What a Shame !

On a recent trip to Costa Rica, I met an Australian who had backpacked for 4 months through Europe and was on his final stop in Costa Rica. It wasn't long before our conversations shifted to cricket, and after checking his watch he remarked that the boxing day test gets underway in 2 hours time, and this would be the first MCG test in 12 years that he would be missing. But his next remark shocked me, "I wish the Australians lose, they are becoming too arrogant". As I reflect back on his remark, I could not have agreed more with him.

What transpired on day 5 at the SCG has definitely put the whole cricketing fraternity to shame. A perfectly fought 4 days of test match ended on an abject note courtesy some egregious umpiring and unsportsman like conduct by the Aussies. With the tour itself in jeopardy, the gash left in the aftermath of the verbal duel, and umpring blunders will take a long time to heal. Its a shame that the record breaking 16th consecutive win would forever be tainted by an undeserved victory marred by a few remorseless players and the high handedness of the governing cricketing body.

A stoic and diplomatic Indian skipper Anil Kumble stood in stark contrast to a condescending Australian skipper Ricky Ponting. Raw talent may get you instant success, but you need character to gain a lifetime of fame - a lesson Ricky Ponting will have to learn if he pines to enter the pantheons of the game. In many ways Ricky succeeded in imbibing the aggressive instincts of his predecessors Mark Taylor & Steve Waugh, but failed miserably in grabbing Taylors humility or Waughs diplomacy.

Cricket - A game founded by colonists, still retains its authoritian roots in the form of the almighty umpires, whose decisions should be never doubted or dissected. When a player nicks a catch and doesn't walk, he is touted dishonest. But the same player who stands grounds and disagrees with the umpire when he has clearly not edged the ball, is branded a rebel and worse slapped a hefty fine. Under such hypocritical circumstances, it is indeed farcical to even invoke a semblance of the word integrity on the field. As the Indians tamely walked back to the pavilion in the face of poor decisions handed out to them, the umpires remained unscathed. Its unfortunate that with such unprecended advent of technology, the game still relies for most part, on the 2 pair of naked eyes on the field to make crucial decisions instead of reverting to a camera and computer, aided third umpire. Why is the game resisting to usher in technology ? Is it more important to preserve the tradition and keep the game "uncorrupted" at the cost of not being fair and unbaised ?

On the topic of sledging, I have always believed that the actions taken have been retroactive and not substantiated by enough evidence. I think people need to realise that chiding, and abusing happens in every sport around the world, and in every form of game right from tennis-ball-gully cricket to the international scene. This doesn't mean we pardon them. Racism is definitely abominable and must be eradicated in a systematic manner. If the authorities feel the burden of erasing this from the game, they need to be more pro-active and take measures like planting microphones on the field to pin point the culprit, rather than framing the guilty based on a jury of his accusers.

From the day I started following cricket , World Cup 1992, I have been an ardent Aussie fan. I have cheered them through their highs and lows. In many ways, they single handedly transformed test cricket by batting at over 4 runs per over, making sportive declarations and trying their best to produce results in every test match they played. Their domination has been of dynastic proportions in both forms of cricket, and through their clinical precision they have also managed to win over fans despite allegations of sledging and rasict undertones. I have often sidetracked these unpleasant incidents by taking umbrage of great characters like Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Mark Waugh & Ian Healy. Unfortunately, with the current crop of australian cricketers, I fall miserably short in this endeavour.

20/20

I had never seen a 20/20 cricket game before the world cup, and even after the conclusion of this memorable tournament, I can claim to have seen only one. Infact, the only way I came to know about the start of the tournament was through a friend who called me to rub salt on my wounds by informing that Aussies were beaten by Zimbabwe. After I hung up the call, I thought this was some kind of knock-out format and almost decided not to follow the tournament any further, only to realise that it was a round robin format and that the Aussies still had a chance to excel in the tourney!

Although the tournament doled out some close games in the beginning rounds, my faith in this format of the game was not affirmed till I watched the semi-finals game between India-Australia. The close fought Indo-Pak finals and the ensuing victory further firmly supplanted my belief in the future of this format. Boy! cricket has come a long way from days when Sunny Gavaskar grinded a painful 34 runs in 60 overs, to a day when Yuvraj blasted 50 runs of mere 2 overs!!

However, what gave me the greatest satisfaction was to see the crowd enjoy the game, in a way I have never imagined before. There were jumbotrons, fireworks at every boundary, DJ's belting out hit numbers, dancers dancing on stilts and given the short duration of the game, the crowd stayed lively throughout the night. Having seen professional sports in US like baseball, basketball & hockey wherein the audience is regaled to the maximum by the organisers, sponsors and announcers irrespective of the outcome of the game on the field, I have always thought of transplating the same culture to cricket. I have seen a few games in India in the stadium, and soon realised that discounting the great atmosphere in the stands, its a very discomforting experience if your team does not perform well. There is absolutely nothing in the stadium to distract or entertain you - but thanks to some infusion of theatrics off-late, cricket might be turning a new leaf. Also some of the western influence in player introductions, graphics and in general the presentation on TV etc are definitely welcome.

