Imran Khan the cricket Legend

Cricket bowling legend Imran Khan

Inspirational leader, mentor, genuine all-rounder and talented cricketer describe a true Pakistan legend. Imran Khan was certainly one of the greatest Pakistan cricketers ever and one of the best all-rounders in the game of cricket. Such a legend was Imran Khan that he defined the term world-class all-rounder. That he was an inspirational captain who transformed Pakistan into a formidable Test team and World Cup Champions in 1992 augmented his value.

Born in Lahore, Pakistan on November 25th, 1952, Khan made his First class debut as a teenager in the 1969/1970 domestic season. His immense talent was immediately apparent, precipitating his selection to the Pakistan Test team in 1971- at the tender age of 19. Khan- an exponent of fast swing bowling and an accomplished batsman- became a fixture on the Pakistan team in a career that spanned two decades. In a Pakistan team that placed emphasis on youth, Khan's durability was a mark of his class.

Khan was the first true star of Pakistan cricket. He possessed qualities that made him a very marketable cricketer and raised the profile of the game in Pakistan. Many young Pakistanis looked up to Imran Khan as a role model- leading to more interest in fast bowling on a spin-dominated sub-continent. Khan was a pioneer for fast bowling in Pakistan- inspiring other pace bowlers like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.

Khan's statistics at the highest level indicated that he was not merely an exceptional all-rounder. As a batsman, he was well above average. However, he was also a genuine strike bowler with figures that are the envy of specialist bowlers. From 88 Tests, Khan garnered 3,807 runs at a fine average of 37.69. He scored six Test hundreds- more than some specialist batsmen do in their careers. If Imran's betting was good, his bowling was great. Khan plucked an amazing 362 Test scalps at a metronomic average of 22.81. His strike rate of 53.7 was the hallmark of a genuine front-line bowler.

In ODIs, Khan's figures were equally remarkable. From 175 matches, Khan took 182 wickets and was parsimonious with an economy rate of 3.89. His ODI batting average of 33.41 with a strike rate of 72 demonstrated his pivotal role in Pakistan's lower middle order.

Imran Khan spent a considerable amount of time on the English county circuit- more than he spent in Pakistan's domestic leagues. He played for teams like Worcestershire and Sussex of England and had a couple of seasons with Australian side New South Wales in the early 80s. Khan's First class career- spanning 22 years- was illustrious. He played 382 First class matches from 1970 to 1992, scored more than 17,000 runs and took 1287 wickets.

Khan's career ended in glory- the type of end that befitted a legend. He was captain on the side that defeated England by 22 runs to capture Pakistan's first World Cup title. Since his retirement from competitive cricket, he became a cricket administrator and politician. No scriptwriter could have scripted Imran Khan's story any better. He left as a legend and with the title of world champion. Indeed, Imran Khan was a champion in his own right- one of cricket's finest.

Darrell Victor is a freelance writer and cricket enthusiast from the West Indies. For articles on West Indies cricket, read: Reasons for the decline of West Indies cricket: http://www.helium.com/items/1264594-west-indies-cricket. A West Indian Perspective on Test cricket: http://www.helium.com/items/1258936-test-cricket

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darrell_Victor

How to bowl the perfect delivery in Cricket

How to Bowl the Perfect Cricket Wicket Taking Delivery

So you want to improve your bowling? Worry not as there are a few techniques and measures you can take to improve your bowling figures.

Firstly, before you start to engage in any bowling, it is always a good idea to ensure you warm up. These are your general muscle warm ups to make sure that you do not pull or tear anything.

Once you have warmed up its now time to ensure that you have a proper run up. You can do this by going to the crease and imitating your run up in reverse. This will enable you to make sure you have the correct number of steps and may even help you eliminate bowling the dreaded no ball. This is quite common and you will often see many bowlers doing this. For those of you that don't know, this is why they grab a bit of sand and place it on the ground as this is their marker.

So, now we get on to the run up. The run up is crucial which helps to deliver speed and power to your wicket taking delivery. Initially start with small steps and then start to take bigger strides until you are in full motion. The run up should be quite comfortable and this is where marking your steps will help. Your head should be straight, still and focussed on where you want to bowl.

As you approach the crease, you need to think about where you will be bowling, where your fielders are placed and also trying to get as close to the crease as possible without giving away any extras. As you bowl your wicket taking delivery ensure that you completely follow through to get maximum power and to avoid injury.

All the above are crucial in helping you bowl the perfect wicket taking delivery. There is one main point left which is the ACTUAL place where you should bowl. In cricket, if you want to make it as a top flight bowler, then line and length are probably the most crucial elements that one needs to master. Bowlers such as Australia's Glen McGrath is world renowned for consistency bowling line and length each and every time. Even through times of injury, he always came back to be ranked in the top.

So what is line and length? The line is the route of the ball in accordance with the batsmens stumps. The length is where the ball bounces and pitches. As batsmen do not need to hit every ball, the bowler needs to invite the batsmen to hit the ball which will in effect increase their chances of taking a wicket. Cricketing legend Geoffrey Boycott calls this area the 'corridor of uncertainty' as the ideal place to bowl. The key is to create doubt in a batsmen's mind whether to play on the front or back foot and whether to play the shot at all. Ideally, this should be based around the 'off stump' region, not too wide and not too tight.

So in summary, a good posture and run up are important but the main ingredient of a top class wicket taking delivery is line and length. Keep practising and working on this and you can't go wrong.

Z Fazal has been writing articles for many years. His website Cheap Hotels Benidorm can be found at http://cheaphotelsbenidorm.com/ which helps people looking for accommodation in this popular Spanish town.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zaheer_Fazal

Cricket IPL match one day old RR vs DC

Top reasons why the Cricketing IPL league is glamour and much more

T20 has given a new meaning to cricket. Cricket started with test matches and went till one day and now, its brand new format is twenty20. With the victory in Twenty20 World Cup Cricket Tournament in South Africa, this format has become India's beloved game. After seeing so much praise, BCCI has tried and given it a new dimension in India with IPL T20.

Indian premiere league proved itself last year. In order to start this idea BBCI has taken the support from cricket boards of various countries, so that they allow their players to play in the IPL Cricket League. They are being paid heavy sums for doing so.

Auctions of the players and the state teams have attracted many big business houses, bollywood stars and millionaires from all around the world. These big names that are paying certainly do make a difference in the game.

In India, people consider cricket as a religion than just a sport. This passion for the game has written the success story of this format and league. This league has not given only cricket but lots of entertainment also through Bollywood stars, cheerleaders, music, etc.

In this league there are eight teams representing various regions of India and these teams are combined with international cricket stars and domestic players. They play matches in the twenty20 format against each other. Every team will be playing two matches against another team and the four highest winners will be playing two semifinals. The semifinal winners will then play the finale of the game. This gives the lot of action to the cricket lovers all around the world.

IPL T20 is a league which gives a chance to the domestic players to improve their game and learn from their seniors. In this, every team has to play only 20overs. This is shortest form of cricket which has given tallest of height to cricket.

Sonal Arya has completed her Ph.d in Archeology. She is an author and offering advice for quite some time. She provides useful advice through her articles that have been found very useful. Please visit here to information on IPL T20 [http://www.indiancricketleagues.co.in], Indian cricket league, live score [http://www.indiancricketleagues.co.in/icl_live_score.php] and ICL cricket league.

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The best cricket in Barbados

Top Cricket in Barbados

Cricket in Barbados usually takes place in the Kensington Oval stadium in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados. The national sport of Barbados is cricket and is a favourite sport in the Caribbean in general as the fans of The West Indies team flock to the world-class matches at the Kensington Oval. Barbados cricket is also hosts matches with some of the worlds top players such as batmen Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gaylle. Some of the best & fastest bowlers that play are Pedro Collins and Tino Best. Many guests that stay at Crossbow Villa love to have a day out at the cricket!

Cricket in Barbados has become that important that it is often regarded as being one of the international cricket capitals and even largely contributes to the West Indies team with famous Barbadian players such as Wes Hall, Sir Garfield Sobers, the late Keith Boyce, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and David Allen. Some of the more famous current players are Corey Collymore and Ian Bradshaw.

