The Reverse Sweep

No bowlers, no chance for Sri Lanka

Watching some of the two Tests over the weekend confirmed to  us that there are a number of fairly mediocre sides operating in Test cricket at the moment.

Nevertheless, the likes of West Indies, Australia and even New Zealand (as they so ably demonstrated in Hobart last week) have the bowling firepower that means on any given day they can win their respective sides a Test match.

Sri Lanka do not have that luxury and actually seem to be plunging alarmingly quickly towards Bangladesh territory.

Their top six is as good as most other sides, which has helped them save Test matches at the Rose Bowl, Pallekelle and Abu Dhabi over the last few months. Indeed, if you had to choose between England’s top six and the Sri Lankan top six that was on show at Centurion, it wouldn’t be an easy decision and one might be tempted to go for the latter on a sub-continental track.

But whilst a good batting line-up can help set-up or save a Test match it is invariably the bowlers that win it for you. England have the perfect balance; Sri Lanka sadly don’t.

It is clearly not a coincidence that Sri Lanka have now failed to win a single Test match in the 15 they have played since Muttiah Muralitharan’s glorious curtain call at Galle 17 months ago. With Chaminda Vaas also retired and Lasith Malinga not available for Tests, their bowling attack is about as threatening as an army equipped with catapults and stones on the modern battlefield.

The top six didn’t bat well at Centurion, but the comparison between the home bowling attack and Sri Lanka’s was as wide as the Pacific Ocean. The lack of any sign of venom on the bowling front puts the batsmen under an obscene amount of pressure and they cannot be expected to always be able to bale out the side.

As Kumar Sangakkara so wonderfully articulated in his Cowdrey Lecture, Sri Lankan cricket is in crisis through a combination of mismanagement, greed and corruption. This has seen the players not being paid and has also seen the legacy provided by the likes of Murali and Vaas squandered away.

Dark days would seem to lie ahead.

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

Thilan Samaraweera's raw deal

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

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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Shane Warne gets burnt, Harbhajan Singh gets robbed: Conspiracy or coincidence?

At first when we heard that Shane Warne had burnt his hand we just thought that he had either overdone the self-tan or had an accident with one of Elizabeth Hurley's hot wax treatments.

We didn't for one minute believe the official explanation that Warne had hurt himself cooking as by the looks of him he clearly doesn't eat. But nothing too sinister appeared to be afoot.

Then we heard that Harbhajan Singh had been robbed. On the same day.

The two events are either completely unconnected or there is a malicious and uncontrollable perpetrator with an almighty grudge against former (sorry Harbhajan) international spin bowlers.

Rumours that Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralitharan and rather amusingly Xavier Doherty have been put under police protection could not be substantiated at the time of going to press.

Where next?

Shane Warne comes out

Farewell and a tribute (of sorts) to Shane Warne

Seven reasons why the Poms love Shane Warne

India have found some bowlers

Cricket zeroes: Channel 9's Commentary Team

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep 

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

We're not sure in the case of Sri Lanka that they didn't know what they had until Muttiah Muralitharan had retired and gone, but even they probably didn't realise how bad it would be without their spin genius.

If things carry on as they are, then Sri Lanka's fall from cricket's top table may make the demise of the West Indies look positively pedestrian in comparison.

With no Murali, no Chaminda Vaas and no Lasith Malinga for Test matches, Sri Lanka's bowling attack is about as dangerous as a pack of chihuahuas trying to take on an especially large, vicious and hungry tyrannosaurus rex.

If it wasn't for the fact that in Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka possess two of the finest batsmen of their generation then we would already be talking about the 1996 World Champions in the same breath as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

But for some particularly bad weather in England and a gem of an innings by Sangakkara at the Rose Bowl, the series with England would probably have ended as a whitewash in favour of the home side.

Then a rebuilding Australia built them more comfortably on their home patch then the 1-0 scoreline suggests.

Now they are struggling badly against an improving but still limited Pakistan side with Sangakkara again saving their skins in the 1st Test with a battling double hundred. Their last win came in Murali's final Test at Galle - 13 Tests ago.

Sangakkara himself highlighted that the Sri Lankan board have taken their eye off the ball in recent years and succession planning for the likes of Murali, Vaas, Sangakkara and Jayawardene seems to have been completely forgotten.

The success of Sri Lanka in winning the World Cup and then reaching the last two finals as well as regularly being high up in the ICC rankings for the last 15 years has been a case of David triumphing regularly over Goliath.

Sadly, it seems those giantkilling days are long gone and the future looks very bleak indeed.

Where next?

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

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

All hail King Mahela of Colombo

Who writes Muttiah Muralitharan's scripts?

