Dr Sport

The game of cricket is very popular as this sport involves all the thrills and excitement that make the sport interesting for fans. Anyone would love to become involved with playing a cricket match or watching the game on TV, because of the fact that this is a wonderful outlet through which one can unwind and relax from the daily drudgeries of life. It is very important for an individual, especially for a professional who is very busy to take a break at regular interval to help them give better productivity. Playing a cricket match is a great way to unwind and no, you do not have to be a professional and have the highest levels of fitness for this. You just need to have passion for playing the game...

Michael Conrad Carew, affectionately known as "Joey" Carew, was a left-handed opening batsman for Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies. Cricket pundits would not necessarily consider Carew a legend of cricket or even a West Indian "great." However, he was one of the most influential former players- owing to his opinionated nature, role as a W.I. selector and influence in the development of one of the world's greatest batsmen, Brian Lara. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on September 15th, 1937, Michael "Joey" Carew made his First Class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in the 1955/1966 cricket season. He took a few years to gain the nod of West Indies selectors, making his debut in 1963 on the tour of...

Cricket offers much in the way of variety, particularly with elements of bowling and batting. Some batsmen appear to have more style and talent than others. Carl Llewellyn Hooper was one such batsman. His batting was easy and effortless; to the extent that he was often referred to as "Cool Carl". The former West Indies captain and middle-order batsman was also given the back-handed compliment of being referred to as the greatest under-performer in Test cricket. Although he possessed a good record and was a regular for the West Indies, several cricket aficionados felt that "Cool Carl" didn't scale the heights that his talent suggested. His runs were often accumulated with style and elegance. Yet when...

Here on Tuesday at one side the grandmaster Viswanathan Anand made India feel proud by becoming the World Chess Champion and on other side here on Beausejour Stadium our Indian cricket team makes all Indians shameless by losing the 3rd consecutive match of the super 8 of the T20 world cup. After losing the last match from West Indies by 14 Runs, Indians lost this match by 5 wickests from Sri Lankans. Don't know what happened to our Indian cricket team. Like the last Twenty 20 world cups, Indians can't qualify even for semifinals and lose their consecutive 3rd match. Who could say that this is the team who was champion in the year 2007? Instead of doing practice they were enjoying the beach from the...

This was one thing I won't regret doing which RD didn't appreciate, didn't like..Touching his feet was a pleasure, watching him hit the square drive was a privilege, looking at his perfect pulls was an honour, his humbleness and and his down-to-earth attitude were the blessings, his smile and his life, an enigma, his personality, a charm, his presence, a feeling that perfection in body language, and attitude exists, and so on...its not that you describe in words, these are such traits that make me feel that I'm lesser than him. Who else of his stature will come to ask for interview once he's said that he will give it? He came himself for it, we didn't have to run behind, while Vijay Dahiya clearly...

Test cricket has been around for many years and is always played during the daytime but there are plans to introduce a number of day-night test matches. These would be similar to the day and night matches in one day cricket. These games start in daylight but reach a conclusion at night under floodlights. Test cricket is the ultimate testing ground for cricketers where any technical deficiencies are often exposed. Fans of test match cricket will be very wary of any attempt to change the current format. In some respects, international cricket would benefit from the introduction of the day-night test match. The problem of play finishing early due to bad light would not be an issue if a game were played...

Picture a quickly accelerating run-up that culminates with a contortion of limbs. Within a split second, a red leather ball is hurled at you in excess of 85 miles per hour, typically with unsettling bounce. Facing the late West Indian fast bowler Sylvester Clarke was even worse than that, according to his opponents. Born on the island of Barbados in December of 1954, Sylvester Clarke started playing First-class cricket relatively late- at the age of 23. Standing at a decent height of 6'2", he was a genuinely fast bowler who combined steep bounce and fearsome pace from a decidedly awkward action. Defections of key players from the West Indies Test team fast-tracked him into Test cricket in 1978...

Sir Don Bradman is one of the greatest cricketers from Australia. Another one from Australia is Steve Waugh. He is the only captain other than the West Indian Captain Clive Lloyd who lifted the world cup twice! Steve Waugh has been a great captain and has given Australia this edge over the other cricketing nations which Australia is still enjoying. Ricky Ponting is a very intelligent captain, which he has proved once again with his team's winning ICC champion's trophy in 2009. Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev are undoubtedly the best cricketers India has produced. Kapil Dev ranks amongst the world's 4 best all rounders along with Sir Richard Headley, Imran Khan and Ian Botham. Also, Anil Kumble, Ravi...