You can visit the Kensington Oval to see a good game of Barbados cricket at almost any time. It's only a short drive away from Crossbow Villa too! There are all sorts of different Barbados Cricket matches taking place including the international Test Match, One-Day games, first division matches or beach friendly games as well as fun cricket games on the village green or local open pasture field. Whatever you choose to do and wherever you go on a day out from Crossbow Villa, you'll find Barbados Cricket matches a joyous occasion!

Crossbow Villa Barbados is located in St James, Westmoreland, a lovely area with beautiful sea views located just five minutes from the famous Barbadian West Coast.Crossbow Villa has eight bathrooms and six bedrooms, a formal 12 seater coral carved stone dining room and has just undergone a complete refurbishment.If you are looking to rent out any villas in Barbados or find out further information about holidaying in Barbados, please visit our website at http://www.luxuryvillasbarbados.com for detailed reviews, news and photos.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_R_Freeman

Sachin Tendulkar in the Mumbai Indians Team

IPL 3 Twenty20 Cricket Fever - Are You Ready?

If you are an ardent fan of the modernized cricket and you enjoyed the glamor and excitement that came along with the Indian Premier League - Then you have a reason to cheer about. The much awaited IPL is back to make the country go crazy in 2010.

There are 97 players who have registered for the IPL 2010 auction. The list of players includes a maximum of 26 players from Pakistan, 17 from Sri Lanka, 12 from South Africa, 9 from New Zealand, 9 from Australia, 8 from West Indies, 8 from England, 2 from Bangladesh, 2 from Zimbabwe, 2 from Canada, 1 Ireland and 1 from the Netherlands. The players will be listed in the January 19th auction if the franchises express interest in them. Last year in 2009, out of 100 that registered 50 were in auction.

Several individuals and companies have shown a growing interest in owning IPL teams, such as actors Ajay Devgan, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, and the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

Bidders will be offered a choice of 8 to 10 cities that can be made their home team venues and they will be allowed to bid for any number of cities. The highest two bids will be chosen and companies will use the name of that city as their home base and sport their team brand.

The final schedule of IPL 2010 which is to be played in India rather than an international location has been announced. The first match will be held between the defending champions Deccan Chargers and the Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL 2010 will begin on 12th March and the final match will be on 25th April, 2010. A few new venues - Vishakapatnam, Ahmedabad and Dharamsala have been added apart from the existing 8 home venues of each of the teams. This time no new teams will be added but new players including the former ICL players will be available for auction for IPL 3.

Initially, the craze started when top Industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Celebrities like Shah Rukh khan participated in the auction and successfully won the bids for owning franchises in the Indian Premier League. The highest amount in this auction was for the Mumbai team. This team was successfully bid for an astonishing amount of $111.9 million or Rs. 503.5 Crores by Reliance Industries' Chairman Mukesh Ambani. The next highest was for the Bangalore team which was successfully bid for $111.6 million or Rs. 502.2 Crores by the liquor king Vijay Malaya.

This huge amount of money was never seen in the history of cricket. The prize money announced was three times the prize money of a cricket world cup. This is the main reason why the cricketers from all around the world are trying to make their place in the Indian Premier League. IPL has managed to squash everything in its way & create history in the world of cricket.

Cricket is considered to be more like a religion in India than just a sport. And the God of cricket is here. So it's going to be yet another season full of enthusiasm, excitement, glamor, & fun. The pre- IPL craze says it all. It is going to be a success story all over again. So gear yourself up and get ready for IPL 2010. You surely wouldn't want to miss it, would you?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rama_Swamy

Some more great cricket test match highlights

Cricket Test match England vs Bangadesh test number 2

England 496 and 209 for 1 (Cook 109*, Pietersen 74*)
beat Bangladesh 419 and 285 (Shakib 96, Tamin 52, Tredwell 4-82) by nine wickets

What was at times a fluctuating contest turned into a comfortable victory for England as Alastair Cook finished his first tour in charge with a controlled, unbeaten 109 and Kevin Pietersen continued his return to form with a 74 to complete a nine-wicket victory and a clean sweep. England remain the only team to have an unbeaten record against Bangladesh, but have been made to work hard for their success by a home side that showed signs of development but still frustrated with fundamental mistakes.

It was particularly satisfying for Cook to guide his side home with his 12th Test hundred, having copped plenty of criticism for some naive captaincy through the tour. It was, as ever, more efficient than spectacular, as he picked off the generous offerings from a tiring Bangladesh attack. His toe-ended cut to bring up three figures and slog-sweep through midwicket to seal the result were both fitting as he proved captaincy would not affect his dogged batting.

Before a ball had been bowled on this tour Cook was left out of England's preliminary Twenty20 squad, but in every match since he's shown how his game has developed. Adding a touch of adventure to his steely temperament he ended as the leading scorer in the series after making a career-best 173 in the first Test and demonstrated an authority that had been missing during his struggle form form last year.

Needing 209 at almost four an over after Shakib Al Hasan's fighting 96 kept England in the field until after lunch, Bangladesh had a chance to squeeze the visitors, but they couldn't muster the resolve. Shakib looked exhausted, having made 141 runs and bowled 66 overs in the game. He wondered around the field with his arms folded and, rather than open with himself, allowed Shafiul Islam and Abdul Razzak to gift England an easy start.

The openers had strolled to 40 before there was any trouble - albeit through another dubious umpiring decision. Jonathan Trott was given run out by the third umpire when the only replay available showed the stumps broken only after Trott had made the crease. It only added to the catalogue of poor decisions in this game, but unlike the previous ones had no bearing on the match.

If anything it only hastened Bangladesh's demise as Pietersen demonstrated the flair that separates him from the rest of his England team-mates. Using his feet to drive the spinners beautifully and unfurling the occasional switch hit, he appeared to recover the swagger that made him such a force before his Achilles injury. He will face sterner examinations soon, but can head off to the IPL in good spirits.

For moments on the final day, like periods throughout the series, Bangladesh offered stubborn resistance, only to crumple when more something substantial could have been built. On his 23rd birthday, Shakib bristled with intent as he tried to carry his side to a position of safety. Needing to both extend the lead and take time out of the game he shunned the cautiousness his opposition favour and took the game to England.

Almost from the off he made his intentions clear, chipping down the crease to the quick bowlers and scything cuts and drives through the off side regularly. At the other end Shafiul Islam blended defence with purpose as the pair added 60 in 14 overs. England looked ragged but rather than stick with their captain, Shakib's team-mates were unable to resist the flighted temptation of James Tredwell with Shafiul and Naeem Islam both gifting their wickets at crucial moments.

It meant the momentum Shakib created was wasted and he was marooned with the last-man Rubel Hossain when still 14 short of a deserved hundred. Again Shakib backed aggression to get him through, taking 10 from the first five balls of Tredwell's opening over after lunch. But, just one shot away and with a field set tantalising tight in on the single, Shakib couldn't resist running down the wicket and having an enormous swipe. He missed and despite a forlorn dive was stumped to end hopes of a hundred and Bangladesh's chances of forcing a draw. It was a deflating end that killed off both Shakib and his team's heart for the fight

How to bat like Viv Richards - if you dare to dream

One of the best Batsman in the World of Cricket

You knew when he was coming. The outgoing batsman would already have disappeared into the pavilion, and the expectation of what was to follow filled the air. Viv kept you waiting ... time to ponder.

Then he appeared, sauntering, swaggering, arms windmilling slowly. He would take guard, and then, head tilted back slightly and cudding his gum, he would walk a few paces down the pitch to tap it while looking the bowler in the eye. It was calculated menace and magnificent theatre from arguably the most devastating batsman of all time. How to bowl to him? Get him to the other end, perhaps. Hold your nerve, do not take what might follow as personal. Occasionally he was vulnerable early on if his desire to dominate overwhelmed him. But he had no weakness until his eyesight infinitesimally, but inevitably, started to let him down and those eye-shots became harder. His strengths were on the front foot.


So far forward could he get that he was able to plant that left foot outside the line of off stump, at once eliminating lbw and creating his own leg-stump line from where he would flick bowlers relentlessly through midwicket. Or he might send a similar ball skimming through extra cover. Straighten the ball down the line of the stumps and the bowler stood a chance, but he rarely missed and they ran a terrible risk. His power was awesome, he hooked devastatingly and never wore a helmet, rocking back from his front-foot base to take the ball from his eyeline in front of square. Occasionally, for no apparent reason, he would block an over in immaculate fashion, seemingly in defensive position before the ball had left the bowler's hand. Then, refreshed, off he would go again.