Now purists might object to corruption of the game by reduction of the overs, and stripping bowlers of any respect, but in a decade, I can easily see 20/20 completely subplanting 50 overs one-day internationals as crickets mainstay. The test format, with the men in whites might still maintain its position and please the orthodox, but the impatient younger generation will find it easier to identify with 20/20. It was not long ago when Kerry Packer was branded a rebel for disillusioning cricketing world with colored shirts and lights. Some going as far as to call his attempt a circus. Well! as we can testify today, day and night games have graduated to be the best form of one-day cricket.

However, if I might make a fair criticism of 20/20, I think it kind of devalues the long term strategy invoked in 50 overs format. You no longer need to plan 2 hours down the road and conserve wickets and preserve bowlers. The 20/20 lets you go slam bang and is very forgiving with some small erroneous strategies. The bowlers definitely don't get as reverred as they would be in longer version, but talk to RP Singh and he will give you a lesson or two on how to earn respect. All in all, whether you like it or not, 20/20 is here to stay, so start following it or else you may never be able to have a meaningful cricketing discussion with your kids.

More than a Game !

I woke up this sunday to the shocking news that the legendary coach Bob Woolmer is no more. As I reflected back on yesterday when I saw him perched on the balcony anxiously watching his indisciplined team being dismantled and at my vicarious pleasure that the Pakistan team lost to a minnow the same day that we lost to the Bangla tigers, the feelings turned into deep sorrow. As I frantically called some of my cricket afficionado friends and communicated this tragic message, their reaction was the same - a state of utter depression. Cricket as a sport often has a unique attribute of transcending nationality & race, this was one such occassion.

I scrouged every possible online resource for details, but I was met with the same news 'found unconscious in his hotel room'. My earliest memory of Woolmer, was seeing him buried behind a laptop coaching the Proteans. When critics called him a maverick or a geek to try to bring technology to the game, he shrugged them off with a year when the Springboks lost only 6 one dayers. It is indeed a great loss to the cricketing fraternity, and the circumstances under which it occured is sure to shroud the tournament in a blanket of gloom. Speculations will run rife till the autopsy results are revealed, but today I just pray that his family and friends find the courage to recover from this insurmountable loss. Here is a very poignant tribute by Osman Saimuddin.

Why don't people in the sub-continent understand that Cricket is a sport and not a religion ? Soon after the loss to the underdogs, effigies of all leading players were burnt in India and Pakistan. Special protection had to be provided at Dravid, Kumble and others residences to prevent people from pelting stones and dung at them. People who irately protested against Kaif' apalling performance in the last World Cup, were seen protesting this time against his non-inclusion - truly puzzling, isn't it?. Acts like these would potentially have a negative impact on the career of budding cricketers. The pressure is just too much on the coaches and cricketers to perform. Why can't we treat them like movie stars - Go watch their game, if you like 'em...but if they stink, stop watching their game or stop buying stuff they advertise. Do we ever throw stones at Govinda's house if his movie flops, or burn Amitabh's effigy cos his movie bombed? Ultimately we need to make distinction between entertainment and fanatisicm - and don't we all go to schools to develop virtues like these. It grieves me no end to see such tragic moments in the game and its truly been one of the saddest weekends in the cricketing history.

The events of the last few days have definitely been rather tragic, but that should not take the shine away from some of the brilliant induvidual performances. Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahman, the 17 year olds proved to the world that the future is bright for Bangladesh. On the other hand Andrew Botha & Neal O'Brien showed the fighting Irish spirit as they staged a perfect St. Patrick's Day massacare. Its a shame that the cricketing world was so consumed in launching a vicious attack on India and Pakistan, that they totally forgot to heap the deserved share of accolades on these minnows. These two events truly embody the phrase which aptly describes cricket - 'a game of glorious uncertainities'.

On the other hand, Gibbs demonised the Dutch with a world record 6 consecutive sixes. Ponting showed why he is the person to break Tendulkar's record, while the little master himself, finally showed a glimpse of vintage SRT as he adeptly piled runs on the hapless Bermudans. Then there was the great tied game, where Zimbabwe created hara kiri against the Irish. Flintoff once again displayed his immature behaviour and has rightfully been kicked off the next English encounter. Fame often comes with great responsibility - someday Freddie will learn. There are 6 more weeks left in the WC2007 and it will take a really brave punter to put his money on the winner. Ireland - Any takers ??

