1st match, 1st innings: head, heart and tail of it

Why do you keep your head still while playing a shot?

“Coz’ it is fool-proof?” Nyaaaaah!

“Coz’ it is in the books?” So is ‘too much of anything is bad’.

“Coz’ your coach will kill you if you get out playing a wrong shot, perhaps?” Phew!

You do it simply because it makes you look like the master of all you survey. It actually makes you look better than you are. Catch up on the six and the four off consecutive balls that "Mr. Phoenix" Samuels essayed off Rao Iftekhar and you’ll get my point.


And what a lion-hearted talent this Danish Kaneria is.

He tried to bowl a newly arrived Brian Lara round the legs with a googly. And he tried it again. A couple of overs later he tried to get a stepping-out right handed batsman (Samuels) stumped off a vicious leg spinner after going for a four and a six earlier in that over. And tried to back it up next ball with another straight-on sucker. Danish tried all of them, which shows the stuff that goes on inside his champion’s head.

Lara was uncomfortable in that over to whatever Kaneria dished out. Samuels could have gone in either of the last mentioned deliveries. Danish very nearly achieved each lofty target he set himself, which domonstrates his ability.

If Harbhajan emulates three-quarters of that aspiration or skill he can win India the World Cup.

I look forward to watching Danish succeed - even against India.

By the way have you ever seen a batsman capitalising on a little good fortune to multiply his tally by eight times…or infinite times, to be correct?

Tailend man Corey Collymore hits the penultimate ball of the innings to short mid-wicket and takes off for a non-existent single. The fielder narrowly misses bowlers’ end stumps with Collymore well short and the ball is finally fielded deep, by which time Collymore completes a comfortable two. Then he coolly hits the last ball for a six over long on and turns to start his walk back to the pavilion - even before the ball lands on the stands.

Does Corey keep his head still? I forget to notice really – and he turns rather quickly….sort of….and it was the head of the tail anyway...Okay, I go back to the match if you insist.