Cricket Zone http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/ News Face To Face en-us © 2007 Aprology Solutions Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:16:20 Laxman excited at county face-off with Warne http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-19-1196.html VVS Laxman says he misses his duels against Shane Warne and is keen to make the most of the opportunity to take him on when batting for Lancashire in the county championship match against Hampshire next week Warne the Hampshire captain was at the receiving end of Laxman's magical wrists during the last three encounters between India and Australia But Test cricket's highest wicket-taker who was reduced to an average bowler by the stylish Hyderabadi player won t come face to face when the Indians tour down under in December-January having retired from international cricket earlier this year The county  [more]
]]> 2007-08-19 17:30 Harbhajan plans strategy for Twenty-20 World Cup http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-19-1195.html Harbhajan Singh is prepared to trade economy for wickets when he makes his India comeback in the inaugural Twenty World Championships in South Africa next month quot I wouldn't worry too much about economy in Twenty World Cup you would go for runs anyway If I pick up a few wickets along the way I would be satisfied quot says the Punjab off-spinner one of the meanest bowlers in world cricket Harbhajan is aware that the last thing a bowler could do when playing in the latest form of the game is worry about conceding runs quot Twenty is not  [more]
]]> 2007-08-19 17:10 India has an unhealthy obsession with World Cup: Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-18-1192.html Rahul Dravid does not foresee himself playing the next World Cup and the Indian captain insists India has an unhealthy obsession with the quadrennial cricketing extravaganza quot It is probably unlikely that I will play another World Cup I am already and by next World Cup I would be The game is getting younger and people are coming on You never know what future has in store but you have to be realistic quot Dravid said Always under tremendous pressure to perform Dravid felt the cricket-loving public here just goes crazy during the World Cup quot I genuinely believe we  [more]
]]> 2007-08-18 22:34 I feel mentally very fresh: Flintoff http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-18-1191.html England's star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said he was feeling quot mentally fresh quot after his long injury lay-off as he is set to return for the upcoming one-day series against India quot I believe the injury could actually help extend my career because I feel mentally very fresh quot Flintoff said and added his best years were still ahead quot I won't be playing when I'm but I'm only and there's a lot left in me I hope my best years are ahead of me quot he was quoted as saying by the British newspaper Sun' Flintoff missed the  [more]
]]> 2007-08-18 22:30 Wait for appropriate candidate to succeed Chappell: Shastri http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-18-1189.html Former captain Ravi Shastri today said India might be doing well overseas without a head coach but the post left vacant by Greg Chappell needed to be filled with an quot appropriate candidate quot in due course of time Shastri said the team was successful on their recent tour of Bangladesh and currently in England because of the support of bowling and fielding coaches Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh respectively besides the youngsters have come of age but at the end of the day they needed a proper coach quot They need to have a Head coach And don't forget  [more]
]]> 2007-08-18 19:17 Perfect warm-up for bigger challenge ahead: Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-17-1182.html Indian skipper Rahul Dravid has said that the thumping win against Scotland was a perfect warm-up for the team for the bigger battle against England quot We are shifting from the Test mode to the one-day mode so we need to adjust few things It was the first one-day game after the Test series and I am glad that everything fell in place quot Dravid said after India beat Scotland by seven wickets in Glasgow on Thursday Dravid said he was happy with the performance of Munaf Patel and Ajit Agarkar since they were playing after a long time quot  [more]
]]> 2007-08-17 09:46 Zaheer's disclosure brings more embarrassment for Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-15-1174.html Indian skipper Rahul Dravid already under attack for his timidity in not enforcing the follow-on against England in the third cricket Test at The Oval faced more embarrassment on Wednesday with his pace spearhead Zaheer Khan contradicting his claim that the reason for his decision was the bowlers' tiredness Zaheer Khan who took wickets to emerge as the Man of the Series said in London quot As far as I am concerned I have given everything to this series I don't think I was tired or anything Not really quot Zaheer's disclosure is bound to strengthen the criticism that Dravid  [more]
]]> 2007-08-15 21:40 'Ageing Indians face challenge against Aussies' http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-15-1173.html New Australian coach Tim Nielsen has taken more than a passing interest in India's just ended Test series in England to particularly notice their ageing batsmen and said they faced a challenge to remain fresh for tour of Down Under straight after playing arch-rival Pakistan The series beginning on December is likely to be a farewell tour for year-old Sachin Tendulkar who toured Australia years ago Sourav Ganguly Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman who turns in November quot It's interesting Apart from the two opening batsmen they seem to have gone back to a more experienced line-up quot Nielsen said  [more]
]]> 2007-08-15 21:27 We gave ourselves the best chance to win series: Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-14-1169.html After the rare series triumph in England India captain Rahul Dravid said the victory was a fair result and he was not disappointed to miss out on a win in the third Test at The Oval in London Dravid said the team gave itself quot the best chance to win the series quot and rose upto the expectation to repeat the feat after a gap of years quot I thought we gave ourselves the best chance to win the series Everyone put in a great effort and gave their best to whatever I asked of them I was not disappointed  [more]
]]> 2007-08-14 19:10 I'd have done exactly the same: Vaughan http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-14-1167.html England captain Michael Vaughan has backed his Indian counterpart Rahul Dravid s decision of not enforcing the follow-on in the drawn third Test at The Oval saying in similar circumstances he would have done the same quot If I'd have been in his position I'd have done exactly the same up and they want to make sure they win the series quot Vaughan said The England captain who lost his first Test series at home said his team's mantra for the third Test was not to lose the match quot We showed a lot of character to get through the  [more]
