\n
\n

","tags":[{"name":"England (National Football)","ancestors":[{"start_date":null,"permalink":"soccer","name":"Soccer","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":null,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":8697,"parent_name":"","lft":13141,"autotaggable":false,"id":15,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":6,"rgt":14204,"position":14,"parent_id":null,"redirect":null,"created_at":null,"active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"world-football","name":"World Football","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":15,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":24166,"parent_name":"Soccer","lft":13142,"autotaggable":false,"id":20,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":31,"rgt":14193,"position":1,"parent_id":15,"redirect":null,"created_at":null,"active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"international-football","name":"International Football","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":20,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":3090,"parent_name":"World Football","lft":13513,"autotaggable":false,"id":57,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":13,"rgt":13572,"position":2,"parent_id":20,"redirect":null,"created_at":null,"active":true}],"permalink":"england","taggings_count":1396,"type":"Team","id":226,"synonyms":"","parent_id":57,"newsletter_enabled":false},{"name":"Cricket","ancestors":[],"permalink":"cricket","taggings_count":4519,"type":"League","id":4113,"synonyms":"","parent_id":null,"newsletter_enabled":true},{"name":"South Africa Cricket","ancestors":[{"start_date":null,"permalink":"cricket","name":"Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":null,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":4519,"parent_name":"","lft":15309,"autotaggable":false,"id":4113,"admin_only":false,"short_name":"","children_count":32,"rgt":15588,"position":821,"parent_id":null,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/01/17 20:41:16 -0500","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"icc","name":"ICC","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":4113,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":559,"parent_name":"Cricket","lft":15310,"autotaggable":false,"id":7431,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":11,"rgt":15521,"position":1,"parent_id":4113,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:32 -0400","active":true}],"permalink":"south-africa-cricket","taggings_count":303,"type":"Team","id":7433,"synonyms":null,"parent_id":7431,"newsletter_enabled":false},{"name":"Anil Kumble","ancestors":[{"start_date":null,"permalink":"cricket","name":"Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":null,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":4519,"parent_name":"","lft":15309,"autotaggable":false,"id":4113,"admin_only":false,"short_name":"","children_count":32,"rgt":15588,"position":821,"parent_id":null,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/01/17 20:41:16 -0500","active":true}],"permalink":"anil-kumble","taggings_count":11,"type":"Person","id":7469,"synonyms":null,"parent_id":4113,"newsletter_enabled":false},{"name":"Andrew Flintoff","ancestors":[{"start_date":null,"permalink":"cricket","name":"Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":null,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":4519,"parent_name":"","lft":15309,"autotaggable":false,"id":4113,"admin_only":false,"short_name":"","children_count":32,"rgt":15588,"position":821,"parent_id":null,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/01/17 20:41:16 -0500","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"icc","name":"ICC","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":4113,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":559,"parent_name":"Cricket","lft":15310,"autotaggable":false,"id":7431,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":11,"rgt":15521,"position":1,"parent_id":4113,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:32 -0400","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"england-cricket","name":"England Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":7431,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":611,"parent_name":"ICC","lft":15363,"autotaggable":false,"id":7435,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":6,"rgt":15376,"position":3,"parent_id":7431,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:33 -0400","active":true}],"permalink":"andrew-flintoff","taggings_count":31,"type":"Person","id":7480,"synonyms":null,"parent_id":7435,"newsletter_enabled":false},{"name":"Kevin Pietersen","ancestors":[{"start_date":null,"permalink":"cricket","name":"Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":null,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":4519,"parent_name":"","lft":15309,"autotaggable":false,"id":4113,"admin_only":false,"short_name":"","children_count":32,"rgt":15588,"position":821,"parent_id":null,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/01/17 20:41:16 -0500","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"icc","name":"ICC","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":4113,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":559,"parent_name":"Cricket","lft":15310,"autotaggable":false,"id":7431,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":11,"rgt":15521,"position":1,"parent_id":4113,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:32 -0400","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"england-cricket","name":"England Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":7431,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":611,"parent_name":"ICC","lft":15363,"autotaggable":false,"id":7435,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":6,"rgt":15376,"position":3,"parent_id":7431,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:33 -0400","active":true}],"permalink":"kevin-pietersen","taggings_count":134,"type":"Person","id":7481,"synonyms":null,"parent_id":7435,"newsletter_enabled":false},{"name":"Graeme Smith","ancestors":[{"start_date":null,"permalink":"cricket","name":"Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":null,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":4519,"parent_name":"","lft":15309,"autotaggable":false,"id":4113,"admin_only":false,"short_name":"","children_count":32,"rgt":15588,"position":821,"parent_id":null,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/01/17 20:41:16 -0500","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"icc","name":"ICC","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":4113,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":559,"parent_name":"Cricket","lft":15310,"autotaggable":false,"id":7431,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":11,"rgt":15521,"position":1,"parent_id":4113,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:32 -0400","active":true},{"start_date":null,"permalink":"south-africa-cricket","name":"South Africa Cricket","cached_public_filename":null,"default":true,"with_tag2_id":null,"pa_id":null,"loc_tag_id":null,"in_tag1_id":7431,"with_tag1_id":null,"taggings_count":303,"parent_name":"ICC","lft":15311,"autotaggable":false,"id":7433,"admin_only":false,"short_name":null,"children_count":12,"rgt":15336,"position":1,"parent_id":7431,"redirect":null,"created_at":"2008/06/19 10:49:33 -0400","active":true}],"permalink":"graeme-smith","taggings_count":79,"type":"Person","id":7490,"synonyms":null,"parent_id":7433,"newsletter_enabled":false}],"author":{"cached_public_filename":"http://cdn.bleacherreport.com/images_root/user_pictures/0005/0732/coverimage.jpg","permalink":"36345-kartikeya-date","is_campus_voice":false,"is_a_bozo":false,"on_probation":null,"is_facebook_user":false,"id":36345,"first_name":"Kartikeya","last_name":"Date","is_columnist":false},"priority":2,"feed_article_url":"http://cricketingview.blogspot.com/2008/07/of-risks-and-odds.html","has_been_star_rated":true,"user_approval":1,"id":40103,"show_full":false,"render_strategy":"article","hit_count":255,"author_id":36345,"comments_count":0,"teaser":"South Africa and England went into this Test Series equally matched. England had a slight edge in the batting department, while the South African bowling line up has shown explosive form in the last eight to ten months...","created_at":"2008/07/22 06:41:00 -0400"});