800 wickets for Murali - what a way to go

India and Sri Lanka star in Groundhog Day remake

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

 
There are intelligent and articulate sportsmen and women (and cricket has produced more than its fair share), and then there is Kumar Sangakkara whose words are as equally silky and smooth as his wonderfully graceful cover drives.

We have just finished listening to the riveting MCC Spirit of Cricket Lecture he delivered at Lord’s on Monday evening and thoroughly recommend that everyone else should too.

King Kumar’s story of Sri Lanka and how cricket slipped “through the crack in our anti-western defences and has now become the most precious heirloom of our British Colonial inheritance” is a truly fascinating one.

He provided vivid and horrific detail of the civil war that plagued the beautiful island paradise for 30 years and how the stunning win in the 1996 World Cup enabled cricket to become a unifying force for all Sri Lankan people irrespective of background, ethnicity and religion.

Sangakkara also spoke of the horrors of the Tsunami and praised Muttiah Muralitharan in particular for his heroic and instrumental role in organising relief and then rebuilding shattered communities and villages.

We enjoyed the humour that infused the lecture such as when he amusingly described Arjuna Ranatunga as a “slightly over-weight and unfit southpaw” when detailing how his leadership inspired the World Cup win of 1996.

Sangakkara even manages to instil humour into his gripping retelling of the Lahore terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus as the following extract from his speech powerfully demonstrates:

'Tharanga Paranvithana, on his debut tour, is also next to me. He stands up, bullets flying all around him, shouting “I have been hit” as he holds his blood-soaked chest. He collapsed onto his seat, apparently unconscious.

I see him and I think: “Oh my God, you were out first ball, run out the next innings and now you have been shot. What a terrible first tour.” '

Wonderful stuff. To be harrowing and amusing at the same time takes some skill.

Predictably, much of the reporting of the lecture has been on Sangakkara’s damning words about the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and the unwelcome interference of the country’s Sports Minister.

He certainly doesn’t hold back as he eloquently details how accountability and transparency has been replaced by partisan cronies, corruption and a wanton waste of board finances and resources.

The real reason for his resignation of the captaincy becomes clear when he challenges the administrators to adopt the same values of the team: integrity, transparency, commitment and discipline. He also calls on the ICC to suspend boards with direct detrimental political interference and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

Sadly but not unsurprisingly, Sri Lankan Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has already ordered a probe into the lecture so Sangakkara looks like he will have to face the consequences for his frank honesty and strong words.

Kumar Sangakkara – a credit to himself, his sport and above all his country. We salute him as a true cricketing hero.

Where next?

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

The best Test XI of 2010

Our best XI of the 2011 World Cup

All hail King Mahela of Colombo

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

1st Test: Cardiff - Preview: England reach for the feel good hit of summer

 
The first Test of the English summer has always been an historic event and this year is no different as England embark on their first Test action since that wonderful Ashes triumph down under.

We’ve already written why Sri Lanka should not be underestimated, but talk of England's quest to become the number one Test side in the world shows no sign of abating.

Even Sri Lankan coach Stuart Law has been at it saying that over the last eighteen months “I believe England are the best team in Test cricket”. Whether he truly means that or if it is simply a case of Law getting his excuses in early awaits to be seen.

Certainly, we will know a lot more about how close England are to achieving their goal by the end of the summer given that current top ranked side India visit English shores for a four test series after Sri Lanka have departed.

India are yet to lose a series in eleven under the leadership of MS Dhoni, but England also have a long unbeaten run stretching back to the Caribbean in 2009 where the first series of the Strauss-Flower axis was lost. Since then the pair have overseen home and away wins over Australia and Bangladesh, as well as home victories over Pakistan and West Indies and a creditable drawn series in South Africa.

But India can wait for now as the series with Sri Lanka promises to be a tasty and intriguing hors d’oeuvre.

Likely line-ups

Now that the Morgan vs Bopara contest has been settled in favour of England’s adopted Irishman, the only question mark over England’s final XI is between Chris Tremlett and Steve Finn. In our view, it is the Surrey giant who should get the nod to build on his pivotal role in the last three Ashes Tests.

Things are not so clear with the Sri Lankan line-up. Nuwan Pradeep has gone home with injury and there is a doubt over Dilhara Fernando. Farveez Maharoof, who has been called into the squad from Lancashire will probably play.

Look out for…

As usual a lot of the focus in the build-up to the Test has been on Kevin Pietersen, with some in the media suggesting that he could be dropped for India if he fails to shine. Pietersen has said that he has got the bug back, so the RS expects him to build on a successful Ashes series where he averaged over 60 and hit that magnificent double hundred at Adelaide.

It will be interesting to see how Tillakaratne Dilshan fares as Sri Lanka’s new captain. He has made a good start with two wins and a hundred in each of the warm-up games. He has the experience of former captains Sangakkara and Jayawardene to call upon should he need it, but even so it will be a real test to see how he works with what is an inexperienced and largely unproven bowling attack.

