the Test attack looks threadbare to say the least.

Muttiah Muralitharan

We know for certain that this will be the last time we see Murali in international cricket. Can he inspire Sri Lanka to repeat the glory of 1996?

Where next?

Check out our other Reverse Sweep XIs

World Cup Team previews: Part 1 - India: Glory or effigies?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 2 - South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

World Cup Team Previews: Part 3 - Bangladesh: Shock & Awe

World Cup Team Previews: Part 4 - West Indies: Calypso or Collapso?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 5 - England: How far can resilience take them?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 6 - Ireland/Canada/Kenya/Netherlands: Last chance for the minnows?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 7 - Zimbabwe - An army of spin

World Cup Team Previews: Part 8 - Australia: Four in a row?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 9 - Pakistan: Tigers or Pussies?

World Cup Team previews: Part 10 - Sri Lanka: Will lightning strike twice?

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes including Brett Lee, Sachin Tendulkar, Paul Collingwood, Kamran Akmal and Muttiah Muralitharan

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

World Cup Team Previews: South Africa - Don't mention the 'C' word...

 
To choke, or not to choke? That is the question for perennial underachievers South Africa. Their World Cup history is littered with tales of campaigns that peaked too early, defeats snatched from the jaws of victory and of course a failure to understand Duckworth Lewis. Will it be different this time?

Strengths

Hashim Amla is arguably the world’s top ODI batsman at present and loves batting on the sub-continent. When you add Smith, Kallis, De Villiers and Duminy to the mix, the Proteas have a formidable batting line-up. Dale Steyn is likely to rival Zaheer Khan as the outstanding quick on show and Morne Morkel and Tsotsobe are pretty good back-up. On paper at least, South Africa look one of the favourites.

Weaknesses

Other than the 'C' word, South Africa are seriously lacking in the spin department unless the recently qualified Imran Tahir (if England can adopt players, why can’t South Africa) can hit the ground running.

Main man

As well as plundering runs like a modern day ODI version of Bradman in the last 12 months, Hashim Amla is simply a joy to behold at the crease. Our tip to be the tournament’s leading run scorer.

Look out for…

The next incredible episode in South Africa’s World Cup tale of woe, or will it be different this time?

Prediction

2^ndin the group and then toppled in the quarter-final by Shahid Afridi’s cornered tigers.

Where next?

World Cup Team previews: Part 1 - India: Glory or effigies?

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

Get your money on Hashim Amla now...

What has happened to JP Duminy?

Jacques Kallis: Cricket's Thomas More - 'A man for all seasons'

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes featuring amongst others Hashim Amla and Paul Harris

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Twenty 20: Two pumps and a squirt and it's all over

 
God has been rather good to us recently. As a long-suffering England fan who had endured 24 years of hurt, the last six weeks or so have been manna from heaven.

And the cherry on top of the cake has been the South Africa-India Test series, which although we didn’t see enough of - due to the aforementioned Ashes, was compulsive viewing when we did. Watching those Three Masters – Steyn, Tendulkar and Kallis – at work in Cape Town was particularly satisfying.

So, as we said God has been rather good to us.

However, it only took the day after the night before for things to change dramatically. We were already reconciling ourselves to a diet of ODI cricket in the run-up to the over-hyped and over-long World Cup in six weeks – and incidentally why are Australia and England playing a SEVEN ODI series again?

But much worse was to come when we realised that the day after England had secured a 3-1 Ashes series victory in Sydney (and yes, we are going to continue to gloat and glorify about that for some time to come), was the obscenity that is the IPL Auction.

We gave the IPL a go last year and even picked an IPL team to support, but the whole spectacle of mediocre cricket, blanket advertising, dreadful television coverage and endless matches left us cold. And this year there’s not even Lalit Modi to make things interesting.

By now you may have deduced that we are not big fans of Twenty 20 at the Reverse Sweep. If Test cricket is like a long passionate relationship with gymnastic sex and one-day cricket is like a series of one night stands – some memorable but most eminently forgettable, then Twenty 20 takes you back to the dreadful sex you had as a spotty teenager. Two unsatisfying pumps and a squirt and it’s all over.