Of Risks and Odds in Test Cricket

Kartikeya Date by Scribe Written on July 22, 2008
Cricket_feature
(Page 3 of 3)

The "good length" of course is one which is too short for the batsman to play forward, yet too full for him to play back. A "good line" is one which the batsman cannot leave with any confidence, while at the same time causing him to debate whether or not he needs to play. If a bowler is able to bowl a good line and length for a given wicket and given conditions and a given batsman's strengths and weaknesses consistently enough, his chances of inducing a fatal error of judgement from the batsman increase.

Anil Kumble made a telling point while discussing his newly developed googly a few years ago. He said "They pick it, but they still have to play it"—his point being, its still a well-pitched delivery. Occasionally a bowler will try a high risk delivery—like a widish half volley as a bait or a yorker or a bouncer, both of which could cost the bowler plenty of runs if he gets them even slightly wrong.

Successful Test sides are invariably masters at playing these odds and judging these risks. Thats what enables a side like South Africa, which cannot match the exceptional talents of Pietersen, Vaughan and Flingtoff, to beat England. That they have done so in England, is even more creditable. If anything, India have an even tougher assignment in Sri Lanka.

This is a good time if you're a fan of Test Cricket. 

(0)
...
Share This  
Crop_45x45
or to post this comment

0 Comments

There are no comments yet. Get the conversation started by leaving the first comment

Loading more comments...
posted just now
  • Loading...
  • Nobody has liked this comment yet
Cancel

This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

255
reads

0
comments

written on July 22, 2008 Sports

Telegraph.co.uk Cricket News

Visit Telegraph.co.uk for more news.

The best newsletter on the web

Subscribe Now

We will never share your email address


CBS Sports Official Partner
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Getty Images.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Getty Images is strictly prohibited.