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It is his “favourite ground” outside India and iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar is determined to continue this love affair with the SCG, where he averages a staggering 221, during the second Test against Australia starting January 3.
Tendulkar has two centuries and a double century from just four Tests at the SCG, with a highest score of unbeaten 241.
“The SCG has obviously been my favourite ground away from India,” Tendulkar said.
“It’s a terrific ground, a special place. I love the atmosphere. It’s wonderful. There are these certain grounds where you walk out there feeling you’re going to do well and the SCG is one of those grounds where I feel comfortable,” he was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
Of the 59 venues where Tendulkar has played Test cricket in his illustrious 22-year-old career, the batting ace has only averaged better at Dhaka and Mirpur in Bangladesh.
SCG has always had a special place in Tendulkar’s career but it remains to be seen whether he can achieve the elusive 100th international century at his favourite overseas ground. And with a combination of Tendulkar’s date with history, Australia’s win in Melbourne and fine weather forcast for the second Test, the SCG Trust and Cricket New South Wales are also hoping to lift the ticket sales for the next match of the series.
Praises for Zaheer
Melbourne: Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones said he was impressed by Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan in the first Test but found the visiting team’s famed batting “substandard”.
“I was in awe of the way Zaheer Khan bowled in this Test. He doesn’t have super pace but knows how to set up a batsman by having the ability to swing the ball both ways,” Jones said.
However, he did not like the way Indian batsmen played in the Test, which they lost by 122 runs while chasing 292.
“The Indian batsmen weren’t much different and the quality of batsmanship in this Test was substandard considering there were so many great players,” Jones said.
However, he was full of praise for Sachin Tendulkar and he felt that Australian batsmen could have learnt from the Indian batting great.
“I loved the six hit by Tendulkar with his first ball after lunch on day two. It was a shot saying, ‘Don’t bowl that stuff to me!’ Watching the great Tendulkar bat with Dravid was a learning experience. Obviously our batsmen didn’t watch closely enough,” he wrote in his column for The Age.
Jones also suggested that the players should be kept away from wives and girlfriends during the matches.
“Maybe there are too many distractions during a home series and it may be time that we have a couple of Test matches where the team is away from wives and partners.
“The players need to find some quiet time and have a good think about their game,” he wrote.
Chappell criticises Dhoni
Melbourne: Former Australia captain Ian Chappell, blamed MS Dhoni for “India’s slide to oblivion” and has questioned his “conservative” approach on the final day of the first Test against Australia in Melbourne.
“M S Dhoni set the tone for India’s slide to oblivion on the final day at the MCG. He was extremely conservative when the situation cried out for him to attack in order to claim the final two wickets cheaply,” Chappell wrote in his column for the Herald Sun.
The senior Chappell was critical of the visitors’ inability to polish off the Australian tail and said Dhoni needs to find a solution to the problem before the start of the second Test in Sydney from January 3.
“He (Dhoni) lamented India’s inability to rid themselves of the Australian tailend batsmen in both innings. He only needs to pay attention when shaving before the SCG Test to find the solution to that problem,” Chappell insisted.
He, however, maintained that Australians would need to find a solution to stop Sachin Tendulkar, who looked in ominous touch during his stay at the crease.
“The player the Australians haven’t yet found an answer for is Sachin Tendulkar. He looked in top form, and with the SCG being his favourite venue in Australia, they’ll need to find a solution quickly,” Chappell wrote.
‘No uniformity on DRS’
Dubai: The ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat on Saturday admitted that one of the disappointing aspects of year 2011 was not being able to reach a consensus regarding the use of DRS for international matches, despite majority of players in favour of technology.
“... We have not achieved uniformity or consistent application of the Decision Review System (DRS) even though a vast majority of the players would like to have it,” Lorgat was quoted as saying in the ICC media release.
Tendulkar has two centuries and a double century from just four Tests at the SCG, with a highest score of unbeaten 241.
“The SCG has obviously been my favourite ground away from India,” Tendulkar said.
“It’s a terrific ground, a special place. I love the atmosphere. It’s wonderful. There are these certain grounds where you walk out there feeling you’re going to do well and the SCG is one of those grounds where I feel comfortable,” he was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
Of the 59 venues where Tendulkar has played Test cricket in his illustrious 22-year-old career, the batting ace has only averaged better at Dhaka and Mirpur in Bangladesh.
SCG has always had a special place in Tendulkar’s career but it remains to be seen whether he can achieve the elusive 100th international century at his favourite overseas ground. And with a combination of Tendulkar’s date with history, Australia’s win in Melbourne and fine weather forcast for the second Test, the SCG Trust and Cricket New South Wales are also hoping to lift the ticket sales for the next match of the series.
Praises for Zaheer
Melbourne: Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones said he was impressed by Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan in the first Test but found the visiting team’s famed batting “substandard”.
“I was in awe of the way Zaheer Khan bowled in this Test. He doesn’t have super pace but knows how to set up a batsman by having the ability to swing the ball both ways,” Jones said.
However, he did not like the way Indian batsmen played in the Test, which they lost by 122 runs while chasing 292.
“The Indian batsmen weren’t much different and the quality of batsmanship in this Test was substandard considering there were so many great players,” Jones said.
However, he was full of praise for Sachin Tendulkar and he felt that Australian batsmen could have learnt from the Indian batting great.
“I loved the six hit by Tendulkar with his first ball after lunch on day two. It was a shot saying, ‘Don’t bowl that stuff to me!’ Watching the great Tendulkar bat with Dravid was a learning experience. Obviously our batsmen didn’t watch closely enough,” he wrote in his column for The Age.
Jones also suggested that the players should be kept away from wives and girlfriends during the matches.
“Maybe there are too many distractions during a home series and it may be time that we have a couple of Test matches where the team is away from wives and partners.
“The players need to find some quiet time and have a good think about their game,” he wrote.
Chappell criticises Dhoni
Melbourne: Former Australia captain Ian Chappell, blamed MS Dhoni for “India’s slide to oblivion” and has questioned his “conservative” approach on the final day of the first Test against Australia in Melbourne.
“M S Dhoni set the tone for India’s slide to oblivion on the final day at the MCG. He was extremely conservative when the situation cried out for him to attack in order to claim the final two wickets cheaply,” Chappell wrote in his column for the Herald Sun.
The senior Chappell was critical of the visitors’ inability to polish off the Australian tail and said Dhoni needs to find a solution to the problem before the start of the second Test in Sydney from January 3.
“He (Dhoni) lamented India’s inability to rid themselves of the Australian tailend batsmen in both innings. He only needs to pay attention when shaving before the SCG Test to find the solution to that problem,” Chappell insisted.
He, however, maintained that Australians would need to find a solution to stop Sachin Tendulkar, who looked in ominous touch during his stay at the crease.
“The player the Australians haven’t yet found an answer for is Sachin Tendulkar. He looked in top form, and with the SCG being his favourite venue in Australia, they’ll need to find a solution quickly,” Chappell wrote.
‘No uniformity on DRS’
Dubai: The ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat on Saturday admitted that one of the disappointing aspects of year 2011 was not being able to reach a consensus regarding the use of DRS for international matches, despite majority of players in favour of technology.
“... We have not achieved uniformity or consistent application of the Decision Review System (DRS) even though a vast majority of the players would like to have it,” Lorgat was quoted as saying in the ICC media release.
