A sketchy win at Perth and launch of Bangla Premier League today

Elsewhere at Perth, India scratched to complete a win.  Chasing 234, Indians were precariously placed at one stage having lost all their specialists, when Virat left needing 53 more to get. In the end those were achieved without further loss of wickets due to some good performance from Ashwin and Jadeja.  Not exactly a great match, India would like to remember though the result was in their favour.

It was another day when openers did not click and middle order crumbled despite some good knocks from Sachin and Virat Kohli.  The slinga Malinga yorked again, this time with a throw from mid-on leaving Kohli short of his crease.  Sachin Tendulkar went past 3000 runs against Sri Lanka in ODIs. He is the only player to pass that mark against two teams (Australia and Sri Lanka) but many a times such peaks and statistics could become meaningless also.   Ashwin earlier bowled well to take 3/32.  Sehwag perished playing his patent upper cut to thirdman. 

The captain expressed his displeasure of middle order performance – Dhoni is an integral part of it.  Rohit who was so good in IPL has been struggling but has been provided with fair chance – all talk of talent.  There was a time when Irfan Pathan was considered as an all-rounder and Greg Chappel used to orchestrate sending him at one drop.  Now he is languishing as reserve, though I do not expect him to do wonders !.

Today, the Bangla Premier League will be launched – the first edition would unfold with glitz opening ceremony at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium  at  6:30 PM BST. The opening ceremony will be for 2 and half hour. The culture and history of freedom fighting of Bangladesh will be displayed in this show. What do they have to do with a cricketing event is not a Q, any would prefer to ask !!

There reportedly is considerable excitement in Bangladesh in what is seen as a move to replicate the success of IPL, which is now mired with some trouble with Kochi Tuskers out and the fortunes of Sahara Pune Warriors hotly being discussed.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.