South Indian damsels reigning Bollywood

Bollywood fortunately has a bulk of talent from all sides of the country. Here we try to glorify the south Indian queens who have made it, going to make it and who almost made it big in Bollywood. This is a tribute to the hard work and commitment shown by these angels…….



Sridevi has been a force to reckon with in the Indian film fraternity. Shree Amma Iyengar/Sridevi was born in Sivakasi,Tamil Nadu to Mr.Ayyapan and Mrs.Rajeswari on August 13, 1963. She admirably made her mark in the south industry acting in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam before her stint with the Bollywood. Acting from the age of 5, she has won innumerable laurels with her credible talent. She did her first Hindi film in 1978 and has never looked back since then. Her charm is unforgettable in movies such as Chandni, Mr. India, Judaai to name a few. She bid good bye to this industry in 1997 and married noted producer Boney Kapoor. She had a brief stint with the small screen too as “Malini Iyer” and her husband is now planning to re-launch her with a sequel to 1987 runaway hit Mr. India. She is now a mother to 2 daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi. She’s been a gifted child and her success is all possible due to her hard work, efficiency and commitment. None can ever take her place from our hearts……..That’s her charisma on screen.



Asin Thottumkal has taken the audience by storm with her unforgettable presence and her undefiable beauty.Now a leading actress in the South Indian film industry,she started her career with a Malayalam film Narendra Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in a supporting role.She entered Tollywood with Amma Nanna ,O Tanil Ammaye portraying the role of a Tamil girl and won a Filmfare award for her fine work and offers poured in since then for Asin.She gave a tough ride for all the leading ladies in the South.Ghajini provided a major break for Asin starring with Nayanatara and Surya. Then she became more choosy on her roles and her films started getting good responses. Dashavataram, magnum opus of K.S.Ravi Kumar opposite legend Kamal Haasan proved her mettle as an actress and the film opened to huge box office collections worldwide. This was just her first taste of big success.Future,though had much in store for her.She then went on essaying the same role (Kalpana)in the Hindi version of the movie Ghajini opposite Aamir Khan and it turned out to be the highest grosser in Indian film history. She is now giving sleepless nights to the likes of Katrina, Aishwarya ,Deepika.She has a Hollywood project in hand opposite Kamal Haasan again and another Vipul Shah’s “London Dreams” playing the love interest of Salman and Ajay Devgan.She is a serious talent capable of achieving the heights of yesteryear actresses such as SriDevi, Hema Malini, Nargis and all. She has barely done 20 movies but she’s carved her own niche in this glam world.


Deepika Padukone born to noted badminton player Prakash Padukone is having a dream run in her career.Deepika was quite successful model before her foray as an actress.She starred in a music video opposite Himesh.She made her debut with the Kannada film Aishwarya opposite Upendra.Farah Khan then roped her in for Om Shanti Om opposite the Baadshah Shahrukh.She made the best use of her luck,opportunity call it whatever,this film went on to be an international hit and her acting abilities won her almost an award in each of the main stram award ceremonies.Offers flooded in and she joined the big league of the highest paid actresses in this industry.She almost appeared in every advertisement,forget any brand.This glam doll then acted opposite Ranbir in Bachna Ae Haseeno and is now dating him.Her next big one was with Akshay Kumar starrer Chandni Chowk to China.It flopped miserably but she’s now pinning hopes on Love Aaj Kal with Saif stated for a July 31 release.Her acting abilities plus her beauty could take her ,places.



Hema Malini,the dream girl was born as a gift to.S.R. Chakravarty and Jaya on 16 October 1948 in Ammankudi,Tamil Nadu. She’s one of the ladies who wooed the audiences with her slim and attractive personality. A trained Bharatanatyam dancer,she always was notable for her ease in doing comic roles, more so with her husband Dharmendra.. She marked a glorious entry into Hindi films with Sapnon Ka Saudagar in 1968 and appearing in over 150 films in a career span of 40 years, she has starred in a large number of hit films, and her performances in both commercial and art house cinema were often recognized. Sholay,Seetha aur Geetha, Johnny mera naam, The Burning Train just shows her acting prowess and the wide variety in her choices.She married Dharmendra on 2 May 1980 and gave birth to Esha and Ahana.She then gave a few hits like Naseeb, Satte pe Satta,The Burning Train and took a break from acting in 1988.She tried out her luck as a director with Dil Aashna Hai starring Shahrukh Khan and the late Divya Bharati.She joined active politics from then and coached her daughter Esha to be classical dancer.She’s an inspiration and the dream girl still sizzles with her slim figure…….