Previously at Cardiff

This is only the second Test to be held at Sophia Gardens, and this Test will have to go a long way to match the finish of the inaugural Test in 2009 where Paul Collingwood, Monty Panesar and James Anderson memorably led England’s Great Escape against Australia.

Sri Lanka’s record in England is two wins, three draws and four defeats from nine matches, with both wins (The Oval 1998 and Trent Bridge 2006) being engineered by Muralitharan. How they fare without their spin genius, is just one of the many posers of what promises to be a fascinating series.

Stat attack

Kumar Sangakkara is criminally underrated despite a Test average of over 57. His stats are even more impressive when he doesn’t have the added burden of keeping wicket - a Bradmanesque 76.52 from 46 Tests sans gloves.

Since being rested from the tour of Bangladesh in early 2010, James Anderson has taken 56 wickets at 20.78 in 11 Tests. With a strong battery of quicks to call upon, expect rest and rotation to become a feature of England’s selection over the summer.

Prediction

Earlier this week, we had a hunch that this could be Sri Lanka’s match, but with the pitch likely to favour the batsmen and rain forecast throughout the game, the draw seems the most likely result.

Where next?

Seven reasons why England should not underestimate Sri Lanka

Read all the excerpts of KP's Summer of Cricket Diary

10 reasons why Ian Botham may have worn sunglasses at the premiere of 'From the Ashes'

Eoin Morgan has got "it"

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Seven reasons why England should not underestimate Sri Lanka

 
When reading some of the build-up to the Test series in the media, anyone would think that England are facing Bangladesh or Zimbabwe instead of what we at The Reverse Sweep believe is a very good Sri Lankan side.

Here are seven reasons why we believe it is dangerous to underestimate Tillakaratne Dilshan’s team:

King Kumar isn’t wearing the gloves

Kumar Sangakkara has a claim to being one of the most underrated batsmen in world cricket despite a Test average of over 57. An already excellent record becomes positively Bradmanesque when he isn’t keeping wicket. In 46 Tests without the gloves, King Kumar averages 76.52. Be afraid England, be very afraid.

Dilshan seems to have taken to the captaincy

Responsibility can inspire some whilst breaking others. The early signs are that Dilshan is more likely to be inspired than broken. Two warm-ups and two centuries: 123 off 134 balls before retiring against Middlesex and 117 off 110 following-on against a strong Lions bowling line-up of Finn, Dernbach, Onions and Shahzad.

Batting Princes

Sangakkara and Dilshan are but two of a very strong batting line-up. Mahela Jayawardene, Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera all have Test averages of 54 or over. Dilshan has been a revelation since moving up to open, and Dinesh Chandimal and Tharanga Paranavitana are also decent cricketers. If England’s much vaunted bowling attack shows any signs of rustiness then expect batsmen of this calibre to tuck in.  

They’ve got the winning habit

Despite starting badly in both warm-up matches, Sri Lanka showed great tenacity and togetherness to fight back to beat both Middlesex and then the Lions. They followed on 227 runs behind the Lions only to score 448 in their 2nd innings and then dismiss a strong batting line-up for 183 to win by 38 runs. All this suggests that Sri Lanka are no pushovers and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they were to win at least one of the three Tests.

Sri Lanka like playing in England in May

Contrary to the impression given by many in the media, Sri Lanka are unlikely to flounder on early-season English wickets. For a start the weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny this year, and in any case on their last trip to these shores in 2006 when the series also started in May, Sri Lanka fought like tigers to draw at Lord’s before winning at Trent Bridge to square the series.

They won’t miss Malinga that much

Whilst Sri Lanka will undoubtedly miss Murali and the balance provided by Angelo Mathews, we’re not so sure that Malinga’s absence will be much of a handicap. Malinga has only played two Tests since 2007 and Sri Lanka has managed very nicely thank you. The likes of Dilhara Fernando, Thisara Perera and Nuwan Pradeep (if fit) are much better than the billing afforded them by many in the English media. Just ask the Lions batsmen.

There’s always Chaminda

If their seamers do struggle or fall victim to injury, then Sri Lanka have an emergency measure close by in Chaminda Vaas. The great left-arm quick is having a pretty good season with 19 wickets to help Northamptonshire top Division 2. He may have retired from international cricket, but no doubt he could be persuaded to make one final encore.

Where next?

Making match fixing allegations in cricket the modern way starring Hashan Tillakaratne 

The ten most poignant cricket memories of 2009

Cricket Heroes: Aravinda de Silva

Cricket Heroes: Sanath Jayasuriya

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship Preview - Division 2: Gloucestershire

 
Comfortably mid-table last season, Gloucestershire face an uncertain season after having had most of the family silver pilfered over the winter: Gemaal Hussain and Steve Kirby went down the M5 to Taunton, William Porterfield made the relatively short move to Warwickshire and Anthony Ireland headed for the bright lights of Lord’s.