A tribute to the legend

I still remember the day when Shane Warne took his 300th victim - fooling Kallis with a top spinner. On the same day I read an article by Richie Benaud in Indian Express, where Richie predicted that Shane Warne would end his career taking 600 wickets. Even a die hard Aussie fan like me deemed the suggestion preposterous as my friends mocked at the impossibility of such an outcome. Kapil Dev had reached 436 with great difficulty and to expect someone like Warne, who was already at his peak, to take 600 wickets was nothing but wishful thinking. But 8 years down the line, here the legends rests - 704 and counting.....

Despite the drubbing meted out by Ravi Shastri on his debut, Warne scripted an amazing comeback with the 'ball of the century'. I still vividly remember the way he bamboozled Gatting and rearranged his woodwork. I was only 11 then, and I had never seen a ball turn so much in my life before. Ever since then I became an ardent fan of the wizard and his wizardry. But it was not just me, the entire world took notice of this stout wrist spinner.

What followed next was as mesmerising as that fateful day. As he revived and perfected the art of leg spin, batsmen from all over the world dreaded to square off against the wizard. Except the ones from the subcontinent, most were held in a bind by his bag of tricks. Bowling round the wickets came into fashion, superfast flipper lbws became common and the combination 'c Taylor b Warne' entered the history books.

But only immense talent doesn't make someone popular, he had a very captivating personality too. He was aptly nickname 'Hollywood' by his mates for his flambouyant style and fashion sense. On the field he was a dynamite, and fired up his team mates even in desperate situations. It was this attitude which enable him and his team to script many a great comebacks. The one that immediately comes to my mind is the 1999 World Cup semis when he cleaned up Gibbs with a peach of a delivery.

However, what made Warne really famous was not just his on field antics but also his off field controversy. He was out for months with a broken finger, then with a shoulder surgery. In between he had a failed marriage, he was caught texting dirty messages to English nurses. On most times he would come out of his absences carrying extra pounds around him and would be the joke of all editors. But he made sure he had the final laugh.The final nail in his coffin was laid when he was kicked out of the world cup for taking banned substance. Many considered it to be his end, but he rose magnificiently through all his downfalls to emerge stronger than before. Contemporary spinners like Kumble, Muralitharan, Saqlain all achieved comparable success, but none caught the public attention like he did.

Some might argue that he still has atleast 2 years of cricket left in him and might be retiring prematurely. But they always say its best to get out when you are at the top. Rather than being an excess baggage like many cricketers do at the fag end of their career, Warne has decided to leave on his terms. Hollywood would definitely be missed by the cricketing fraternity, and leaves behind him a void which is almost impossible to fill. Muralitharan might break his record, but Warne will still be remembered as the best bowler of the 90's and 00's.

Here is a compilation of his best 8 deliveries.

Champions Trophy

In the end, the outcome was familiar. The Australians clinically dismantled other mortal-filled teams to lift the elusive Champions Trophy. When they lost the first game, people suspected weakness, but some like yours truly, saw a repeat of the DLF cup in the offing. The Australians have finally managed to acquire the only missing stone in their star studded tiara. They now return home, with a fresh boost of confidence, to win back the ashes that they lost to the over hyped British.

But the most embarrasing fact was that none of the sub-continental teams even showed a resemblance of a fight as they capitulated in the league games. Pakistan, were dealt with a serious blow even before the first ball was bowled as their premier bowlers were sidelined for drug abuse. SriLanka, despite their stellar performance against the Windies in the opening nonsensical qualifying games surrendered tamely when it came to the real deal.

Not long ago, India set the record for most number of consecutive run chases in ODI history. Some thought that India had peaked too early, now most people think the same. There weren't many positives to write away from the tournament. They beat a lacklustre English side, had a close finish with Windies due to the visitors magnaminity and then got blown away in the decider against Australia. But I have faith in Greg Chappel to instill energy into this sapping team and get them in shape before they venture into the carribean islands.

However, I was very happy with the low scoring close games. It was a refreshing change from the games of last 3 years where scoring 300 had become a norm. Finally, the bowlers seemed to get surfaces which offered them some parity against the heavy hitters and oppressive field restrictions. I hope the champions trophy inspires curators and boards around the world to offer such sporting pitches.

On a different note, a champions trophy of a different kind was being played out on the fields of Buena Park, CA this weekend, as the Association for India's Developement, Los Angeles chapter organised its first fund-raising event. 8 enthusiastic teams took part in this noble cause as we tried to raise closed to $2,500 from this event. In the best game of the weekend Torrance Tigers chased 98 in 12 overs against Vernon City Rex. The contest heats up next weekend as we reach the knock outs and the competition becomes fierce. For those in Southern California, do drop in, there is no entrance fees!!

