CAN U BEAT THEM ALL???

A CHALLENGE FOR ALL THE CRICKET FANS. WE ARE INTRODUCING A NEW AND A VERY DIFFERENT CRICKET GAME. PLAY AND ENTER YOUR SCORE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. YOUR SCORES WILL THEN BE VERIFIED BY THE COMPANY AND THE TOP THREE SCORERS WILL BE GIVEN A SURPRISE!!! SO ENJOY THIS T20 WORLD CUP WITH A CRICKET GAME AND A SCORCARD AT THE SAME PLACE. SO GET SET AND GO....

TOP 5 ODI HATTRICKS

Hattricks are rare and as such treasured by the bowlers. Choosing the best out of them was a task. Here is a list of top 5 hattricks in my view.

BOWLER-CHARL LANGEVELDT
VENUE-Barbados 2005
OPPONENT-West Indies
VICTIMS-Ian Bradshaw, Darren Powell, Corey Collymore
RESULT-South Africa won by 1 run
It was the third match of the bilateral series with South Africa leading the series 2-0. It was a chance for the visitors to wrap up the series. Batting first South Africa gave the hosts a target of 285 runs with Boeta Dippenar scoring a century.
West Indies in response started wellwith Chris gayle scoring a century and at one stage West Indies just needed 4 off 6 balls with 3 wickets in hand. West Indies looked comfortable and set for a win at one stage. But Charl Langeveldt had other ideas. He bowled three beauties to get rid of the remaining batsmen and South Africa managed a win out of nowhere. This one is the best in my list

BOWLER-JEROME TAYLOR
VENUE-Brabourne Mumbai, 2006
VICTIMS-Mike Hussey, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee
RESULT-West Indies won by 10 runs

BOWLER-LASITH MALINGA
VENUE-Guyana World Cup 2007
VICTIMS-Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis
RESULT-South Africa won by 1 wicket

BOWLER-EDDO BRANDES
VENUE-Harare 1997
VICTIMS-Nick Knight, John Crawley, Nasser Hussain
RESULT-Zimbabwe won by 131 runs

BOWLER-WASIM AKRAM
VENUE-Sharjah, 1989
VICTIMS-Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose
RESULT-Pakistan won by 11runs

BASHING OF A LIFETIME!!!

The one day format of the game is known to favour the batsmen. But sometimes it may turn to be a grave for the bowlers. Even the best have had poor days on the field. Here's a look at the worst figures for a bowler in ODI's

Lasith Malinga - 7.4-0-96-1

Opponent-India
Venue-Hobart/CB series
The Indian team had to chase down the score of 320 runs in 40 overs to have any chance of qualifying for the finals. Virat Kohli gave the Yorker specialist the bashing of a lifetime and ugly bowling figures, the worst ever for him. Virat got 24 runs in one of the final few overs bowled by him. Virat smashed 133 of just 86 balls and did everything to damage the reputation of the blockhole specialist.

Michael Lewis - 10-0-113-0

Opponent-South Africa
Venue-Johannesburg 2006
This was an incredible game of cricket when many world records were shattered. Australia first posted a total of 434 which was the highest ever total till then and the first ever over 400. When South Africans came out to bat, no one gave them a chance. But the South African's had other ideas. On a day when most of the bowlers had a forgettable day, Mark Lewis figures just stood out. Even after 6 year since that fateful day, Mark lewis still has the dubious record of most runs conceded by a bowler in ODI's ever.

Brian Vittori - 9-0-105-1

Opponent- New Zealand
Venue- Napier 2012
After being battered by the kiwi's in the first two matches, the Zimbabwe were looking for some sort of a consolation but it turned out sour with two of the bowlers-Brian Vittori and Elton Chigumbura both conceded over 90 runs in 10 overs. Vittori was woeful and was smashed to all parts of the ground by Brendon McCullum  who took of the Zimbabwean's.

Tim Southee-10-0-105-0

Opponent- India
Venue-Christchurch 2009
The Master-Blaster was in a murderous mood on a smallish ground. Tim Southee kept feeding him with half volleys and Sachin only obliged. Tim got really bad treatment from Sachin initially and then by Dhoni and Raina at the end. The duo attacked the bowler and got 36 run of his last two overs. This match was a batsmen's delight.

