Only NZC can issue awards for its players

Well some fascinating news from New Zealand cricket (NZC) is that Daniel Vettori has been awarded top three of the awards in this year's major awards of the country. To mention the needed, Vettori has been awarded as the player of the year, Winsor cup for 1^st class bowling and Walter Hadlee trophy for the best bowler on ODIs. One aspect that is needed to be mentioned here is that, New Zealand players can be awarded only by their cricket association and no one else. That is what New Zealand have been able to achieve in international cricket until now.

My apologies for not taking pains to go all the way to search as to since when have New Zealanders been playing international cricket. However, if their statistics are given a close look at, it would come as no surprise that New Zealand stand far compared to all other teams but for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Of course, South Africa have been able to do exactly what new Zealand could manage which is a totally different issue here. New Zealand are yet to reach the finals of a world cup in its 25 year long history (since 1975 when the 1st world cup was played).

New Zealand players have hardly been able to produce any out standing cricketers be it in any department of the game. The only achievement by New Zealand team is the ICC Champions trophy which they won in 2000 by beating India at Nairobi. They did everything to win the world cup in 1992 only upto the semis where they lost to Pakistan. One has to note down that the maiden win for New Zealand in a tournament containing three or more teams is the ICC champions trophy 2000 as mentioned. They are yet to boast of a batsman who has scored a triple century in tests.

The highest individual score from a batsman from New Zealand is Michael Crowe who got out on a score of 299. Some outstanding names from New Zealand cricket are Sir Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe, Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori. Of course, players like Brendon McCullum, Chris Cairns and the present bunch are found doing a fab job for New Zealand. But, these players are of no match to say Mark & Steve Waughs, Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly, Brian Lara etc from outside New Zealand. Though Shane Bond stands apart from other fast bowlers like Shoaib Akthar and Brett Lee, his career started after them but ended much before them.

So, where else can New Zealand players expect an award if not for their own country? Stop wondering about New Zealand and become a movie fan instead.

Is the NZC influenced by the BCCI?

Should one feel happy for the New Zealand cricket opening an IPL window for its players in the recently concluded eight year agreement between the players' association and national board or feel disgusted and let low for one of the major cricketing power is bowing to another cricket board for reasons best anticipated by one and all following the game of cricket especially in the sub continent? The blog has repeatedly thrown out the other board's reaction to the two cricket leagues in one country when there were biased decisions regarding the IPL and the ICL. Now, there is no need to mentioned the latter.

All major cricketing boards including the one in Bangladesh were against their national players from playing in the rebel league and tried almost everything possible to make way for the other one namely the IPL. Few cricketing greats like Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne also insisted that the IPL be included among the ICC's future tours program. The unofficial involvement of the BCCI can never be turned down in this regard. There are domestic tournaments happening in every country including non test playing nations like Ireland. But, no one comes out asking for a window for those tournaments no matter what.

The New Zealand cricket had formerly banned star fast bowler Shane Bond from featuring in the national side after he had enrolled for Delhi Gaints in the ICL. And now, the same cricket board has allowed its players that includes Shane Bond to feature in the IPL. Shane Bond has signed for the Kolkata Knight Riders who come in the bottom of the table in every edition played so far. There is hardly any country's cricket board who does not bow to the richest cricket board in the world - the BCCI and New Zealand has also not been an exception whatsoever.

However, the rest of the plans that come under the 8 year agreement is worth giving a thought for every cricket board who insists in taking the game forward in their country. The agreement has references to $65 million which can evoke interest in cricket among any cricketer from New Zealand. I wish this agreement is more valuable than playing in the IPL. But, this agreement is of no use to the BCCI and the IPL and citing a window for the IPL in this agreement can boost ties with the BCCI. This is no freedom for the NZC. In case the NZC wants to enjoy freedom I wish they visit Reko Blogging which may stop it from bowing to money in the form of IPL and BCCI.

Australia do it effortlessly

Well after two matches that ended in tense moments, with both Australia and New Zealand fighting it until the last legal delivery was bowled and the last run scored or conceded, there was finally a game that proved one team to be stronger than the other. And as obvious it has been, that one team that had to be sideline from the other happened to be Australia. Though Australia won the second one dayer at Auckland by 12 runs, the victory couldn't guarantee Australia a convincing sleep, with reports suggesting that it was the D-L method that helped Australia achieve the task.

In the 3^rd ODI which Australia won, the Australian bowlers did everything right if not for the toss which should have seen Ricky Ponting choose to bat rather than to bowl. Though Australia won the match convincingly, it would have been a better decision from Ponting had he chosen to bat first with the seamers not being able to extract anything from the surface. However, despite the ball being unable to swing, it was enough to trouble the New Zealand batsmen who kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. The final score of 245 was not at all an issue in chasing for the Australians who are gifted with atleast 7 specialist batsmen in their side.

The New Zealand team needed contribution from as many as 7 batsmen who departed after scoring double digit figures, with 5 of them scoring between 20 and 40 or above. But, when the same was considered from the Australians' side, they needed the efforts of just 2 batsmen in Ponting and Haddin, whose work was continued by White and Voges. No bowler from the New Zealand side could take a wicket until the 33^rd over, after Watson was run out in the 7^th over. Highlights suggests that there were two chance given to Haddin when the batsman was on 8 and on 83, both of which were tough ones but gettable as well.

And, this is the difference between a team that dominates and that which wins with a combined effort. A dominating team makes chances for itself and a strong team looks for chances while an ordinary team only welcomes chances. Finally, a weak team like Bangladesh West Indies lets go off a chance despite being forced to accept one. And NZ belongs to the third category that can only make it count when things favor them. One thing that was evident from the match was that, a 35 yer old mason, who should have retired by now was found making a comeback to the international after he was last found playing for NZ in July last year against Scotland.

Australia redefines homesickness

Well, after losing the first one day international to New Zealand yesterday, Australia reminded the word homesickness which has a different meaning in the world of cricket. Australia lost a match to New Zealand which was after a series of victories against Pakistan and West Indies in all formats of the game of cricket. All that Australia could lose in the gap was the first test to the West Indies in December which ended in a draw and the 3^rd one dayer which was abandoned. If not for these, Australia won all the tests, one dayers and T20 games that it played.

However, all the aforementioned victories that Australia enjoyed until now was at home. Nevermind that at times, Australia popped up from a never again position and went on to win the game. This was in the Sydney test against Pakistan and in the only T20 game against the same. In both cases where Australia were bundled out for 127 runs on board. And also not to mention the T20 win against New Zealand in the 1^st followed by a tie in the 2^nd (though the match was handed over to NZ after the super over) . Now, Australia is found to be facing the heat with a loss in the 1^st ODI to the Kiwis.

Had the same match been played at home, Australia would no doubt been victorious. The lat match before the one under discussion that Australia lost was against India on its tour at Delhi in the 3^rd one dayer. Since then, Australia had not lost even a single match irrespective of the format of the game that it was playing. Whatever, this loss need not termed as the end of the road for Australia. Not only regarding the fact that there are 4 more ODIs to go but also that Australia lost the match by a close margin which it can make up in the next meeting at Auckland.

However, more than the loss that Australia suffered, the main thing that is bound to haunt them is the timing of the loss. As cited above, Australia had won all of its encounters against Windies and Pakistan at home and a loss in the very first encounter to New Zealand down under will surely make fingers point towards Australia regarding their victory restricted only to home conditions and nowhere when it comes outside it. There is more of a probablity that Australia will win the series but, it is the margin of victory that matters. Will it be a 4-1 or a 3-2 win for Aussies which makes the difference!