Too much Cricket !

I remember when cable TV first made its appearance in our tiny little town - it was back in February, 1992 coinciding with the Cricket World Cup. I was then in 5th grade and the World Cup seemed like the perfect start to my life long love affair with the sport. For the next whole month, my brother would religiously wake me up at 4:00 am in the morning or whenever he thought the game was turning out to be interesting. India performed miserably, but there were still a lot of fond memories - Greatbatch going on a rampage for the kiwis, Inzzy playing one of the most spectacular ODI innings I have seen, Miandad teasing More with jumping jacks, India's one run loss to the Aussies......

Growing up, whenever there would be an Indian cricket series happening, I would end up doing home-work in front of the TV. But in those days, cricket matches were few, and were eagerly anticipated. Everyone would ardently await for the a cricket team to visit India, or for a tournament like Sharjah or Toronto to happen. I knew exactly the composition of all 9 test playing nations. I remember exactly how many centurions there were in a series, or how Tendulkar got out in the first ODI. Those were the days when every cricket game was important and people followed it religiously.

But somewhere down the line, cricket turned out to be more profitable than most cricket boards imagined, and the whole fraternity turned greedy. First they started eroding into the offseason, typically June-September. Then they started playing in nations like Singapore, Malaysia, Kenya etc. More triangular series and international tournaments sprung up and teams started playing each other on a regular basis. Indo-Pak is no longer a much anticaped battle, and the same goes for Ashes. There was a time when I knew only Wasim Akram to have played in more than 300 ODIs and I thought only Sachin would beat him. Nowadays, 300 games seems to be a norm for any decent player.

The game has thoroughly been exploited by over zealous, avaracious board managers at the expense of its fans. Cricket is now more like baseball in US, where they play 160 games each year, with most people interested to see only the Playoffs. Soon, a time would come when people would be interested in seeing only the World Cup or a Champions Trophy. The younger generation might disagree (dammit, I am still a part of it !!), but those who have seen cricket 10 years ago, would agree that it is different. Cricket might still be profitable and might still be loved by it's fans, but my romance with cricket has definitely faded !

Hair-raising Controversy

Darrel Hair has dunnit agian. He has single handedly brought the game to disrepute, and forever etched his name in the annals of cricket's most controversial figures without ever having played the game. Hair, has never maintained a clean sheet, but what unfolded on sunday at the Oval, shocked the entire cricketing fraternity. As always, he abided by the lawbooks and weilded his power in a cruel but controlled fashion to serve a deathly blow to Pakistan, and the game itself.

The game of colonial rulers, unfortunately, still suffers from its after effects as is evident in the authoritarian way that it is managed. Rules are rigidly followed and are never in favour of the players. Too much power is vested in a chosen few, whose authority and aptitude often go unquestioned. Those who dare to do so, are slapped with heavy fines and suspensions. A player appealing excessively is fined up to 50% of his match fees, but an umpire handing our eggregious LBW's is never taken to the task. A player shaking his head in "dissent" after being given out unfairly, pays double penalty in terms of his wicket and fine/suspension, but the men in white and black go scott free. Why do we have to employ double standards when it comes to judging the players and the umpire. When was the last time an umpire was fined for bad decisions ?

It's ok if the rules are harsh, but then make them consistent. Sledging has gone on unabated for several decades. It's OK to scream obscenities about an opponents family members, but it's not ok to shake your head in "dissent" if given out by a poor decision by the umpire. Why is it so hard to make the umpires accountable ? After all, they do get paid handsomely for their job and their senses are being increasing enhanced by the developing technology. The game of British Raj, continues to thrive, the way the British ruled the colonies - absolute lack of transparency and reform.

Having said the above, I do not completely agree with Pakistan's actions. It is understandable that if they had continued to play despite the ludicrious allegations, it would have meant that they agree with the accusation. But by refusing to take the field for the first 20 minutes and then walking on to the greens as if nothing had happened, only managed to elicit boos from the already disenchanted fans. It showed signs that they did not possess the conviction to stay off the field till they were completely absolved of their "crime".

Despite Andrew Millers complaint, I think the fans had the right to boo. Cricket has always been a sport where the fans are taken for a ride by the authorities. The BCCI might be the richest sporting body in Asia, but the fans are still packed like sardines and made to sit on hot concrete bleachers. We do not have a devoted commentary in the stadium for the audience, to keep them up to date on behind the scene events, nor do we have an adequate entertainment system to regale them between overs. The game of gentleman has to improve, if it ever has to endear itself to an universal audience.

