Match one - March on!!!

So the carribean calypso is truly on its way. Crickets biggest event has started and the excitement and the energy that comes along is simply unmatched. The time has come for all people - cricket lovers, not so much followers of the game to watch this truly exciting part of the game. This carribean episode sure promises to be one thats going to be long in our memories.

The first match was an exciting one to watch. One of the reasons that I found it exiting is purely because of Lara.His presence in the team makes me all the more follow West Indies and their progress in the WC could be really exciting. Secondly due to the energy that these people exude during their wicket celebrations or in general the way they play and enjoy the game is something that makes me crave for an opposistion wicket to fall. Correy Collomore and Gayle are really awesome to watch when they pick a wicket. Infact the people of the carribean are truly great fans of the game and the way that they enjoy irrespective of whether their team loses or wins surely tells us that the game is a winner more than the team in this country.This is something that we Indians need to garner as we regard cricket as a religion and the players as Gods. Thats for sure wonderful but then we need to think that the game is a sport after all and the game and the sportsmanship that comes along should be regarded more important than a win or loss.

The West Indies done and dusted by the Indians in the warm up game, picked up their spirit along with their game and truly it was fascinating to watch them take the Pakistani's by their neck and chop their wickets one by one. Put into bat first, Lara and co made a respectable 241 in 50 overs, thanx to the all wonderful hitting of Smith, Samuels and Bravo. These guys who promised loads from their debut but only faded away, have started to peek of late and its a real nice sign for the carribean team. Lara has gone through a lot of turmoil with managing the team. He made his debut, when the team was a toast for the game but then the following years saw them fall in the manner so un-befitting to their rise.

But their bowling and fielding surely have made us reminiscent of the past and this team has the potential to go all the way to the end only if they maintain this streak and consistency in all departments of the game. 241 was well defended, thanks to the "wonder"-boy Smith's two telling blows of Inzi and Md.Yousuf when both threatened to take the match away from the hosts. Shoaib Malik stood apart in an otherwise forgetful performance by the Pakistani's. Inzi and co, need to pick their game or else they might as well take the flight back home sooner than expected.


Highlights : (Not good quality)

WI innings :
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cUB_QGi4Mm4&mode=related&search=

Pak Innings:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XHfL92NqMyc&mode=related&search=