Strengths

A relatively strong batting line-up featuring Hamish Marshall, captain Alex Gidman and overseas star Kane Williamson.

Weaknesses

The bowling cupboard looks bare with the loss of Kirby, Ireland and Hussain, so the ageless Jon Lewis will get through plenty of overs. Muttiah Muralitharan is coming – but unfortunately just for the Twenty 20.

Main man

We’ve been hugely impressed with Kane Williamson on the occasions we’ve seen him turn out for New Zealand, so providing that he can conquer the foibles of the pitch at Bristol, he should prove a shrewd acquisition.

Look out for…

The burglar alarm – surely the county has installed these at Bristol to prevent any further robberies of its key assets?

Prediction

8th – Thank God for Derbyshire

Where next?

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan

County Championship Previews - Division 1:  Yorkshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Sussex, Somerset, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Hampshire, Durham

2010 County XI of the season

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Our best XI of the 2011 World Cup

 
As the celebrations in India doubtless continue, it is time to select our Reverse Sweep World Cup 2011 XI based on performances over the six years weeks of the tournament:

Virender Sehwag (380 runs at 47.50, 1 100, 1 50, SR 122.58)

He may not have scored as many as others, but the impact of his runs was the most dramatic. In our view, Sehwag’s whirlwind cameo in the semi-final in the end proved the difference between the sides.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (500 runs at 62.50, 2 100s, 2 50s, SR 90.74; 8 wickets at 15.75 ER 4.06)

The tournament’s leading run scorer takes his place as the apprentice in our opening partnership to Sehwag’s sorcerer. Dilshan’s bowling was more than useful too – just ask Andrew Strauss – and he ended up with only one fewer wicket and a better economy rate than Harbhajan Singh.

Sachin Tendulkar (482 runs at 53.55, 2 100s, 2 50s, SR 91.98)

Is it sacrilegious to push the Little Master down the order to accommodate our choice of opening partnership? Maybe, but Tendulkar is clearly good enough to bat anywhere and is the ultimate team man. His longevity is astounding.

Kumar Sangakkara (465 runs at 93.00, 1 100, 3 50s, SR 83.78)

King Kumar was serenity personified throughout the tournament and he captains our side (although it was a wrench to leave out Dhoni). Is there a more underrated batsman in world cricket?

Mahela Jayawardene (304 runs at 50.66, 2 100s, 1 50, SR 100.00)

His impeccable hundred in the final leapfrogged Jayawardene above AB De Villiers in our XI. A great strike rate and but for the prolific Sri Lankan top three restricting his time at the crease, would have scored more runs in the tournament.

Yuvraj Singh (362 runs at 90.50, 1 100, 4 50s, SR 90.50; 15 wickets at 25.13, ER 5.02)

Lazarus. A cricketer reborn. And a decent pick as the player of the tournament. Yuvraj left his annus horribilis of 2010 behind to take the World Cup by the scruff of the neck. Without his masterful composure in the quarter-final against Australia, India would have suffered an ignominious exit. Also proved to be more than the pie chucker he was famously tagged by Kevin Pietersen.

Shahid Afridi (21 wickets at 12.85, ER 3.62; 84 runs at 12.00)

His batting was dire, but his excitable captaincy and devastating leg breaks galvanised Pakistan and propelled them to the semi-finals. He may not have added to his wicket tally in Mohali, but his incredible haul and impressive economy rate mean his selection for this side was automatic.

Dale Steyn (12 wickets at 16.00, ER 4.15)

This lionheart deserved better than to be part of a fragile side that reverted to type in the quarter-final against New Zealand. Others may have opted for Brett Lee, Umar Gul, Tim Southee or Kemar Roach who all had impressive tournaments, but none of these could have turned the game around against India as Steyn did in their group game.

Zaheer Khan (21 wickets at 18.76, ER 4.83)

Tied with Afridi as the tournament’s leading wicket taker and initially carried the Indian attack on his shoulders until his influence had a more positive effect on those around him in the knockout stages. Equally as dangerous at the start, middle and end of an innings and a master of reverse swinging the white ball.

Lasith Malinga (13 wickets at 20.76, ER 5.54)

Malinga was expensive at times, but was always a threat with that unplayable yorker and subtle changes of speed. So close to being the hero in the final when snaring Sehwag and Tendulkar, and always likely to get you a wicket.

Muttiah Muralitharan (15 wickets at 19.40, ER 4.09)

The final proved a match too far for Murali’s battered and bruised body, but even on one leg Murali still had a stunningly influential World Cup and the departing hero just pips Imran Tahir and Ray Price for the final spot in our XI.

Where next?

Who writes Muttiah Muralitharan's scripts?

