India v West Indies, 1st Test, Kolkata, 6-10 November, 2013

I'll wager even the low score from the Poisoned Dwarf was stage managed to suit a bookies demand . . .

You heard it here first.

Perhaps Dhoni's or Sharma's biography in the next few years will give us a better insight as to who got paid by whom and how much diddly-dosh exchanged hands.

Maybe it's time for Chanderpaul to bat a bit higher up the order. He's wasted batting at 5 because most of the time he's batting with the tail and doesn't seem interesting in protecting it.

buckSH wrote:

Merlin wrote:Delhi Bookies definitely in on this one.

India 83-5 ... finished on 453 . . .
WIndies 101 - 1 second dig . . . finish 168 ao to lose by an innings!

You couldn't make it up.

yeah what DRS is to ECB,
the 'Delhi bookie' is to bcci.

like the other plagues that are named with delhi, delhi belly, new delhi virus (some new delhi metallo something), delhi 'superbug' all named by some Brit or the other based out of England. How dastardly can a group of human beings get ?

I wouldn't mind if this comment was a natural and logical outcome of a logical post, but fark me even flintoff has been charged with fixing and betting yet this little rascist has to rush in making a slanted post blaming it all on some 'delhi bookie'.

fark me but has there been a single cricket match in recent past, between 2 test-playing nations that has been completely honest without a trace of any fixing or without the bookies wading in at some point. Yet the likes of this postor do not bring in bookies into any of them discussions.

It would also be a shame to suggest that Shami didn't actually deserve those wickets, those were quality deliveries, whatever may have been the intentions of the batsmen.

I normally have your posts on "Hide" buckarse . . . but, like Pandora, I had to "open the box".

Oooooh what goodies . . . Delhi Belly, delhi virus, delhi metallo (wtf is that?!) . . .
Like the Monkeh . . . I just love your rants (if only could follow them!) . . . it's like music to mine ears!

The sooner you accept that this match was fixed, the better you will feel overall.
Trust me.

Take nothing away from Shami - early to say, but he looks a top drawer Test prospect. Him and Bhuvaneshwar are a serviceable opening attack.

Yeah, with the pair and Umesh Yadav around, they could be rather decent if kept fit, but that's always been the biggest cavaet.

Also agree about Chanderpaul, played very poorly with the tail. Barely looked like he gave a shit.

I can't say I entirely blame him, best part of a decade later and there's still little talent and less application to partner him!

Still, he should be @4 - @3 if they can push him.

Yeah, I agree. It must be difficult to have to think for half the batsmen you play with for the best part of a decade. He must get disheartened at the lack of application and ability.

Yeah, fair enough, and they selected only six specialist batsmen which also led part to his batting with the tail for so long, but taking singles off the first ball didn't help either.

sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. i have seen long partnerships with the tail when the batsman shows confidence in the tailender

when you are so far back shielding the tail doesnt make sense. you only really start doing that when you are closing in on a possible win

Well that was depressing. Some random thoughts on this match:

Rohit is one of my favourite right handed batsmen, really enjoyed watching him bat.

Shami looked really good, particularly with the old ball.

Just because you can beat Bangladesh and Zimbabwe with Ramdin at 6 doesn't mean it's a good idea to do that against a proper team. Disastrous selection.

Sammy must go. The main difference between the two sides was the partnership between the number 6 and 8 batsmen. He is really holding us back and we will not be able to compete against good sides with him in the team.

Ramdin must go. Not enough runs either at 6 or 7. Time to give Walton a go, he's earned his chance in recent seasons. We have nothing to lose in this position.

Shillingford might be a pelter but he's a good one. Best spinner on view in this match by quite some distance. Pity he was overbowled so much and got tired.

Our injury crisis in the pace department is problematic. You can't have Tino and Cotterrell in the same team. Both very quick, neither of them move the ball much and neither offer control. Rampaul and Roach please get well soon.

Nigel Llong's umpiring was shithouse. Obviously Sachin's was a clear error but the worst one was Samuels. WTF was he thinking?

Could've been a good time to add a non English/Australian umpire to the elite panel.

