Player Profile(#39)...Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan)

Sohail Tanvir (born December 12, 1984 in Rawalpindi, Punjab) is a Pakistani cricketer. He created a name for himself in his early years as a street cricketer of Rawalpindi, and was known as "Sohail Kukree".[citation needed]

Domestic career:
IPL career:
On March 11, 2008, Tanvir was signed up in the second round of the Indian Premier League's players' auction by the Jaipur franchise, Rajasthan Royals, for $100,000.

Playing in his third match of tournament, on May 4, Tanvir took a match-winning six wickets against the Chennai Super Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. His figures of 4-0-14-6 are a record for Twenty20 cricket. He ended the tournament as the highest wicket-taker, with 22 wickets from 11 matches at an average of 12.09, an economy rate of 6.46 and a strike rate of 11.20, the best among bowlers with more than six wickets.

In the final of tournament, on June 1 at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai, with Rajasthan chasing 164 to win, Tanvir added 21 runs along with captain Shane Warne. He hit the winning runs of the final ball of the innings, to see the Royals home. He was later presented with the "Purple Cap", an award for the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.

A statistical analysis conducted by Cricinfo after the conclusion of the league stage of the tournament rated Tanvir as the most successful player. He was also rated as the second best value player of the tournament, having been signed on for $100,000.

International career:
An allrounder, he is a hard-hitting left-handed batsman and left-arm fast-medium bowler who also bowls occasional left-arm orthodox spin. Despite not having taken a single wicket during his ten Twenty20 matches domestically, he was selected for Pakistan's squad for the inaugral World Twenty20 after Shoaib Akhtar was sent home. He made his Twenty20 debut in the tournament, and took six wickets in six matches, with best bowling figures of 3 for 31 in four overs against Australia. Though considered an allrounder, Tanvir did not get a chance to bat in the tournament until the final, where he made his first international runs, with a six off his first ball, aiding Pakistan back into the game.

After impressing in the ICC World Twenty20, he was selected to play in the ODI series against South Africa in October, 2007. He was then selected for the tour of India, and took eight wickets in the ODI series. He also took part in the Test series that followed, making his debut in place of the injured Umar Gul. On debut at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Dehli, he took three wickets which included Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. In Asia Cricket Cup, June 2008, Pakistan played their first game against Hong Kong at Karachi. In that match, Pakistan's top order was badly ripped by Hong Kong bowlers before Sohail Tanvir set up a 100 run stand along with Fawad Alam for the 8th wicket. Sohail scored his maiden ODI 50 in that match. He scored 59 off just 55 balls which took Pakistan to a respectable score of 288. After that, in the match vs. Sri Lanka, Tanvir took his first 5 wickets haul. He ended at 5/48 in 10 overs.

Links to more information on Sohail Tanvir:

Cricinfo.com Profile on Sohail Tanvir

CricketArchive Profile on Sohail Tanvir





*Acknowledgements to Wikipedia.org and owners of pictures and videos used.

The Greatest Cricketers of the Modern Era

Here are a list of some of the greatest players to grace the game of cricket. The players selected have been chosen by their quality and records.

The Following Cricketers are the Best of the Modern Era:-

GREATEST CRICKETERS:
01) Shane Warne
02) Sachin Tendulkar
03) Muttiah Muralitharan
04) Brian Lara
05) Wasim Akram
06) Glenn McGrath
07) Ricky Ponting
08) Jacques Kallis
09) Curtly Ambrose
10) Waqar Younis
11) Adam Gilchrist
12) Courtney Walsh
13) Steve Waugh
14) Inzamam-ul-Haq
15) Rahul Dravid
16) Sourav Ganguly
17) Mohammad Yousuf
18) Allan Donald
19) Andy Flower
20) Shaun Pollock
21) Matthew Hayden
22) Aravinda de Silva
23) Anil Kumble
24) Sanath Jayasuriya
25) Michael Bevan

Notable Exclusions:-

01) Chaminda Vaas
02) Chris Cairns
03) Gary Kirsten
04) Mohammed Azharuddin
05) Saeed Anwar
06) Stephen Fleming
07) Nathan Astle
08) Jonty Rhodes
09) Alec Stewart
10) Marvan Atapattu
11) Mark Waugh

GREATEST CRICKETERS (individually):

