The Arsenal Foot Ball club have got off to a great start in the current EPL season.Arsenal's success,so far,has come as a surprise to most EPL Fans after Thierry Henry's move to Barcelona. Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie have been the most impressive for me.Adebayor has been the club's most prolific scorer so far earning him praise from Arsene Wenger and the Derby manager,Davies.Be it their 5-0 demolition of Derby,1-0 win over Manchester city(the first goal scored against them this season),Arsenal have been in complete control.Manchester city were cruising along until that match which really put a brake on their advancement in the championship.
Meanwhile,Manchester United after a slow start in the championship have come back really well.Chelsea's defeat came as an insult to injury to the club after Jose Mourinho's exit.I guess Avram Grant would certainly have wished for a better debut!!!Eventually,Manchester United managed to win that controversial match against Chelsea.Liverpool,after a very good start lost their way.And,the only club that looks like challenging arsenal right now is Manchester United.But for now,Arsenal has been the surprise package in this season so far!!! It remains to be seen if any more surprises spring up.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Sachin-the greatest?
Sachin Tendulkar-well,he needs no introduction-has been one of the all time greats and certainly the greatest of this era.But Is he the greatest batsman ever?Well,a few names come to mind-Sir don bradman,Sir garfield sobers,Sir Vivian Richards,Brain charles Lara,Sir jack Hobbs,Sir Frank worrell etc-shud sachin be rated above all of them?
Sir Jack hobbs has a first class record that will never be matched.He has 60,000 runs and 199 centuries.But taking international cricket in to consideration,i would rate sachin above jack hobbs given his higher average and his consistency.I have often been amazed by the fact that,despite of the huge pressure and expectations he faces,he has not crumbled once.
Of the players i have mentioned,only sachin,Lara and Sir Vivian Richards have played both formats of the game.So,i guess a comparision can be brought about between them.Lara has been west Indian cricket's lone warrior just like sachin has been for India.Sachin,as every one would agree,has been cricket's unluckiest player having been the victim of poor umpiring often.He has 14 scores in nineties in one day cricket,more than Rahul Dravid's no of centuries!!!
But,as shane warne put it,though lara has the flair,sachin was more consistent and to maintain a career Strike Rate of over 86 in a period where 240-250 was considered a good total is incredible.240 runs would mean 4.8 runs per over which would come to 80 runs per hundred balls.Also,sachin has served cricket longer,in terms of matches,than both Lara and Richards.So,it cant be taken for granted that Richards would have maintained the consistency for over a long time.And,Richards had the cushion of playing in a great team,which neither Lara and sachin had.And in test matches too,Sachin has an edge over both of them.After his first hundred tests,Sachin averaged 58!Except for a lean patch in 2005-06,sachin has been incredibly consistent.So,sachin is above the two west Indians.
Next comes Sir Frank Worrell,one of the three W's.Frank worrell was a fine batsman and an use ful Left arm medium pace bowler too.Though worrell had the style,he still rates below sachin just for the fact that sachin has a far better record.And again,Sir worrell's team was one of the best then.
Now,it all boils down to The DON Vs The Master Blaster.what do i say now?Don had the cushion of batting in a great team,did not play under much pressure,cant tell with sure if he would have been as consistent as Sachin had he played so many matches but then,an average of 99.94 in any era,under any team,should be given due credit.So,i leave it to the readers to decide upon it themselves!!!
As for me,Hail the DON,Hail the GOD!!!
Sir Jack hobbs has a first class record that will never be matched.He has 60,000 runs and 199 centuries.But taking international cricket in to consideration,i would rate sachin above jack hobbs given his higher average and his consistency.I have often been amazed by the fact that,despite of the huge pressure and expectations he faces,he has not crumbled once.
Of the players i have mentioned,only sachin,Lara and Sir Vivian Richards have played both formats of the game.So,i guess a comparision can be brought about between them.Lara has been west Indian cricket's lone warrior just like sachin has been for India.Sachin,as every one would agree,has been cricket's unluckiest player having been the victim of poor umpiring often.He has 14 scores in nineties in one day cricket,more than Rahul Dravid's no of centuries!!!
But,as shane warne put it,though lara has the flair,sachin was more consistent and to maintain a career Strike Rate of over 86 in a period where 240-250 was considered a good total is incredible.240 runs would mean 4.8 runs per over which would come to 80 runs per hundred balls.Also,sachin has served cricket longer,in terms of matches,than both Lara and Richards.So,it cant be taken for granted that Richards would have maintained the consistency for over a long time.And,Richards had the cushion of playing in a great team,which neither Lara and sachin had.And in test matches too,Sachin has an edge over both of them.After his first hundred tests,Sachin averaged 58!Except for a lean patch in 2005-06,sachin has been incredibly consistent.So,sachin is above the two west Indians.
Next comes Sir Frank Worrell,one of the three W's.Frank worrell was a fine batsman and an use ful Left arm medium pace bowler too.Though worrell had the style,he still rates below sachin just for the fact that sachin has a far better record.And again,Sir worrell's team was one of the best then.
Now,it all boils down to The DON Vs The Master Blaster.what do i say now?Don had the cushion of batting in a great team,did not play under much pressure,cant tell with sure if he would have been as consistent as Sachin had he played so many matches but then,an average of 99.94 in any era,under any team,should be given due credit.So,i leave it to the readers to decide upon it themselves!!!
As for me,Hail the DON,Hail the GOD!!!
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