Trisha Krishnan is a leading actress in the Tamil and Telugu industry. She shot to fame with a cameo in Prashant-Simran starrer Jodi. Priyadarshan then caste her as a leading actress in Tamil movie Lesa Lesa.This movie gathered good responses and a flurry of offers since then ensured no setbacks in a glorious career. She kept her good performances going in Tollywood and she’s acted with all the major heroes in the south except for Rajini and Kamal Hasaan.Abhiyum Naanum released in 2008 brought out her best performance till date and her simplicity just rocks. This looked great and Akshay Kumar was convinced to cast her in his next movie Khatta Meeta to be directed by Priya Darshan .She’s a confident girl and looks to carry her good run in Hindi films too. Let’s wish her success in all her attempts! Keep it going!!



Vidya Balan was born in Palakkad, Kerala in a Tamil Iyer family to P. R. Balan, who is the Vice President of ETC Channel and a housewife mother.Vidya Balan was previously an actor in advertisements.Balan started her film career with a Bengali film in 2001 titled Bhalo Theko and later was supposedly signed for a couple of movies in Tamil.Reasons undisclosed,she was dropped from both of them.That indeed turned out as a blessing in disguise for her career as she had something better and exciting in store for her future.She debuted in Bollywood through Parineeta(2005) which the critics acclaim as her best performance till date.She went on to star in box office hits like Lage Raho Munnabhai,Guru,Hey Baby and Bhool Bhulaiyya.Her film Eklavya,though wasn't a commercial success went on to be nominated as India's official entry to the Oscars.She's often criticized for her wardrobe selection.Barring all these,she's a charming presence on the big screen and more than a handful at acting.

New York audio released

After the stupendous success of the music of ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, the music of NEW YORK is out at a store near you. The movie releases on 26th June in theaters worldwide.Pritam is back to wielding his magic with this wonderful album.The whole film is centered on friendship making the album more fresh and youthful.Here's the details on what this album has in store for you!

Hai Junoon:This wonderful number gives a rocking start to the album.K.K is back with his charisma and he just spins magic to this number.This number dates you back to sweet times spent with your friends.Probably the best one in the album..

Mere Sang:Sunidhi Chauhan voices this melodious number filled with hope and gives you strength.A perfect number as a follow up to Hai Junoon.Sets you in a good mood with a different feel to it.

Tune Jo Na KahaAnother Chauhan,this time Mohit the Masakkali singer to render a slow romantic duet which might remain ever lasting in your heart.His unique voice adds versatility to this wonderful album.

Aye Saye Mere A Sufi rock number sung and composed by Pankaj Awasthi.Though this track doesn't live up to the previous songs,this song has wonderful lyrics penned by Junaid Wasi and has an emotional feel attached to it.

New York Theme:This score captures the soul of the movie and the musical instruments used give a great international feel.

Remix versions:The remix versions of the songs are well paced and keeps you going and we need not be surprised if these tracks rock the dance floor.

Well,the music is gonna top the charts.No matter how the movie fares,this score will definitely win over audiences for its uniqueness.Pritam after a lull bounces back well.

Rating:3.25/5

Amitabh and Ranbir in brand new looks

Amitabh is back to his unique best.R.Balki, the Cheeni Kum director’s new venture will see Amitabh playing son to Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan.Amitabh’s role will be such that he’ll be ageing more quickly than a normal human life. Sources reveal that special make up artistes have flown in from US and ready shock the audiences. In fact he’s been traveling like an under cover agent covered with a towel to hide his look. But doesn’t this suggest the similarity between “The Curious case of Benjamin Button”? Well we have to wait for quite a while to reveal the secrets. Now, just be amazed to see the snap below….Big B is surely young and raring



Ranbir Kapoor too joins the list to don a turban in his new film Rocket Singh. This movie brings back the Chak De India pair of director and writer Shimit Amin and Jaideep Sahni.This movie is sure to provide rib tickling comedy to the viewers.Yash Raj films will be producing this comedy flick and the female lead is still kept in wraps.

TREAT FOR MOVIE BUFFS

Bollywood has probably come out of its dull patch and is ready to bring in the crowds after the multiplex issue finally was sorted out.This year Bollywood is going for the off beat and variety movies to test its fate at the box office.The bucks are too running high on these flicks.Here's a glimpse on what can we expect of these much hyped movies....

NEW YORK

Well this movie surely boasts of an efficient star cast with the likes of John Abraham,Neil,Katrina and the dependable Irfan Khan.Trailers suggest this movie has the back drop of 9/11 attacks and the ill treatment of Indians and basically Muslims in New York and how innocent lives get into danger.John Abraham is baring it all for this movie while the chemistry between the lead pair looks like it'll set the big screen on fire.Katrina Kaif probably for the first time takes the challenge of doing a performance oriented role while John will look to cement his place in this industry carving his own niche and Neil continues to experiment with his roles.Expect an intense drama like never before and with yashraj films producing it ensures that there'll not be any compromises in the production value.

