2006, can you please recur in 2011....

Here's a thought for those excessively worried about Indian batting collapses  in the last two WC games against unfancied Ireland and Netherlands:
Yuvi scores 58, 50* & 51* in successive matches. Good news? YES, even though 2 of them are against Minnows. He got them three scores in three different situations, exactly as Yuvraj Singh mark-2011 should have got them. Not as Virender Sehwag, Paul Collingwood, Kamran Akmal, Mike Hussey or Kevin O'Brien should have.
In those matches Yuvi-MSD score partnerships of 69, 67 & 52*. Two of those have still come against minnows. Is it good news? NO...it is GREAT news! 'Coz again they got the runs exactly as Yuvi-Dhoni mark-2011 should have got them.
Note: Not that Yuvi-MSD of 2011 need to bat any differently than they did in the unforgettable 'masti-ki-pathshala' Pak'06 ODI's when the situation comes...it only means they have more ways than that these days. Just seeing them together for more than 50 runs in three consecutive matches has been such a pacifier.
 
And those additional options for Yuvi/MSD are all borne out of the WMD** that India NOW have in their batting lineup: YK Pathan.
 
**WMD=MSD++

Lively pitches for lively cricket in league phase

Ireland overcame a big target yesterday on a batting pitch against Test side England. You would not see it happen nine out of ten times. [That's my humble take on the 'epic upset']

But to be fair to Ireland, they have been the only associate country which, over the years of Kenya's decline as 'potential Test material' during last decade , have looked like bringing about this type of 'upset'. Ireland are better than the average 'minnow' at all times, and were more so on 2nd March 2011. Come Sunday and I expect them to give India as much fight as a team like Bangladesh can.

Today's Can-v-Pak match, however, perfectly illustrated the need for this World Cup's wickets offering something to bowlers...at least during the league stages. With a helpful pitch due to moisture, Canadian bowlers did well and reigned in Pak batting. They would have pulled off this target if one more Canadian batsman would support Hansra.

Canada would not run Pak close on batting pitches like the ones used in England's last two matches.

Put WI / NZ against minnows on similar helpful pitches and the QF line up might get more interesting.

[Note: I only caught snatches of the Can-v-Pak match on telly]