Silly M(a)id-on

Silly Maid Is Movin'

2009-09-23T22:06:00.004+01:00

Yessir...I have been charmed by Wordpress and the idea of having my own domain name.

You can find me at www.sillymaidon.com now. Please update your feeds and blogrolls to reflect the same.

A big thank you to my friend Varun for a) putting this idea in my head and b) ensuring this happens.

A Family Affair

2009-09-22T22:44:00.002+01:00

Here's my father on the art of getting one's exceptionally large feet into one's even bigger mouth!

Sehwag @ Cricinfo

2009-09-17T12:23:00.001+01:00

Two Words.

MUST. READ.

Part 1
Part 2

Wanna Travel With RCB??

2009-09-17T10:20:00.003+01:00

I received an email from Nidhi Makhija of Experience Commerce, who are running a competition for Royal Challenger Bangalore.

Experience Commerce is a digital agency in Mumbai, and we’re currently running Club RCB’s Fanatic Fans Challenge. Fans are invited to apply for three positions – Chief Blogger, Chief Photographer and Chief RCB Fan. The winning three will tour Champions League with Club RCB next month and will receive preferred treatment at RCB matches! All expenses (travel, accommodation, incidentals) will be covered.

It’s a great opportunity for hardcore fans to meet the team up close and personal, and for budding sports bloggers, photographers, commentators etc. to get hands on experience and mass exposure! ..
You can apply online at the official RCB site – www.royalchallengers.com/FanaticFansChallenge. The deadline is September 27^th.

So all you IPL fans, here is your chance! If you are in India, go on and take part. Drop me a line and I will be glad to support your application. The only catch is that if you win the Challenge, you will have to get me Rahul Dravid's autograph :)

The Real Force Behind Silly M(a)id-on

2009-09-14T13:42:00.003+01:00

..is the one person who got me addicted to Cricket in the first place. He was mentioned briefly in my very first post. And now you can read some more about him through this wonderful post by Samir Bhaiya.

And while we are on the subject of family, may I also point you towards a post that describes my mom's evolution as a cricket fan. She is the Type 1 fan, just to clarify :)

My Team Cares About Me

2009-09-11T15:57:00.003+01:00

Obviously mindful of the fact that I was disappointed to see NZL fold up for a paltry 155, Team India has obliged and lost 4 wickets for 84.

Aww...thanks you guys! (no really, I'm not being sarcastic)

Finding Meaning In One-Dayers

2009-09-10T11:26:00.009+01:00

With all these discomforting talks going on about ODIs being past their prime, I have been asking myself what exactly is it about ODIs that I don't want them to die out. Am I just refusing to give up something I have enjoyed so much for as long as I have been following cricket? Or do ODIs still have something to give to the game?

Shane Warne thinks we don't need them anymore. Harsha Bhogle has a point when he says "If you remove the ODI from the mix, the gulf between T20 and Tests, from a batting point of view, becomes way too vast, and over time you end up with a situation where players are good enough to play either the one or the other."

Peter Roebuck thinks There Is Life In The ODI Yet. While Dileep Premachandran calls for an overhaul.

There has been a lot of talk about ODIs needing "a context". Lots of ideas are being thrown about. No more bilateral series, no phony 4-match triangular series, playing ODIs as a build up to Test matches on tours, splitting each innings into 2 etc. Leela made a point about ODIs series being an interesting watch these days only if there is some off-field drama associated with it, and I find myself agreeing with it. But then there wasn't always some kind of drama associated with ODIs when I used to stay up late and see all those matches, was there? (or was I really fokat those days?)

I mean, all of India's matches were seen simply because India was playing. All of Australia's matches were seen because they were the numero uno team and I wanted to see if any of their opponents were giving them a run for their money. Pakistan's matches were followed cheer the other team because earlier Pakistan losing used to be equal to India winning somehow. All of South Africa's matches were seen because when they were not busy choking, they used to play good cricket. And for Shaun Pollock.

