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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>It's do-or-die for Windies</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ramnaresh Sarwan
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=157 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>SARWAN... Gayle proved why he's one of the world's best all-rounders</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>IT was very disappointing for us to lose the game against England on Sunday after we put together our highest total of the tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I was very happy for Chris (Gayle) and Johnny (Dwayne Bravo) who got hundreds, especially Johnny who has been going through a rough period. It was very good to see him get runs in his first One-Day international hundred, and hopefully his batting confidence will rub off on his bowling confidence, and vice-versa.<P class=StoryText align=justify>When they chased, England got off to a flier from (Andrew) Strauss and (Ian) Bell and that set the game up for them, although they lost a few wickets in the middle. I thought (Kevin) Pietersen played very well to bring the game home for them. I learn afterwards that Chris was the first player to score a hundred and get three wickets in a ODI match.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I think that is a great achievement for him. It shows what he is capable of doing not only with the bat, but with the ball as well. It underlines why he is always rated as one of the game's top all-rounders. I hope he continues for the next couple of games and helps us to win the ICC Champions Trophy for a second time in a row.<P class=StoryText align=justify>With regard to my own batting, I had to get on with it from the time I got to the crease. There is not much I could do apart from trying to push the score on. It was a situation where I had to go as hard as I could and to an extent it paid off, but I would have loved to see us get another 20 to 25 runs.<P class=StoryText align=justify>After spending another quiet day on Sunday in Ahmedabad, we're now in Jaipur where we will play South Africa on Thursday. It took us quite a while to get here, especially the drive from the airport to the hotel. It is the complete opposite to what it was in Ahmedabad. In Ahmedabad, our hotel was right next to the airport and here it is over an hour's drive away.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I think our game against the South Africans is going to be a keenly contested one. It's a great opportunity for us to get into the final once we continue to play the type of cricket we've been playing for the better part of this tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>So far, our two losses have been inconsequential in terms of us moving forward, but now there is no room for losing as it is the knockout round. One positive we could look to when we go up against South Africa is that when we played them last in the 2004 Champions Trophy in England we beat them, but since then they had the better of us in the Caribbean in 2005. That was a year ago and I think we are a much improved team now and more experienced as well.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I think the first semi-finals - Australia v New Zealand - is also going to be an interesting game. New Zealand always play well against Australia. They compete very hard against each other, surely because of the keen neighbourly rivalry.<P class=StoryText align=justify>As I mentioned in my last diary entry, I am hoping to watch a few Indian movies while here, but I still have not gotten a copy of the newly released Don. Our security manager - a retired local military officer - has promised me a copy. I am counting on him and hope to get it before we leave India.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ramnaresh Sarwan
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=157 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>SARWAN... Gayle proved why he's one of the world's best all-rounders</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>IT was very disappointing for us to lose the game against England on Sunday after we put together our highest total of the tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I was very happy for Chris (Gayle) and Johnny (Dwayne Bravo) who got hundreds, especially Johnny who has been going through a rough period. It was very good to see him get runs in his first One-Day international hundred, and hopefully his batting confidence will rub off on his bowling confidence, and vice-versa.<P class=StoryText align=justify>When they chased, England got off to a flier from (Andrew) Strauss and (Ian) Bell and that set the game up for them, although they lost a few wickets in the middle. I thought (Kevin) Pietersen played very well to bring the game home for them. I learn afterwards that Chris was the first player to score a hundred and get three wickets in a ODI match.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I think that is a great achievement for him. It shows what he is capable of doing not only with the bat, but with the ball as well. It underlines why he is always rated as one of the game's top all-rounders. I hope he continues for the next couple of games and helps us to win the ICC Champions Trophy for a second time in a row.<P class=StoryText align=justify>With regard to my own batting, I had to get on with it from the time I got to the crease. There is not much I could do apart from trying to push the score on. It was a situation where I had to go as hard as I could and to an extent it paid off, but I would have loved to see us get another 20 to 25 runs.<P class=StoryText align=justify>After spending another quiet day on Sunday in Ahmedabad, we're now in Jaipur where we will play South Africa on Thursday. It took us quite a while to get here, especially the drive from the airport to the hotel. It is the complete opposite to what it was in Ahmedabad. In Ahmedabad, our hotel was right next to the airport and here it is over an hour's drive away.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I think our game against the South Africans is going to be a keenly contested one. It's a great opportunity for us to get into the final once we continue to play the type of cricket we've been playing for the better part of this tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>So far, our two losses have been inconsequential in terms of us moving forward, but now there is no room for losing as it is the knockout round. One positive we could look to when we go up against South Africa is that when we played them last in the 2004 Champions Trophy in England we beat them, but since then they had the better of us in the Caribbean in 2005. That was a year ago and I think we are a much improved team now and more experienced as well.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I think the first semi-finals - Australia v New Zealand - is also going to be an interesting game. New Zealand always play well against Australia. They compete very hard against each other, surely because of the keen neighbourly rivalry.<P class=StoryText align=justify>As I mentioned in my last diary entry, I am hoping to watch a few Indian movies while here, but I still have not gotten a copy of the newly released Don. Our security manager - a retired local military officer - has promised me a copy. I am counting on him and hope to get it before we leave India.