We endured the World T20 last year – but that probably had something to do with England winning the thing, and we’ve been known to watch the occasional match from the English domestic T20 competition, but in truth we don’t regard T20 as proper cricket at the Reverse Sweep.

So whilst this site won’t  be a completely IPL free zone this year, it’s safe to say that for the most part we’ll be concentrating on the longer and more satisfying form of the game.

Now where did we leave our zimmer-frame?

Where next?

The A-Z of IPL 3: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Read our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes 

Follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Watching three masters at work in Cape Town

 
We've not seen as much of the South Africa-India series as we would have liked - the small matter of the Ashes has put paid to that for this success-starved England fan.

But what we have seen has been utterly engrossing, even if the battle for supremacy between the top two sides in the world really should be a five rather than three test series.

India's fightback from the walloping they took at Centurion has been mightily impressive and saved the BCCI from some embarrassment. How they believed that the side could turn up for their first venture outside the subcontinent for 18 months to play the second best side in the world with their previous poor record in South Africa was beyond belief.

But there is resilience as well as quality in this Indian side, helped in no small part by some of itstop-class players. On a minefield in Durban, VVS Laxman once again showed he is the master of the second innings with a brilliant 96 and Zaheer Khan returned to add canninessto the bowling attack and coaxed much improved performances from Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma.

However, the best aspect of this series has been watching three absolute masters of their craft go about their business. No more so than in the current series decider at Cape Town. Sachin Tendulkarenjoyed an Annus Mirabilis in 2010 and it looks like extending into 2011 if his magnificent 146 here is anything to go by.

India faced a real challenge in replying to South Africa's 362, but Tendulkar played an absolute gem of an innings especially because he had to contend with more out-of-this-world bowling from Dale Steyn.

In his last Test at Newlands, Steyn bowled an outstanding spell of bowling to Paul Collingwood with the new ball, but somehow failed to get the wicket that probably would have led to victory for South Africa. He has been similarly brilliant against India with new and old ball and showed just why he is far and away the best fast bowler in the world. Indeed, Steyn is so good that he has the best strike rate of any bowler in history to have taken more than 100 test wickets - withthe exception of George Lohmann, who played at a time when bowlers held sway just as much as batsmen do today.

But Tendulkar's mastery in handling Steyn helped India eke out a two-run first-innings lead and when South Africa slipped to 130/6, India looked like they would record a series win in South Africa for the first time. Step forward Jacques Kallis. Not content with scoring his first double hundred in Tests at Centurion, or 161 in the 1st innings here, Kallis played an innings equally as brilliant as Tendulkar in marshalling a rearguard from the tail and in the process recording his 40th Test hundred. 

South Africa now look the side most likely to win a pulsating match and the series, although the draw is most likely as Steyn has not been well supported by his bowling colleagues. But whateverthe outcome, watching Kallis, Steyn and Tendulkar at work in this test match has been like having Beethoven, Mozart and Bach all gathered in your living room for a one-off exclusive concert. Let the music play.

Where next?

The best Test XI of 2010

The worst Test XI of 2010

Heroes: VVS Laxman

Dale Steyn: irrefutably the best bowler in the world

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes

Follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The best Test XI of 2010

 
So, 2010 is in its last throes - a year that saw England retain the Ashes and win the World T20 in the Caribbean, India cement their position as the number one test side in the World, Pakistan cricket embroiled in even more turmoil and the swift descent of Australia to one of the also-rans.

