Source: iplt20.com
23 Mar 2010
DLF IPL 2010 has well and truly taken off. In just over 11 days, we have had everything that can be hoped for from the world's fastest growing league. As if the excitement wasn’t enough, it’s time to welcome on board a new range of stars that’s expected to dazzle in this already glittering carnival of cricket.
Joining the party first up was Chris Gayle on a blockbuster Monday night clash in Mumbai. Turning out for his beloved Kolkata Knight Riders, Gayle hit form straightaway with a measured 75 against Mumbai Indians.
His knock may not have been enough to turn the tide for Kolkata Knight Riders, but Gayle showed the kind of impact he could have on the rest of the tournament. Gayle's return is only good news for the Kolkata Knight Riders. They further await the arrival of Brendon McCullum and David Hussey.
McCullum has just slammed a Test hundred and is in top form in all formats of the game. His arrival will brings the much-needed X-factor to the Knight Riders. McCullum led the side last season and felt that the extra responsibility affected him. "I think the messages that I was preaching I actually wasn`t following myself in terms of that aggressive style of cricket. In hindsight, I think I let the captaincy affect my batting, but fortunately, towards the end of the competition I produced some performances that helped the team win as well," McCullum was quoted as saying.
Gayle and McCullum at the top of the order could spell doom for most bowling attacks. "It’s going to be awesome. We did it in South Africa but we played on some fresher wickets and obviously our games are helped by flat decks, so hopefully we get some flat ones in India. If all goes well we’ll open together and get a few away," added McCullum.
Up north, there was some more good news awaiting fans as the swiftest bowler in the world, Brett Lee, was back again in India. He linked up with his Kings XI Punjab teammates in Mohali. He is fit again and just raring to go.
“[Brett] Lee went to Sydney to get an injection on his injured elbow. He is fit and raring to go. He has obtained necessary clearance from Cricket Australia, but a final call on his playing on Wednesday will be taken on the eve of the match,’’ Col Arvinder Singh, senior vice-president (Cricket Operations), KXIP was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Also joining the Kings XI Punjab squad was the Orange Cap holder of IPL 2008, Shaun Marsh. The entry of the left-hander from Western Australia means the Kings XI Punjab will have a more prolific profile at the top.
Kings XI Punjab coach Tom Moody was cautious about building up pressure on Marsh straightaway. ``He is ready to go, fit. But again he, like all the other players that currently aren't in the XI, will have to find their way back into the side. It’s not going to be a walk back into the side. Shaun's form two years ago was awesome. But that was two years ago and we hope when he gets his opportunity, whether it’s Wednesday or whenever it may be that he recaptures that form [he performs],'' said Moody.
Two very resourceful cricketers, Paul Collingwood and Daniel Vettori, are set to rejoin Delhi Daredevils. In their own way, the duo will look to lift the morale of the side.
But the team that looks to benefit most from the arrivals is Royal Challengers Bangalore. Arriving in a couple of days is the switch-hit man Kevin Pietersen. He travels straight from Chittagong to Bengaluru after finishing a Test match.
Then a few days later, Cameron White joins RCB, adding another dimension to the line-up. And to round it all off, in the first week of April, Royal Challengers will welcome another dynamic player, Ross Taylor.
So get ready to take off yet and fasten your seat belts – it’s showtime all over again!
Showing posts with label Kevin Pietersen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kevin Pietersen. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Switch it on!
Taken from: iplt20.com
Yo mic check,mic check,yeah here you go,
Nah, hit me over here
Yeah,I heard he got that hot new thing
It's called "Switch"
Let's get it going.
Hey, Hey, turn it over and hit it,
Turn around now, switch
Turn it over and hit it.
What are the lyrics of ‘Switch’ a chartbuster by Will Smith doing on a cricket website? Well, ’switch’ hit is the latest innovation to hit the game and there are talks, debates and discussions going all around about it. In baseball, a switch-hitter bats right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers.
In cricket – it is used when a batsman changes his stance even as a bowler comes in to bowl. The term first came to be used to describe an innovative shot employed by Kevin Pietersen against New Zealand in June 2008. He switch hit Scott Styris for two massive sixes over cover and the long on region. Some purists believe it gives the batsman an unfair advantage as the fields are set for a right handed batsman and when he switches, they all go haywire. While on the other hand, batsmen argue that bowlers too make the change when it comes to bowling slower balls or a googly or a doosra.
The argument has continued as the MCC, cricket’s law governing body, has not made the shot illegal this far. David Warner, who plays for the Delhi Daredevils, is another exponent of the switch hit and recently, when he tried to switch his stance, the on-field umpire Oxenford and Rod Tucker refused to allow him to do so. Umpire Oxenford said, ‘You can't do it because they have to chop and change the field all the time.'Warner says he bats right handed for the last five minutes in the nets and if he could execute his switch hits, he would be able to nullify a bowler bowling the ball that goes away from him and play any ball with the spin rather than against it.
How would it affect cricket? Can you imagine it? Ganguly batting right handed and Sachin batting left handed. It would be like look at oneself holding a bat in the mirror! The world of cricket would be taken by storm, all the lazy elegance that we associate with left-handers will take a beating, and the right-handers will start maneuvering the bowlers as they like! Wow! It does seem like a very interesting innovation but for now we can only hope and wish these players try it out in the IPL and give us a taste of their talent and skill.
Yo mic check,mic check,yeah here you go,
Nah, hit me over here
Yeah,I heard he got that hot new thing
It's called "Switch"
Let's get it going.
Hey, Hey, turn it over and hit it,
Turn around now, switch
Turn it over and hit it.
What are the lyrics of ‘Switch’ a chartbuster by Will Smith doing on a cricket website? Well, ’switch’ hit is the latest innovation to hit the game and there are talks, debates and discussions going all around about it. In baseball, a switch-hitter bats right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers.
In cricket – it is used when a batsman changes his stance even as a bowler comes in to bowl. The term first came to be used to describe an innovative shot employed by Kevin Pietersen against New Zealand in June 2008. He switch hit Scott Styris for two massive sixes over cover and the long on region. Some purists believe it gives the batsman an unfair advantage as the fields are set for a right handed batsman and when he switches, they all go haywire. While on the other hand, batsmen argue that bowlers too make the change when it comes to bowling slower balls or a googly or a doosra.
The argument has continued as the MCC, cricket’s law governing body, has not made the shot illegal this far. David Warner, who plays for the Delhi Daredevils, is another exponent of the switch hit and recently, when he tried to switch his stance, the on-field umpire Oxenford and Rod Tucker refused to allow him to do so. Umpire Oxenford said, ‘You can't do it because they have to chop and change the field all the time.'Warner says he bats right handed for the last five minutes in the nets and if he could execute his switch hits, he would be able to nullify a bowler bowling the ball that goes away from him and play any ball with the spin rather than against it.
How would it affect cricket? Can you imagine it? Ganguly batting right handed and Sachin batting left handed. It would be like look at oneself holding a bat in the mirror! The world of cricket would be taken by storm, all the lazy elegance that we associate with left-handers will take a beating, and the right-handers will start maneuvering the bowlers as they like! Wow! It does seem like a very interesting innovation but for now we can only hope and wish these players try it out in the IPL and give us a taste of their talent and skill.
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