Watch cricket highlights: India vs Sri Lanka – the Final of the Tri-Nation Series played on January 13, 2010.

Scoreline: India 245 all out Suresh Raina 106 (115), Sehwag 42 (27), Jadeja 38 (64) | Kulasekara 4, Welegedara 3
SL win in the 49th: Mahela 71 no (81), Sangakkara 55 (51), Dilshan 49 (54) | Spinners + Zaheer

For a while now, Raina has seen others walk past him in the batting order while he lay low – finally, a hark-back to the days when he forged super partnerships with Dravid and others.

For a team that predominantly banks on its batting, India did quite well to remain in the game until the penultimate over. That is, with the overriding assumption that Mahela would get injured/run-out by his partner somewhere during the final 12 deliveries. Not to be as the man who bats in the middle-order only because his team needs him to and pulls out boundaries almost at will, sensing such a possibility having watched Perrera the previous over, decided to finish things in 3 hits.

As the Indian cricket team lies scarred on the field of yet another triangular final, let’s not forget to put on the blindfolds, heroically raise that fist and with a final gasp whisper, “Eeeastt or wesstt….. Dhoni’s boys are the…….”

Watch cricket highlights: India vs Bangladesh, the 6th ODI (final match of the) Tri-Nation Series played on January 11, 2010.

Bangladesh 247/6 Shakib Al Hasan 85 (97), Mahmudullah 64 (80) | Yuvraj 10-33-1
India win in 43 Virat Kohli 102 (95), Gambhir 41 (46) | Naeem Islam 8-35-2

The impotent selection committee have had a few on the house, so we shall set them loose:
It’s a good thing that hierarchies exist in the Indian team. Someone like Virat Kohli needs that. It’s similar to when Yuvraj Singh first came into the team. There was Tendulkar (because he worshiped him) and Ganguly (because he knew how to encourage young talent and still draw the line) and so he mentally remained junior for a while. While all are allegedly born equal, some type of people (and players) early on need to be made to believe that some are indeed more equal than others. Things work out better for them this way.

The Kohli run has several fallouts – for one, it means that when India do field a full strength side in the future with Sachin-Sewhag at the top, Rohit Sharma-Dinesh-Yusuf-Uthappa (in that order) move further into the fringes. Which is not necessarily a bad thing when you’re thinking in terms of squad strength being enhanced. Secondly, Jadeja will become irrelevant with more onus on Yuvraj, Raina and Kohli himself to fill up overs. Also it would be nice if less of the Dhoni-boys (Tyagi/Jadeja) were picked and more of the match-winners (Ishanth, Praveen Kumar) in future squads.

As for Bangladesh, a disappointing tournament with no wins recorded. One thing that stands out keeping in mind their recent success is that when they get on a roll (both with the bat or in the field), they seem to rely on the opposition panicking. SL and India are far too experienced and better (on the average day) to do that. So when Bangladesh are faced with calmness/discipline just when the momentum’s going their way, they seem to hurtle into a mental brick-wall and appear listless/clueless. Most of the better teams win matches because they’re able to feed on any existing momentum going their way or because they have stand-out players who can pull out a spectacular performance. With the number of Bangladesh players who fall into the latter category a couple or so, unless they can find a way to keep the forces swinging their way, they’ll continue to drop out of tournaments and increase the yells for other countries to be given their opportunities.

Watch cricket highlights: India vs Sri Lanka the 5th ODI from the Tri-nation Series played in Bangladesh on Jan 10, 2010.

Scoreline: SL 213 all out Sangakkara 68, Randiv 56, Dilshan 33
India win in the 33rd over: Virat Kohli 71 no, Gautham Gambhir 71, Dinesh Karthik 48 | India vs SL in the finals

Watch cricket highlights: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, the 4th ODI from the Tri-Nation Series played on January 8, 2010

Scoreline: Bangladesh 249/9 Mushfiqur 32, Shakib 47, Imrul 42, Raqibul 43 | Perera 10-32-2
SL win in the 43rd over Upul Thranga 118 no, Jayawardene 108

So easy, I took a stroll – something I never thought I’d do while Mahela’s batting.