The renaissance of Yuvraj Singh

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

Bruce Springsteen was born to run, MS Dhoni was born to lead

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Sri Lanka vs India in the World Cup Final - Preview and Prediction

 
Back before the World Cup started, which seems like 1995, The Reverse Sweep predicted that India and Sri Lanka would meet in the final - see the links at the bottom of this post if you don't believe us!

It’s not often we get things right here at The Reverse Sweep, so the fact that we did on this occasion leaves us feeling slightly too smug and self-satisfied.

Even Bollywood couldn’t have scripted it any better: Sachin Tendulkar will go for his 100th international hundred in the World Cup final in his home city of Mumbai whilst Muttiah Muralitharan plays his final international match.

So who will be smiling come Saturday evening? Sachin or Murali?

We tipped Sri Lanka to win the trophy beforehand and the form of their top four means we could end up being right. Dilshan is the leading run scorer in the tournament and Sangakkara and Tharanga are fourth and fifth respectively. If the top four don't fire though, there isn't much to follow.

Sangakkara also has the most balanced attack in the competition available with Malinga’s pace and yorkers dovetailing with the wily spin of Murali, Mendis and co.

However, Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the final – and even though cricketwithballs will doubtless claim that because he doesn’t exist, it won’t matter; Mathews is actually a key member of the side.

Although India have an injury concern with Nehra, they look in good shape coming into the final. But can they cope with the added pressure of winning on home soil – something no other host in World Cup history has achieved?

Sachin and Sehwag are crucial for them. If Sachin does register his 100th hundred the other players will visibly relax, and if Sehwag gets going then Sri Lanka will be in real trouble especially with the likes of an in-form Yuvraj to follow.

India’s bowling has been a bit hit and miss, but was much improved in the semi-final and Zaheer Khan is an inspirational leader of the attack.

It will probably come down to the fine margins and the toss could prove crucial – without stating the bleeding obvious, chasing under lights to win a World Cup would be a tall order for either side if the other has put decent runs on the board.

But we’ll stick with our original prediction and tip Murali to win the day over Sachin – whatever happens, let’s hope it’s a classic.

Where next?

India: Glory or effigies?

Sri Lanka: Will lightning strike twice?

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

The renaissance of Yuvraj Singh

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Who writes Muttiah Muralitharan's scripts?

 
Not content with taking his 800th wicket with his final ball in Test cricket, Murali took a wicket with his final ball in an ODI on Sri Lankan soil against New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final today.

Who writes Murali’s scripts indeed. Whoever wins the second semi-final between India and Pakistan may as well not turn up for the final.

Where next?

800 wickets for Murali - what a way to go

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

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Cricket XIs: World Cup Golden Oldie XI

 
After the first six days of the World Cup, we couldn’t help noticing at The Reverse Sweep that a number of players are – how should we put it – knocking on a bit.

The number of thirty-something’s on show certainly seems significant and even if no–one can quite match the feat of Jack Hobbs, by playing international cricket beyond their 50th birthday, there are a number who will be qualifying for their bus pass in the not so distant future.

The only team bucking the trend is Bangladesh, whose oldest player is spinner Abdur Razzak at 28. Anyway here is our XI of Golden Oldies, which with the oldest wicketkeeper in the tournament being Brad Haddin at a sprightly 33, sees Ricky Ponting wearing the gloves – yes, we were feeling sadistic when we picked this team:

 John Davison (age today 40 years, 292 days)

Where best to start then with the oldest man in the tournament and the only one the wrong side of 40? Davison scored a World Cup hundred off only 67 balls against West Indies in 2003, and would still probably be playing in the next tournament if it wasn’t for the dastardly ICC deciding to bar the minnows. The rotters.

Sachin Tendulkar (37 years, 307 days)

Like a particularly excellent vintage of Chateau Lafitte, the Little Master keeps getting better and better with age. He already has 445 ODI caps and 46 hundreds, but will this World Cup be his last foray in the ODI arena?

Ricky Ponting (36 years, 68 days)

Unlike Tendulkar, if Ponting was a wine he would be well and truly corked such have his powers diminished over the last two years. As the runs have dried up, the frequency of temper tantrums have increased. Television sets across India, beware of Mr Angry.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (36 years, 193 days)

Chanderpaul is one of those players who seem to have been around for ever. Maybe it is because all of those tedious nudge and nurdle innings have blended into one long nightmare. Indeed, Chanderpaul has been around so long, he may even have had a cabin in Noah’s Ark.

Misbah-ul-Haq (36 years, 273 days)

It seems strange that a batsman of Misbah’s ability has only played 64 ODI, but he has been in and out of the Pakistan side more times than an overused jack from his box. The younger Pakistan batsmen could learn from Misbah’s resilience and calmness under pressure.