LOVE AAJ KAL

Saif Ali Khan is trying his luck as a producer with this movie.Saif and Deepika are ready to set the screen alive.Jab we met director Imtiaz ali promises an entertaining love story in which Saif is playing a role of a Sardarji and this movie takes on the couple's journey of love.Saif Ali Khan and Deepika too are in desperate need of a blockbuster and lets hope it has all the ingredients to be one. The first look of the movie promises a nice and a fresh feel which in fact worked for the director’s earlier Jab we met. Well, even though the movie seems to be hitting the right notes among the audiences, it’s bound to face tough competition. Expect a chilling heart warming movie with good music.

KAMINEY

Vishal Bharadwaj,the director of the movie has his own brand of movies with a touch of commercial elements in it. Maqbool, Omkara are just examples of his versatility. Shahid is mean while playing a double role in the movie pairing with the charming Priyanka Chopra while Taare Zameen Par script writer Amol Gupte is playing the bad guy. The public interest generating to this movie is astounding and surely gonna give a tough fight for the other movies releasing around the same time. Expect an action packed thriller with wonderful performances from the cast.



LONDON DREAMS

Vipul Shah is back after a gap from his previous movie Namastey London. The “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” heroes Salman Khan,Ajay Devgan are back together again with Ghajini girl Asin.Music, well has been composed by the academy award winner A.R.Rahman. Rumours of a link up between Asin and Salman were doing all the rounds giving the movie some kind of publicity despite denial from both the lead actors. The movie’s based on a music band “London Dreams” which is introducing MTV VJ Ranvijay as an actor.Salman probably needs to get a break from his flop run which has continued over 2 years. Expect a unique and a fresh musical and great on screen chemistry between Salman and Asin……

KAMBHAQT ISHQ

After a long wait the movie’s ready to entertain us. Akshay and Kareena pair up for the 7th time in this Sajid Nadiadwala’s summer treat. With guest appearances of Sylvester Stallone and other major Hollywood actors this movie falls nothing short of having an international appeal. Kareena, who’s playing a supermodel too is gonna sizzle in a bikini.The presence of Amrita Arora and Aftab Shivdasani too will add glitz to the movie.Expect a commercial ,entertaining fun based movie .


KITES

Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori and Kangana Ranaut star in this big budget venture which is set for a Diwali release..This movie is releasing after almost an year after Hrithik’s previous “Jodha Akbar” ,so the expectations are soaring up and the wait seems to be worthy Rakesh Roshan and director Anurag Basu have left no stone unturned for this movie to reach out to the audiences worldwide and the promotion of the movie in Cannes too evoked a good response.Expect a beautiful love story and eye catchy action sequences.

MY NAME IS KHAN


The successful combination of Karan Johar,Shahrukh and Kajol are back with a message oriented movie again on backdrops of 9/11 attacks and the ill treatment of Muslims and so on. Shahrukh is infact co-producing the movie along with Karan Johar.The latest buzz is that FOX studios are willing to distribute the movie and the talks are on with KJo.The movie is slated for a year end release in 2nd week of December. Expected power packed performances from this golden jodi.

THREE IDIOTS

Raj Kumar Hirani after his famous Munnabhai series is back with a comic caper again.This film boasts of a wonderful star cast including Aamir Khan,Madhavan,Kareena Kapoor .This flick is inspired from the famous novel “Five point Someone” penned by Chetan Bhagat which highlights a journey of 3 guys in IIT with Aamir’s love interest played by Kareena.The movie is slated for a Christmas release competing with Shahrukh once again.The battle begins again .Expect a youthful college fun movie.

FADING CRICKET GIANTS KNOCKED OUT OF ICC T-20

Australia winner of three world cups, one champion’s trophy and the owner of No.1 spot have now failed to qualify even for a super 8 spot in the mega T-20event. This defeat will hurt them till years, not because they lost, the way they have lost .Sri Lanka playing their first match in tournament won the toss and put Australia into bat. The kangaroos were starring down the barrel from the very first over with David Warner getting out for a 3 ball duck. Watson and Ponting then took the attack to the bowlers until Mendis appeared in the scene. This spelled disaster for Aussies, lost Ponting to Mendis and then never got going. Watson too followed suit in his next over. Malinga then bowled a slower one which rattled the stumps and it was now Haddin’s turn to head back. Clarke too didn’t last much either got out to an excellent reflex catch by new comer Udana. The Hussey’s brothers ticked the scoreboard on for a brief period before Mendis got Hussey cheaply. David Hussey was trying his best and Johnson came in and provided some impetus to the Australian innings. Aussies suddenly looked to get more than 150 and Brett lee joined the party with 15 off 5 balls and few lower order contributions helped them to pile on 159/9 a far outcry from the position they were previously in.Mendis and Malinga picked three wickets apiece while Murali couldn't pick any.



Jayasuriya and Dilshan opened the account for the Lankan reply.Dilshan batted like a champion and looked in ominous form while Jayasuriya was taking his time to settle in. But he was sent back by Brett Lee with Warner taking an athletic catch.Sangakkara and Dilshan ensured no further hiccups and gained control over an under strength Australian attack. Dilshan completed a strokeful fifty in 26 balls until Clarke bowled him out. Jayawardene couldn’t spend enough time either in the middle and gave his wicket to the impressive Nathan Hauritz.Australia looked like pulling them back with the wicket of Chamara Silva too but the calm and composed Sangakkara was too good to allow the kangaroos to snatch this one.Mubarak and the newly appointed captain ensured a comprehensive 6 wicket win with an over to spare. This probably marks the death of a domination lasted probably over 2 decades.

England outplay Pakistan cruising to a 48 run win

The hosts were in dire danger of missing out of the Super 8 stage. England turned in a lion hearted performance to bring them back in the hunt. This match was played on the same pitch as South Africa and Scotland did. So the pitch and conditions tempted Younis Khan to put England into bat. England lost Bopara in the very second over. Pieterson who missed out the opening match came at No.3 position. England never looked back again. Wright and Pieterson took the charge on Pakistan giving England a dream start. Wright was severe off Yasir Arafat and he powered to 34 runs in mere 16 balls. Gul got his yorker right and cleaned him up. This dismissal hardly deterred England. The promising Owais Shah continued the good work with the rampaging Pieterson. Afridi briefly threatened to bring down the run flow. Both the batsman kept the going smooth though with big hits once in a while. England always looked commanding until Gul came back with his gem of a delivery. Pakistan fielded horribly fumbling chances, missing run outs,nothing was going for them. England just when looked like would go on to make 200 got a jolt from Saeed Ajmal removing Collingwood and Pieterson off successive deliveries. Maschereunus and Foster ran in hard and set the Pakistani’s a challenging 185/5.Pakistan had only themselves to blame giving in a below par infact disastrous performance with an over hyped bowling attack which surprisingly didn’t find a place for Tanvir.





The match was set up for an interesting chase but definitely the balance tilted in advantage of the hosts . In came the 19 year old Shehzad and Salman Butt to opent he innings. Maschereunus was intentionally was used by the England captain due to lack of his pace on the ball to bowl the first over. Shehzad was out caught by Collingwood in the opening over. Butt looked in good touch and the new batsman Akmal was never allowed to settle through. It required just 2 balls for Stuart Broad and England to send them back packing to the pavilion. Malik and Younis were bailing out Pakistan from a hapless 41/3 but probably at a slower rate which in the end cost heavily for Pakistan. Malik didn’t do justice to his ability and got out to Luke Wright at a crucial juncture Younis waged a lone battle and he was regularly in short of partners. Good consistent bowling and Pakistan’s shocking shot selection helped England move ahead(almost) to the Super 8 stage with a 48 run “super” win.The latest news is that

Scotland crash out of the tournament

Scotland gave New Zealand a reasonable scare in their first outing. So, SA would have done well to not take them lightly. Graeme Smith and his men after a good run of IPL came to England with great hopes. Scotland won the toss, putting in South Africa. Kallis opened with Smith with Gibbs being sent in the middle order. They were cautious in their first few balls but opened up grandly. Kallis got a handful of boundaries through the covers and he was the more attacking partner. Smith was no less charging on to the spinners and smacking them out of the park. They gave a 85 run foundation to the side before both departed to the guile of Scotland spinner Majid-Ul-Haq. This infact slowed down the tempo for quite a while. A B Devilliers showed his class and gave no respite for the Scottish bowlers. Gibbs was done in by flight of Watson and was easily stumped. Morkel and Devilliers had an outstanding partnership. A B Devilliers lost his partner Morkel who mistimed a shot and got out. Boucher came in and he was out due to a fielding gem by Coetzer in what we can call the catch of the tournament. South Africa annihilated Scotland to post a healthy total of 211/5 Devilliers top scoring with a 34 ball 79.




Scotland’s reply had nothing to particularly discuss about.They collapsed to13/4 inside 3 overs and that was it for Scottish. All bowlers chipped in with wickets and their ground fielding as usual was world class. Coetzer played a gutsy hand scoring 42 off 32 in a beleaguered chase. Scotland gave up even before getting a three figure total.It was an ultimate collapse quite contrasting to their first showing.As a result they bid good bye to the T-20 world cup with a huge 130 run loss…..

Defending champions off to a strong start

Well India would have been a touch nervous entering into the match considering the upsets generated in the first few matches of the tournament.Bangladesh have beaten India at a similar stage in 2007 and still that defeat hurts Indian cricket.Dhoni,nevertheless looked confident,won the toss and chose to bat on a good Trent bridge pitch even though there was no match won by the team defending their target in this event.India opted for an extra fifth bowler with Ojha playing and R.P.Singh getting the royal axe.Sehwag wasn't fit for this opener while Zaheer returned to the side after an injury.Rohit and Gambhir gave a solid start with Rohit doing the bulk of the scoring and Gambhir providing boundaries when required.Spin was introduced and rohit trying to dominate them ,threw away his wicket.Dhoni came at one down and stabilised the score.But the run rate was always kept under check by the spinners.Dhoni wasn't at his fluent best and gambhir too with his high standards couldn't keep the runs ticking in.Dhoni just when was looking dangerous was done in by Naem.Yuvraj came to the crease with the indian team at 113/2 after 15 overs.He just did what was expected of him.India's last four overs yielded 59 runs and Yuvraj smacked 4 sixes off a 18 ball 41 and Irfan too didn't do that badly either.India powered on to a big total of 180/5.



Bangladesh would have had eyes on a quick start to chase this one.Siddique and Tamim Iqbal brought back memeories of 2007 world cup scoring at a great rate.Yusuf was vital in breaking that partnership removing the dangerous Tamim Iqbal.Ashraful couldn't get his touch back and thus hold out to Gambhir off Ishant.Ojha then stepped into the party and ripped off 2 quick wickets of Siddique and all rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan.Bangladesh could never quite recover and Ojha turned a remarkable spell and picked up 4 useful wickets,priceless indeed.Zaheer didn't do that badly and all other bowlers chipped in with useful performances.Though yuvraj fumbled a chance he more than made up for it by picking a great catches offered by Naem and Mahmudullah.India completed a comfortable 25 run win without any major hiccups.GO GO India!!

Australia overwhelmed by West Indies

We were in day two of ICC t-20 world cup.A scratchy West Indian team had to play an under strength Australia.The pitch looked good for batting,Ponting won the toss and chose to bat first.West indies got a rocking start to their world cup campaign.All rounder Watson and ponting were done in by jerome Taylor.David Warner though set the scoreboard alive with strong hits.Clarke too followed suit to the pavilion leaving Australia in tantrums.Warner found a suitable partner in Haddin and put on a 50+ partnership,later Haddin departed at 81-4 at the end of 12th over.Australia decided to take the charge and David Hussey showed his class with hefty hits.In the mean while Warner in trying to up the anti, departed after a well made 63.Then Hussey bro's looked dangerous and put on 30 runs in no time.After D Hussey's dismissal Johnson was sent in to boost the score,it couldn't happen though.Micheal Hussey once again showed his true colours and West Indies's average fielding effort lifted Australia to a defendable 169/7.



Gayle and Fletcher had a tall target to chase.They began destructively scoring at a hefty pace.Australian bowlers were thrown apart with the counter attack.Gayle found back his lost form and it was just what the doctor ordered for them.Australia's fielding stumbled under vigorous pressure and they didn't help themselves with Micheal Hussey spilling a chance offered by Fletcher.They smacked 75 runs of the powerplay making it a no contest.Gayle played the innings of his life well aided by Fletcher who completed a glorious fifty.Gayle mustered 88 off 50 balls with 6 sixers.By the time the openers departed very little was left to do for the middle order.West Indies finished the target with around 4 overs to spare.Well it just wasn't Australia's day.Gayle unsurprisingly bagged the man of the match for his whirlwind knock.Captain's opinions after this roller coaster match .........


Ponting: "I didnt think it was a bad total to be honest but when Chris and Adrian came out batting as they did there, it was going to be hard for us. They just went with the flow. They threw caution to the wind; they outplayed us ..."
Gayle: We weren't best on the outfield but 170 was gettable. I have to give credit to Fletcher. He played really really well. I looked to bat till 15 overs and the game should be settled by then. I am disappointed on how I got out ..We just have to rally again, put this game behind and try to win against Sri Lanka. It's not over yet."

Scotland thrashed by New Zealand despite a reasonable show

The rain gods weren't smiling today either.The rain poured down for over 2 hours destroying the most part of the match.Finally there was some respite for the crowds and the match was reduced to 7 overs by the umpires.Newzealand lead by Mc Cullum in the absence of Vettori put Scotland into bat in rainy conditions.This reduced match truly provided some hope to clinch an upset again and they almost did.Scotland began a counter attack and runs flowed heavily.They were going at a great pace of 10+ runs an over.Thanks to their top 3 RR Watson, NS Poonia and KJ Coetzer.Every bowler got a thrashing by the Scottish players.Vettori was truly missed.A good last over by Butler helped them to at least not worsen the damage done.Scotland managed a huge 89/4.











Mc Cullum and Ryder got Newzealand off to a memorable start.Scotland were left spell bound by the NZ openers.Ryder especially scored 33 of 12 setting the run rate up for the chase.Mc Cullum too did a good job scoring 18 off just seven.The departure of these two players created a sense of nervousness in the dug out.Oram too couldn't last long either.Scotland looked like it would pull them back.But the cool Ross Taylor and Styris finished the job for their team and that too with an over to spare.Scotland didn't get the tight overs in and their fielding too wasn't up to the mark.Newzealand was too good for Scotland.But still it was more exciting than expected.Here's what the captains felt after the match........


Hamilton: "We had plenty of runs. We had a plan of around 75-80, but it just didn't come off in the end. We were well aware of New Zealand's potential but we didn't execute our plans quite well. "

McCullum: "We were pretty nervous at around half time. They put us under pressure, we need to rectify our bowling a bit. We didn't have a lot of time to get ourselves in, but Ryder struck the ball really well. We needed a 11-an-over towards the end, but in the context of the game that's pretty under-par. Hopefully, we can put our best performance against South Africa."

Netherlands shock England script history at Lords

T-20 World cup sets off to a grand start.England,the hosts capitulated to a dream performance from the team in orange.The weather gods weren't kind enough for the start of the match.Unfortunately the opening ceremony got canceled.So then the toss was won by Smits,the Netherlands Captain who put england into bat to make use of the moisture in the pitch.Dirk Nannes was the only recognizable name in their team list.England had to miss Pietersons services and Graeme Swann too had to miss out aking way for all rounder Rashid Ali. .So,England then brushed aside their bowling getting around 9 an over with a 100+ partnership.Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright were in full flow smashing boundaries to all parts of the park.Just when the game was getting one sided,Netherlands bowler Doeschate struck removing Bopara after a well made 34 ball 46.Soon Wright completed his fifty.Owais shah was struggling to time the ball and gave up his wicket to Schiferli and then started the middle order blues for England.Morgan,a new addition to the England side couldn't contribute much and was out for a mere 6.The ground fielding and catching of Netherlands was admirable.Wickets kept tumbling at every end for England.Paul Collingwood,Key too couldn't get the big hits going and Netherlands put up a good show at the death overs.Though Luke Wright fought a lone battle England could muster only 162/5.Robert Key who replaced Pietersen having a sore back disappointed and he batting at No.6 position meant that he batted at a position he has done never before.So England still managed a useful total and England were expected to sweep through Netherlands.




Netherlands had to get a quick start to threaten england.Netherland lost their opener AN Kervezee in the very first over to James Anderson.Then the well built DJ Reekers smashed Broad out of the park and threw away his wicket after a quick 20.Still Netherlands had a decent runrate going but they had lost 2 wickets in the mean time.Then started the spirited chase for Nethertlands.England stumbled on the field droping catches,missing runouts and TN de Grooth took heavy toll of that.He scored a rapid 49 off 30 balls dashing England's hopes.Netherlands always looked for singles and each batsmen held his nerve on the right occasion.TN de Grooth also involved in 2 useful stands of 43 and 50 to keep the momentum with them.The chase was meticulously planned by Netherlands.
PW Borren and RN ten Doeschate made useful contributions ensuring the big hits just when neede.england needed now a miracle to save the match from the blushes.Rashid Ali their lone spinner spinner too got a beating from the team in orange.Though the wickets kept falling down,Netherlands was always ahead of England by Duckworth Lewis method.James Anderson gave a lion hearted performance to pick up 3 wickets.Two overs and 17 runs to get.Sidebottom who bowled well till then came on.England though could avoid boundaries could never stop the ones and the twos.A good over for Netherland yielded 10 runs.They required just seven off the last over which was to be bowled by Stuart Broad.Broad wasn't at his best.Netherlands just had to play sensibly to pouch this one.They took 5 singles of first five balls.England couldn't hit the stumps regularly enough and thus faltered.2 runs off one ball.The whole stadium erupted.England needed a dot ball or a single to have a chance while Netherlands needed a two to ensure they reach home.E Schiferli was on strike.Stuart Broad bowled a tight one,they went for a single,Broad aimed at the stumps missed it,overthrows and Netherlands leave England shell shocked completing a glorius 4 WICKET victory.The match has set the tone for the event.expect much more like these.Her's what the captains of both teams felt after the match.
Jeroen Smits: "No. It's unbelievable. This is something special. I think I can sleep well tonight. After the first ten overs we fought back quite well. We thought we were in control [of the chase] from the start, so we felt we were in control. We did well. I'm sure [we'll party tonight]."
Paul Collingwood: "Give Holland a lot of credit. They knocked off a total that we thought was enough. They played exceptionally well; we expected to win but they put a major performance in. I still think we could have defended a total like that, but unfortunately they were better on the day."