.....and here is an article in defence of Darrel Hair. Interesting point of view !!

What Gives ?

It was 7:30 am in Reno, NV when I got to up to check the voice mail that I received from Ronnie asking me to check cricinfo for some incredible game going on in South Africa. A quick check of the date revealed that April 1st was still 3 weeks away. So I called him back and ended up listening to a ball by ball commentary for the last 6 overs of the greatest game ever in the history of cricket.

The last time the two teams met at WC2003 semi finals for what was then the greatest game ever, they totalled 426 in 100 overs for the loss of 20 wickets. But today the Aussies alone scored 434 runs in half the time and losing half their total wickets. For most cricket enthusiasts the game was over by lunch, the outcome was inevitable. But the Proteans couldn't have chosen a better stage to shed their tag of "Chokers", and surely couldn't have chosen a better opponent.

Some complained that the ground was small on square, some complained that Wanderers is at high altitude and the air is thin, some said the pitch was flat and the outfield was cracking fast. I say it's all rubbish. Trying to explain what transpired at the "High Velds" using such explainations is belittling the greatest ODI game ever. Games have been played at smaller grounds in Padang, Ferozshah Kotla, and many others and the sub continent has dished out pitches flatter and faster outfields. What separated this game from others was an attitude shift which might soon revolutionise ODIS. Ponting lead the way showing 400 is gettable, and Gibbs & Smith added method to madness in carving a mammoth chase.

About 10 years ago, a team batting first could score 250+ and rest assured that they could win the game. Till the extraordinary game at Wanderers, 320 was gettable. After losing to the Aussies in WC2003 finals, Ganguly remarked, " 320 is a gettable total, but 360 is probably beyond anyone's reach". Well not anymore. What next ? 500 !!

One sadening truth is that the game is exceedingly favoring the batsman. I believe much of it is also due to the change in attitude wrought in by players like Srikkant, Tendulkar, Jayasurya, Gilchrist et al who exploited the 15 over fielding restrictions to their benefit. Although this change of mindset has added a very positive side to test cricket, we certainly need to restore some parity in ODI's. Although high scoring ODI's attract more crowd, I would rather see a team scoring 230 and defend it, than see a team score 400 and lose it.

ps: I had always wanted to post a blog with the title "What Gives ?". I don't care what it means exactly.

ENDulkar to TONdulkar

At the beginning of the year, I told one of my friends, "Tendulkar should retire after 2007 world cup. He has lost his touch". His reply was a classic. He exclaimed, "That's Atheism!". Well, after 3 ODI's the God has restored faith in this infidel. I got carried away with the media taking potshots at his poor run of scores and decided to join their army. But Tendulkar has answered his critics in a way only he could - Let his bat to the talking! But this post is not about this cricketing legend. He is above all criticism and praise and would never let such petty things affect his concentration. This post is about his critics, more so about the critics of these critics.

When Tendulkar reached a nadir scoring only a century in last 15 innings of his Test Cricket,(excluding the 200+ against Bangladesh) there were some brave souls who started questioning his form ? - something which the Indian media has rarely seen in the last 2 decades. So when Tendulkar regained his form in the first 3 ODIs, these critics were showered brickbats by the remainder. Apparently it's an unwritten rule in Indian cricket that you cannot question the capabilities of Tendulkar.

Every person should face his share of criticism and praise. Just because a person is head and shoulders above the rest, doesnt make him exempt from any harsh words. But there is a section of media which is almost ready to roast those who dared to raised their voice against the Little Master's slump. I am surprised that even people like Dileep Premachandran (cricinfo contributor who has at time inflicted loads of sarcasm and criticism on Indian cricket) were taking offense at headlines screaming "ENDulkar".

When Damien Martyn (Test avg 48.00) was dropped after one poor Ashes series or Michael Bevan's contract (ODI avg 53.58) was not renewed the news never even made the frontpage. When Ganguly was axed from captainship, the matter reached the Parliament !! In a land of Idol worshippers, I think it's people should learn to distinguish between those in flesh and those who are made of clay. If you can deify a mortal, you should also possess the courage to condemn them when they falter !

ps: Piyush's (Chakka) great compilation of cricket on google video

Aus view - What next ?

Even before the first bowl was bowled in the Ashes, there were 2 people who had predicted a 5-0 washout. One of them was Mcgrath and the other was yours truly :). But on the fateful morning before Edgbagston test, Mcgrath decided to do something as silly as stepping over the ball, and made sure that our prophecy will never come true !