Steve Tikolo (39 years, 245 days)

The veteran of five World Cups is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen never to play Test cricket. Judging by his performances against New Zealand and Pakistan in this tournament however, it would seem that Tikolo’s powers have gone in the opposite direction to his girth. Makes Jesse Ryder look slim.

Trent Johnston (36 years, 302 days)

Ireland’s adopted Aussie challenges Scott Styris (another who is the wrong side of 35) as the ugliest man in the tournament. In fact there is something positively Transylvanian about the features of the dogged all-rounder. Given that vampires are immortal, perhaps Johnston is actually much older than his reported 36 years?

Andre Botha (35 years, 166 days)

Ireland’s other golden oldie and adopted South African (well England are doing it, so why not Ireland too?) will always be remembered for his magnificent two for five from eight overs in the shock victory over Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup.

Brett Lee (34 years, 109 days)

We were actually surprised when we saw that Lee was only 34 - making him the youngster in this side. However, given that he still manages to bowl consistently over 90mph, Lee’s body is closer to that of a creaking septuagenarian. Even so, Lee was still too good for England in the recent ODI series and gave Australia the attack leader it sorely lacked during the Ashes series. Just don’t let him sing.

Shoaib Akhtar (35 years, 196 days)

Has anyone ever sweated as much as Shoaib? Maybe it is a side-effect of genital warts or even the alleged liposuction operation he had (which surely he should claim a refund for?). No one can fault his effort though, even if it is restricted to two over spells at most these days.   

Muttiah Muralitharan (38 years, 314 days)

The World Cup will be Murali’s last hurrah as an international cricketer and no doubt he’ll smile his way through the whole tournament. Will he bow out with a second World Cup winner’s medal? A billion Indians hope not.

Where next?

An XI of players likely to bid a fond farewell to ODI after the World Cup

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

The real reason why Ricky Ponting smashed that television

Read all our World Cup posts here

Check out our other Reverse Sweep XIs

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: Sri Lanka – Can lightning strike twice?

 
Most people have India down as favourites to win the World Cup, but it was Sri Lanka who lifted the trophy the last time the competition was held on the sub-continent. If King Kumar’s team win Group A then they could play all their matches at home right up until the final in Mumbai. So, can lightning strike twice? And will it be Murali rather than Tendulkar who is the all-time great that bows out of ODI cricket with a World Cup winners medal?

Strengths

It’s a long list, but here goes. Firstly, they will play most of their matches at home where they have a formidable record. Then there is the explosive batting of Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayawardene, the balance provided by Mathews and a strong and varied bowling attack led by Malinga and Murali.

Weaknesses

Expectation is much higher than in 1996, so none of the other teams will underestimate Sri Lanka this time. Malinga’s injury record isn’t great and with Vaas gone, who will lead the attack if the man with the unplayable yorker is missing?

Main man

In 1996 it was Sanath Jayasuriya who lit the tournament up with this electric batting, so we’ll go for his successor Tillakaratne Dilshan. With him providing quick runs at the top of the order, the powerful middle order can fill their boots afterwards.

Look out for…

Some big hitting from Angelo Mathews – his name may be more suited to Aussie soap Home & Away, but expect to see him adding plenty of quickfire runs in the latter overs.

Prediction

Winners – Indian hearts were broken by Sri Lanka in the semi-final in 1996, and The Reverse Sweep predicts the same thing will happen - only this time in the final.

Where next?

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?

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes including Muttiah Muralitharan

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

XIs: An XI to watch closely in the World Cup

 
We’re not particularly excited at the prospect of the World Cup. It is far too long and the initial group stage of 42 matches could easily be shortened to play-offs between Bangladesh-West Indies and New Zealand-Zimbabwe in order to produce the eight quarter-finalists.

Notwithstanding our gripes about the length and format of the tournament however, we are looking forward to seeing if England can complete a memorable 12 months by adding the World Cup to the Ashes and World T20 triumphs.

Furthermore, we are looking forward to seeing how a number of players perform on the big stage. Here’s XI of them:

Hashim Amla

Sachin’s legions of devotees will doubtless disagree, but is there a better ODI batsman in the world than the bearded wonder at the moment? An average of 75 in 2010 with five ODI hundreds, a phenomenal career ODI average of a touch under 60 and his love of the sub-continent all make Amla our bet to be the tournament’s leading run scorer.

Tamim Iqbal

The left-handed Sehwag is the key to Bangladesh springing a surprise and getting to the last eight. It will likely come down to a straight fight with the West Indies and a blitzkrieg shootout between Tamim and Chris Gayle. Now that will be worth watching.

Ricky Ponting

A last hurrah or a fourth successive World Cup and the third as captain? The Ashes series was like a Shakespearean tragedy for Ponting, so it will be fascinating to see how the World Cup plays out for one of the all-time greats.

