Cricket cup 20-20 and the chances of New Zealand

Cricket cup of World 20-20 is just round the corner. With the retirement of Brendon Mccullum New Zealand cricket has lost some aggression. But every things end, and the other players just have to step up. The selectors have taken in the best team and there are bright chances that 20-20 world cricket cup might come to New Zealand. Here are 3 reasons behind my theory.

(1) Explosive and settled batting line up- With Martin Guptill providing the fire power at the top and Kane Williamson providing the calmness, the batting order is well settled. With Colin Munro,Corey Anderson and Mitchell Santner providing later order burst. Experience in the middle order with the calm Grant Elliot and the charismatic Ross Taylor means the batting has power plus stability. On Indian tracks this is the key.

(2) All rounders – New Zealand has three good quality all rounders in Corey Anderson, Mitchell Santner and Grant Elliot. They are all good enough to turn the match on its head.

(3) Balanced Bowling – Picking three spinners for the tournament means the Kiwi team has a balanced bowling attack. The fast bowling department has Southee and Bolt one of the best fast bowling pair in the world at the moment. The kiwis just need a bit of luck and they would win the 20-20 World Cup.

The Shocking Retirement of Brendon The Mccullum

I am writing the first time on Cricket and it is more emotions for the man. I never expected Brendon Mccullum “The Ultimate dasher” to retire suddenly. I was really shocked. He could still have a crack at the 20-20 World cup according to most experts. But he is retiring just before the onset of the World Cup. He is the most amazing player, and being a Kiwi I admired him for his fearlessness. Last year we saw how he transformed the Kiwis and lead them to the World Cup finals. Oh how I wanted the Kiwis to win then.

Many cricketers were shocked to hear the news. As per Martin Crowe ” He is the most aggressive player and captain ever.” The retirement in 2016 and the pre-announcement reflects the nature of the man. He wanted the team to have enough time to regroup and not leave a hole. He is personally seeing Santner progress into an aggressive batsman. In fact he is Brendon’s prodigy as per the man himself. He has handed over the captaincy of the team to the brilliant incumbent Kane Williamson, a worthy successor indeed.Brendon we will miss you certainly and cricket will not be so exciting when you were playing fearlessly. Already the Kiwis are doing well with his guidance. Farewell “The Smasher” we all love you soooo much.

We Won No More Hoodoo Voodoo!!

 

Yea!

Well Rugby fans did you enjoy the game. OF COURSE you did  – how could you not it was fantastic. Edge of the seat stuff. OK I admit I am not a superstitious guy but even I was a bit nervous the final was going to be played on October 31st –  we have a past history for that not being a good date for us. Well we sure kick that superstition into touch. The haka at the start was brilliant.

So when people ask me how I spent Halloween  – well actually no-one will; not a big holiday down here in New Zealand. never really taken off although we like any excuse to party! I think it is because it is an end of summer start of winter and we are the other way round. who would want to trick or treat in costume in our heat? I digress it is all about the game…. we won, we won, we won. To say I am thrilled is a bit of an understatement.

There are some really neat interviews and information on this site but you get all the statistics and info from the allblack site itself.

For those of you who did not see the match ( for shame) I have embedded here for your pleasure. No need for thanks – but you can if you want in the comments. Just realised I should really have reviewed the week – got carried away with the win I am sure you all understand.

Look here at the great welcome back staff at New Zealand Auckland Airport provided for the winners.

Kick Off about to Happen with the Magical Rugby World Cup

I can barely contain my excitement as the 2015 Rugby World Cup draws ever closer. With just a few weeks to go all other sports just pale into insignificance – just for now that is. I’m an out-and-out sport addict, and rugby is a hot favourite.  I can still remember the day so clearly, when news broke out that England had been selected to host this competition way back in 2009 already, beating bids from Italy, South Africa and Japan. Most of the stadiums are in England, and the awesome Millennium Stadium in Wales I know is another venue. I think that between 18th September and 31st October I’m going to be pretty broke because take away dinners will have to be my lot. There is no way I’m missing out more than I have to with this awesome sport event.

If I remember correctly more than half the teams qualified by finishing in the top 3 places in their pools from the last world cup.  When you think that 20 teams will play in the final tournament and that scores of fans will be descending on England, the next few weeks I imagine are going to have the world talking about just one thing. Let me know if you’ve got tickets or something, I just want all the news I can get.