And now when I find myself trying to write a preview for the Compaq Cup, I don't know what to say. I mean yeah, I'm happy that India is finally back in action. And I am super excited to see how Dravid will fare and all. But it's not how it is supposed to be. This series (and the Eng-Aus one) seems so pointless that I am tempted to label it as another Fake ODI Series. As someone commented on someone's blog (and I paraphrase here because I don't remember where I read this)

It takes just 4 matches to decide a tri-series, but it takes 7 one-dayers to conclude that England suck at pyjama cricket.

Indeed.

Latest On The Irfan-Shabina Saga

2009-08-19T22:19:00.002+01:00

Sibling rivalry takes a nasty turn. Another BCC! exclusive!

Return Of The Wall

2009-08-18T19:56:00.006+01:00

The Wall Resurrected....
A Dream Comeback....
Rebuilding The Wall ....

No...I haven't not written a post on the greatest news of the month yet b'coz I was busy thinking up titles...

For those interested, I have been waging a lonely battle against crashing servers, helpdesks that have been sneaked off offshore without anyone having a clue and other such things for the last 3 weeks. And then recuperating. (And well, I haven’t really been MIA either. You can find some great works ala Megha here and here.)

IMHO RD should not have been dropped from the ODI team in the first place, but that is perhaps a discussion for another day. I can see a role for Dravid in the team. He can provide the stability that is required when the team loses early wickets. Or he can hold one end while the others have a license to hit away as and when needed. Dhoni can then revert back to his earlier batting days, come in at 6/7 and hit away with abandon. And it’s not as if Dravid cannot hit a few boundaries himself :). Plus you get a good slip fielder, a part time wicketkeeper and all the wealth of his experience on the field. Not a bad bargain, is it?

Those worried about how Rohit Sharma's and possibly Suresh Raina’s career would be ruined by this decision, and how this move is not keeping in mind the WC....well, the WC is barely 2 years away. I believe that both Sachin and Rahul can play in the WC. I assume they will hang up their boots after that. SR and RS are in their early 20s right now. So age is definitely on their side. Abhi nahi to 2 saal ke baad team me aa jayenge yaar...tab tak T20 khelo na...kisne mana kiya :)

When Sehwag comes back, the batting order could look like this -

Sehwag

Tendulkar

Gambhir

Dravid

Yuvi

Dhoni

Yusuf/Irfan (yeah..i still live in hope!!)

4 bowlers

See? It’s not that bad, is it?

And for those of you suggesting that the selectors have given Dravid an opportunity to retire with grace, and he will do so after the Champions Trophy, well...don't say that! That's not gonna happen..

No...that's not gonna happen...right?

All Ya WADA Doubters..Hear This!

2009-08-12T10:54:00.004+01:00

Raja sent a set of questions to WADA and has received a reply from their Communication Director.

A BCC! exclusive!

A Bit Of Self Indulgence

2009-07-06T22:37:00.000+01:00

So the other day I was talking cricket with NC and he asked me if I have ever played cricket myself. I recalled the following stuff -

1. Improvised cricket - the gear, a ping pong "bat" and ball. The location, my aunt's living room. The rules, only legitimate delivery is a full toss. Once you score 75, you retire. If you hit the wall below the tube light, it's a 4. If you hit above it, it's a 6. And if you hit the tubelight...you run away as fast as you can!!

I never reached the retiring score in that one.

2. Book Cricket - That does not need much explanation, does it?

3. Leg Cricket - Don't know if anyone else has ever played this one. My PT instructor used to say it was his invention. So basically, it was played with a volleyball. The bowler rolled it to the batter, ten pin bowling style. And the batter(kicker?) kicked it away for runs.

The acceptable modes of dismissal were bowled, run out and caught (yeah, no lbw's here :D). If a fielder caught the ball on one bounce with one hand, that was out too.

I did rock this one!

4. Cricket on top of Rala Mandal hill - OK. This one was a lot of fun. A bunch of us college friends hiked up the Rala Mandal Hill near Indore. Playing area was very limited (think of a badminton court). Due to lack of space, the rules were
- if you managed to put bat on ball you scored a run..unless of course, you were caught.
- You were out caught if the fielder caught the ball after one bounce.
- You could get bowled out.
- Nothing like a run out 'coz you are not actually scoring by running. You just switched strike at the end of the over.
- It was important not the slash hard at the ball, coz if a fielder could not stop it, it would defo go down the hill and that would be the end of the game! And then you would have to treat everyone to Ghamandi's Lassi (a popular place in Indore) :)

"Ok...this is fine" , I hear you say. "We've all done that or something similar...but have you ever played real cricket? The 11-players a side, being played on a field, with the normal rules applying?"

