Saturday, September 10, 2011

Diamond in the Rough, Munaf Patel...

I think we're lucky to have Munaf Patel in our team.

No, seriously!

Did you see the passion in the guy's eyes when Jadeja took half a second extra to throw the ball from long on and the batsmen took an extra run?
Oh wait, you'll have to ignore the fact that he had just balled a juicy full toss.

To a set batsman.


Oh come on, he was obviously aiming to bowl a stinging in swinging yorker a la Waqar Younis.

Oh wait, you'll have to ignore the fact that he's probably only as fast as an Anil Kumble faster one.

When Kumble is sick.

And has a shoulder injury.

Well, maybe not his best moment but the passion is definitely there. Did you see the glare that he gave Virat Kohli when he tried to throw down the stumps at the bowlers end and the ball went for an overthrow?
Silly boy. Was he really expecting Munaf to go back behind the stumps to try to run the batsman out?
With Munaf's fiery run up its a surprise he manages to stop in time for delivering the next ball.
To expect him to stop, turn and get behind the stumps. Hah,Munaf is a great cricketer but you can't expect him to perform miracles all the time.

Or you know, ever.

Speaking of miracles, the English batsmen must've been wondering how the impossible happened. The batsmen swept the ball hard and it traveled straight to Munaf at short fine leg. I mean, the ball had reached the God of fielding even before the batsman could get off his knee. But miracle, oh miracle! The batsmen still managed to take a run.
Well its clear what happened. Laughable really.
Now, Munaf is a very very tall guy. And by the time he bent down to reach the ball the batsmen would have had had enough time to run a mere 22 yards.

Even if they were wearing those sack-race bags.

Or had their legs tied to 100 kg weights.

Surprising though when you think about it.
Munaf's height only comes into play when he has to field. When he bowls, he gets as much bounce as a tennis ball.

A punctured one.

Filled with water.

Frankly, till Dhoni has to throw the ball to Munaf at the death (or at any time in the innings) we will continue to lose tight games.

Now please close your eyes and pray that the next series happens on the dust bowl wickets of the sub-continent.
Amen.

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