The One wrote:sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. i have seen long partnerships with the tail when the batsman shows confidence in the tailender

when you are so far back shielding the tail doesnt make sense. you only really start doing that when you are closing in on a possible win

He was doing it in the first innings too, when there was all to lose. Of course, the batsmen's dismissals couldn't be excused, especially Samuels and Sammy. Think he could've taken a bit more strike though, too often Permaul was facing 5/6 balls an over.

That said, if the other batsmen were half as good as him...

WIFAN wrote:
Nigel Llong's umpiring was shithouse. Obviously Sachin's was a clear error but the worst one was Samuels. WTF was he thinking?

Llong must be on Sunil the Bookie's books - nailed on.

Re : umpires other than English/Australian on the Elite Panel . . .

So WTF are they?
Clearly the rest don't measure up.
Or else suspicions may lurk - especially with regard to Bannie umpires and the aforementioned Sunil.

You should apply, Merlo.

They'd give their right arms for an unpartisan judge.

Merlin wrote:

WIFAN wrote:
Nigel Llong's umpiring was shithouse. Obviously Sachin's was a clear error but the worst one was Samuels. WTF was he thinking?

Llong must be on Sunil the Bookie's books - nailed on.

Re : umpires other than English/Australian on the Elite Panel . . .

So WTF are they?
Clearly the rest don't measure up.
Or else suspicions may lurk - especially with regard to Bannie umpires and the aforementioned Sunil.

Doesn't take much to improve on Tucker or Llong, going on this performance. So yes, even a Bannie wouldn't be a reduction in quality, and that may even reduce the workload for the 3 umpires who'll now officiate 10 straight Ashes tests.

As for the bookie gag, shouldn't rise to it, but I will. If this was fixed, how about the fifth Ashes test?
Or 51 all out?
Or failing to chase 130 in Abu Dhabi?
Or the Edgbaston test?
Or Udal in Mumbai?
Or, well you get the drift...

Oh yes, as mentioned before, Broad Trott against fixers who were done in that very series? That was against real fixers with proof, not just some random oompa loompas shouting themselves hoarse about it....

Simple explanation for all of those examples: all of the non-English teams are fixing everything.

If that doesn't make sense in some of these situations then you've made the mistake of thinking about it too much. Kind of like how you repeat the same word over and over again and it loses meaning.

Well clearly  

Which word?

Henry Nolonga wrote:Simple explanation for all of those examples: all of the non-English teams are fixing everything.

If that doesn't make sense in some of these situations then you've made the mistake of thinking about it too much. Kind of like how you repeat the same word over and over again and it loses meaning.

Well, you've got to then admit Henri ol' chap, if the WIndies aren't fixing their games - then they are indeed in deep poo.
I mean, so deep as to claim to now be at the bottom of the pile.
This particular test (and others before it - except perhaps against the Bangles) highlights their ineptitude, cluelessness and uselessness in playing together as a TEAM.
Maybe they're ready to swap places with Ireland and move into the Minnows League?
No point blaming the likes of Chanders . . . he's been an excellent servant to WIndies cricket for a long long time now.
Can you blame him for not giving a toss about the lower order when 101 for 1 becomes 168 all out??!!

PeterCS wrote:Which word?

"Over" ...?

It's never over till it's over.

Sounds like a questionable sequence of events, but we know WI's capability to crumble in a session that's been there ever since the turn of the millennium. Just where will they be as a batting line-up when Chanderpaul calls it a day? Is his son going to be any good? They could do with another...

I didn't realise the level of inexperience of this Indian team until I saw the stats either. Tendulkar has more caps than the rest of the side put together (who was the last to achieve that feat, sure it's happened quite recently) and Dhoni's not far off having as many as the remaining nine combined. Where did all the veterans go?

Oh, and that Mohammed Sami's certainly improved since he gained an 'h' and crossed the border.

better to ignore merlin. WUP at best. racist at worst

The One wrote:better to ignore merlin. WUP at best. racist at worst

  Seems to be your answer to everything . . . !

A 9-67 collapse by the Windies. Nice.

Congrats to the Bannies on a thumping win. Rohit, Ashwin and Shami lead the way - well done them.