See the best swing bowlers in cricket

How to perform swing bowling in Cricket

Joys of Swing Bowling:

In Swing bowling the ball deviates as the ball moves in the air either towards (in swinger) or away (out swinger) from the batsman. Key factor that invokes the swing is the release of the ball in mid air to take a parabolic action rather than dig it in short. Holding the seam position upright is essential to generate swing. Further effort should be to bowl from as close to the stumps with a high arm action and head steady and level. Richard Hadlee's action was found to be closest to perfect bowling action. Anyone taking up swing bowling seriously would do a lot good to review his action in great detail. Do not trade speed for good length at early age as without speed it is not possible to generate decent enough swing and almost no reverse. Further the acceleration in the run up should be gradual. Windy conditions aids swing bowlers. If the wind is blowing east to west it is better to get the best out swing bowler with his out-swing following the wind direction and making it more difficult for the batsmen to negotiate. Deviation in swing bowling is induced by the bowlers whereas in seam bowling the deviation is random and not induced by the bowler.

Outswing Bowling: Seam position is held near the traditional slip with the shiny side inside (right) and rough side outside (left). Aerodynamics bring to action laminar air flow on the shiny side and turbulent air flow on the rough side as the turbulent air flow is later than the laminar flow the ball moves in the direction of the turbulent or rough side making the ball move away for the right hander.

Bowlers use this delivery to generate false shots - Edge to the wicket keeper or slip region early in the innings by pitching the delivery on or around the off stump and generating enough swing, inducing errors in the batsman's mind - The region around the off stump is also termed as corridor of uncertainty by many players. Key Exponent: Past: Andy Roberts, Kapil Dev, Dennis Lillee, Richard Hadlee, Glenn Mcgrath, Botham, Curtly Ambrose, Allan Donald. Present: Shaun Pollock, BretLee, James Anderson, Jacques Kallis.

In-Swing Bowling: Seam position is held near the leg slip region with the shiny side out (left) and the rough side inside (right). The flow in this case is turbulent on the right side and movement towards the right hander after pitching. An in swinger becomes potent when it is bowled as an in swinging Yorker.

Bowlers use this delivery to great advantage against left handers as the ball would move away for a left hander and induce edges.

Also when there is variable bounce, bowling an in swinger to a right hander would get wickets when the ball keeps low and the batsmen in unable to get his bat in time and gets bowled or trapped in front. Otherwise with normal bounce it is far easier to play an in swinger for a new batsman than an outswinger. Key Exponent: Past: Imran Khan, Courtney Walsh, Whispering Death (Michael Holding), Wasim Akram. Present: Shoaib Akhtar, Lasith Malinga, Irfan Pathan, Mathew Hoggard, Makhaya Ntin .

Bala
http://www.cricketmorethanagame.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Balachander_Subramanian

The countdown for the Cricket World Cup in India

The wonder of the Cricket World Cup

Cricket - the national sport of the British that has known to become a favorite of many nations with its sensational field action, the high energy vibes and the electrifying audience. It adds much life to this otherwise boring game that was known only to the 'men in white'. What initially was a drag of a game played at idle to enjoy the sunny weather and is played all over the world, around the year, be it sunny, cloudy, cold or sweaty.

This game spread over consecutive days was made succinct, by introducing the new strategy of one-days involving fifty overs to score, for both the participating teams. White uniforms gave away to colorful attires matching the national colors of the countries. The banal red ball was switched for an exclusive white one and the speculators now encompass of virtually the entire world.

With the advent of the one-days came the world cups; the thrills, the chills, the oomph and battle. With nations trying to slaughter on ground the opponents with their wit, acumen, skill, endeavor and patience. Held after every four years; this is one event the world waits and enjoys to its best, celebrating action with a vigor and style.

The celebrations are unique and dynamic on their own, from official sound tracks to complete advertising campaigns; the ambience depicts to its best the epic world cup fever. It is the time for making, breaking and remaking new records. It all began in the year 1975, when the first world cup was held in England, with eight participating teams who played fifteen matches in fifteen days. The first three tournament are sometimes referred to as the 'Prudential Cups' as they were sponsored by the Prudential Plc., a financial service company. The final match was held between West Indies and Australia in the Lord's stadium, during the first world cup.

It was in 1992 that the colored uniforms were introduced. The cricket world cup is considered to be the world's third largest and most viewed sporting event, according to one survey. On the record, Australia has won the cricket world cup three times, with West Indies close behind by winning it twice. However, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have won the world cup once.

With more nations trying to strive to win the honor of achieving the world cup to take back home, the competition has become ferocious. Even the team players work hard to be a part of the refined skill pool that makes a world cup playing team. This leading tournament organized by the international Cricket Council offers much perks to its participating teams and the viewers across the globe and entails outstanding performances that one can cheer for.

To learn about the cricket world cup please visit http://www.cricketmove.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hamza_Ejaz

India vs Sri Lanka in Cricket Twenty 20

Twenty-20 cricket - a game for specialist cricketers

Twenty-20 is the compact version of cricket that has taken the World by storm. The shortened format means the onus is on entertainment. The games are intense affairs that are fast paced with lots of drama. Initially T20 was not welcomed with open arms especially by lovers of test cricket. However, whether people like it or not the 20 over brand of cricket is here to stay.

Because of the short duration Twenty-20 cricket is a game for specialist cricketers. There is simply not enough time to adapt to playing conditions. Players need to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact. To be successful in Twenty-20 matches, players need to be able to improvise and think on their feet. A good cricket brain is a must and will help to outthink opponents.

In test cricket batsmen have the luxury of playing themselves in. This gives them a certain amount of time to see the ball. In many ways, the 5 day format is the opposite of Twenty-20 cricket. There is no time to adjust the eyesight as batsmen are expected to score runs quickly rather than merely occupy the crease.

The all-rounder is a valuable commodity in the shortest form of the game. The ability to contribute with both bat and ball makes these players important members of the team. Some of the best teams have now recognised this. Including several all round performers will give the side strength and balance. It also gives the captain plenty of bowling options in the field.

Bowlers are just as important and some would say they earn their money more than the other players. A maiden over is a rarity in the hectic Twenty-20 arena but the ability to bowl dot balls or keep the run rate down to a run a ball makes the difference between winning and losing. By bowling a consistent line and cutting out the odd poor delivery, bowlers can make it difficult for the batsmen to score sufficient runs.

Twenty-20 cricket is a game for specialist cricketers and most cricket playing nations have now realised this. Players who are regulars in their countries test or one day squads can no longer expect to be included. In twenty over cricket, only players that can make valid contributions should be included.

The author is passionate about all forms of cricket particularly at international level. He is a contributor to the Cricket News Blog website that features all the latest cricket news and comment. He earns a living from trading all forms of cricket on the betting exchanges. He is the author of the popular Cricket Betting System which covers his methods in detail. The publication shows how to become a successful cricket trader.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Hextall

How to perform the very best cricket catches

2 best Simple But very effective cricketing drills for fielding

When it comes to playing Cricket, alot of people focus on preparing their batting and bowling skills before any match. However players tend not to focus on their fielding all that much which can really be the difference between a winning and losing side.

After all, good fielding can not only contribute to taking more wickets either by good catching techniques or making the most of a run out opportunity, but it can also contribute enormously by saving runs. We will discuss some very effective fielding drills that can help with improving your fielding techniques.

Slip Catching Drill

A fielder in the slips needs to have pretty good reflexes when it comes to taking catches that come to them. An effective slips catching drill involves a few players. One throwing the ball, another holding a cricket bat and the remaining players are there for catching the ball.

The idea is for the person holding the cricket bat to vary the angle of the bat on each throw such that the ball deflects to different players that are preparing to catch the ball.

This is an effective drill to recreate a catch in the slips.

Fielding Drill

In this case we have a wicket keeper near the stumps, a player holding the bat ready to hill the ball in the outfield, and several players queued in a line ready to field the ball. The idea here is for the wicket keeper to throw the ball to the batsmen, this player then hits the ball high into the outfield for the fielder first in line in the queue to chase down and first hopefully catch the ball.

This fielder then gets the ball and throws the ball over the stumps to the wicket keeper and goes to the back of the queue. There can be several variations to this drill, but this is a good example of high catching and throwing.

These are just two examples of fielding drills to improve your fielding skills.