Sport that is Willing to Thrill Us

Being absolute sports mad, I’m right up to date on top sporting events happening around the world. There are two major sporting events coming out of the UK this June. Of course I’m referring to Wimbledon, strawberries and cream as well as the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The battle for middle court and the battle for pole position – as if thats not enough, we’ve got the Tour de France starting as well. Most times I’m heading for a big game or playing sport myself, but with this feast of sporting entertainment lined up, I’ve resigned myself to a weekend in front of the TV set. If you want to attend one of these great sporting events like I’ve had the opportunity to do and you need  cash badly, check out https://www.simplecash.co.nz/.

Bold and dashing Spanish tennis sensation Nadal seemed visibly shaken with hiss loss against Dustin Brown. If this kind of tennis is anything to go by, then we’re in for a riveting time ahead. It just shows you how relative unknown names can come to the fore and create havoc with the rankings. As for F1, Hamilton may well be leading the drivers’ championship standings by 10 points from Rosberg, but Rosberg no longer seems content with 2nd spot and what about the 17 year old Dutchman Verstappen? He looks to be a force to be reckoned with as well.

There is so much riveting sport in June 2015, the choice is simply yours.

Chelsea the Premier League Champions

The blues have done it again this year. They are the champions of Premier League.They have led throughout the season and never let the trophy slip. Consistency is the key to their success.Jose Mourinho did what was required and chose players who made the difference.The investment in Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas was his master stroke in 2014 summers.

Leading the pack throughout the season

But for the second round when they were placed second, Chelsea has remained on top. Till date 254 days on the top of the premier league table, and by the time the season ends it is expected to be 274 days on the top. This will be the new record breaking 1993-94 record of Manchester United. The only blemish in the flawless campaign was loss to Tottenham on New Year’s day.

But the boys from blue did not panic and set about their job like a well oiled machinery.

A settled team on a roll

Chelsea tossed aside the theory of resting and rotating players. John Terry played all matches and without break. Even Eden hazard the star of the season has hardly been off the playing area. The settled defense and offence of the blues really took it away from other teams. Terry played a stellar role at the back. All the hullabaloo about resting and rotating was put to rest by the end of the season.They played so well in the first half of the season that they could afford to grind in the second.

If other teams do not make major changes, I do not see them being challenged even next season. Blues do rock.

Tea, Scones and Scintillating Suspense

The excitement of an international tennis tournament is hard to beat. The thrilling Grand Slam tournaments are annual tennis events and offer ranking points as well as ridiculously high monetary prizes. Of course they fetch massive media attention; with Wimbledon perhaps being my favourite. The others are the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open, with each one being played over two two action-packed weeks.

Wimbledon is the oldest, founded in 1877 already, and I suppose its the white tennis gear, the lush green lawns, the strawberries and cream and the tanned tennis players that add to the sheer magic of the tournament.
The single’s matches are far more exciting than the doubles with the likes of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Murray being the top male players fighting it out on centre court. While the grunts and other vocal sounds coming from Sharapova may be off-putting during the ladies matches, for many she’s forgiven just for her determination and good looks.

The US Open is the final Grand Slam of the year, and just like the other grand slams the atmosphere is nothing short of electric. You also get the chance to walk around the grounds and actually see some of the top players on the outside courts. Add in great shopping and affordable travel packages and you’ll see what draws and inspires people to book early for this sporting favourite.

Seattle Seahawks and Patriots the two teams to watch out for

Seattle Seahawks are the team to watch out for in this season. They are leading the season table with 12 wins. The upcoming game on Friday with New England patriots is going to be the important game of the season.

Seahawks

 

The Patriots are no push over. Bill Belichick as the new head coach has made them the model franchise. He is one of the most successful coaches of the league. With only 4 failures in 15 long years, he has really made it to the Hall of Fame. He has the power to choose the players too being the General Manager of the team. He is worshipped in United States and has a huge following on the internet.