It has also been a year of notable individual performances and that leads us to the Reverse Sweep's Test XI of the year:

1. Virender Sehwag (1422 Test runs at 61.82, 5 100s)- More brutality was wreaked on hapless bowling attacks as Sehwag piled up the runs at an astonishing strike rate of 90.80. Next best: Tamim Iqbal - the left-handed Sehwag

2. Hashim Amla (1249 runs at 78.06, 5 100s)- Arguably the batsman of the year - his feats in the mini-series in India where he scored 494 runs for once out proved to be the prelude to an annus mirabilis for Amla, who opens for our XI to accommodate who is to follow. Next best: Alastair Cook, who went on a journey from zero to hero in 2010

3. Jonathan Trott (1325 runs at 66.25, 4 100s)- The scourge of Australia looked in risk of losing his place at the start of the year, but from the start of the English summer Trott has averaged 93 in ten tests. Next best: Kumar Sangakkara - averaged 99.28, but only played six tests

4. Sachin Tendulkar (1562 runs at 78.10, 7 100s) - Like Amla, the Little Master had an annus mirabilis and was the leading run scorer in tests, recorded his 50th Test ton, celebrated 20 years in Test cricket and scored the first double hundred in ODI history. Not bad for a 37 year old. Next best: Thilan Samaraweera - the only man to average over 100 in tests in 2010 but like Sangakkara only played six tests

5. Jacques Kallis (1198 runs at 79.86, 6 100s; 12 wickets at 47.83) - Seems to get better and better, and finally got his first Test double hundred - his 38th in Tests - against India at Centurion to celebrate his sudden and miraculous hair growth. Next best: AB De Villiers - the third cog in South Africa's stellar middle order.

6. VVS Laxman (939 runs at 67.07, 2 100s)- The master of batting in the second innings won India tests they otherwise would likely have lost at Colombo (103*), Mohali (73*) and Durban (96). Along with Harbhajan, he also saved India against New Zealand at Ahmedabad with 91. Very Very Special, indeed. Next best: Ian Bell - the year that the boy finally became a man

7. MS Dhoni (749 runs at 41.61, 1 10o; 41 catches, 7 stumpings)- With Sangakkara and McCullum relinquishing the gloves, Dhoni pips Prior and Haddin to a place in our XI. The captain of the World's number one ranked test side, skippers our XI too. Next best: Brad Haddin or Matt Prior - take your pick.

8. Graeme Swann (64 wickets at 25.96, 6 five-fors) - The leading wicket taker in tests in 2010 and the best spinner in the world is an automatic choice for this XI. Next best: Daniel Vettori - a.k.a Superdan

9. Dale Steyn (60 wickets at 21.81, 4 five-fors) - The best bowler in the world bar none with a phenomenal strike rate of 39 in 2010. His 7/51 in Nagpur was arguably the test performance of the year. Next best: Peter Siddle - Australia's shining light

10. Zaheer Khan (47 wickets at 21.97, 2 five-fors)- If Steyn is the best, than Zaheer is the canniest bowler in the world. Lethal with the new or old ball and his record is even more remarkable given that he played all but one test in 2010 on batsman-friendly subcontinental wickets. Probably India's most important player. Next best: Mohammad Aamer - the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long?

11. James Anderson (57 wickets at 22.96, 3five-fors) - Absolutely deadly in swing-friendly conditions against Pakistan in the summer, but just as effective in Australia where his development as one of the best fast bowlers in the world has been undeniably confirmed. Next best: Morne Morkel - who forms with Steyn the best new ball attack in the world.

Where next?

Sachin Tendulkar's Annus Mirabilis

10 reasons to love Graeme Swann

Heroes: VVS Laxman

Dear Jimmy...

Amla the Magnificent - Much more than a beard

In defence of Jonathan Trott

Graduates from the Sehwag School for Batting announced

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Five days in cricket

Well we've quite a lot these last five days whilst we've been in hospital for the happy event of the birth of our daughter Isabella. Catching up we've missed some predictable and some not so predictable events.

1. We missed a brilliant game of cricket between India and Pakistan with Harbhajan Singh again proving he is the man for the big event.

2. England beat Scotland easily in a one day international and supposed slowcoach Andrew Strauss scored at a much quicker rate than greyhound opening partner Craig Kieswetter.

3. Australia were given a scare by Ireland. And then were also given a minor fright by Middlesex before Cameron White again underlined his credentials to be the next Australian captain in all formats. We saw too that Owais Shah gave a gentle reminder to the England selectors that he is still around.

4. We were delighted to miss test centuries by Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis as they were no doubt mind numbingly boring and efficient. At last the West Indies have shown a bit of fight in their reply though. One other observation is that test matches in the Caribbean have become slow and turgid affairs. When you add South Africa to the mix that equals utter tedium.

