Sehwag's blitzkrieg has singed the Kiwi psyche

Virender Sehwag's blitzkrieg has really singed the Kiwi psyche, so much so, that a vexed Daniel Vettori conceded that if the Blackcaps do not find an answer for the ravishing opener's pyrotechnics soon, India would walk all over in the rest of the series.

He could not find a good enough explanation for Wednesday's 10-wicket defeat.

"I can't explain it better. But we haven't found an answer to Sehwag and that is going to be the difference between the two sides. We are pretty inept with the ball when we come up against him."

"Sehwag creates a momentum at the top of the order and is such an aggressive player that he can take the game away quite quickly. A lot of our emphasis is on him. If we contain him, it would be handy," Vettori had said at the start of the series.

Sehwag did just that at the Seddon Park, leaving the Kiwis to lick their wounds even after they had posted a challenging 270 for five.

The Delhi blaster produced the fastest hundred (60-ball) by an Indian batsman, the seventh fastest in ODI history, as India galloped to 201 for no loss in barely 24.3 overs, before the game was abandoned due to rain.

Vettori had wanted to see his bowlers put the ball in the right areas. And did not mind if they were hit for a six off a good ball, but had fretted the thought of them giving Sehwag width.

As the captain had ordered, they did manage to put the ball in the right areas, but Sehwag converted even good balls into boundaries, hitting through the line or against it.

Anything pitched up, disdainfully driven or lofted over the in-field. The ones that were dropped short, were cut, pulled and hooked. While it rained intermittently, fours and sixes rained unabatedly from Sehwag's willow.

There was little Kyle Mills, Ewen Thompson and Iain O'Brien could do. They were simply blasted out of the attack, reduced to on-field spectators. At one stage, when Vettori was signaling debutant Thompson for a second spell, the left-arm seamer looked yonder, almost with a "do I have to bowl at him" expression.

Not since Sir Viv Richards has any batsman frazzled bowlers with his naked aggression. Yes, Matthew Hayden did create an atmosphere of awe around him. So do Chris Gayle and Andrew Symonds. But certainly not to the extent Sehwag does.

He is brutal at his best, which he has been on this sojourn belting out scores of 77, 54, 3 and 125 not out in the ODI, like AR Rahman producing one fascinating score after another.

The very thought of bowling at Sehwag makes bowlers stutter, rethink their strategy in their run-up. Little wonder they are crestfallen the moment he disdainfully, without moving his feet to the pitch or line of the ball, sends the Kookaburra screaming to the pickets, or heaves it deep into the stands.

Hard and clean. It doesn't bother him if the ball swings or seams, bounces or spits at him. He hits it with all.

He is an epitome of aggression at the crease. But off it, unlike other swashbucklers, he is sedate, with a calm of a sage. While the likes of Yuvraj Singh and S Sreesanth crave for media attention with their off-the-field frolics, Sehwag is an introvert, happy to be by himself.

Perhaps, he conserves himself to explode at the square, which he does consistently to the dismay of the bowlers. He knows the only way to bat and that is to whack the ball hard and clean.

He is just 30, an age when batsmen mature and get better and better. So as Vettori said last night, it would be appropriate that the bowlers find an answer to his plunder. Else, their psyche will be battered.

Sachin in the same league with Bradman: Wright

Sachin Tendulkar is in the same league with Don Bradman and the batting maestro has it in him to become the first cricketer to hit 100 international centuries, former India coach John Wright said on Thursday.

Wright said he expects Tendulkar to continue at least till the 2011 World Cup and retire only when he desires.

"I always felt he is in the same line as Bradman and he has the potential to possibly get a 100 international hundreds combining Tests and One dayers," said Wright, who had a successful five-year stint with the Indian team.

"To do something like that would be truly Bradmanesque," the former New Zealand captain told NDTV.

Incidentally, Bradman himself found some similarity between his own and Tendulkar's batting.

Tendulkar will turn 36 on April 24 but Wright said going by form -- the Mumbaikar hit a sublime 163 off 133 balls before retiring hurt in the third India-New Zealand ODI at Christchurch -- he expects the Indian to continue tormenting the bowlers.