When I checked scores at 6:00 am on Monday, the Poms were 120-5, and the Aussies were still in the hunt. During my half hour commute to the office, I kept thinking of all the times the Aussies have delivered when the chips were down, and people had almost written them off. I have seen Bevan hit a four of last ball to seal victory, I have seen him rally with tailenders to score 70 odd runs in a thrilling chase, I have seen Warne bowling Gibbs with a beauty in World cup semis and clinching victory out of thin air. There has been numerous such occasions, and throughout this summer, I kept believing that one such miracle was just round the corner - but the closest they got was the 2 runs loss at Edgbagston.

As reporters all over the world revel in writing obituaries for the cricketing giant, let us not forget the monumental task achieved by the English men. Gilchrist wasn't bad with the bat -Flintoff was better with the bowl. Kasprowicz and Gillespie didn't fail - Flintoff, KP etc nullified their attack. The Aussies didnt hand over the Ashes on a platter, the Britishers had to earn it. England might have dominated the last 4 matches of the test, but the Aussies always mustered enough fight to make sure that the outcome was decided in the last session. Both teams played with hearts of fire, to stake claim to the ashes, and in doing so dished out one of the best test series ever.

As Vaughan & his men celebrate with the Queen, Prime minister and other high ranking officials, Punter and his mates would be thrown into deep introspection, before they return home and face the wrath of the people for losing the URN. Heads will surely roll, but its only a matter of time before the Aussies would be back to their winning best. The English on the other hand would be looking forward to strenghten their claim as the second best team during the upcoming series in Pakistan.

Its been exactly a decade since Steve Waugh eyeballed Ambrose, and scored a 200 n.o to lead the Aussies to their first victory in the Carribean in more than a decade. Since then the Aussies have been invincinble, annhilating their opponents, both at home and away. Their extraordinary streak of 16 consecutive victories was halted, temporarily though, by another extraordinary effort by V.V.S. Laxman at Eden Garden. Barring this one slip up, the Aussies have been flawless in dismantling their opposition in both form of games. Their current crop have proved more menacing than even the fast and furious windies of 80's. The Aussies won the tag of champions after exhibiting an uncanny consistency over a decade and it would be really churlish to start writing an elegy for this great team.

From Bulawayo to Trentbridge

When I opened 'Internet Explorer' on early Friday morning on my office computer, the first thing I checked was the Ashes score. As I was soaking in the sad news of a Flintoff century and a poor Australian start, my colleague pointed out to me that there is an India - New Zealand game going on. I guess its a matter of shame that I checked the Ashes score before the Indo-NZ score, but I immediately turned to the Bulawayo match, only to see India struggling at 140/8

As I kept track of both the scores on cricinfo, it only got worse - as both my teams were doing badly. When the India - NZ match was over, I spent some time reading Dileep Premachandran's article on cricinfo, and here are some wonderful excrepts from the higly satirical article:

"India can now look forward to the game against Zimbabwe on August 29, a first-among-equals clash between two teams that deserve their place in one-day cricket's subterranean reaches"

"Yuvraj Singh, who manages an innings of substance about as frequently as the Olympic Games are staged....."

".... India were in danger of putting up a total that would have caused blushes in the Namibian dressing room"

".....and Ajit Agarkar then showcased his allround worthlessness..."

Though some may believe this article to be excessively satirical, I found it really funny. As one aussie, Greg Chappel, faced an uphill task at Bulawayo, there were 11 others in Trentbridge who were made to sweat out to prevent a follow on - not imposed on them in 17 years. At the end of the day the prospects of both the team seemed bleak.

The unpredicatable nature of Indian cricket doesn't surprise me, but the way Aussies are consistently being skittled by the Poms, surely raises an alarm. India can once again find a solace at the fact that the third team in the competition is inept of challenging them (Zimbabwe now, Windies a month earlier), and in all probability they will still make it to the finals. One only hopes that they can better their record on 1 victory in 13 finals. The Aussie women have already handed the English dames the ashes after owning it for 42 years, the guys seem to be in a similar boat. However I have fate in both the teams to stage a comeback and reclaim their no. 1 and no.2 spot in the cricketing arena.

It's more than a game !

I spent the better half of my Sunday morning trying to wear Kasprowicz's boots,

If I had just let the delivery alone, if I had just run that single a little harder and converted it into two, if I had given 2 runs less while I was bowling......as I look back there are two many if's that could have swung the match in our favour. But at the end of the day , we lost the game and the Ashes is 1-1.....I am gonna have a really tough time going to bed today....

After 1176 runs, 40 wickets, 18 sixes and 143 fours and 2 runs deciding the fate of the warring teams, the record books would scream that the English won the 2nd Ashes test. But in my opinion, no team lost at Edgbaston, two rivals gave everything they could muster to make sure that at the end of 20 hours of play, Cricket was the ultimate winner. If I were English I would savour the victory and idolise my heroes KP, Harmison & Flintoff, If I were Aussie I would take heart in the heroics of Warne, Lee and Kasprowicz. But you don't necessarily have to belong to these commonwealth nations to appreciate the game. What traspired in the second test, epitomises this magnificient game of willow and leather, where matches are won by the size of heart more than that of brain and brawn.