Kumar Sangakkara

Along with India, Sri Lanka have to be the favourites to win the tournament and if that happens King Kumar is likely to be omnipresent with his elegant batting, sharp work behind the stumps, shrewd captaincy and eloquent words. As cool as a cucumber.

Virat Kohli

Despite not yet playing Tests, Kohli is far and away the most impressive of the young Indian batsmen jostling for position to eventually replace the likes of Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman. He has taken to ODI cricket like a duck to water and scored more ODI runs (995) than anyone in 2010 with the exception of Amla.

Shahid Afridi

After his belated confirmation as captain, Afridi will be even keener to improve his dreadful World Cup record of 11 with the bat and 40 with the ball. The captaincy hasn’t dimmed the explosive batting of the man with three of the top six fastest centuries in ODI history. Whether he and Pakistan fly or flop, one thing is for sure - it won’t be boring.

Yusuf Pathan

The final piece in the jigsaw for India? After continually disappointing in an Indian shirt, Pathan has suddenly transformed himself into potentially the most devastating hitter in limited overs cricket. Recent hundreds against New Zealand and South Africa demonstrated what he could do – expect more of the same during the World Cup.

Graeme Swann

His absence from the England side in all but the first of the recent seven match series with Australia showed how vital he is to England’s hopes. The pitches down under may have been deliberately prepared to nullify Swann’s threat but that certainly won’t be the case on the sub-continent. Swann loves the big stage, and in pyjama cricket at least there is none bigger than this. England’s chances rest on how he performs.

Lasith Malinga

If Sri Lanka is to repeat its success of 1996, they will need Malinga to fire and stay fit. Expect plenty of timber to fly when he is around and the ball to swing, whether it is old or new. And just how do you play that yorker?

Dale Steyn

The best bowler in the world bar none. Steyn doesn’t worry about containment and will attack relentlessly, and as he showed in Nagpur last year he can be deadly on the sub-continent.

Ray Price

The romantic in us would opt for Murali in his last international tournament, but we really like Price. He may be a spinner, but he has the attitude, stares and choice words of a fearsome fast bowler. Think Merv Hughes without the tash. And he is a decent bowler too who could help his side to a surprise place in the last eight at the expense of the hapless Black Caps.

Where next?

Yusuf Pathan goes from zero to nine on the Richter Scale

10 reasons to love Graeme Swann

Graduates from the Sehwag School for Batting announced

Exclusive: The New Ten Point Pakistan Player Code of Conduct

An XI of cricketers that died young

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes featuring amongst others Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, David Gower, David Lloyd and Charles Colville 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

800 wickets for Murali - what a way to go

18 years, 133 tests, 67 five fors (next best Shane Warne with 37), ten wickets in a match 22 times (next best Warne with 10) and now a nice round 800 wickets (next best Warne with 708) to finish with. Those are impressive and probably never to be beaten numbers.

As we wrote a couple of weeks ago, Muttiah Muralitharan's skill as a bowler is matched by his decency as a human being. This was shown in the starkest terms by the way in which Murali tirelessly strove to help rebuild his shattered country after the devastating tsunami of 2004.

It is entirely fitting that Murali should bow out from tests at his favourite hunting ground of Galle and by taking the last Indian wicket available reach that magical figure of 800. No Bradman like anti-climax for this all-time great.

Some will make references to his action, but for us it is nice to see for a change someone who really deserves it getting something good in life. Well done Murali on a fantastic feat and a wonderful career.

A Gatecrasher at the retirement party in Galle

After 18 years of toil, hard work and astounding results you announce your retirement. The party is planned for a wonderful venue and setting. The invitations have been sent out and the turn-out looks like it will be big. Of course it is, because you are a popular guy and colleagues and punters alike are grateful for your loyal and long service. 

Indeed, you are so popular that a rival company that you have frequently crossed swords with (especially in the last couple of years) has agreed to come to the party. And with the party due to last for five days it looks like it will be a big one. The venue is actually your favourite one - a place that you have done some of your best work over the years. 

The weather threatens to spoil the party for a day, but hey that means there are still four days of hard partying to go - not too hard, mind you because it is a retirement party after all.

After spending the first couple of days viewing the festivities from the side, your first appearance centre stage is just a brief cameo after one of your colleagues, a chap named Malinga, generously gives up his unexpectedly successful exhibition of hitting.

Next up is a chance to show what you do best. And you can still roll back the years as you demonstrate by embarrassing the rival company's star performer and fellow long serving all-time great. This pleases you as the chap in question, some fellow called Tendulkar apparently, has got the better of you at times over the years.

But then disaster. A retirement party is the last place you'd expect to find a raucous gatecrasher. But sure enough one has arrived with a case full of fireworks and stink bombs. He threatens to upstage you at your own retirement party.