T-20 carnival hits England today

ICC World T20 2009 Group Table

Group A
India (1),Bangladesh (8),Ireland (9)

Group B
Pakistan(2),England(7),Netherlands(10)

Group C
Australia (3),Sri Lanka (6),West Indies (11)

Group D
New Zealand (4)South Africa (5)Scotland (12)

IPL well has entertained the crowds and spectators all over April and May.T-20 world cup in contrast may not well match up to hype provided.well the tournament is short and good for the viewers.England hosts,begin the tournament with the match against the Netherlands.Just the day the T-20,world cup is ready for a kickstart, here's an analysis of the teams fighting it out for the big trophy.

INDIA






The T-20 heroes of South Africa are back to defend their champions tag.The team is moreover the same with a few minor additions to the team that won the cup last time around.Well,India couldn't have asked for IPL to come at a better time.most of the players used it well for T-20 world cup.India is a team that has match winners more than any other team in the world with Sehwag,Yuvraj,Dhoni,Raina,Gambhir,Rohit,Yusuf and bowling aided by Bhajji,Zak,Irfan,Praveen and Ojha.They are quite a balanced team
and still a worthy contender.Dhoni's leadership,India's fearless form just contribute to the team's menace.They are placed in quite a easy group,so at the initial satges they might not have any hiccups but in the later stages teams like NewZealand ,Srilanka may surprise them.Still a worthy semi finalist.The only way probabaly India can lose is through overconfidence,fatigue or complacency.Just when even everything seems to be going right,reports of Sehwag-dhoni tiff doesn't help the matters.Well overcoming all this ,India start their T-20 world cup with party-poppers Bangladesh.

NEW ZEALAND




New Zealand has always been a competitive team in big tournaments.The previous editions semifinalists are now oozing in confidence with recent wins over India.So their team is nevertheless a typical Newzealand one which is qute talented and hardworking but lacking in consistency.Their lack of big match players except Vettori doesn't help their cause.They are fighting it out with South Africa in the group stages.Taylor,Mc Cullum,Oram,Ryder,Styris add to their batting power.Bowling though looks like the weak link.There are too many bits and pieces players who may not fire at the big stages.Anyway,they might runaway with the tournament.So other teams too cant leave them out.The best part of new zealand is their fielding prowess.Just be ready for surprises with this team.


SRILANKA




This talented team arrives to the tournament with mixed form on their back.Their lackluster performance last time doesn't look good for their confidence. Jayasuriya,Sangakkara the new captain,Jayawardene with the bowling line up bolstered by the spin duo Muthaih Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.The thing going with them is the fact that they have always done well in England.With potential match winners in their disposal Sri Lanka will be a handy team in the tournament.Their group stages might lead them to an early exit.So they have to be on their toes right through the tournament.They have to battle hard for the semis.



ENGLAND

England,the home of cricket probably isn't the team for the trophy.Bundle of talent in both the departments but still England is the same always.The lack of proffesionalism and proper attitude in tournaments have cost them.Just when they look like they are about to make it big,they give it up.They might scrape through the group stages but cant even dream of making it to the final four.Collingwood has to set things straight for the team to progress in the right direction.If handled properly,the English boys can do a good job.Flintoff's abscence might prove costly for them.This T-20 world cup should be the path for top spot for England.Inconsistent,interesting and surprising is the code for England.Never write them off though.


SOUTH AFRICA




South Africa the current no.1 team will have their chins up entering England.Good IPL performances,balanced an united line up,a tight fielding unit will surely make it to the semis provided they don't blunder against the "minnows".Luck hasn't favored them in any big event.They're the ones who can stop India from clinching hte cup more than any other team.Gibbs,Kallis,Smith,Morkel Bro's,Steyn.Harris,Ntini,Boucher form a dream team.They give sleepless nights for many teams.This squad looks fit energetic and enthusiastic.Newzealand might prove a formidable opposition for SA in their group stages.Their inability to play spin comfortably might just give the advantage to spin aided Asian teams.



