I'm sorry, I can't help it. There simply has to be a double accolade this week, one apiece for batting and for bowling. Not that Virender Sehwag and Doug Bracewell had it all their own way.
There was Younis Khan's unbeaten double century in Pakistan's thumping defeat of Bangladesh while in Pakistan's domestic competition runs, the bowlers were very much on top just about everywhere. In Lahore, Habib Bank Ltd and the WPDA actually tied their first-class fixture, which was also notable for Imran Khan (no, not THAT one!) taking 5-57 and 9-77! In Islamabad, it wasn't just the European financial institutions taking a hammering. The State Bank of Pakistan cricket side was bowled out for just 40 in their second innings, Anwar Ali capturing an impressive 8-16.
However, I have plumped for the two most impressive international performers as my joint Players of the Week. A few days ago, Virender Sehwag seemed to have it in the bag. As I wrote in a previous blog, his world-beating 219 in 149 balls was simply one of the best one-day innings of all time, not just for the sheer volume of runs. He could not take the field after all the exertions and didn't even play in the following match, blaming his great age. Viru, you're only 33!! It is true that his biff-bang opening style rarely takes him beyond the first Powerplay and so to find himself batting in the 47th over probably gave him a nosebleed just think about it!
Advance a few more days and transfer to Hobart for what looked likely to be a simple Test victory for Australia against a Vettori-less New Zealand. James Pattinson took a five-for to put the home team in front on day one before the Aussies were skittle for just 136. NZ managed to top 200 second time around but when day three ended with David Warner looking ominous, the game seemed done and dusted. In only his second Test, T20 specialist Warner was magnificent while his more illustrious team-mates fell like flies and he won the MOTM award. However, I have to credit 21 year-old medium pacer Doug Bracewell because his 6-40, following the first innings 3-20, swung the game back to the Black Caps. Ponting, Clarke and Hussey (first ball) each fell to his swing and seam before returning to finish things off at the end just as Lyon appeared to be keeping Warner company with the winning post in sight.