For information of some of the very best in Cricket bats, in particular, Kookaburra Ice Bat and Kookaburra Beast Bat click the links.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Whilliam

The best bowling from the fastest bowlers in the world of cricket

11 best ever fast bowlers in Cricket

In cricket's history, many bowlers terrorized and troubled batsmen with sheer speed and guile. So many past and current quick bowlers excelled at their craft that picking the best of them guarantees that some greats are omitted. To make the subjective task of picking the best easier, one must use relevant criteria. These criteria should be both subjective and objective, with due emphasis on statistics. The best fast bowlers must have:

Impressive Test statistics: Test matches are the yardstick by which fast bowlers are measured

Genuine pace: able to bowl at 140 kph/86 mph

A good career average: Below 25.00 for this list

Number of matches/ number of wickets: The best should have either at least 50 Tests or 300 Test wickets (not necessarily both)

Bowling strike rate: The best fast bowlers are genuine strike bowlers (maximum 55)

These criteria rule out good quick bowlers who played a limited number of matches and many good quick bowlers from the 19th and early 20th century. Still, the all time fast bowling eleven (who satisfy all the criteria) has instantly recognizable names in the cricket world. The best fast bowling eleven (in random order) are:

1) Glenn McGrath (Australia)

As the leading pace bowler on the all-time Test wicket-takers list (563 wickets), Glenn McGrath is indisputably one of the best. Apart from fulfilling all criteria, McGrath has regularly dismissed top batsmen of his time like Mike Atherton (19 times), Brian Lara (15 times), Sachin Tendulkar (6 times).

2) Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)

This fast bowler carried the fortune of his team on his shoulder. He took 36 5-wicket innings hauls and nine ten-wicket match hauls. His Test wicket tally of 431 wickets from only 86 Tests was phenomenal. Whether Hadlee bowled in Asia, the Antipodes or Europe, his figures in all conditions are astonishing.

3) Wasim Akram (Pakistan)

Wasim is the best fast left-arm fast bowler to have played cricket. His variations, pace and guile made him a dangerous fast bowler on any surface. This master of reverse swing was adept with both the old and the new ball- enabling him to take over 400 Test wickets.

4) Waqar Younis (Pakistan)

Known for toe-crushing in-swinging Yorkers and the ability to swing the ball both ways, Waqar Younis would even make a top-five list of best fast bowlers. His Test bowling strike rate of 43.4 puts him far above most fast bowlers on the list. That he often bowled on the flatter sub-continental pitches makes Waqar's achievements even greater.

5) Curtly Ambrose (West Indies)

This giant of West Indian fast bowling terrorized batsmen with pace and steep bounce in the 90s. Curtly Ambrose bowled with an aggression that you could discern beyond the boundary. He created bunnies out of batsmen like Mike Atherton, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh and Graeme Thorpe.

6) Imran Khan (Pakistan)

Before Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, there was Imran Khan. This fast bowler raised the bar for Pakistan fast bowlers with a series of match-winning performances. 362 wickets from 88 Test matches cements Imran Khan's place among the all-time best.

7) Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)

Malcolm Marshall was highly rated by all batsmen who faced him- including Indian batting legend, Sunil Gavaskar. As the best of the demonic West Indian fast-bowling quartet on the 80s, Malcolm Marshall's strike rate of 46.7 puts him in the fast bowling stratosphere.

8) Dennis Lillee (Australia)

Dennis Lillee's destruction of the West Indies in the 1975/76 series Down Under inspired the creation of the West Indies' fearsome fast-bowling quartet. Lillee was dangerously quick and effective. He was the fastest fast bowler to reach 300 Test wickets (by matches). His aggregate of 355 wickets from only 70 Tests declare his greatness.

9) Allan Donald (South Africa)

The 'White Lightning' from South Africa kept batsmen on their toes. His Test bowling strike rate of 47.00 in taking 330 wickets from only 72 Tests made the 'White Lightning' a daunting proposition for batsmen.

10) Joel Garner (West Indies)

Joel "Big Bird" Garner was a metronomic West Indian fast bowler. Although he did not scalp 300 Test wickets, it was because he played only 58 Test matches. His strike rate of 50.8 was impressive and he averaged 20.97 with the ball- the mark of a great fast bowler.

11) Fred Trueman (England)

Fred Trueman set the fast-bowling standard back in the 50s an 60s. He was the first fast bowler to break the 300 test-wicket mark. Even decades after he graced the field, cricket pundits mention his name as one of the greatest of all time.

Naturally, many great names are omitted from this list. The competition was so tough that Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Shane Bond and Dale Steyn- among others- are not on the final XI. However, Steyn- still an active Test cricketer in 2009- has the chance to displace another great in the near future.

And now you can read brief profiles of some of the best spinners that the game of cricket has ever seen:

http://www.helium.com/items/1516046-best-spin-bowlers-in-cricket

How Pakistan Won the 20 20 Cricket World Cup

8 Important Tips to Win at Cricket Test Match on Betting Exchange

Betting exchanges are an innovative new addition in the world of online betting industry. One great advantage of using betting exchanges is that there are no bookies, which ultimately results in notably better-priced odds.In addition, on betting exchanges, you may opt to BACK (bet on), or LAY (oppose), which means that you can be either a punter or a bookie. Betting exchanges are specifically good for betting on cricket matches.

Tips for Betting Exchanges on Cricket (Test Match):
Efforts of test match cricket players on the field offer some outstanding betting odds in betting exchanges, as cricket is a custom-made game for such type of gambling.

Tip 1 - Logically, all betting patterns on betting exchanges for cricket depend on numbers. Therefore, the more "numbers" linked with the game, the better it becomes for you to bet.

Tip 2 - To begin with cricket betting on betting exchanges, it is better to consider the most tremendously betted market in cricket, which is the runs market.

Tip 3 - At the beginning of a Test match, betting bookies will provide a market on expected runs in each innings. For example, in a summer Test match between New Zealand and England, if England wins the toss and elects to bat first, then reckoning on the prevailing climate conditions and batsmen picked, you can quote a total of 320-335 for England.Next, if you believe that England might score more than 335, buy at that sum for per run and if you believe that they might score less than 320, then sell that figure for per run.

Tip 4 - Next, if you buy and England's total score exceeds the expected 335 score, then you win the difference per run between the final total. In addition, if you trade and England scores less than 320, then also you win the difference per run between the final total.

Tip 5 - The runs market is very unpredictable. However, it is imperative to remember that the opening quote is updated constantly all through the innings. If England fails to make a good start and lose early wickets, then the opening quote might decline.

Tip 6 - Next, if they make a good start, the quote will rise. You may close your bet before time by using new quotes at any time.For example, if you buy at 335 and England makes fast 60 runs without losing any wickets in the initial 10 overs, then the opening quote will inflate to around 365-380 mark.

Tip 7 - Thereby, if you had bought at 335, you are now able to sell at 365 for a quick 30 times your bet per run profit. In addition, remember, with betting exchanges for cricket you always purchase at high and trade at low.

Tip 8 - Due to the instability feature of the runs market, opportunities keep on popping up regularly. One vital tip to remember is that, dealers on betting exchanges in cricket are at times a bit slow to respond, if a team starts losing early wickets and that too quickly.

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How Darren Gough scores a hat trick in Cricket

England Fast bowler in Cricket -- Darren Gough

Darren Gough's nicknames - Rhino and Dazzler - represent his personality as a cricketer and as a person. He was called 'Rhino' because of his aggressive, ebullient approach to life and the game of cricket. 'Dazzler' was derived from his showmanship- on and off the cricket field. Gough even won a dancing competition- unsurprising for the man who likes to 'gallery' himself and acts like the life of the party.

In his playing days for England, Darren Gough was a premier strike bowler- even when bowling in tandem with new-ball partner, Andy Caddick. Gough was just short of 6 feet, but possessed enough passion and skill to succeed on the field. He was always willing to try new things and it was his use of swing and variations that brought him many wickets at international and domestic level.

Born in Yorkshire on September 18th, 1970, Darren Gough- a proud Yorkshire man- made his First-class debut in 1989 for his native county. He went on to play 248 First-class matches for England, Essex and Yorkshire between 1989 and 2008. Gough scalped 855 wickets at an average of 27.15. He may have even fancied himself an all-rounder, having scored a First-class century and 20 half-centuries.

