fazaal24
03-27-2007, 05:18 PM
One-day cricket’s first “pinch-hitter” - a term derived from baseball - was the big New Zealander Mark Greatbatch. The left-handed batsman was the first to be used to launch an assault on the bowling during the field restrictions of the first 15 overs.
The same tactics began to be used towards the close of the innings as well, particularly by teams that had wickets in hand.
Today, when the field restrictions spread over 20 overs of Power Play, almost every team has such free-scoring batsmen who are assigned this task.
http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/UserFiles/Image/cricket/February2007/afradi1502.jpg
© AFP Shahid Afridi - Pakistan
Blessed with a quick eye and tremendous power in his wrists and forearms, this Pathan from Peshawar had, at one time, held the record for the fastest half-century in limited-overs cricket. He is so versatile that he can be used in any position in the batting line-up. He has been the architect of many a victory for Pakistan.
MS Dhoni – India http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/UserFiles/Image/cricket/February2007/dhoni1502.jpg
© AFP
He is the most exciting young batsman in international cricket today. Like Adam Gilchrist, he is amongst the new breed of all-rounders, who excel both behind and in front of the stumps. He has gained instant popularity for his ability to send the ball soaring for huge sixes in most unorthodox manners. He is one of the hardest strikers of the ball and is fast maturing as a more responsible member of the Indian team.
Chris Gayle – West Indies
Made in the Roy Fredericks mould, Gayle is amongst the most explosive batsmen in the game today. At times, one can see flashes of the great Vivian Richards, particularly when he pulls the ball from outside the off-stump to the midwicket fence. From one-day cricket to Test matches, his batting style does not change. He is a very useful all-rounder in the present West Indies team.
Adam Gilchrist – Australia http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/UserFiles/Image/cricket/February2007/gilchrist1502.jpg
© AFP
The Australian wicket-keeper leads the pack with his furious stroke-play. The left-handed batsman’s job is to give his side a flying start with a mix of orthodox and unorthodox strokes. There are few batsmen in the game today who play the pull with such pugnacity. Gilchrist has become a cult figure as several emerging wicket-keeper-batsmen have tried to fashion their play on his style.
Sanath Jayasuriya – Sri Lanka
This veteran Sri Lanka opener is a remarkable cricketer. For a batsman with such destructive intent, the left-hander is capable of playing huge innings in the longer version of the game. His own Test record for Sri Lanka was broken by current skipper Mahela Jayawardene. But it is on one-day cricket that he has left a tremendous impact.
Jacob Oram – New Zealand
He has created for the New Zealand team a greater level of confidence, as much by his medium-pace bowling, as by his powerful batting in the late middle-order. Of late, the Kiwis have been able to either chase or set huge targets on account of this hard-hitting left-hander. He will be one of the all-rounders to watch out for in the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Virender Sehwag – India
This highly gifted batsman who plays more by instinct and remarkable hand-eye co-ordination than acquired technique, today finds himself in the midst of a paradox. The only Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket, is today struggling to last even a few overs in one-day cricket, where he has otherwise played some match-winning innings. The Indian team is fervently hoping that he will soon wake up to his enormous talent.
1st 2 r out of da wc:lol::lol:
The same tactics began to be used towards the close of the innings as well, particularly by teams that had wickets in hand.
Today, when the field restrictions spread over 20 overs of Power Play, almost every team has such free-scoring batsmen who are assigned this task.
http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/UserFiles/Image/cricket/February2007/afradi1502.jpg
© AFP Shahid Afridi - Pakistan
Blessed with a quick eye and tremendous power in his wrists and forearms, this Pathan from Peshawar had, at one time, held the record for the fastest half-century in limited-overs cricket. He is so versatile that he can be used in any position in the batting line-up. He has been the architect of many a victory for Pakistan.
MS Dhoni – India http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/UserFiles/Image/cricket/February2007/dhoni1502.jpg
© AFP
He is the most exciting young batsman in international cricket today. Like Adam Gilchrist, he is amongst the new breed of all-rounders, who excel both behind and in front of the stumps. He has gained instant popularity for his ability to send the ball soaring for huge sixes in most unorthodox manners. He is one of the hardest strikers of the ball and is fast maturing as a more responsible member of the Indian team.
Chris Gayle – West Indies
Made in the Roy Fredericks mould, Gayle is amongst the most explosive batsmen in the game today. At times, one can see flashes of the great Vivian Richards, particularly when he pulls the ball from outside the off-stump to the midwicket fence. From one-day cricket to Test matches, his batting style does not change. He is a very useful all-rounder in the present West Indies team.
Adam Gilchrist – Australia http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/UserFiles/Image/cricket/February2007/gilchrist1502.jpg
© AFP
The Australian wicket-keeper leads the pack with his furious stroke-play. The left-handed batsman’s job is to give his side a flying start with a mix of orthodox and unorthodox strokes. There are few batsmen in the game today who play the pull with such pugnacity. Gilchrist has become a cult figure as several emerging wicket-keeper-batsmen have tried to fashion their play on his style.
Sanath Jayasuriya – Sri Lanka
This veteran Sri Lanka opener is a remarkable cricketer. For a batsman with such destructive intent, the left-hander is capable of playing huge innings in the longer version of the game. His own Test record for Sri Lanka was broken by current skipper Mahela Jayawardene. But it is on one-day cricket that he has left a tremendous impact.
Jacob Oram – New Zealand
He has created for the New Zealand team a greater level of confidence, as much by his medium-pace bowling, as by his powerful batting in the late middle-order. Of late, the Kiwis have been able to either chase or set huge targets on account of this hard-hitting left-hander. He will be one of the all-rounders to watch out for in the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Virender Sehwag – India
This highly gifted batsman who plays more by instinct and remarkable hand-eye co-ordination than acquired technique, today finds himself in the midst of a paradox. The only Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket, is today struggling to last even a few overs in one-day cricket, where he has otherwise played some match-winning innings. The Indian team is fervently hoping that he will soon wake up to his enormous talent.
1st 2 r out of da wc:lol::lol: