Who will be Warne’s No.1?

Namaste England

Shane Warne, legendary leg-spinner and arguably the world’s most prolific sms-sender, is driving away his injury-induced, end-season blues by compiling his list of 50 Greatest Cricketers.

Warne’s regular column in The Times (London) was transformed into a listing beginning Tuesday, in which he named his numbers 41 to 50. Interestingly, the bottom 10 include India’s stalwarts from the 80s, Dilip Vengsarkar (“very stylish, elegant player held in the highest regard in our dressing room’’, ranked 46) and Ravi Shastri (“very effective player and handy spin bowler for any captain’’, ranked 42).

Others in the bottom 10 include Jamie Siddons (50), Darren Berry (49), Brian McMillan (48), Chris Cairns (47), Waqar Younis (45), Alec Stewart (44), Michael Atherton (43) and Justin Langer (41).

Like all lists, this promises to spark off a debate, but aficionados are watching closely who will be at the top. In the past, Warne has publicly stated that Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara were the two best cricketers of his generation. Who does he opt for between the two, or has Ricky Ponting overtaken them in his esteem in recent years? What of Wasim Akram, whom Warne has often said was the best fast bowler he has seen? Or mean machines Glen McGrath and Curtly Ambrose? And of course, Muttiah Muralitharan, who threatens to break all of Warne’s records?

Personally, I would also be interested in his rating of Australian captains. Ian Chappell believes that Warne was the best captain Australia never had, but who amongst Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ponting does Warne himself believe had the best cricketing brain?

That could be seriously controversial stuff, but something that would open up a new vista of understanding the modern game considering that the Aussies have remained unbeatable for more than 15 years now.

Whole world in the team
England as the melting pot of nationalities and cultures is perhaps better exemplified by cricket than any other sport.

Consider these players who have been seen in action against India this season. Star batsman Kevin Pietersen is originally from South Africa. Andrew Strauss, whose star has been somewhat on the wane, is also from South Africa. Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, already a cult figure, is ancestrally from the plains of Punjab, as is all-rounder Ravi Bopara, (who, incidentally, still appears overawed by Sachin Tendulkar).

Diminutive Dmitri Mascarenhas, who hit some extraordinary flat sixes at Bristol, traces his root to Sri Lanka, and the in-your-face Owais Shah is said to be from the mean streets of Karachi. Talented fast bowler Sajid Mahmood, currently out of favour for lambasting his Ashes captain Andrew Flintoff in print as well as losing his rhythm is another who lineage can be traced to Pakistan.

Which explains why the Aussies would taunt the English side with “you’ve got the whole world in your team”, a variation of the spiritual song, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” Of course, while this has not helped English cricket become world champions, it helps establish the utterly secular nature of the sport in the country, and the country in the sport!

True Blues
Nevertheless, England’s two biggest success stories this summer are true-blue Englishmen. Middle order batsman Ian Bell and fast bowler James Anderson had had a rough time during the Ashes last year, and were marginalized, till injuries to key players pushed the selectors into a corner, and allowed both to regain their places. Both have come good, and how!

Bell, arguably with the best technique amongst English batsmen, is enjoying the most productive year yet of his cricketing life. After an impressive Test series, he has become the mainstay of the batting, notching up 269 runs in three one-day matches. He helped his side win the first and third matches, and with some support at Bristol, may have ensured that India had lost all three.

More impressive, perhaps, has been Anderson, whose selection for the Test was roundly criticised by most experts, but who has, within two months, emerged as the spearhead of the attack. What’s enhanced his credentials manifold is the fact that he seems to have got the measure of the great Sachin Tendulkar, whom he has dismissed four times in Tests and twice in ODIs already. Any bowler who does that, earns a special seat in his team’s dressing room.

Bell and Anderson are now the two biggest threats to India winning the one-day series. And to think that at the start of the season, they were hardly in the reckoning. Is this is a game of glorious uncertainties or what!