Greatest Batsman: Sachin Tendulkar

Greatest ODI Batsman: Sachin Tendulkar

Greatest Test Batsman: Brian Lara

Greatest Bowler: Muttiah Muralitharan

Greatest ODI Bowler: Wasim Akram

Greatest Test Bowler: Shane Warne n Muttiah Muralidaran

Greatest Fielder: Jonty Rhodes

Greatest All-Rounder: Jacques Kallis

Greatest ODI Captain: Ricky Ponting

Greatest Test Captain: Steve Waugh

Greatest ODI Batting Pair: Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly

Greatest Test Batting Pair: Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting

Greatest ODI Bowling Pair: Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis

Greatest Test Bowling Pair: Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh/Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne

GREATEST CRICKETERS BY TEAM:

Australia: Shane Warne

Bangladesh: Mohammed Rafique

England: Alec Stewart

India: Sachin Tendulkar

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming

Pakistan: Wasim Akram

South Africa: Jacques Kallis

Sri Lanka: Muttiah Muralidaran

West Indies: Brian Lara

Zimbabwe: Andy Flower

If you are not happy with the selection of the cricketers then feel free to express your opinion by leaving a comment on this post/article.

Players in Quest of Achieving Greatness:
01) Michael Clarke
02) Mike Hussey
03) Virender Sehwag
04) Shivnarine Chanderpaul
05) Graeme Smith
06) Brett Lee
07) Kumar Sangakkara
08) Kevin Pietersen
09) Andrew Flintoff
10) Chris Gayle
11) Andrew Symonds
12) Makhaya Ntini
13) Ramnaresh Sarwan
14) Mahela Jayawardene
15) Herschelle Gibbs

Some famous cricket quotes

Over the years there have been a number of players that have been known for their words just as much as their cricketing exploits. Some of them will never be forgotten, although some of the players on the receiving end may wish they could be.

Here are some of the stand out quotes I have come across as of late:

Glen McGrath (Australia) and Eddo Brandes (Zimbabwe):

Aussie paceman Glenn McGrath was bowling to Zimbabwe number 11 Eddo Brandes - who was just missing each ball. McGrath, frustrated, went to him and inquired: "Why are you so fat?"Quick as a flash, Brandes replied, "Because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit."

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Freddie Trueman & Raman Subba Row:

Fearsome English fast bowler Fred Trueman extraced an edge from the batsman, which flew straight into the hands of Raman Subba Row at first slip. The ball however went right between Row's legs to the third man boundary. Fred didn't say a word. At the end of the over, Row ambled past Trueman and apologised sheepishly. "Sorry Fred. I should've kept my legs together". Trueman retorted in classic fashion "Not you, son. Your mother should've!"
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"It's been very slow and dull day, but it hasn't been boring. It's been a good, entertaining day's cricket. - BRIAN JOHNSTON"
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"He's usually a good puller - but he couldn't get it up that time." - BRIAN JOHNSTON"
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"He's fat, he's round, he bounces on the ground, Shane Warne, Shane Warne." - Barmy Army.
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Shane Warne : "I've waited two years for another chance to humiliate you."
Daryll Cullinan : "Looks like you spent it eating."
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"What do you think this is, a f***ing tea party? No you can't have a f***ing glass of water. You can f***ing wait like all the rest of us."
-Allan Border to Robin Smith.
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"Mate, if you turn the bat over, you'll see the instructions on the back!"
-Merv Hughes to Robin Smith.
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Merv Hughes : "You can't f**king bat."
Robin Smith : "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can't f**king bat and you can't f**king bowl."
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"Tufnell! Can I borrow your brain? I'm building an idiot."
-Voice from the crowd, Newcastle Test.
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"A fart competing with thunder."
-Graham Gooch on England's chances in Australia in 1990-91.
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What is Spin Bowling?

Spin bowling, sometimes known as slow bowling, is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as spinners or spin bowlers.

The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ball with rapid rotation so that when it bounces on the pitch it will deviate, thus making it difficult for the batsman to hit the ball cleanly. The speed the ball travels is not critical, and is significantly lower than for fast bowling. A typical spin delivery has a speed in the range 70-90 km/h (45-55 mph).

Spin bowling is divided into four different categories, depending on the particular physical technique used. There is virtually no overlap between the two basic biomechanical techniques of wrist spin and finger spin.