What a wonderful English summer this has been ! When the Aussies lost to the Bangla Tigers, the media almost wrote an obituary for the men from down under, and crucified the bowling attack comprised of 35 year olds. As the ratings of the English team grew, as they have been for a while now, a climatic tie to the Natwest series left neutrals confused about who's the best. The Aussies restored normalcy with the 3 one-day series, but the fourth estate refused to write out English before the first test at Lords. A session into the first test, the Aussies had their bodies and egos battered, but the game kept churning one surprise after another and the Aussies clinched a comfortable victory at the end. Just when the british tabloid were busy trying to defrock the English team of all the accolades they had adorned them with, over the past year, Vaughan & Co amassed 408 runs on day 1 at Edgbagston. By Sunday evening 7th Aug, the press box and supporters of the game were left utterly perplexed by the vagaries of this wonderful game. As the fate of the series remains uncertain, people are still trying to come to terms with emotional roller coaster that the English summer has served them. Lap it up people, it doesn't get better than this !

Time and again, cricket dishes us out with games that reaffirm our faith in this sport. Unlike Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction, I dont want you to acknowledge that what we witnessed today was a miracle or divine intervention. Sports is about ordinary people, people like you and me, performing seemingly extraordinary tasks and inspiring the masses. What happened at Edgbaston was no different.

I have just realised that the result has nullified my previous post 5.0, I should probably start living by the dictum "Keep your words soft and tender, cause tomorrow you may have to eat them".

5.0

Though the first Ashes test lived up to it's build up, at the end of the day it was comfortable 239 runs victory for the Aussies, achieved in a little over 3 days.

Key Moments
Lunch 1:
Langer quotes "We had our bodies and egos badly bruised in the dressing room"

Close Day 1:
Pigeon steals the limelight. Peter Roebuck comments,
"McGrath is an extraordinary operator. None of his deliveries was fast, none bounced steeply, none swung or turned or curled or deceived the batsman. Most of them landed in the predicted place. But his deliveries cannot be understood in isolation. They are part of a succession that creates doubt and provokes error. None of his colleagues was remotely as threatening"

Close Day 2:
Clarke & Martyn do the rescue act. I am sure a lot of you wont agree with me, but I think Martyn is the most elegant batsmen in contemporary cricket. You just have to look at some of his backfoot drives to believe me.
I can't write much from Day 3 or Day 4, as I was enjoying my weekend at Seaworld in San Diego, and gaslamp district in downtown.

People might call me crazy, when I say that the series would end 5-0 in Australia's favour, but I believe mother nature would comply with the Aussies and help their cause. Aussies have been notorious to lose dead rubber matches. This aspect of their cricket has always annoyed me, and sorta gave an impression that they take the dead rubbers a little laid back. On the contrary, if one closely scrutinises the results of these dead rubber games, one would observe that most of them were lost by the Aussies by a very narrow margin. The Aussies figure 15 times, in the list of 19 narrowest test matches.

But this time, there shall not be any respite for the English team. The terrorists might have stopped bombing London, but the English will see a fireworks of a different kind from Ponting & Co.

5-0 Any takers ?

The Ashes

One of my first, and probably the fondest, memory of Ashes dates back to the summer of 1993 when Warne bamboozled Gatting with what many claim as "The Ball of the Century". Although I was a little too young to follow cricket at that time, I still vividly remember the bewildered look that Gatting carried all the way back to pavillion. As long as I have followed the Ashes, England has never even come close to putting up a good fight, although I must admit that each year they talk themselves and the public into believing that this might be the end of their humilation.

With the fiercely competed one-dayers, England might have justified some of the hype surrounding the team coming into the Ashes. But I think Test Cricket is altogether a different "ball" game (they use red balls instead of white !), a game which the Aussies have perfected over the past decade and are getting better with each passing year.

Coming into the one-dayers, the Aussies had to shake off some of their lethargy, as they hadn't played any form of competitive cricket for more than 2 months. They however seem to be back on the track with two successive thumping victories over England, and things only seem to becoming better with time. It remains to be seen whether its going to be 4-0 or 3-1 (one match would be a draw for sure).

Ashes Trivia:

I was reading about the legend of Ashes and came up with this interesting beginning to the once closely competed series.

1882, Oval. Very low scoring match. Aussies first innings 63...England reply with 101. Aussies struggle to 122 in second innings, leaving England a target of 85...England lose by 7 runs. The defeat was mocked widely by the English media, with one newspaper carrying the following obituary,
"In Affectionate Remembrance of ENGLISH CRICKET, which died at the Oval on 29th AUGUST, 1882, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P.
N.B. - The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."