Martin Snedden-12-1-105-2

Opponent-England
Venue- The Oval 1983
It was the first time since the inception of the one day format that a bowler conceded over 100 runs. The 12 overs he bowled also included a maiden over and a wicket. Alaan Lamb and Mike Gatting tore into kiwi medium pacer but funnily enough, both were bowled out by the same bowler. England posted a total of 322 in 60 overs and Kiwis never really got close enough.

Muttiah Muralitharan-10-0-99-0

Opponent-Australia
Venue-Sydney 2006
It was a do-or-die situation for the australians after the Lankans had won the first final and were looking good. Australians had to win this one to get a chance to compete in the final match. After loosing the openers early, Australians were looking in a spot of bother but Ricky Ponting and Symonds came to recue. Off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was given a special treatment and ended up conceding one short of 100 runs.
Lankans were thrashed by 167 runs.

Shafiul Islam-9-0-97-2

Opponent-England
Venue- Edgbaston 2010
It was a horrific opening spell for the bowler that gave england the complete control of the proceedings. On one hand there was accurate and incisive Mashrafe Mortaza who ended with 10-2-31-3 and on the other was Shafiul who ended up 9-0-97-2.

Steve Harmison-10-0-97-0

Opponent-Sri Lanka
Venue-Headingly 2006
England posted a total of 321 for Lankans. The Lankans got off to a great start with both Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya both in murderous mood. Sanath scored a 152 off just 99 balls to steer his team home with 13 overs to spare. Steve Harmison was "the pick of the bowlers" for Sri lanka  ending with really ugly figures.

Asantha de Mel-10-0-97-1

Opposition-West Indies
Venue-Karachi 1987
It was a world record score for the West Indies as the dynamite Viv Richards exploded big time. He scored a 181 and smashed Lankan bowlers to all parts. He was 8 short of his own world score of 189. Richards targeted the medium pacer Asantha de Mel and left the bowler with a forgettable analysis.

Andy Blignaut-9-0-96-2

Opposition-New Zealand
Venue-Bulawayo 2005
It was the 3rd most expensive bowling spell in a limited overs international then. Even before Andy Blignaut had got into the act of conceding runs, the new-ball bowlers for Zimbabwe had done a nightmarish job of conceding at nearly 8 an over. Blignaut's entry only made it easy for the Kiwis as they raced to 200 in under 28 overs and the remaining 197 came in just 16 overs. Lou Vincent and Brendon McCullum were a treat to watch and New Zealand could have even got something like 450 but because it was a 44-over match, they couldn't get that far. Zimbabweans were no match in the chase as they folded up for just 205.

FAST,FASTER,FASTEST

10. Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga

Separamadu Lasith Malinga is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a specialist fast bowler with a rare round-arm action.His fastest delivery is 155.7 kmph During World Cup 2011 group fixture against New Zealand at Mumbai.

9. Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn

Dale Willem Steyn  is a South African cricketer . His fastest delivery is – 155.7 kmph ODI match during a bilateral series against New Zealand.

8. Shane Bond

Shane Bond

Shane Edward Bond New Zealand’s best fast bowler.His fastest delivery is – 156.4 kmph During World Cup 2003.

7. Mohammad Sami

Mohammad Sami

Mohammad Sami is a Pakistani right arm fast bowler. His fastest delivery is – 156.4 kmph ODI match during a tri-series at Sharjah against Zimbabwe in April 2003.

6. Fidel Edwards

Fidel Edwards

Fidel Henderson Edwards is a West Indian  pace bowler, His fastest delivery is 157.7 kmph @ Bilateral test series against South Africa in 2003/04.

5. Andy Roberts

Andy Roberts

Andy Roberts is a former West Indian cricketer. He was an excellent fast bowler, twice taking seven wickets in an innings of a Test match. His fastest delivery is 159.5 kmph against Australia in Perth 1975.