Off spin - Right-handed with finger spin technique. (eg. Harbhajan Singh)
Leg spin - Right-handed with wrist spin technique. (eg. Shane Warne, Anil Kumble)
Left-arm orthodox spin - Left-handed with finger spin technique. (eg. Monty Panesar)
Left-arm unorthodox spin - Left-handed with wrist spin technique. (eg. Brad Hogg)

Depending on technique, a spin bowler uses either predominant wrist or finger motion to impart spin to the ball around a horizontal axis that is at an oblique angle to the length of the pitch. This sort of spin means it is also possible for the Magnus effect to cause the ball to deviate sideways through the air, before it bounces. Such deviation is called drift. The combination of drift and spin can make the ball's trajectory complex, with a change of direction at the bounce. This variety of trajectories achievable by a spin bowler can bewilder inexperienced or poor batsmen.

Spin bowlers are generally given the task of bowling with an old, worn cricket ball. A new cricket ball better suits the techniques of fast bowling than spin bowling, while a worn one grips the pitch better and achieves greater spin. Spin bowlers are also more effective later in a game, as the pitch dries up and begins to crack and crumble. This again provides more purchase for the spinning ball and produces greater deviation.

How to bowl Leg Spin like Shane Warne (video)

How to bowl Off-Spin (video)

*Acknowledgements to Wikipedia.org and owners of pictures and videos used.

A Song about Shane Warne- You gotta watch and listen to this!

As I was doing the previous post about cricketing sex scandals I found this video on Youtube about a group doing a song about Shane Warne in a very lighthearted sort of way, its a must see as it captures the essence of Warney in my personal opinion (I know others may differ and thats ok as everyone is entitled to an opinion), and with the bongo drums and that thing the lady is playing (is it a clarinet? comment if it is) it gives a really good atmosphere to the Master of Spin.

(The lead singer is Phillippe Ledoux)

Cricketing SEX Scandals

Over the years there have been many sex scandals in the beloved game of cricket. When most people combine the words "sex scandal" and "cricket" its most likely that Shane Warne will immediately come to mind. As a brilliant player as he is he has been involved in so many of them that everytime I have typed in "cricketing sex scandals" in Google almost every one of them brings up some reference to Warney. I respect him as a player (with his magical bowling skills etc) but I think that in some way his career may have been tarnished and will be remembered for not only his superiour skills on the field, but most likely also his "superior" skills in the sack and by texts to various women that were involved in many of his romps.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not slating him completely, for most of my life that I have been interested in cricket I have always looked up to Warney for his master legspinners and how lethal and magical his deliveries were (eg bowling Mike Gatting out, Bowling Andrew Strauss for his 700th wicket and so much more) and I would pick him in a select World XII anyday, but maybe he (and like other cricketers involved in sex scandals as well) needs to sort out his personal life, as by not doing so he has lost only one of the few things more precious than the brilliant game of cricket- His gorgous ex-wife Simone, regular access to his children, and breaking up that precious bond between family.

In the meantime here is a handful of links that go to articles that talk about cricketing scandals. I know I have ranted on mostly about Warney but like everyone else on this planet nobody is perfect, as there are many sex scandals out there, not only with other cricketers, but in real life away from cricket as well.

Shane Warne Involved in Yet Another Sex Scandal

Eleven Cricketing Scandals

Indian Cricket Captain Sex Scandal 2001

11 Cricketing Sex Scandals by Cricinfo.com

Sex Scandals by Freerepublic.com

Player Profile(#20)...Shane Warne(Australia)

Shane Keith Warne (born 13 September 1969) is a former Australian international cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the finest leg spin bowlers in the history of cricket. While his career statistics suggest that, despite his aggregate performances, phenomenal popularity and notoriety, he was perhaps less effective and destructive than the interbellum Australian leg-spinners Bill O'Reilly and Clarrie Grimmett, his durability and impact on the modern game assure his place alongside them in cricket's pantheon. Indeed, in 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only bowler selected in the quintet.

Warne played his first Test match in 1992, and his 708 wickets was the record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in Test cricket, until it was broken by Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan on December 3, 2007. He took over 1000 international wickets (in Tests and One-Day Internationals)—he was the second bowler to reach this milestone after Muttiah Muralitharan. A useful lower-order batsman, Warne also scored over 3000 Test runs, and he holds the record for most Test runs without a century. His career was plagued by scandals off the field; these included a ban from cricket for testing positive for a prohibited substance, and charges of bringing the game into disrepute.