At last the rights for the Indian premier league are obtained by the Sony and world sport joint group foe an astonishing amount of $1 Billion. The game of cricket has never faced a situation like this these days. The new form of the game 20-20 is picking up it's pace these days. Introduction of this game into the Indian premier league has increased its craze. Experts say that this form of game is a pure money making scheme. Experts feel that this may remove the fabric of the original game. Although there is support for this game as it brings new audiences to the game. This format has proved to be successful in different countries like England, South Africa, Australia and also in India which was...

One of the two "spin twins" who made their auspicious debut against England at Manchester in 1950; Alfred Louis Valentine was A slow left-arm orthodox spinner. "Alf" and Sonny tricked English batsmen and led the West Indies to their first Test and series victory on English soil. The late Lord Kitchener, whose calypso had the following line, "These little pals of mine; Ramadhin and Valentine", immortalized them in song. Alf Valentine and Sonny Ramadhin had a long, productive partnership in the 1950s that cemented their place as the spin legends of the West Indies-a region where spin is almost a sin now. Valentine was born in Jamaica on April 28 1930. The lean, bespectacled youth made his debut for...

The late Roy Clifton Fredericks was an attacking left-handed opener for Guyana and the West Indies in the late 60s and early 70s. Towards the end of his Test career, the Guyanese opener was part of a West Indian team that started to dominate cricket. He also had the distinction of winning the first World Cup in 1975. Fredericks attacking instincts-particularly against hostile fast bowling-is the stuff of cricket legend. Long after his playing days were over, one can still hear remarks about his exploits. The opener's demolition of Lillee and Thompson at the famed WACA Ground in Perth, Australia forms a significant part of his legacy. Born on November 11, 1942 in Berbice, Guyana, Fredericks made his...

Despite perennial concerns over security issues on the Asian subcontinent, it was selected to host the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The four Asian Test-playing nations- Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka- are scheduled to host matches in that tournament. The recent terror attack against the Sri Lankan team and ICC officials in Pakistan has left the short term future of Pakistan in doubt. No longer can it be said that terrorists in Asia do not attack sportsmen. Sri Lanka and India have had terrorist strikes in recent time. However, the 2009 terrorist attacks in Pakistan advanced the fears of cricket playing nations significantly. If the security officials in Pakistan could not protect one team...

When West Indies wicketkeeper Jeff Dujon retired, the selectors tried to find an immediate replacement. One of the candidates for the post was Junior Murray. To state that the former Windward Islands wicketkeeper did not fit the bill perfectly is an understatement. Instead, for nine years- between 1992 and 2003- Murray played musical chairs with the Caribbean side. Born on January 20th, 1968, Murray became the first player from the tiny island of Grenada to represent the West Indies at the highest level. He had this honour when he made his Test debut in Sydney during the 1992/93 tour of Australia. Unfortunately, in the 33 Tests and 55 ODIs that Murray played since that tour, he failed to earn enough...

Indian cricket is very popular in sub continent. There are few countries in sub continent that are involved in cricket. Indian team is considered a balanced and powerful one to compete with any strong team of the world. People are crazy and very passionate about cricket in India. Indian cricket team has always been very strong. It got its name registered in cricket history by giving innumerable records. Indian cricket team has given many world-class batsmen, bowlers who created history. In India, if it to be said that people talk cricket, read cricket, sleep cricket and walk cricket, it will not be wrong. Indian cricket has been under tremendous pressures till now. This makes Indian cricket player...

Cricket is a mysterious sport to most Americans. If they know it all, it usually brings up some hazy image of 18th century colonialist Brits playing on a field deep in India. Or maybe they have heard about the frequent long-running time of the game - sometimes a single match can last four or five days. In fact, cricket is popularly played in over 100 countries, and dates back as early as 14th century England. It is filled with delightfully bizarre British terminology (the batsman defends his wicket, and he doesn't get "out" he gets "dismissed"). It can be a little daunting for those new to the game to figure things out, but really, if you are a football fan than you are already a master of complex...

Long before either cricket or Australia was discovered, hundreds of hardened criminal convicts, who were adjudged to be impossible to reform, in England were sent to this land which is now called as Australia, by the Order of The British Monarchy. The Monarchy and the British society was so afraid of social consequences of keeping these criminals that they finally thought exiling them to a no man's land would bring upon them the appropriate natural justice. When they were taken to Australia, they were kicked out of the ship. Those who could swim over to the shore and later survive the adversities, built Australia on principles best known to them but are regarded by the civilized society as crime...

