Monday, April 29, 2013

Experts and Commentators get it Right


PWI vs DD at Raipur - 28/4/2013

PWI won the toss and put Delhi in. DD were slightly favourite to win the match before start with odds of about 1.85. Before start, Gavaskar and Sidhu both predicted DD win and they proved right. Shastri said  that 130-140 would a good score on this pitch. After DD had posted 164, he again mentioned that one could fancy chances with a score of 160 plus on any pitch, and especially on this surface. He also proved right, though there was a catch.

0-10 overs session: DD were 24/1 after 5 overs, a slow scoring. Then they were 62/1 after 8 overs, having scored 16 runs in the 8th over. With Sehwag on the crease, that could be justified. But at that stage, DD scoring just 6 runs of next 2 overs with Sehwag on crease and before he got out can be termed inexplicable. Above scoring pattern was nothing but manipulations to hoodwink the punters betting on session scoring. 

With DD 68/3 in 10 overs, the odds in f/o Pune were a bit high at about 1.72, probably an early indication that Pune were not going to win this match.

PWI conceded and DD scored 63 runs in last 5 overs for DD to finish their quota of 20 overs at a comfortable 164.

So commentators saying that new ball was supposed to do something, bowlers like Morne Morkel being in DD ranks, and earlier comments of Shastri, DD should have come on top early in PWI batting. It happened just the opposite and this was the catch even though the commentators proved right in the ultimate analysis. 

PWI scored 76 before losing first wicket (Uthapa) through a lose shot to a lose delivery in 10.2 over and odds having gone down in their favour to about 1.5. Soon second wicket (Finch) was gone courtesy umpiring blunder (knowingly or unknowingly - the umpire would know), and the match had been turned. But required scoring rate was always within reach and the commentators went on emphasizing on the strength of the batting of the PWI yet to come, in the form of dreaded Yuvraj Singh, Steven Smith and Luke Wright. PWI were in the hunt till the 18th over before suddenly losing the two set batsmen. The punters backing and led to back PWI were again left in the lurch suddenly. 

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