Sports Illustrated» Jacques Rudolph’s Double Century|Sports Illustrated

Jacques Rudolph’s Double Century

ernie4bogey — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:24:31 +0000

The South African left-hander helped himself to a career-best 228 for Yorkshire against Durham yesterday.

Rudolph was so comfortable at the crease that he would have eclipsed the 339 scored by Darren Lehmann here four years ago had captain Andrew Gale not declared in pursuit of the win that would consolidate Yorkshire’s leadership of the County Championship.

Rudolph looked so at ease, it would not have been beyond the realms of possibility that he would have gone on to break the record 501 posted by Brian Lara against the English game’s youngest county in Warwickshire’s 810 at Edgbaston in 1994.

How Anthony McGrath must have been kicking himself after he was run out shortly after making a century because together the pair could have had a field day rewriting the record books before Dale Benkenstein ran him out to give Durham something to shout about.

Durham captain Will Smith ended up using nine bowlers to stymie Gale’s team and the only surprise was that wicketkeeper Phil Mustard was not asked to try his luck with the ball.

After Yorkshire had put the contest beyond Durham, debutant Tino Best’s began ominously badly with his first four overs going for 24 runs but the 176 overs spent in the field – believed to be a record for Durham – took its toll on Kyle Coetzer who went cheaply when he was caught off Steve Patterson by Rudolph.

England discard Adil Rashid proved a point when he clean-bowled Smith and nightwatchman Mark Davies with an extra bit of zip in his leg-spin in his second over after being sent in to test Durham early on.

It was also emphatic evidence that Durham, who need 407 more runs to avoid the follow-on, will not manage to become the first county to secure a hat-trick of county titles for the first time since Brian Close led Yorkshire to a treble in the Sixties.

With thanks to the telegraph.co.uk

Praises For Sachin Tendulkar

jaya — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:50:08 +0000

Sachin Tendulkar

South Africans are devastated at the loss to India, never the less it is hard not to praise Tendulkar for his achievements and the possibilities in sports that he opens to fans.

At its simplest level, sport is about possibilities.

We fans dream up spectrums of possibilities.

Most times our dreamt up possibilities are restricted by our citizenship – in itself a simple piece of paper, if you think about it.

It is perhaps then all for the good that there still exist a few in the realm of sport who make you forget about these restrictions and think only about the sporting possibilities.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and the possibilities that only he brings to the sport that he adores and so beautifies and typifies – cricket.

Superlatives pale. Praise falls flat and comparisons do not seem to fit, if only because we are finding it harder to find appropriate standards of comparison as time goes on.

Cricket’s prolific writing community has driven itself against the wall praising his two decades in the game.

It has worked itself into a fury trying to explain to the layman about his passion for the game; his unsurpassed mastery of the art of batting. It has tired of continuously extolling his virtues on and off the field as a champion and a true sportsman.

For a while I was stymied when trying to write about his latest achievement – that of scoring a double century in an ODI contest. Yet another time when he carried his bat through and batted for his team’s entire quota of 50 overs.

If following sport is in essence a vicarious pursuit into which you throw not yourself but your faiths on individual players and/or teams, then nobody qualifies to be a Vicar quite as much as Tendulkar.

The magnitude of emotions, enjoyment and realization he has been able to convey and amplify to millions and maybe even billions of people over the years across borders of nationhood, religion, economic means, caste, creed and colour ensures that it is so.

It is not difficult to describe the drives, the cuts, the pulls and the cutest of nudges that he essayed today on his way to the first double-century in one-day internationals. But it would merely be superfluous.

His supporters may very well be in the right if they argue that this was always on the cards. A splendorous 175 four months ago had already tantalised his fans.

Informed and tempted them about this possibility. And when a summit beckons, Sachin cannot be far behind. He finds a way to the top. And so it was today.

200 not out off just 147 deliveries against the third-ranked side in the world.

Art is transcendental. So too is Tendulkar’s batting.

Much has been made of his drive for runs. Of the man’s sheer hunger for putting bat to ball and staying on there at the crease much to the bowlers’ bemusement.

Forget the fact that he is largely peerless and matchless.

He also appears tireless with the bat in hand when you observe his speed and skill when sprinting up and down the wicket putting pressure on the fielders at 36 years of age. Countless have been the questions posed to him about his desire to play the game and of the day when he wants to hang up his boots.

Perhaps they have been posed in an attempt to find out just how long the game will be graced by his presence. The game’s own need of his genius does not however go far when trying to explain his superhuman dedication to the craft of batting and of the sheer determination that has powered him to make several sacrifices in order to be there for his team.

That his bat is not an extension of his body as has been often said. Perhaps quite the opposite – that he is an extension of his bat. That his body arranges itself conveniently so that the bat may strike the ball at the most opportune time with optimum speed.

Courtesy of Cricinfo

HAVE YOUR SAY: Without thinking about our loss to India, does Tendulkar deserve such praise?

India media hail Tendulkar feat (news.bbc.co.uk)

Amla Thrills With Double Century

jaya — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:51:33 +0000

Hashim Amla sets off for a run during the day 2 between India and South Africa.

Hashim Amla was thrilled that his double century had put South Africa in a strong position in the first Test against India on Sunday.

“I think scoring a double hundred on any soil is a momentous occasion,” the number three batsman told reporters on Sunday after scoring an unbeaten 253 — his first double century.

“All the personal milestones are fantastic but on the day it’s about where the team is situated … it has certainly put India on the back foot,” he said.

Amla’s effort helped South Africa to declare their first innings closed at an imposing 558/6. India were 25 for no loss in reply at the close on day two.

Amla batted for more than 11 hours and took his overnight partnership with Jacques Kallis (173) to 340.

It was the pair’s second triple century stand, after they put up 330 against New Zealand in Johannesburg in 2007.

Hashim Amla takes a drinks break.

“The way he has developed his game has been fantastic,” Kallis said of Amla. “People wrote him off early on but, the tough character he is, he has proved everyone wrong.

“He is going to score a lot of runs for South Africa in very important situations.”

India coach Gary Kirsten said Amla’s effort had put India under a lot of pressure.

Courtesy of Reuters

HAVE YOUR SAY: How do you think this test will pan out between South Africa and India?

Hashim Amla celebrates his double century.

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Amla puts South Africa in charge (news.bbc.co.uk)