As well as Australia, he also played Australian domestic cricket for his home state of Victoria, and English domestic cricket for Hampshire. He was captain of Hampshire for three seasons, from 2005 to 2007. In March 2008, Warne signed to play in the Indian Premier League for the Jaipur team, Rajasthan Royals in the first edition of the tournament, where he will play the roles of both captain and coach.

He retired from international cricket in January 2007, at the end of Australia's 5-0 Ashes series victory over England. Two other players integral to the Australian team of recent years, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer, also retired from Tests on the same day which led some, including the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, to declare it the "end of an era".

Following his retirement from international cricket, Warne played a full season at Hampshire in 2007. He had been scheduled to appear in the 2008 English cricket season, but in late March 2008 he announced his retirement from playing first-class cricket in order to be able to spend more time pursuing interests outside of cricket.

Cricket-Online player profile - Shane Warne

Player Profile: Shane Warne from Cricinfo

Cricket Australia media release congratulating Warne on 500th wicket

10 photos of milestone wickets in Warne's career

VB Warnie - Summer of Spin

Ball of the Century

List of cricket incidents

List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

Statsguru - Shane K Warne - Test Bowling - List of wickets





*Acknowledgements to owners of pictures used, Wikipedia.org, Cricinfo.com

The Year 2006, and the adventures of Big Warnie in London

Hey all!

I was playing Brett Lee Backyard Cricket before and came across these videos of an ad Campain for The 2006 Ashes Series in England, I know it was about a couple of years ago but I loved the vids! They were very well put together and the English public didn't look too impressed, and even though I'm a kiwi I have to hand it to the Aussies it was a masterpiece to watch, thoroughly brilliant! (hmmmmm I wonder if we can get a giant Kiwi statue and do the same...). If you would like to check them out for yourself feel free to click on the banner below:)



*Full acknowledgements to the Australian Cricket Board

I dream of cricket....How about you?

Have realised over the course of my life I have had alot of dreams when asleep about cricket, and to this day I can still remember many of them, anyone that has had dreams about cricket feel free to tell me about them, am interested to hear about them!

In the meantime heres a collection of the dreams I had that I can remember:

- Smacking a 6 off Andy Caddick to get a century at Lords and win the Test for New Zealand (1999), and getting 10 for 21 in the match.

- O.D.I Debut against South Africa in 2003, Chris Cairns was captain/coach, I got 72 off 52 balls by smacking Shaun Pollock all over Jade Stadium (nowadays known as A.M.I Stadium) and getting 5 for 42 including a hat-trick, and Shaun Pollock had me caught behind by Mark Boucher.

- Having a net session with Muttiah Muralithiran at Carisbrook. Him giving me some useful tips to get the ball to turn furtherer and technique on putting flight and drift in my deliveries. I try to bowl like him in real life but it's still a dream!

- Being the last wicket in at a tournament in Toronto in 2002 against India. NZ needed 5 runs to win off the last ball and Ashish Nehra was bowling. He had been bowling very well towards me and some of his deliveries were unplayable and unpredictable. The previous 2 deliveries I played and missed wildly, swinging the bat like I was casting out a line to fish, and the crowd were warming up as he was running in and in the blink of an eye I took a swat at his short pitched delivery and lucky for me it was going down leg-side and managed to pull off a miraculous hook shot for 6, It was like a scud missile ging at lightning speed. a very flat tragectory. India were dejected, New Zealand elated to win the tournament.

- Playing against Australia at the M.C.G and I was 5th wicket in, Shane Warne was bowling to me and he happened to bowl a wrong-in that drifted way down leg and I managed to pull off a Brendon McCullum like shot (I think its called the shovel shot?) and whacked the ball for 6, however it whacked into the giant replay screen and I broke it!

- Playing County cricket for Nottinghamshire and witnessed Chris Tremlett getting a hat-trick.

-Being the 1st bowler to bowl over 170km/h, bowling a yorker to Shahid Afridi and breaking his stumps for a duck.

And the list goes on...

I could go on forever about more dreams but will tell anyone that requests me to:)