4. Jeffrey Thompson

Jeffrey Thompson

Jeffrey Robert Thomson is a former Australian cricketer. He was one of the fastest bowlers his fastest delivery is 160.4 kmph  against West Indies in Perth 1975.

3. Brett Lee

Brett Lee

Brett Lee  is an one of the fastest Australian bowlers in world cricket. He bowled his fastest delivery of 160.8 kmph 2005 bilateral series against New Zealand at Napier.

2. Shaun Tait

Shaun Tait

Shaun William Tait  is a former Australian cricketer, who only plays T20.He is a right arm fast bowler bowled his fastest delivery of 161.1 kmph  against England in an ODI.

1. Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket, who is regarded as the fastest bowler in the world. He set an official world record by achieving the fastest delivery, of  161.3 km/h (100.2 mph) 2003 World Cup fixture against England.

FROM RAGS TO RICHES

Some Players who made it big from rags to riches with hard work and determination.

Mohammad Yousuf

Mohammad Yousuf's story of struggle is the most fascinating one. It's a testamant to the fact that it doesn't matter where you have come from, what matters is where you are going. Yousuf was born in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan to a poor Hindu Balmiki family which later converted to Christianity. His father Yousuf Maseeh worked at the railway station with family living in the railway colony. As a boy, he couldn't afford a cricket bat and so swatted the ball with a wooden bat on the roads. For a time he also tried his luck driving rickshaws. He made his debut in International cricket against South Africa in 1998. His well crafted shots attracted attention and he went on to become one of Pakistan's best batsman.

The Pathan Brother's
The rise of the pathan brother's and their struggle to the Indian team has been well documented in the Indian media. Their  father worked as a 'muezzin' in baroda and and the brother's spent most of their time in d backyard of the mosque. Their family was not well-off but the determination was there.  The brother's had only second-hand equipments to practice with. They had a rough time to begin with but slowly both the brother's made their way to the Indian team. Now both the brother's are stars at the Ipl and  well known at the International level. The brothers had a memorable partnership against Sri Lanka in a T20 match and led the team to victory which at one point  looked impossible, reliving their days in the backyard where both the brother's played together.

Makhaya Ntini
The South African pacer was the first black player to play for the nation. He was only the third South African to take 300 eickets in test matches after Donald and Pollock. Ntini hails from the hinterland of Mdingi in the Eastern Caper. He came a long way from working in the hayfields to the cricket field. He says the years of work in d fields and 15 kms of running in the fields has contributed to the stamina.

Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav grew up in small village,Valli a village of miners. His father was a coal miner. Umesh never had any intentions of becoming a cricketer till very late in his career. He had unsuccessfully applied to Army and Police. Yadav began bowling with a leather ball and joined an unfashionable team Vidarbha. Coming from a family of coalminers, it was not an easy job for Umesh. A well built cricketer who can clock above 140's consistently  and has a bright future ahead.

Ravindra Jadeja
His father was a watchman for a private security agency and sister is a nurse in a local hospital in Jamnanagar. But Ravindra Jadeja, IPL's new million-dollar baby has ensured his families passage out of lower-middle class deprivation. The All Rounder was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping  $2 million(Rs. 9.72 crore), making it the highest player bid by a franchise. He also got an oppertunity in the International Cricket and fits into the role of an all-rounder which the team has been looking for.

Sir Geoffrey Boycott
He was born in the mining villages Fitzwilliam in Yorkshire. He was the eldest of the three son's. His father had a serious accident while working in the coal fields. His spine was severely damaged and could never really recover and died. When Boycott was 8, he had an accident and almost died when he was imapled through chest by the handle of the mangle after having a from from the iron railing. In an attempt to save him, his spleen was fully removed. Despite these challenges in his life, Boycott made a name for himself as an opening batsman and later as a commentator. He is still the leading test scorer for england with more than 8000 runs.

Kieron Pollard

'It was pretty tough, it wasn't ideal getting up and and your mum say We have only X amount of money. In one of the statements's, Pollard summed up his difficult childhood. Pollard was raised by a single mother and who always ran short of money while taking care of her three kids. Cricket changed Pollard and his family's life. He now earns millions plying his all-round cricket skills for West Indies and a clutch of league based teams.