After sounding off at some of your colleagues, he has the temerity to have a go at you. At your retirement party. By the end of day three, you only have two more days to get the better of him and receive that long-serving award you are desperate to get before you leave for the last time.

But Virender Sehwag is no ordinary gatecrasher, so you may have your work cut out Murali reaching that magical 800. 

  

Can India overcome Murali, history & an over-reliance on Harbhajan?

India will have to overcome history, a severely weakened bowling line-up and the farewell of the great Muttiah Muralitharan when they face Sri Lanka in the first of three tests in Galle tomorrow.

On the historical front, the Indians have not won a Test series in Sri Lanka since Mohammad Azharuddin's team scored a 1-0 success in 1993. Furthermore, the Sri Lankans have won eight of their last nine series at home, with the only defeat coming in 2006, when Pakistan won a two-match series 1-0.

India's task has been made even more arduous through the loss of their one world class seam bowler Zaheer Khan. With Sreesanth also out through injury and Ishant Sharma struggling to reproduce the form he showed when he burst onto the test scene, India's pace bowling reserves looked stretched. Indeed, they are bad enough that the unimpressive Munaf Patel has been called up as a replacement, which should tell you everything.

 

This means that India will be heavily reliant on Harbhajan Singh to take 20 wickets in each test match. This is perhaps apt given that Murali generously suggested that Harbhajan was the only bowler playing today who he felt could challenge his record as test cricket's leading wicket taker. At least history is on India's side at Galle as in his last test at this venue, Harbhajan took six for 102 and four for 51 to set up an Indian victory. Captain MS Dhoni therefore will be desperately hoping that Harbhajan recovers from the fever that prevented him bowling in the nets today - Dhoni is probably administering the cold flannels and medicine himself.

 

If India's likely bowling line-up doesn't look like it justifies their position as the number one test side, their batting line-up more than makes up for it. The records of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid speak for themselves, Gautam Gambhir is formidable on the subcontinent, Dhoni himself can always be relied on for runs and even that great tub of lard Yuvraj Singh scored an excellent hundred in the warm-up match earlier this week.

 

With Sri Lanka's batting also looking formidable, Kumar Sangakkara will hope that his bowling line-up, which looks stronger and more varied on paper, will help his side prevail over the three games.

 

But the main focus of the Galle test will be whether Murali can take the eight wickets he needs in his final test to reach the magical figure of 800 - a figure that is unlikely ever to be surpassed. This neutral will be hoping that the great Sri Lankan spinner does it as his cricketing talent is matched by his qualities as a human being.

 

In terms of a series prediction, we go for Sri Lanka to win a series that will doubtlessly be dominated by batsmen 2-0.

Muttiah Muralitharan - a decent bloke and not a bad bowler either

132 test matches, 18 years as an international cricketer and a mind boggling 792 wickets. That is quite some epitaph for Muttiah Muralitharan as he bows out from test cricket following the 1st test in Galle against India, which starts on 18 July. 

Whatever the debate about his action (and we are not going to go into that here), Murali always handled himself with restraint and immense dignity, whilst keeping that familiar sunny smile on his face.

And that was the thing with Murali. He wasn't just a great bowler - his haul of test match wickets (could he even reach 800 in his last test?) will probably never be beaten, he is also an extremely decent bloke.

Here are five reasons, why we like Murali:

1. In addition to 'that' smile, Murali also had 'those' eyes. We wonder how many batsmen he got out with his maniacal stare?
2. His batting. Murali may have been one of the best exponents of spin bowling ever, but his batting was pretty hopeless. As such, he developed a 'stand and deliver' style that always kept the crowd entertained.
3. His decency. After the Tsunami of 2004, Murali worked tirelessly to help rebuild his shattered country after the disaster. As Dileep Premachandran infers in his Guardian online column this week, can you imagine certain elite athletes (I wonder if he means the England football team!) doing this?
4. His fielding. Like his batting, it was pretty hopeless and successive Sri Lankan captains did their best to hide him in the field. At times he made Monty Panesar look like Jonty Rhodes. We wonder though if it was all a ploy to keep bowling.
5. His bowling. Saving the best for last, this was a spinner who could have turned the ball on glass. At his peak, he was simply unplayable and like his fellow great Shane Warne, the theatre and the anticipation when he steadied himself at the start of his run-up were part of what makes test cricket the greatest game on the planet.

We could also add that he has chosen the right time to go (unlike his friend and fellow Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya). The writing has been on the wall now for a while and the way that he was dealt with by the Indian batsmen in the test series at the end of 2009 probably told Murali everything he needed to know. His bowling analyses in that series were 3/97, 0/124, 2/175 and 4/195 and he looked a shadow of his former self.

Murali has left the door open however for a fitting finale as he has made himself available for the World Cup next year. Could Sri Lanka repeat their success of 1996 when the World Cup was last held on the subcontinent?