AUSTRALIA




This season Australia has been in the news for all the wrong reasons,especially the Symonds issue.Australia arrived in England without any expectations or their ususal favorites tag.Every expert is counting them down and giving them no chance.They have a world class batting line up and useful bowlers suited for T-20.Their recent down the hill performances may inspire them to bag the trophy this time around.Gilchrist and Haydo's retirement meant that they required big players to fit in their shoes. Their spin strength is too weak which might weight them down on spinner friendly pitches.On the whole the loss of Symonds is a huge one for the kangaroos.

PAKISTAN




The finalists of 2007 is still proving to be a dangerous force in this format of cricket.Their big match players,unpredictability,variety in their bowling line up could take them a long way in the tournament.Akhtar,Malik,Afridi,Younus,Gul can crush the opposition at any situation.Their fielding abilities leave a lot to be desired though.Their presence is intimidating and their cool attitude will give them an edge over the other teams.



WEST INDIES

Australian former cricketer ian Chappel commented that the probability of WI doing well is similar with the economy flourishing in these times.West Indies have hardly shown the spark and the magic required for a side to win ta big event such as this one.Gayle hasn't led from the front and the assistance from Sarwan and ChanderPaul too has been missing.West Indies is in a mess.They require nothing short of a miracle to play competitvely.They are placed in a tough group,so their problems start early in the event.Getting past Australia and sri Lanka isn't a mean task.The younger players too have failed to mature and emulate their cricket giants.They should probably be ready for an early exit.

THE PROBABLE BOTTOM FOUR







These teams have just been added to fill into the list of 11 teams.Teams like Scotland,Ireland,Netherlands willjust have to add 2 losses to their list and make an early departure from the tournament.Bangladesh among these teams looks good but is in no comparision with the other top ones.Their inefficiency,inablity to learn from their losses have kept them int he same position right through the decade.They might be the party spoilers for teams like India on occasions but still an easy meat for other teams.

MY SEMI FINAL PROBABILTIES

INDIA
SOUTH AFRICA
AUSTRALIA
PAKISTAN

My pick for the finalists:
SOUTH AFRICA VS INDIA

Winners:
SOUTH AFRICA(not guaranteed c'mon this is 20-20)

India "warms" up with an emphatic win over arch-rivals Pakistan

This was a warm up match only for the ICC and the officials but not for the crowd and the players.The two finalists of 2007 world cup were fighting it out at the Oval.Security arrangements top class,filled stadium people were set to witness a spectacle.Pakistan won the toss and batted first.India had the luxury of an extra bowler as this was a warm up match.Praveen struck a wicket in his very first over.Shehzad and Akmal then showed their class and ability of beautiful stroke play.Pakistan had raced on to 45 in the first 4 overs.Dhoni brought his best bowler Ishant sharma in and Raina sparkled with his fielding with a smart run out of Kamran Akmal and his partner too departed the very next ball.India bounced back in a flash.To add on the list of woes to Pakistan Afridi headed back to the pavilion with his very first ball and a great take from the Captain Dhoni.Malik and Younus Khan looked set for a big partnership.Malik looked in good touch.Just when we thought Pakistan were running away with the game, Ojha tricked in Malik with his flight with Dhoni Stumping him in a flash.Then the rescue act began,the ever dependable Misbah and younus stabilizing the innings.Younus soon departed but all rounder yasir Arafat provided them the big ones at the end.India bowled poorly at the death giving away aroud 40 runs in 3 overs.Dhoni's plans didn't work but India's good job in the middle overs restricted Pakistan to a reasonable 158/6 Misbah top scoring with 37.



India had to get a good start.The pitched looked great for batting.India just had to get their act right.The makeshift opener Rohit and Gambhir began the innings for the Indians.They got a thunderous start with boundaries flowing all over from the openers especially Rohit Sharma.Pakistan's famed bowling line up lacked the agility required and the openers cashed in heavily.The chase was like icing on the cake for Indians.A 100+ start ensured no further hiccups.Openers just when looked like completing the job for a 10 wicket win,Rohit departed after an outstanding 80.Gambhir too got his touch back with a well earned 50.Dhoni and Gambhir hit the winning shots to complete an emphatic and a comprehensive 9 wicket victory.Surely INDIA sounded warning signals to other teams with their fearless form.Lets hope India brings this cup back home in 2009 too.Definitely,this match was much more than a warm up!!Yeh Cup kahin nahin Jayeega!!