Watch cricket highlights: India vs Bangladesh, the 3rd ODI from the 2010 Tri-Nation Series played at Mirpur on January 7, 2010

Scoreline: Ban 296/6 Tamim Iqbal 60 (42), Mahmudullah 60 (45), Imrul Kayes 70 (100)
India win in 48: MS Dhoni 101 (107), Virat Kohli 91 (102), Raina 51 (43)

Like has happened for years now, the Indian batsmen bail the team out after an ordinary performance in the other 2 aspects. Dhoni is probably the best going in pushing the singles with an I-won’t-get-out halo round his head punctuated by big hits when needed (at least most of the time). There was a stat that came up during the game which put his average at a ridiculous 100+ in games India win chasing. In Virat Kohli, there now seems to be a Raina clone, role-wise and game-wise. So all in all, three exciting players who have changed/are changing to win and finish games – The only question that needs to be asked is: what does the average sports fan prefer – entertainment or a clinical efficient win. A silly thought actually, cos when a team loses after your favourite players have done well, it depresses you. But anyway.

One can see with Imrul at the top what Bangladesh are trying – to change the style of play as compared to Junaid Siddique opening alongside Tamim. With Mahmudullah, Shakib and others around able to clout the ball, there seems to be a slow change creeping into Ashraful’s game. Not to compare the two, but it’s similar to what has happened with Tendulkar over the last 4-5 years. Things seem calmer and more assured. He did get out in typical style today though (complete with the frustrated look and all), but then change is a slow process.

Watch cricket highlights: South Africa vs England Day 3 from the 3rd Test at Cape Town played on January 5, 2010.

Eng (1st Inn) 273 all out | Morne Morkel 5, Steyn 4
SA (2nd Inn) 312/2 Graeme Smith 162 no, Hashim Amla 95

Damn, should have caught that partnership live.

Watch cricket highlights: Sri Lanka vs India from the Tri-Nation Series played on January 5, 2010.

Scoreline: India 279/9 Yuvraj 74 (84) Sehwag 47 (31) Jadeja 39 (34) | Welegedara 5, Perera, Thushara 2 each
SL win in 48: Samaraweera 105 (106), Sangakkara 60 (80), Perera 36 (15)

____________

The impotent selection committee understands that there have been injuries but still disapproves of the russian roulette being played with the SL middle order and decrees the following:

1. Jayasuriya needs to be given time to adjust to his middle order role before being discarded

2. Whenever Angelo Mathews comes back from injury Perera must retain his allrounder-hitter spot cos Mathews anyway bats nowadays like he has 5 years of international experience behind him

3. Having shaken its head disapprovingly at Kandamby the first time it set sight on him, it orders him to be locked away in an ice cream shop with the key hidden at the bottom of a giant cone.

Watch cricket highlights: Pakistan vs Australia Day 3 of the 2nd Test from the SCG played on January 5, 2010.

Scoreline: Pak (1st Inn) 333 all out | Australia 2nd Inn 286/8 (lead by 80) Shane Watson 97 Mike Hussey 73 no – Kaneria 4, Gul 3.

One of the amazing things in recent times with the Pakistan team is that when they get on a roll, even when they mess up big time on the field, the opposition seems unable to take advantage of it. It happened in NZ too. The varied nature of their attack also was on display today – the heroes of Day 1 took a rest as the allegedly loose ones stepped out. Aus would still however believe it’s not yet over – the attacking Pakistani batsmen makes it so – Climax time looms tomorrow. How titillating would it be if 30 or 40 were needed and Umar Akmal walks out to the middle.

Watch cricket highlights: England vs South Africa 3rd Test Day 2 from Cape Town played on January 4, 2010.

Scoreline: SA (1st Inn) 291 all out | James Anderson 5
England (1st Inn) 241/7 Bell 48, Cook 65, Prior 52 | Dale Steyn 3, Morne Morkel 3

Anderson and Onions ripped through the SA lower order, Morkel got 3, but for some odd reason, this game’s memory will for me be about the bowler with the most aesthetically pleasing run-up and delivery action.

Watch cricket highlights: Australia vs Pakistan 2nd Test, Day 2 at the SCG played on January 4, 2010.

Scoreline: Pakistan 331/9 Salman Butt 71, Imran Farhat 53, Umar Akmal 49 (48), Yousuf 46 (56) | Bollinger 3, Watson and Johnson 2 each

This test has been moving at such a frenetic pace, wonder if there’s a possibility of things slowing down a bit tomorrow. Seems unlikely though – both sides will want to keep the pace going cos it improves either side’s chances given the game’s current state.