Gough's bowling was an asset to England- even helping the team rise from being an average team to a consistent, winning team at the turn of the 21st century. In his 58 test matches, Gough took 229 wickets at an average of 28.39. His batting was not crummy either.

Gough scored 855 runs at an average of 12.57. His first two half-centuries were scored early in his career- with his first half-century in 1994 (65 against New Zealand) remaining his best score. His counter-attacking 51 against Australia also gained him the approval of Aussie fans- who considered him an Australian at heart.

Gough also had a lengthy ODI career as well. He played 159 ODIs- a lot for an English player- and took 235 wickets at an average of 26.42. Gough's ODI economy rate is 4.39. He even managed to stay around the England team long enough to play two Twenty20 International matches for England.

A knee injury abbreviated Gough's Test career in 2003. However, he was reluctant to give up on his international career with England and continued paying the shorter form of the game. Gough's last few years in international cricket were characterised by a series of comebacks. When he was not selected for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, Gough had to accept that his playing days were over. Ever the fighter, he remained in the headlines until he announced his retirement from the First-class game in 2008; after many successful years for county and country.

And now you can read brief profiles of some of the best spinners and fast bowlers that the game of cricket has ever seen:

The best spin bowlers in cricket history: http

How to Bowl a Googly in Cricket

How to Bowl a Googly in Cricket

The googly is a cricket delivery that turns like an off spin stock delivery but is bowled with a leg spin action. In other words it looks like a leg spin delivery but spins from the off side to the leg side. This is achieved by releasing the cricket ball from the back of the hand as opposed to the front like a normal leg spin delivery. The googly was invented by Bernard Bosanquet, an English cricket player who played during the turn of the previous century. The effectiveness of this delivery is obvious as the ball is turning in the opposite delivery as what the batsman is expecting.

The grip is exactly the same as the leg spin stock delivery. The leg spin bowling grip is the little finger and ring finger down and the middle and index finger up. Two fingers up and two fingers down and the seam running between the up fingers. The ball has to sit comfortably but firm in the hand. The ring finger is the spinning finger. The thumb can be on or off the cricket ball, whatever feels the most comfortable.

The wrist in the reverse position from what it is in the standard leg spin stock delivery. For the googly, at the point of release, the back of the wrist should face the batsman and the palm should face back to the bowler. The seam should be facing toward the leg-side in the direction of leg slip. The ball is released over the wrist out of the back of the hand.

The action is the same as the standard leg spin stock delivery. The shoulders, hip and feet should be aligned with the target. The front arm leads and steers the action and pulls down driving the action forward. As the front arm pulls down the right shoulder will come forward generating the power in the delivery. The right shoulder should rotate towards the target and finish with that shoulder facing the stumps. The googly should be bowled outside off-stump, encouraging the batsman to drive or go on the back foot to cut. The surprise of the ball spinning in the opposite direction that expected will be enough to cause the batsman to miss the ball or make a mistake.

If the pitch is turning big, it will be OK to drop this delivery short once in a while to try to get the batsman to cut the delivery. If the batsman is not picking your googly this will surprise him and there is a very good chance he will play the ball onto his wickets when trying to cut the shorter googly. Not too short, but slightly shorter than drivable length is OK on a spinning pitch. Do not bowl this delivery at the stumps as it will just continue harmlessly behind the batsman leg. The line should always be outside off stump.

A great cricket tip is to develop two googlies. One that is very easy to spot by the batsman and one that is very well hidden. Bowl the googly that is easy to spot until you are confident that the batsman thinks he can spot your googly. Then surprise him with the googly that you hide very well. He will not suspect it at all as he thinks he can pick your googly!

Checkout my site for much more information on cricket spin bowling: http://www.spinbowlingtips.com

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How to Master off spin bowling in Cricket by Shane Warne

How Shane Wayne Changed the Face of Cricket with the ball of the century

The Ball of the Century refers to the leg spin delivery that Shane Warne bowled to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes series at Old Trafford, Manchester. It was the first ball Shane Warne ever bowled to the English batsmen. The ball spectacularly bowled Mike Gatting and became significant not only in the context of the match itself or even the series but in actually helping to revive the lost art of wrist spin bowling.

The UK's Channel 4 ran a poll in 2002 to find the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments. This delivery came in at number 92.

Background

The 1993 Ashes Series saw England field a full strength team again for the first time since the suspension of quite a few players touring South Africa during the Apartheid era. Australia took the Ashes Urn in the 1990/91 season but England looked to seriously challenge Australia and reclaim the Ashes.

Old Trafford tradionally favours spin bowling and England picked two spinners, Phil Tufnell and Peter Such, while Australia picked the unexperienced Shane Warne as their only spin bowler. Although Shane Warne had shown promise at the start of his career it was nothing spectacular and many experts saw wrist spin bowling as a redundant art in the modern game.

Graham Gooch sent Australia in to bat and Australia made 289 runs with Mark Taylor scoring a century. England responded well and Mike Gatting came in at number three with England on 71/1. At this point Australian captain, Allan Border, brought on the young Shane Warne. Mike Gatting was already a legend of the game and well known for his expert batting against spin. No one expected Shane Warne to cause him any trouble.

The delivery itself

Shane Warne ran up to the wicket in his slow relaxed style and delivered what seemed like a normal leg spin delivery. Initially the ball seemed to be travelling straight down the track. However, halfway in its travel the ball started to rapidly drift towards the leg side. This drift caused the ball to pitch a foot outside of leg stump. Mike Gatting simply padded up to the ball not expecting to be troubled. Even if the ball spun back he did expect to be given LBW as the ball pitched outside leg stump. However, the ball spun and bounced back so sharply that it shot past a bemused Gatting and hit the top of off stump.

The aftermath

Australia went on to win the test by 179 runs with Warne picking up the man of the match award.

Warne continued hos devastating bowling throughout the series and took 34 wickets at an average of 25.79 sharing the man of the series award with Graham Gooch.

Legacy

The ball of the century started a decade or more of dominance by the Australian cricket team. Warne went on to become a legend of the game and voted as one of the five cricketers of the 20th century. The art of leg spin also became popular again and is yet again firmly rooted in the modern game as an essential skill for any team to have.

Check out my site for a complete source on cricket spin bowling and tips. http://www.spinbowlingtips.com

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How Brian Lara scored 153 as the worlds greatest batsman in cricket

How Brian Lara became the worlds greatest batsman

Brian Lara is undoubtedly one of the best batsmen of all time and certainly one of the best of the modern era. The former left-handed West Indian batsman mesmerised cricket fans and bowlers alike with his batting ability. You know that a batsman has left an indelible mark on the game when he has a signature shot. In Lara's case, he had a few signature shots.

Brian Lara will be remembered in the cricketing world for much more than his unique, stylish batting and huge scores. As at 2010, he is the world record holder for the highest individual scores in both Test and First class innings. His Test-best is 400 not out, while his First Class best is 501. What is even more remarkable is that he reclaimed the record for the highest individual Test score mere months after Australia's Matthew Hayden captured it. So far, he is the only man in Test history to reclaim that Test batting record.

After his international debut in 1990, Lara was recognised as an emerging talent in world cricket. He stamped his authority with his maiden Test century against Australia at Sydney in 1992. He compiled a huge score of 277. The score itself wasn't the marvel for many cricket pundits. It was the way in which he dominated the Australian bowling- attacking, but never offering a chance. He was only dismissed by the run-out route- a testament to the quality of his innings.

His early fame and prima donna-like behaviour after he first broke the world record in 1994 made his relationship with cricket and fans a bittersweet one. He was revered but disliked by many. Some probably liked and disliked him simultaneously. A lot of his detractors probably never understood the kind of scrutiny and non-cricketing pressure that his worldwide fame (at age 23) brought. Brian Lara assumed the West Indies captaincy for the first time in 1998. After what he termed "moderate success and abject failures" as West Indies captain, he resigned the captaincy in the early part of the year 2000.

Lara had been the captain of the West Indies team on three occasions. Each stint ended in somewhat controversial circumstances. His last stint as captain actually ended with his resignation from international cricket at the age of 38- an age where he was still in top form. His departure came at the end of the West Indies' World Cup campaign in 2007. Lara still managed to play a couple First-class games for Trinidad and Tobago in the 2007/2008 season, where he piled on a massive score against Guyana. His season ended prematurely when Lionel Baker of the Leeward Islands team fractured his forearm with a bouncer.