Computer cricket games are all part of the fun for most junior cricketers (and some senior ones). The virtual cricket world is almost as intricate as the real one, and it takes great skill to be an expert. Junior cricketers might be able to show adults a few of the finer points, but here are a few pros and cons that might help everyone. Many cricket games developers are also cricket fans, and bring reality and fine detail to their designs. But, it's still difficult to convert such a complex sport into an entertaining video game. So, bear in mind that the games may not look as realistic as, say, football or basketball games. Nevertheless, cricket fans can still enjoy virtual cricket, especially the...

Cricket bats are available with a wide range of features, and choosing one is a very personal decision. There are no right or wrong bats, just the one that feels right for you. Of these features, size and "pick-up" or "feel" are particularly important. The top of the bat handle should reach the top of a player's thigh, allowing him to take guard with his weight evenly balanced on both feet, and with his eyes level facing the bowler. The weight of cricket bats varies from around 1lb 11oz for the smallest junior bat to 3lb 4oz for the heaviest full size bat, though anything over 3lb takes considerable strength to wield. However, the ease of "pick-up" of a bat while batting is more important than its...

Successful batsmen make batting look simple because they get the basics right. Of course, good technique doesn't just happen. A respected Australian coach at my club demonstrates skills with the message practice that 100 times a day and you'll soon get the hang of it!. Practice does make perfect. This article isn't intended to be part of a coaching manual, but some coaching points arise so often at junior practice that it's worth repeating a few of them here. You could treat these as background if you're using coaching books, videos or online coaching resources. Remember, cricket is generally a "sideways game" - the "side on" position figures highly in most cricketing skills. Most batting errors...

So you want to improve your bowling? Worry not as there are a few techniques and measures you can take to improve your bowling figures. Firstly, before you start to engage in any bowling, it is always a good idea to ensure you warm up. These are your general muscle warm ups to make sure that you do not pull or tear anything. Once you have warmed up its now time to ensure that you have a proper run up. You can do this by going to the crease and imitating your run up in reverse. This will enable you to make sure you have the correct number of steps and may even help you eliminate bowling the dreaded no ball. This is quite common and you will often see many bowlers doing this. For those of you that...

That the West Indies scored four of their lowest five Test innings totals between 1999 and 2004 gives a clear indication of how far they fell from being world champions in the 80s and early 90s. Indeed, the West Indies struggled in all departments of the game - batting, bowling, fielding and even administration. Somewhat surprisingly, two of the regional team's lowest ever totals were in the Caribbean. 47 - W.I. versus England at Sabina Park, Jamaica (2004) What promised to be an interesting Test match turned out to be a farce when the West Indies took up the willow in the second innings. England had a slender 28-run lead on first innings, which the West Indies barely managed to erase on a Sabina...

Cricket is a batsman's game and a statistician's delight as well. More than any other sport, statistics play an important role in cricket and help to add some context to the game-particularly Test cricket, which has no official championship. In over 120 years of Test cricket, some batsmen feasted on their hapless opponents' bowling attack to mount some huge totals. The top five totals in Tests (up to March 2010) are as follows: 1. 952/6 declared - Sri Lanka versus India at Colombo (1997) Sri Lanka were still a fresh Test side when they posted this mammoth total against India at home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan legend, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Roshan Mahanama scored their career bests-340 and 225...

Inspirational leader, mentor, genuine all-rounder and talented cricketer describe a true Pakistan legend. Imran Khan was certainly one of the greatest Pakistan cricketers ever and one of the best all-rounders in the game of cricket. Such a legend was Imran Khan that he defined the term world-class all-rounder. That he was an inspirational captain who transformed Pakistan into a formidable Test team and World Cup Champions in 1992 augmented his value. Born in Lahore, Pakistan on November 25th, 1952, Khan made his First class debut as a teenager in the 1969/1970 domestic season. His immense talent was immediately apparent, precipitating his selection to the Pakistan Test team in 1971- at the tender...

The day is fast approaching when cricket decides to follow the example of other sports such as tennis and rugby in allowing the use of technology to assist umpires and referees to officiate. This will hopefully reduce the number of errors and incorrect decisions that are made. In the same way that tennis players have three opportunities to challenge a decision cricket wants to introduce the same kind of referrals. Not everyone thinks the use of technology in sport is a good idea and one of the criticisms levelled against it is that it erodes the integrity and authority of the referees and umpires. Another argument against using technology in cricket is that it will slow the game down too much. This...

Just two weeks after tying a match against Pakistan in Lahore, the West Indies managed the feat again. This time, their opponents were India and the venue was the WACA Ground in Perth, Australia. For India, this was their second tied game, as they already tied a Test match against the Aussies at Chennai in 1986. The West Indies participated in several thrilling finishes to this date - the historic first tied Test at Brisbane; the first tied ODI against Australia; and the third tied ODI against Pakistan. India batted first in this fixture, with Ravi Shastri and Kris Srikkanth opening the batting. The Windies got the breakthrough early, with Patrick Patterson snaring Srikkanth for three runs; India...