...and so the legend was born

Tugga - An inspiration to all

My friends despise the fact that I like the Aussies, and rate Tugga above Tendulkar. But to me cricket is not just a test of your skills or physical prowess - it goes beyond that, it tests your character and your mental toughness.....and this is where Tugga sets himself apart.

I distinctly remember the 1995 Frank - Worrel trophy in the carribean, where Waugh battled the likes of Walsh, Ambrose and Bishop on a monster of a pitch to score 200 not out. If you were to rate all the significant landmarks in Australian cricketing history over the last 10-15 years, this would feature at the top of the list. Steve Waugh never looked back since that day. First as a very important team member under Taylor's captaincy and then as a leader of the team that created a record of 16 consecutive victories only to be broken by an epic match at the "city of joy".

Another epic innings of Tugga worth mentioning is his chase against the Proteans at Edgbaston during the 1999 world cup. Coming at 48/3 and chasing 273 to reach the semis, Waugh cracked an unbeaten 120. I distincly remember my dad and brother chiding me that the Aussie dream was over as I kept sulking at one corner and desperately hoping my hero would deliver - an he did that in a wonderful style. I must also mention the 1999 test match in Windies where Lara scored a wonderful 154 not out to lead the Windies to a 1 wicket victory.(Wisden rated this as the test of the 20th century)

That result was probably the saddest moment for me as an Australian fan. At the end of the game, during the prize awarding ceremony, when the host asked Tugga whether he was dissapointed with the result...his reply was,

" Not at all. Infact I am really proud to have been part of this game. We might have lost today.....but in the end Cricket was winner".

Things like these, to me, define the spirit of the game.

Tugga was never a gifted or flambouyant batsmen. He would never be compared to Tendulkar or Lara or Richards. But he showed how battles could be won by determination and grit. I have seen his innings in Capetown and Durban, where Donald and Pollock hurled the leather at every part of his body, but still he would emerge victorious at the end of the day by drawing the match from the jaws of defeat. Sometimes in test match drawing the game is a victory in itself.

As Waugh bid a tearful adieu at SCG after scoring a century, the biggest grief wasnt amongst those present on the ground that day, it was shared by kids thousands of miles away at the "Udayan" - a leprosy house for kids established by Waugh in Bangalore.

Gilly & Sehwag !

If one were to rank the most entertaining cricketers from the batch of contemporary
cricketers, Adam Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag would surely be ranked as the top two.

When Gilly and Sehwag are at the crease, it doesnt matter which format of the game they
are playing, the runs always keep flowing. Although the former is a southpaw and the latter
a right hander, both possess an uncanny resemblace when it comes to batting styles. Never
sparing a loose delivery, they haunt the nightmares of some of the fastest bowlers of today.These two have really made test cricket fun to watch. For the purists who object to their
reckless batting in tests - eat this - Gilchrist averages 1 century per 4 test matches,
whereas Sehwag is even better at 3.4 test matches for a hundred. Both average around 55, and
have single handedly changed the course of a lot of test matches. Who can forget Gilchrist
scoring a run a ball 146 while chasing Pakistans 369 at Hobart, coming to the crease at
126-5.

Both were drafted as purely one-day players - primarily due to their slam bang approach.
Gilchrist had a poor run batting at number 6-7 for Australia. But ever since he was promoted
to the top at a tri-series finals against SA, he has never looked back. He scored 100 off
104 balls in only his second innings as an opener. Sehwag too took his own time to cement
his place in the one-day side. But after his 70 ball 100 against the Anzacs at Lanka, he has
never looked back. Having played under the shadow of Tendulkar for a long time, off late
Sehwags career has actually blossomed even more than the ailing legend.

....And please dont forget that Gilly is an excellent wicket keeper, and Sehwag has
already shown his mettle as an off spinner. May their tribe increase !!

Sidenote from cricinfo.com "Since Australia are the benchmark – and in batting the Indians
ought to be meeting them eye-to-eye – it is instructive to note that when Matthew Hayden
makes a score (fifty or more, for the purpose of this exercise), those who follow him score
marginally faster than they would do had he fallen cheaply (at a rate of 3.79 against 3.75,
from September 2001 onwards). When Sehwag scores fifty or more, however, the rest of the
Indian line-up make their runs discernibly slower (2.96 against 3.15, in matches where
Sehwag has opened) than they otherwise would. So where Australia are taking a man's success and building on it, feeding off it – the cornerstone of their cricket in general – India are using it, bizarrely, as an occasion to play inside their abilities."