Lara played for several major teams since he made his First-class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in the 1987/1988 season. His ODI debut for the West Indies came two years later against Pakistan. Other teams that Lara played for include Northern Tranvaal (RSA), Warwickshire (England), Mumbai Champs (India) and the ICC World XI.

At the end of his career, Brian Lara has healthy averages in Test, First-class and ODI matches. He also accumulated over 22,000 international runs in his 18 years of international cricket. Undeniably, Brian Lara is a living legend of the game of cricket and the greatest West Indian batsman. Whether the criterion is run scored, style or averages, Lara has to be considered as one of the top. For his cricketing exploits, he remains an inspiration to many young cricketers, particularly batsmen, in Trinidad and Tobago.

Darrell Victor is a freelance writer and former insurance advisor. To read his latest articles visit http://www.helium.com/user/show_articles/338815

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The greatest Cricketers of ALL time

9 Greatest Cricketers of ALL time

Throughout the history of cricket there have been those that were special, who were slightly different to their fellow cricketers and made the crowd sit up whenever they arrived on the pitch. Of course every game has its heroes and cricket is no exception. And every nation has its own cricketing legends that they believe were better than those of other teams. This article will introduce you to 9 of the world's great cricketers from past and present.

Imran Kahn was a great Pakistani cricketer who played at the highest level for over twenty years from his debut in 1971. He was a great all rounder who led the Pakistan team to their first world cup just before he retired. Always elegant in both action and speech he was one of the best all-rounders that the game has ever had. He is now a politician in Pakistan and the leader of a major political party. He played in 88 tests with a batting average of 37.69. He took 362 wickets with an excellent bowling average of 22.81.

Shane Warne is an Australian spin bowler who is one of, if not the, greatest spin bowler the game has ever seen. He was born in 1969 in Victoria and has played test cricket since 1990, retiring in 2007. He has taken more test wickets than any other player in history. He was also the first player to take more than 600 test wickets. He played in 140 tests and has taken 685 wickets with a bowling average of 25.25.

Gary Sobers was a highly talented cricketer who was born in Barbados in 1936. He played 93 tests for the West Indies and scored an impressive 8032 runs. He had a batting average of 57.78. He was also a very good slow left arm bowler, taking 235 test wickets, with an average of 34.03. He is best known for being the first batsman ever to score six sixes in one over in 1968 in a first class cricket match while playing for Notts against Glamorgan.

Ian Botham was a great English all-rounder. He was the scourge of bowlers with his prodigious batting ability and he was just as adept as a fast medium paced bowler. He was born in Cheshire in 1955 and played mainly for Somerset. He was very much a true all rounder as he was as good at bowling as batting. He played in 102 test matches and scored 5200 runs, with an average of 33.34 and he took 383 wickets with an average of 28.40.

WG Grace is thought by many to be the most influential cricketer the game has ever seen. He was born in 1848 at a time when cricket was not the massive sport that it is today. He is one of the reasons, with his great batting ability, that cricket became so popular. When he was out first ball at a match once, he refused to go telling the umpire that, "the crowd are here to watch me bat and not to watch you umpire!". There were not many test matches then so he played only 22 and scored 1098 runs with an average of 32.29. He took 9 wickets with an average of 26.22. This average is low even though he was playing into his late fifties!

Allan Border was born in 1955 in Sydney and was Australian captain. He still has the world record for the greatest number of uninterrupted test matches. He also had the record, at the time, for the most runs in test matches at 11174 in 156 tests. He was also one of the most prolific hitters of centuries with 27 in test matches. He also took 39 wickets with an average of 39.10.

Shaun Pollock is a South African medium fast bowler who is well known for his accuracy and reliability. He is also a very good batsman who has scored over 3406 runs in 100 test matches with an average of 31.24. He has taken 395 wickets at an average of 23.25. He is South Africa's most prodigious wicket taker in both one day international and test matches.

Viv Richards is one of the all time greats of West Indian cricket. He was a very successful captain to one of the best West Indian sides ever. He was a powerful batsman and scored an average of 50.23, scoring 8450 runs in 121 matches. He only lost 8 matches in the 50 that he captained.

Don Bradman was born in 1908 in New South Wales and was not only the best Australian but is thought, by many, to be the best batsman of all time. His batting skill was so good that the England cricket team in the 1928-1929 tests resorted to bowling at the batsmen rather than the wickets in order to try to win. This was known as the bodyline series. The dispute from this was so bad that it nearly caused a diplomatic dispute between England and Australia. He played in 52 tests and scored 6996 runs so he had an incredible average of 99.94. These statistics make him the best batsman ever.

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1st Test Match Cricket Day 1 Highlights of India vs Bangladesh

9 important dates for the Cricket Match Series Between South Africa and India

Amidst the war to retain number one position in five day test matches, India is really keen to play with its nearest competitor - South Africa. The plan was made on a very short notice. BCCI (Board of Cricket Control of India) requested South Africa board for this series. South Africa also showed its interest for the competition and they decided for a series in India.

Now, the schedule has arrived and these two nations will play two test matches and three one dayers between Jan 31 and Feb 27. They will also play couple of practice matches in the meantime.

The entire schedule follows:

Jan 31: South Africa (SA) team arrives in Mumbai

Feb 1: SA team travels to Nagpur for the first test match

Feb 2-Feb 3: SA team plays two day practice match at Nagpur

Feb 6-Feb 10: First Test Match in Nagpur

Feb 14-Feb 18: Second Test Match at Eden Gardens at Kolkata

Feb 21: First One Day International (ODI) between India and RSA in Jaipur (Day/ Night match)

Feb 24: Second ODI between India and RSA in Kanpur

Feb 27: Third ODI between India and RSA in Ahmedabad (Day/ Night match)

It is apparent that whoever wins the Test Series will retain the pride of being number one in the 5 day test matches. India has advantage of playing on home ground, but South Africa is known for their strength to challenge teams at their home turf too. We look forward for another exciting series where both the teams are likely to play with their full strength.

For latest news and views on Cricket please visit http://www.sportsaffairs.blogspot.com/.

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5 major Spin Bowling tips to greatly improve your bowling

Learning bowling from the Cricket legends

In today's day to day unfolding world of cricket spinning and bouncing have become a common trend of Indian cricket players. Cricket is the mere game of a team and not a victory of an individual rather playing for just their own motherland. It's the combination of a bat and ball in pure terms of batsman and the bowlers. Glancing on the two parts it's the hard and solid efforts of both for steeping the ranking and purchases the accomplishment. Neither lone bat makes to conquest nor ball; it's the tough combining of the rare two in a perspective way that achieves to the goal.

A term bowling can be measured in two terms - Fast bowlers and quality spinners. From the very times Indian cricket team has been losing the quality spinners and fast bowlers. Still the dearth of bowlers never led to its down fall as its standing by effort made it to remain a supreme power.

Various bowlers depend on rate of knots, spin and flight to achieve their motive. The recognition of bowlers is certainly based on various strategies and criteria's. The criteria's may particularly include their discrepancy, past records, performance, Ever breaking hits, career events, number of matches played not to hit but to win.

There was a time when India was possessed with quality bowlers and was threatened on the vision of their retirement only. But in a usual manner, as the topmost line of every cricketer becomes "INJURY", countryside relics with no option.

A country like India has obsessed, competent, stupefying and outstanding players like Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, and Anil Kumble. In the here period Harbhajan Singh has become the leading power just followed after an all rounder Anil Kumble. No doubt to the case Bhajji is not regarded as fast bowlers but ever remained a noteworthy off spinner in recounting globe of cricket.

In the here period Harbhajan singh has become the leading power just followed after an all rounder Anil Kumble. No doubt to the case Bhajji is not regarded as fast bowlers but ever remained a noteworthy off spinner in recounting globe of cricket.

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How to bowl leg-spin like Shane Warne

The 4 crucial steps to leg spin Bowling

Leg spin bowling is a style of spin bowling in cricket. It is a delivery bowled by a right hand bowler and will, after landing on the cricket pitch, spin from the leg-side to the off-side.

The grip. The leg spin grip for the normal stock ball delivery is a very simple one. The ball must be held firmly in the hand but not too tight and deep in the palm - otherwise the ball will get stuck during delivery and the bowler will generate less spin. The seam of the ball must run underneath all the fingers (opposite of a fast bowler grip). The index and middle finger must be up and on top of the ball and seam and the ring and little finger must face down. The side of the ball must rest against the ring finger. The best way to describe the leg spin grip is to hold the ball with two fingers up and two fingers down.

