After a short break from India’s tour to Australia, I was looking forward to see some good test cricket action from the current set of series – ie. West Indies v/s Sri Lanka, England v/s New Zealand and India v/s South Africa. Unfortunately except for some good cricketing moments in New Zealand, the other series seem to be already disappointing.
Sri Lanka has just completed their first test victory in the West Indies. I should say that despite a lackluster West Indies batting (I wonder why Sarwan should be there in the team at all) and incomplete bowling attack, a win is a win. I particularly liked Srilanka’s upcoming batting heroes and veteran bowlers Vaas and Murali. But the pancake pitch again did not help the cause of test cricket.
After an exciting One day series display by NZ, England regrouped well and won the test series in New Zealand. Ryan Sidebottom and Tim Ambrose, the debutant, were exciting to watch. A test series that is ending up with good result-oriented matches is always a pleasure to watch and that way I liked this entire series. The highlight of the series also was Stephen Fleming’s last appearance for New Zealand. I will write him a little later, but definitely New Zealand’s test cricket will struggle without him as well as Shane Bond who retired to join the Indian Cricket League.
The test series between India and South Africa has started on a pathetic note in Chennai. Though the pitch build quality as well as the ground is good it’s still a flat batting track which will definitely help the flat-pitch-bullies on either side while RP Singh and Sreesanth will break their backs. Time and again, it’s frustrating not to see any action from BCCI in this regard. They seem to be fully concentrating on 20-20 premier league now.
The premier league is affecting the players’ approach to the game as well. Most of them look like preserving time and energy for the money making part of the game rather than being good to cricket. Though I am looking forward to see the 20-20 action as well, it’s almost sure that India’s (BCCI’s) approach to the business of cricket will soon land them in trouble.
God save test cricket!