Cricket balls come in different sizes and materials. For practise or indoor games you use a plastic ball, and for official games you use a cork ball. It actually comprises of a core of cork, which is wrapped tightly with string, and covered by a leather case with a slightly raised sewn seam. Red balls are used in official day games, but you will probably use a white ball in day / night matches. This is because red balls are much harder to pick up under lights. In men's cricket the ball must weigh between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (155.9 and 163 grams) and measure between 8 13/16 and 9 inches (22.4 and 22.9 cm) in circumference. Youth & women's cricket use slightly smaller & lighter balls. For what...

From a short run-up, this left-handed, former Pakistan fast bowler could deliver balls with surprising pace. Wasim Akram's run up was distinctive- as was his tendency to shield the ball from the batsman's view before delivering it. His main bowling weapon was swing and seam at high-speeds. Akram was also a bowling all-rounder, since he also made good contributions as an attacking left-handed batsman. Many cricket pundits believe that Akram was the greatest left-arm fast bowler ever to have played cricket. Born in Lahore, Pakistan on June 3rd, 1966, Wasim Akram was a cricket prodigy. He made his First class debut at 18 and made his Test debut in 1985- after just one season of First class cricket...

Cricket is a rather odd sport, something that even the die-hard cricket fan would admit. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that cricket has many peculiar and even quaint expressions. For instance, you can have a 'leggie' bowling a googly to a night watchman with an offside field in place. The batsman plays a forward defensive shot and pops a catch to silly mid-on. Clearly, cricket's terms and expressions require some explanations. You may even come across references to cricket in everyday use like "it's not cricket" or "sticky wicket". Indeed, it is impossible to cover all of cricket's unique terms and expressions in a few hundred words but one can come close enough. Field of play Pitch- Also known...

Australian cricket is one the rise these days and one of the main reasons for this is their immense success on the cricket field. This success of the Australian team has taken some beating owing to the recent defeats that they have suffered at the hands of arch rivals New Zealand and England. Australian cricket has given many world class players to the game of cricket, the major among them being Sir. Donald Bradman. Cricket as a game is very popular and the fans are very passionate both about the game and also about the Australian cricket players that represent their country on the field The Australian cricket team is one of the most competitive teams in the world and of late they have been wining...

The googly is a cricket delivery that turns like an off spin stock delivery but is bowled with a leg spin action. In other words it looks like a leg spin delivery but spins from the off side to the leg side. This is achieved by releasing the cricket ball from the back of the hand as opposed to the front like a normal leg spin delivery. The googly was invented by Bernard Bosanquet, an English cricket player who played during the turn of the previous century. The effectiveness of this delivery is obvious as the ball is turning in the opposite delivery as what the batsman is expecting. The grip is exactly the same as the leg spin stock delivery. The leg spin bowling grip is the little finger and ring...

It was the day when history was made and as luck would have it I could not witness history live! Now nothing can be more frustrating for a cricket fans then missing out on watching an edge of the set thriller and also a historic one. Well I am still ruing my chance of missing out on watching the finals pf the Nat West Trophy in the year 2002, between England and India. Well missing something can really haunt you forever and this match turned out to be just one of that. Well I did catch up with the live cricket score from the online sites, but if you are a serious cricket fan, you will surely know how poor a substitute a cricket score card can be for such matches. Cricket score card can also be...

When it comes to games, Cricket is leading the way in India, the national game Hockey lagging miles behind. The passion among the people for the game is evident in the matches that are hosted in India. Thus it is said more than often that cricket has achieved the status of a religion in India with millions of followers to its credit. The fan base transcends all the cultural and religious barriers of the country. The people are so passionate about the game that it is almost impossible for a neutral cricket viewer to come and enjoy the game. The crowds begin to fill the stadium 5 hours prior on match days. The different versions of the game have their respective followers with the One day matches and...

There was a time when cricket was considered a mere English sport and a fancy sported by gentlemen. But times have changed. Just like football or soccer, people across the world are crazy over cricket. Everytime Sachin Tendulkar lifts his bat to hit a ball; a roar of expectation reverberates throughout the entire stadium. Whenever Bret Lee swings his arm, the entire crowd waits with bated breath for the outcome. So many cricketers have come and gone but the crazy adulation for the sportsmen have never stopped. I remember a phase when I was a crazy fan of Rahul Dravid and whether or not I understood cricket, it was irrelevant. I was glued to the T.V. whenever India played. Fans all over the world...