Greatest ODI Team of All-time

ICC has started a competition to select the greatest ODI players and teams of all-time, to mark the 40th anniversary of One-Day International (ODI) cricket.

Unfortunately, they have already given different categories in which readers have to select the players (My choices are also mentioned below with my rationale):

two openers - Matthew Hayden (A destructive top order player with an average of 43.80, he has been responsible for the starts Australia have received in ODIs), Sachin Tendulkar (Legend of the game)

three middle order players - Michael Bevan (The third highest batting average of all time, 53.58 in 232 matches, and arguably the greatest 'finisher' the game has ever seen. In this line-up, he can afford to play the big shots as well as shore the batting if there is a collapse), Aravinda de Silva (9,248 ODI runs helped Sri Lanka win the World Cup - a devastating player on his day on all grounds), Viv Richards (The most exciting batsman of all time - the one that inspired many a player to take up the sport. Will be the captain of this team as well)

an all-rounder - Ian Botham (One of the best all-rounders in the World whose batting in test matches resembled the ODI variety. Could swing the ball both ways)

a wicket-keeper - Adam Gilchrist (A strike-rate of 96.94, and a winner of three consecutive World Cup medals - In this line-up can open the batting or come lower down the order)

three fast bowlers - Wasim Akram (One of two players to have taken more than 500 ODI wickets - what a bowler he was!!), Allan Donald(Selected him for the sheer speed and dominant force he was in international cricket), Glenn McGrath (Another great who could bowl all day on line and length. Can restrict the scoring if the opponents have put up a good score)

a spinner - Shane Warne (The best spinner of all-time. Selected for his ability to take wickets)

It would have been good to have asked readers to select 2 teams so that the viewers could have identified more players from the pool selected. I have selected players from as many countries as possible so that a good representation can be made.

To play this champion team, I propose this team that is also in the list provided by ICC:
Sourav Ganguly, Gordon Greenidge, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting(c), Jacques Kallis, MS Dhoni, Michael Holding, Waqar Younis, Dennis Lillee, Saqlain Mushtaq.

IPL3 starts in less than 24 hours

Image via Wikipedia

The IPL is scheduled to start in less than 24 hours now and there is excitement in the Twitterverse - everyone is looking forward to the next 45 days. One's evenings are going to be busy and housewives will have problems getting the attention of their husbands to do anything!!!

Matthew Hayden is planning to use the Mongoose bat in the IPL - would be interesting to see the bat and how runs will flow from the already broad blade of Haydos.

 Darren Lehmann must be hoping to do it third time - he has been part of the winning teams in the first 2 editions.

Adam Gilchrist feels that his team does not have the pressure on them - maybe because they are not playing in their home-town. The DC skipper has advocated for a IPL window to be scheduled by ICC.

Hope the tournament does not see any problems with security, which was a big worry for many international stars.The opening ceremony will definitely be a huge spectacle, considering the nature of Lalit Modi. Let the games begin!!!

This edition will be one where many players will try to prove their point - there will be a re-auction next year and hence, the players will be eager. The favorites for this IPL - Kolkata Knight Raiders

PS - Grounds of IPL3 can be found here.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The casualties of IPL (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)
• Cricket Australia concerned over potential threat to IPL players (guardian.co.uk)
• IPL must stay in India to prove we don't dance to terror's tune | Dileep Premachandran (guardian.co.uk)
• Watch IPL 3 Opening Ceremony On YouTube-Online IPL Cricket (geniusgeeks.com)
• IPL - feedback (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)
• Play IPL T20 On iPhone Mobile-Official IPL T20 Cricket Game Released On iPhone (geniusgeeks.com)

The casualties of IPL

Image via Wikipedia

Today, the main news-item of the day was about Mutthiah Muralithara - he plans to bid adieu to test matches after the West Indies tour.

Few days back, it was Brett Lee.

Andrew Flintoff fears that he may not play again.

Earlier, Matthew Hayden spent a season in IPL and jeopardized his chances to play for his country - finally, tendering his resignation.

The common thread between all of them - IPL. Is Mr. Lalit Modi bothered? Not at all.

Only when an Indian player follows the players above, the BCCI will wake up. Till then, the Modi-dom will rule and he is allowed to talk about 'test cricket'...

Related articles by Zemanta

• Aussie Lee set to quit Test scene (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Andrew Flintoff planning on life after cricket after injury knockback (telegraph.co.uk)
• Test game must embrace day-night format or die, says IPL chairman (guardian.co.uk)