The action. The action for the spin bowler is as important as the grip and release. The action can be side on or a bit more open chested but the important thing is that the left arm (for a right handed bowler) arm drives the actions forward. The left arm must throw your body forward by pointing it in front of the bowler and pulling it back strongly during the delivery stride.

During the action the body must rotate so that the bowling shoulder ends up facing the batsman. This must happen whether or not the bowler is using an open chested or side-on action. The importance of this is that the bowler rotates his or her body against the landing foot in order to swivel the body. In cricket jargon this is called to pivot on the bowling foot.

The pivot. To pivot the bowler must both turn the body and push up on the toes of his or her landing foot. This does two things: It helps the bowler swivel the body against the grip on the foot - creating more turn when the ball pitch - and it also helps in the bowler releasing the ball from higher - resulting in more bounce.

The release. The whole hand must work together as one when released. Do not move some fingers independently of others. The hand and wrist must be one. The ball must be released with the seam facing upwards and aiming towards first slip.

During the release the wrist must also be cocked at the start. In other words, the arm and hand must not run in a straight line. Watch some clips of great leg spin bowlers as they start off with their run-up, the bowling wrist is always cocked. So another top cricket tip is that the bowling wrist for the leg-spinner must always be cocked as it helps to impart more spin.

A really good cricket tip you can give a young spin bowler is to tell him or her that as much of the spin is generated in the action as in the release. Another great cricket tip is that bounce is as important for a spin bowler as turn - this is why pivoting on the landing foot is so crucial.

Check out my site for a complete source on cricket spin bowling and tips. http://www.spinbowlingtips.com

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The first steps for a Cricket Umpire

4 all importasnt points to deliver when Cricket Umpiring

The role of the cricket umpire is similar to that of a football referee. However, it must be noted that there is an appointed match referee in international cricket, who serves to settle disputes and conducts disciplinary hearings. The cricket umpire is a neutral element on the field of play who seeks to uphold the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game as well. The cricket umpire is also a decision maker whose adjudications can often change the direction of a match.

There must be at least two umpires in a cricket match. In professional matches, there's a third umpire, a reserve umpire and a match referee. The two standing umpires and the third umpire are actively involved in the game- making decisions that directly affect the outcome.

Safety is the first port of call for the two standing umpires. They decided when play will begin or resume after interruptions caused by rain or pitch repairs. The umpires decide whether the conditions are safe and fit for players before proceeding with play.

Once play begins, the two umpires work in tandem, switching positions for each over. There is an umpire standing behind the stumps at the non-strikers end and one at square leg. The umpire at square leg generally assists the other umpire with decisions like no-balls (for height), run outs and stumping appeals).

The umpire who is behind the stumps at the non-striker's end keeps track of the ball bowled in the over. He must also determine the legality of each delivery (sometimes with the help of the square leg umpire). That umpire is responsible for ensuring fair play and making decisions about appeals by the fielding side and assisting the scorer by signalling 'extras' and boundaries. He is also responsible for calling periods of play like the end of an over and the start or end of a session.

While the match referee usually deals with disciplinary matters, a report must first be made to him by the standing umpires. However, in some instances, the standing umpires have the authority to penalise the teams for breaches of the spirit and rule of law. For example, umpires may apply penalty runs for ball tampering or time-wasting. The umpires also have significant discretion concerning the duration of play where bad light becomes a factor.

Previously, the cricket umpire was the ultimate authority in a cricket match. However, technology highlighted the numerous gaffes made by umpires to the extent that certain changes were made. In 2007, the ICC used a referral system where players can challenge the umpires' decisions. Before that, umpires were allowed to use the third umpire to refer marginal lbw decisions. Despite these challenges to their authority, cricket umpires remain an authority on the cricket field that upholds the integrity of the game.

And now you can read brief profiles of some of the best spinners and fast bowlers that the game of cricket has ever seen:

The best spin bowlers in cricket history: http://www.helium.com/items/1516046-best-spin-bowlers-in-cricket

The top 5 fast bowlers in cricket history: http://www.helium.com/items/1518569-top-fast-bowlers-in-cricket-history

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The 3 best ways of looking after your cricket bat

3 best ways of Looking after your cricket bat

In Britain, cricket is a very popular game among other games. Two teams are involved in this game. They have a team of 11 players. The game of cricket is loved worldwide. In countries like India and Pakistan, it is considered as a 'religion'. Cricket involves just two simple gears that include bats and balls. Other equipment include stumps and sightscreen. The game also has some equipment necessary for the safety of cricketers. These include helmets, batting gloves, mouthpiece and wicket keeping gloves.

Cork base is used to make the cricket balls, which are then covered with twine. Finally, it is covered with white or red leather on top. Another significant equipment of cricket is bats. It is significant to understand that cricket bats require maintenance even before and after the game.

It may come as a surprise to you that even a new bat needs to be looked after. It is essential to note here that before the bat is used on the field, it has to be prepared for the game. Cricket bats should be used for knocking down shots before these are actually used on the fields. It will safeguard it against damage. You should follow certain procedure before using bats for full swing. This will provide better results.

Linseed oil is beneficial to grease the cricket bat. You should coat it and allow the bat to soak its goodness for a few hours. Then you should put another coat of oil on it. However, you should ensure that there is not excessive oil on the bat.

The next step is to hit a wooden knocking mallet on the bat for about 10-15 times, you will notice few dents but it is quite normal. Ensure that you are not hitting the wooden mallet on the back of cricket bat, use the wooden knocking mallet, and they are available in many sport equipment stores at affordable price. Repeat the session of knocking with the wooden mallet for about 10-15 times for a number of days until the bat has received minimum of about 3-4 hours of knocking session. It is important to remember that you grease the bat before every knocking session begins with linseed oil.

You should hit the edges of the bat with the help of knocking mallet until it becomes round in shape. It is significant that you care for your bat before the final matches. Thereby, it is advised that you should use the cricket bat for practicing before you use it on the ground for final match.

Bats are valuable equipments and your match performance depends a lot on the kind of cricket bats that you use. Hence, adequate maintenance of cricket bats is of vital importance particularly before you start using it.

The author can teach you more about cricket supplies to try and help you improve your cricket skills. It is important to have the right cricket equipment, cricket supplies and cricket clothing to get the best out of your cricket training.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Harding_Cotton

India Sri Lanka twenty 20 cricket -february 10 2009 Indian innings final session

World Twenty20 Cricket - What it is and Where it Happens

For those of us who are not cricket fans if we were to hear the expression 20/20 we would think of 20/20 vision; but for the cricket lover the phrase 20/20 brings up a completely different vision! Often written as Twenty20 cricket this is a relatively recent form of the traditional cricket game and the vision for a Twenty20 cricket fan in 2010 could be spending time in Barbados, St. Lucia, Guyana or St. Kitts to watch the next World 20/20.

So what is Twenty20 cricket and when did it start? In 2003 this form of cricket also referred to as T20 cricket was introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competitions by the England and Wales Cricket Board. The game involved two teams each of whom has a single innings and they are batting for a maximum of 20 overs.

Twenty20 Cricket matches last around three and a half hours which means that the game is brought more in line with other popular sports. It has been very successful in achieving its aim of creating a lively game which would be attractive to live spectators as well as TV viewers. It has now spread wildly around the cricket world so that on most international tours there will be at least one T20 match played.

The first Twenty20 International Cricket Match took place on 17th February 2005 between Australia and New Zealand. It was approached in a light hearted way with both teams wearing kit similar to that worn in the 1980s plus some players taking it to the next level by sporting 1980's hairstyles, beards and moustaches; competing in cricket and for the best retro look at the same time! At least the T20 cricket match was won by Australia but as it was so clear that they were the winners the players and umpires started to take things less seriously and Billy Bowden even produced a red card, which are not normally used in cricket.

The inaugural World Twenty20 was played in South Africa in 2007 where India defeated Pakistan by five runs. In 2009 Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets. The third ICC World Twenty20 Cricket Tournament will be held in the West Indies in April and May 2010. It promises the world's best cricketing talent in this thrilling and fast tournament.