5. More games took place in the FP t20 and crowd numbers no doubt fell further as even the most ardent supporters start to tire of a never-ending competition that makes the overbloated cricket world cup look like Kate Moss in comparison. We did see that our county Sussex continue to do well though.

6. We were bemused to see that the PCB rescinded the ban on its best batsman Younis Khan and then promptly didn't pick him for the upcoming tests against Australia and England. So the lunatics are still in the charge of the asylum.

7. And finally, England's football team has surpassed itself with its utter incompetence. And the malaise has a warning for cricket too. More of which later.

But all in all, it's good to be back.

Who will be the Lovers & the Shaggers of the World T20?

Last week we introduced you to two categories of T20 batsmen - the Lovers and the Shaggers. 

The warm-up matches and the opening match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka has taught us that the pitches in Guyana, Barbados and St Lucia are slower than an arthritic tortoise who has had a particularly heavy night on the sauce. This means that the shaggers may not be as prevalent as they were in the IPL where Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan and Kieron Pollard in particular shagged themselves silly around India for six weeks.

I always had Tillakaratne Dilshan down as a shagger; and an unconventional one at that, but to see him struggle today to score only three off 19 balls suggests that he won't put as many notches on his belt as he did in England in last year's World T20.

So predicting the Lovers that will aim to provide pleasure all night, be chivalrous with their foreplay and then maintain a steady and patient momentum with the occasional shout out loud moment. Similarly, trying to fathom who will be the Shaggers that are too selfish for foreplay and start banging away from day one looks like it is going to be more difficult than we thought. But, to the hell with it and here goes.

The Lovers - Looking to give some lurve will be the following: Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene, Paul Collingwood, Michael Clarke (if anyone can manage to stay awake), Gautam Gambhir and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

The Shaggers - Warming up with Robin Uthappa's medicine ball will be: David Warner, Bangladesh (yep, the whole team are testosterone fuelled sex maniacs), Eoin Morgan, Murali Vijay, Shahid Afridi (who is probably a bit kinky), Albie Morkel, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Elton Chigumbura.  

  

The Lovers and the Shaggers

In his column for CricDude a few weeks ago, Jarrod Kimber of Cricket With Balls and Cricket Sadist fame, wrote that they were essentially two types of batsmen in T20 (read his post here). Jarrod called them the mentalists and the clever guys. As the names would suggest, the mentalists adopt a kamikaze approach that rarely comes off, whilst the clever guys take their time, play themselves in and invariably provide more of a contribution.

Having watched some (if not all; as that would make me insane) of the IPL action this season, we at the Reverse Sweep would agree with Jarrod, but would suggest a more base (some may say crude) categorisation.

Jarrod's clever guys are our Lovers. Chivalrous with their foreplay as they caress and ease themselves in, and then maintaining a steady and patient momentum with the ocassional shout out loud moment. Essentially they are aiming to provide pleasure for as long as possible; well for the bulk of the 20 overs at least. Obvious lovers are Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis (perish the thought) and Rahul Dravid.

Then you have the Shaggers. Too selfish to bother with needless foreplay and the inconvenience of playing themselves in, the shaggers start banging away at a frantic pace from ball one. For the most part it ends in crushing disappointment with an abrupt end after only a couple of pumps and a squirt, as they exit stage left with head bowed and bat between their legs. But when it comes off it can provide sheer ecstasy. It can even last all night as evidenced by M (don't call me Murali) Vijay's innings of 127 off 56 balls in the runfest between Chennai and Rajasthan. Some can do it on a more regular basis like Robin Uthappa, some prefer a quick shag like Kieron Pollard, whilst others can even earn superlatives such as being called the best shag they'd ever had. Witness Shane Warne's exaggerated appreciation of Yusuf Pathan's 37 ball 100 against Mumbai in the early stages of the competition - it must have been some shag for Warney to say it was the best he's ever had.

So if nothing else, T20 has given us the lovers and the shaggers; and for that we should be eternally grateful.