"Judging by the the last game in Christchurch, I think he has lot of cricket left in him and he'll decide (when to go)."

"I was thinking about it, he has got everything. The thing with him is that with a deft touch, or flick or a slight manoeuvre he puts the ball in great speed. I expect him to be part of the Indian team for a little while because obviously there is a World Cup (in 2011) out there," Wright said.

The Kiwi reckoned it's only a matter of staying fit for Tendulkar.

"I think the spirit is fine and obviously he has got great love for the game," he said.

Wright also lavished praise of India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan and said, "I'm really impressed by Zaheer Khan.

With me, he was still learning that time. Now he has become one of the top 3-4 pace bowlers of the world and I respect that."

BCCI and ECB announce agreement re IPL and Future Tours

BCCI and ECB announce agreement re IPL and Future Tours

Following meetings in India prior to Christmas and a further meeting in Singapore in January the BCCI and ECB are pleased to announce that England players will be available to participate in the IPL auction on February 6 and to play in the IPL for a minimum of a three week period in 2009 and 2010.

The Boards have further agreed to work together to seek materially similar dates for the IPL in 2010 as 2009 within the International Fixture schedule.

BCCI and ECB have also agreed to schedule Test Match and One Day Series over a 4 year cycle commencing in 2011.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier commented: ' The discussions held between our respective Boards have been most productive and ECB is grateful to the President and Honorary Secretary of BCCI for the excellent relationship which has been developed with the BCCI on a wide ranging number of issues. Our agreement is good for the players, the respective Boards, our Counties and for cricket. We look forward to welcoming India , the reigning ICC T20 World Champions, to England for the T20 World Championship this summer and for the tour of England and Wales in 2011. '

BCCI Secretary N. Srinivasan said ' We are very pleased with the out come of the discussions. BCCI looks forward to building upon our warm relationship with the Senior Officers of ECB.

Smith leads South Africa to drought-breaking success

	Graeme Smith's 75 ensured there would be no major slips for South Africa as they secured an historic win © Getty Images

Graeme Smith's cool 75 set up South Africa's first series win in Australia as they eased to a nine-wicket victory that destroyed the hosts' world-beating reputation. Rain was the home side's only chance on the fifth day and while there was some in the morning, play began on time, Smith quickly attacked the wilting bowling attack, and the success was sealed after lunch when Hashim Amla flicked Michael Clarke for two behind square leg

While the visitors celebrated a superb 2-0 advantage following stunning comebacks in Perth and Melbourne, Ricky Ponting's players were glum after giving up their fortress. Australia's last series defeat at home was in 1992-93 and if they succumb again in Sydney from Saturday it will be Smith's team that is officially No. 1. While Ponting's men cling to the top rating, the best they can hope for in the unofficial rankings is third following their performances over the past three months.

Smith came to Australia with a calm confidence and his strength and drive have been immense. In the first Test his 108 put South Africa on track for an incredible chase of 414 and in Melbourne his half-century ensured there would be no costly slips.

Late cuts were Smith's main method and he picked up ten boundaries in his 94-ball contribution to a settling opening stand of 121. South Africa needed that type of innings. While Smith was lbw playing forward to Nathan Hauritz, Neil McKenzie survived some torrid moments to post a timely 59 and Amla chipped in with an unbeaten 30.

Ponting showed his inflexibility on the fifth morning by ignoring Mitchell Johnson, Australia's best bowler by the size of the MCG, in favour of the injured Brett Lee and the novice Peter Siddle. Lee is heading for foot surgery and in his third over the pain of his injury showed as he hobbled and winced.

Johnson was also fielding while Australia bowled six overs late on the fourth day and he was eventually called to replace Lee, who then came on for Siddle. Lee seemed in so much pain he must have wondered if he would ever be able to bowl again.

Only Ponting's use of Hauritz worked as the home side slumped towards demoralising back-to-back defeats. There was nothing Australia could do either side of lunch and Matthew Hayden's poor match continued when he spilt McKenzie on 49 when he edged to first slip.

The Australian injury epidemic - Andrew Symonds has a knee problem and Shane Watson will be out for up to six months with back stress fractures - will ensure a new-look team will walk out in Sydney. Australia are learning how the rest of the world lived over the past decade.