Patriots

 

The Seattle Seahawks are led by the enigmatic Pete Carroll. He has been at the helm for Patriots as well. He is a few of the league who have won both Super Bowl and National Championship. A shrewd leader he is going to make life difficult for the Patriots. Seahawks are known for the toughness they show on the field. Their running back Marshawn Lynch is the best player of the league till date. He has reaped the rewards with a hefty retainer fees.

The two teams have different set of strategies. The Seahawks have pre game plans and do not waver away from that. On the other hand the Patriots are known for changing their plans as per the situation. A rough game is expected on Sunday . Expect to see you there at Super Bowl.

The Will of the Warriors

Under coach Mark Jackson, the Golden State Warriors were an up-and-coming squad with a lot of talent and a backcourt that many considered the best in all of basketball, featuring Steph Curry and Klay Thompson – two young studs who can shoot the lights out. After failing to reach the Finals in three years, the Warriors fired Jackson and hired Steve Kerr, who many said wasn’t a good fit since he’s never coached before. However, only halfway through the season, the Warriors have the West’s top record at 34-6, and many are predicting that the Warriors will represent the West in the Finals.

What is it about the Warriors this year that’s just that much better than everyone else? Let’s not forget the teams we’re dealing with in the West. We have the San Antonio Spurs, who are the defending champs with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. We have the always dangerous Mavericks with Dirk and new point guard Rajon Rondo. We have the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook. And even the Clippers, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, are perennial contenders.

What the Warriors have that the rest seem to be lacking, however, is youth, speed and health. To date, the Warriors haven’t suffered any set backs on the injury front. And only in their 20s, Golden State’s backcourt is loose, agile and ready to play each and every night. And it doesn’t hurt that Curry is the game’s best scorer, able to shoot from anywhere on the court.

However, what the Warriors have more than any other team in the league right now is the pure will to win. Whatever Kerr is doing, he’s doing it right. The Warriors show up every single night ready to play. They give their all on every possession of every game. They don’t take a play off, much less a night off. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder, and they act as if they really want to win.

 

Whether this results in a championship or not is hard to tell. But one thing’s for sure, the will of the Warriors is very strong.

 

DeflateGate and Its Implications on Future Games

Last Sunday in New England, the Patriots suited up to play the Indianapolis Colts, who were fresh off of destroying the AFC’s #2 seeded Denver Broncos. After Andrew Luck and the Colts dismantled everybody’s favorite quarterback, they entered into the AFC Championship against New England as decided underdogs. It didn’t take long until the Patriots proved the odds makers right, routing the Colts 45-7 in the most lopsided match-up since last year’s Super Bowl.

However, shortly after celebrating their big win, talks began to arise about a potential cheating scandal involving the Patriots. No strangers to bending and breaking the rules, the Patriots and their cloud of doubt instantly created an epic storm, with everyone in the sporting world assuming that, whatever the accusations, the Pats were guilty. What was their supposed crime here? The Patriots deflated their game footballs to give Tom Brady a better grip in the elements.

To understand why this is against the rules, you have to understand the anatomy of a football. A regulation football that’s fully inflated (to about 13 PSI) is very hard to grip. You need huge hands, strong fingers, and enough palm strength to dig into the ball for a solid grip, particularly in the rain and cold. With a deflated football (about 11 PSI), your hands can easily dig into the leather, thus allowing a QB to throw the ball more accurately, grip it more assuredly, and for running backs to actually cut back on their fumbles.

The Colts had accused the Patriots of doing this earlier in the year, and this time the Pats were actually found guilty of deflating 11 of 12 footballs during the pre-game routine.

While coach Belichick has denied involvement, someone is to blame for the scandal, and the league is undoubtedly going to come down hard. But what are the implications going forward?

In my opinion, this move by the Patriots is going to eat away at starting times of games. Instead of teams allowed to bring their own balls to play with, the league is now going to have to start a new position to monitor the state of the footballs. And while this not only adds more bureaucracy to the league, it also makes the pre-game process longer. With equipment under more of a microscope, we might start seeing start times pushed back five or more minutes. Why? Well, you know that coach A is going to have a complaint about team B, and the poor guy in charge of testing the equipment is going to have to test it again and again and again.

Whether or not the Patriots got a real advantage from this, it’s hard to say. But in terms of the carry-over for everyone else, the Pats have just assured a more complicated pre-game process going forward for every team.