]]> 2007-08-14 19:05 Tired bowlers prompted me not to enforce follow-on: Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-14-1164.html The weariness of the Indian bowling attack prompted him not to enforce a follow-on despite a mammoth run first innings lead in the third Test a victorious captain Rahul Dravid revealed quot I can understand disappointment of the people in their living rooms But I have seen the bowlers from close quarters and could read their body language quot Dravid said after the drawn encounter at The Oval on Monday quot They had just bowled odd overs and they were tired Even I would have been disappointed with the decision not to impose follow-on had I been in the living  [more]
]]> 2007-08-14 07:55 We have really dominated this Test match: Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-12-1158.html Indian captain Rahul Dravid who is all set to lift the Pataudi Trophy praised the bowlers for claiming England's nine wickets as the hosts were still trailing by runs and were in the danger of following on at The Oval quot I'm very happy with the efforts of all the bowlers It was a flat wicket and the boys showed a lot of discipline to end up with eight wickets quot We've played some very good cricket batted well right through the order bowled well and really dominated this Test match quot quot It's about us now trying to finish  [more]
]]> 2007-08-12 16:08 Never thought it would take so long: Kumble http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-11-1154.html Anil Kumble had always believed that he had the batting skills to score a Test century but the veteran leg-spinner never thought that his long-cherished dream would take so long to realise quot I've always believed a hundred was possible I got pretty close to it in against South Africa but never thought I'd have to wait for Tests It is special quot said Kumble who scored an unbeaten in the third Test against England at The Oval on Friday quot There's a sense of fulfillment in that I've achieved what everybody dreams of achieving Throughout my career I've put  [more]
]]> 2007-08-11 16:46 I'm happy with the way I bowl: Flintoff http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-11-1153.html Ruling out any alteration in his action as advised by bowling coach Allan Donald England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said he was banking on a new pair of specially designed shoes to prevent the ankle injuries that have plagued him throughout his career quot I'm happy with the way I bowl Probably three years ago my foot was a lot more closed than it is now and I've got to a point which I'm happy with quot Flintoff was quoted as saying by The Times' Flintoff who is set to make his international comeback in the one-day series against India  [more]
]]> 2007-08-11 16:43 Tough Indian conditions will test Australia: Kasprowicz http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-11-1151.html Aussie pacer Michael Kasprowicz feels the tough Indian conditions would present a good test for the World Cup champions when they come on a tour in October for a seven-match One Day series quot It s going to be good cricket Australia are the World Cup champions It will be a good test for them in India where conditions are tough quot said Kasprowicz who has played in India thrice in and The year-old swing bowler however added that the Aussies had plenty of experience which could help them in combating Indian conditions Kasprowicz who has turned out for Australia  [more]
]]> 2007-08-11 09:00 There was a small nick: Karthik http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-10-1149.html On a day when a horrendous leg before decision given against Sourav Ganguly was a topic of debate Dinesh Karthik did well to clear all doubts regarding his own caught behind dismissal that saw him missing a deserving hundred by just nine runs Karthik made a sparkling before being out and many believed that he too was a victim of a dubious decision by umpire Ian Howell on the first day of the third and final Test at The Oval quot I was definitely disappointed the way I got out There was a small nick no doubt about that quot  [more]
]]> 2007-08-10 17:59 I have always been very aggressive: Zaheer http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-09-1145.html India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan insisted he was an aggressive bowler by nature and the jelly bean incident at Trent Bridge should not dilute his match-winning performance in the second Test against England The popular perception is that Zaheer goaded by the attempted insult dished out a great inspirational bowling performance which put his side one up in the three-match series The pacer himself however feels that too much has been made of the incident quot It was important for me to tell the truth quot Zaheer said in London quot I thought they had no business to do what  [more]
]]> 2007-08-09 19:14 Oval will produce result: Dravid http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-08-1142.html Skipper Rahul Dravid has backed the Indian team to reproduce their winning form in the third and final Test at The Oval which he expects to produce a decisive result India are on the cusp of their first series win in England in years after taking a lead and Dravid firmly believes the team could go all the way to repeat their feat With The Oval pitch expected to offer good bounce and the weather too looking great Dravid acknowledged that there would be a result in the match quot We have not thought of anything else other than a  [more]
]]> 2007-08-08 20:41 Final Test a litmus test for team: Vaughan http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-08-1141.html The daunting task of preserving an unbeaten home Test series record stretching back to has made the final Test against India at The Oval more challenging for the hosts says English skipper Michael Vaughan quot That's the challenge for us That's why it makes such an important game for us It will be interesting to see how we wrap ourselves to the pressures of being one nil down in the series These games are great because you know which players stand up to the pressure quot he said While the hosts must win the final Test to level the series  [more]
]]> 2007-08-08 20:39 It seems like a fairy-tale: Dhoni http://www.cricketzone.com/news/news_face_to_face/2007-08-08-1138.html Mahendra Singh Dhoni has termed his elevation to Twenty captaincy three years after his India debut as a quot fairy-tale quot and said he would strive hard to meet the challenges and expectations quot To be honest I never dreamt of playing for India I just played the game for the love of it So just to play for India was like a good fairy tale And it still continues quot Dhoni said in London on Tuesday quot It's more special because I'm just three years old in international cricket Now it's important to go out and lead from the  [more]
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