The ICC World Twenty20 Cricket Tournament will take place in Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Guyana from 30th April to 16th May 2010. With locations like these even a person who has not followed cricket before could easily be tempted to go on a Twenty20 cricket tour. Barbados has actually opened a museum in November 2009 which is called the Cricket Legends of Barbados Museum and those who go there on these cricket tours can also enjoy some of the best beaches around. In fact the Crane Beach was rated one of the ten best beaches in the world by Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. St. Lucia, another location included in these Twenty20 cricket tours, has an amazing combination of tropical bliss as well as diving, snorkeling, spa pampering and so much more.

Some critics may say that although the T20 cricket format has proved so successful it could be influencing youngsters to being misguided about the game thinking it is all about trying to hit 6s and 4s. However the impact in general has been extremely positive and the Twenty20 game is a more athletic and explosive form of cricket.

Jackie de Burca has taken a recent interest in cricket because of going on a Twenty20 cricket tour. Now she loves cricket and wants to inform more people about the 2010 Twenty20 cricket tours in the West Indies. http://www.gulliverstravel.co.uk/cricket/icc-world-twenty20-west-indies-2010

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jackie_A_De_Burca

Clips from the great moments of cricket

Cricket and a family run business

Cricket is a very popular sport, not only in the UK but across the world. Many people choose to take it up from a very young age, and carry it on into their adulthood. As so many children show an interest in playing cricket, it is important their parents buy them the correct cricket equipment to meet their needs.

There are many types of cricket equipment that make up the game, some of which are obvious, and some which are not. It goes without saying that to play cricket you will need a bat, for example. However, some items of cricket equipment aren't as obvious, but it is important that anybody buying cricket equipment knows exactly what each item is and what it does.

Cricket shoes, for example, are more complex than you might think. They are available by a variety of well known manufacturers, including Adidas, Nike, Puma and Slazenger, and they come in sizes to fit junior players. Luckily, it is possible to buy cheap cricket shoes from a range of retailers, so parents will not have to worry about spending a lot of money on shoes for their children that they may outgrow quickly. Cricket shoes have spikes on the bottom, which helps to give the players extra grip into the ground and gives extra leverage for when they are batting. They are also reinforced to give extra foot and ankle protection when needed, something that is important for a growing child.

As children grow into adults they may decide that they want to continue playing cricket, and if so, the responsibility of buying their own cricket equipment falls on their shoulders instead of their parents. Cheap cricket shoes for adults are also available from a wide range of retailers who stock discount cricket equipment, and these also come from many well known manufacturers. This includes Kookaburra and Gunn and Moore. As well as cheap cricket shoes, it is also possible to buy accessories for them such as spare spikes and studs.

Other types of cricket equipment that children may need when starting to play includes hats, base layers and batting pads. Like cheap cricket shoes, these kinds of accessories can be bought from discount sports equipment retailers, and from a range of well known brand names. As well as clothing, they may also need accessories such as cricket bags, to carry all of their kit in, and base layers, which are designed to go under the clothes to give extra protection to the player and keep them warm.

If you are looking to buy some cheap cricket shoes or other type of cricket equipment, either for yourself or for your child, you may be a bit overwhelmed by the wide range available. If this is the case, then you will need to find out exactly what you need before you make a purchase - retailers of such items will be able to give you tailored advice so it is advisable to give them a call or email them to find out more about their products on offer.

Established in 1973, Morrant Group Ltd is a family run business with over 35 years experience in mail order team sports equipment. Father, Daughter, Son and staff are working hard every day to ensure that our company achieves its aim. We sell a range of sports gear, including cheap cricket equipment and goods. Please visit our website at http://www.morrant.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shantelle_Hynes

Twenty20 Cricket World Cup - Six 6's

HOME :: Recreation-and-Sports / Cricket ICC World Twenty 20 World Cup - The Cricket Match That Makes You Go Crazy

ICC World Twenty 20 world cup 2010 is the highlight of all cricket lovers around the world.

There are many top cricket playing teams in the world with their fans spread over and it sure is tough for these fans to keep track of their favorite cricketers. The cricket is played all around the year and Cricket lovers are waiting for the upcoming ICC world Twenty 20 world cup as it has been scheduled to start of in April in West Indies and this is actually an ODI series that is scheduled between all the Asian countries.

The Australians and the English are still competing for the next cricket series to be played on their soil in November - lets see who ends up with the battle of becoming the host of the next season.

Countries are always interested in hosting the Cricket games as there are cricket fans spread all around the world that spend their hard earned morning just to get a glimpse of their favorite cricketer bat and bowl and so at the slightest chance they sure try to land up and are ready to buy tickets at all costs.

This surely makes the cricket hosts economic condition boom up because visitors come up from all parts of the world plus the hotels are booked in advance, cricket fans travel to their country to watch the cricket match and this helps in generating revenue for the business of the country and thus the economy booms up.

The cricket fixtures are scheduled so that everything turns out in an organized way according to schedule plus you can get all the relevant details from the online cricket sites who like to keep their cricket fans glued to their site and provide them a regular up date.Though the actual full timetable of the series cricket matches is finally updated 2 to 3 months before.

So keep prepared for the cricket season as it sure is time to wind up your work before hand and avail the benefit of watching live cricket in the cricket field at your convenient homes it sure is up to you. It takes a lot of hard work even in planning and scheduling the cricket matches as everything is fully organized The whole world is full of fans eagerly waiting for the cricket match so you sure get value for your hard work through the huge profits that you and up with at the end of the season.

The television companies are also involved with the battle of wits as each one is interested in buying the Broadcasting rights as through Cricket they can end up making large profits because the whole world is full of Cricket fans.

In cricket it takes two to tango, as without the other batting partner you sure are at a loss and it is the batsmen who take their team it win as the partnership and coordination between the two batsmen is the way to win.

Entire cricket world is looking forward to ICC World Twenty 20 world cup 2010.

Get newest Updates, Live Cricket News, Live Cricket Scores, Cricket Fixtures and more on ICC World Twenty 20 2010, find out more on Watch Live Cricket

SIR IMRAN KHAN GREATEST ALLROUNDER IN THE HISTORY OF CRICKET

Cricket Specialties - The All-Rounder

Cricket is a battle between bat and ball; it is a battle that involves batsmen, bowlers and fielders. Although every cricket player must field and bat, there exist specialist batsmen and bowlers. Some players develop their batting and bowling skills to such a high level, that they are considered all-rounders.

In cricket, all-rounders are players who have more than one specialty (typically batting, bowling or wicket keeping). The conventional view of all-rounders is that of players who can bat as well as they can bowl. However, the concept of the all-rounder has evolved to extend to wicketkeepers or even exceptional fielders who can help to win matches purely by their prowess in the field. In modern cricket, there is a sub-classification of all-rounders into genuine all-rounders, batting all-rounders, bowling all-rounders and wicketkeeper-batsmen.

Some cricket commentators opine that an all-rounder is a player can earn a place in the team either as a specialist batsman or specialist bowler. Such a player is a genuine all-rounder. One classic criterion for a "genuine all-rounder" was that the batting average should be higher than the bowling average. However, several players in cricket bat and bowl but are merely "good enough" in either skill. They may not be able to earn a pick on a team on the strength of their batting OR bowling but by virtue of their batting AND bowling.

There are also many batsmen who can bowl and bowlers who have a decent batting average. Wasim Akram, Pakistan's lethal left-arm fast bowler, ended his Test career with a batting average of 22.64. Carl Hooper, the West Indian batting enigma, was a specialist batsman who managed to scalp over 100 Test wickets. Cricket experts considered neither of them to be all-rounders. To many, Wasim was merely a good lower-order batsman and Hooper was an occasional bowler who had a fair share of success with the ball whenever he bowled.

Some players' statistics make a stronger case for all-rounder status than Hooper's or Akram's. Cricket pundits consider these players batting or bowling all-rounders. West Indian Chris Gayle (batting all-rounder) is very effective with the ball (in ODIs and T20s anyway) but his batting is far stronger and more devastating. In 2009, Stuart Broad's batting shone brightly, making him a bowling all-rounder.

"Batting all-rounder" or "bowling all-rounder" is also a transient term for a specialist batsman or bowler who becomes increasingly better at the other specialty. New Zealand's Daniel Vettori started as a specialist bowler. He then became a bowling all-rounder and, subsequently, a genuine all-rounder when his batting average surpassed his bowling average.