Ladies and gentlemen, I have...and here is the story of The Day I Played Cricket

Dravid Included In Probables For CT

2009-07-06T14:48:00.004+01:00

For a second I thought my eyes were playing tricks...but it is true...

I need some time to digest this....

Fake End To Fake Series

2009-07-05T20:01:00.003+01:00

India win 2-1 as rain plays spoilsport.

Yay!!!

kthanxbye..

India -1, West Indies - 0

2009-06-27T12:53:00.004+01:00

Did India win because they had 339 runs on the board or did they almost lose because they thought they had 339 runs on board?

I feel sorry for WI, they got 2 bad decisions that just might have cost them the game. Chasing 25 runs from 18 balls seems a whole lot easier if you have 4 wickets in hand as opposed to 2. More so if there is a certain Mr Bravo at the other end.

Anyway, I noticed Dhoni's emotionless face as the last WI wicket fell. What could that possibly mean?

Was he really pissed at his team?
Was he just plain relieved that India won?
Was he just too tired to care about cricket anymore?
Was he trying to show the media that he is still Captain Cool?
Was he...

Wait a sec...Am I turning into an Indian media journalist?
Yeah...I think I need to stop now...

Fake ODI Series Begins

2009-06-26T16:36:00.005+01:00

Yessir...India is playing WI in a 4-match series...just 4...seems a bit pointless to me. Perhaps a couple of Tests would have provided this tour a little legitimacy. Too much to ask? OK..maybe just one more ODI? At least make it a best of 5 series? No luck there either.

Hmmm.

The purpose of this tour is perhaps same as that of a student going to attend extra classes in school just to get his attendance level upto the required mark.

Which is why I call it The Fake ODI Series.

Another thing to note is that the series has started on the 26th of June. Which means that if India had managed to reach the finals of the T20 WC, they would have had just 4 days to reach Jamaica, shake off the jet lag (ok, it's a bit easier to that when you are travelling westwards, but still!) and get used to the conditions before playing the first match. Well planned guys! Or did an astrologer tell you in advance that India will crash out before the finals?

So anyway, Dhoni says that this series is a chance to erase memories of 2007.

Umm...no?! The only way to erase that memory *shudder* is to win the WC in 2011! So don't gimme this little trophy as a consolation prize, okay?

Win this series, and I will tell all and sundry what a great team you are and how I just knew you would bounce back. Lose it, and I'll go "Meh! Don't really care about it anyways...."

Just play these 4 games and go back home and take a break guys!

Over At BCC!

2009-06-25T11:34:00.002+01:00

A new post is up with my POV on whether it is ok for Brit-Asians to support an Asian team or should they be required to support England.

And if this isn't something that interests you, there is plenty of other stuff to debate on as listed by SP.

Go on and have your say :)

Oh..Don't Do This Now!

2009-06-15T11:14:00.003+01:00

Dhoni effigy burnt in Ranchi after T20 loss

Should Dhoni Quit As Captain? (C'mon IBN...don't add fuel to the fire!)

Let's not be fairweather fans people! Our team needs us to support them. They will bounce back..

India Out Of The Tournament

2009-06-14T21:43:00.004+01:00

Perhaps deservingly.

India lost this match on all counts IMO...bowling, fielding and batting.

First up, bowling. A team at 100/3 at the end of 15 overs should not have been allowed to get to 153 in the first place. Let's see who gave how many runs in the last 5 overs -

16th over -Ishant - 13 runs
17th over - Jadeja - 8 runs
18th over - Bhajji - 10 runs including 5 wides
19th over - Zak - 12 runs
20th over - Bhajji - 10 runs including 5 wides again!

I had a very bad feeling about those free runs given away as wides, as I am sure did a lot of other people. It helped England cross the psychological 150 run mark and ultimately proved decisive in the narrow margin of victory they got.

Fielding now. Was it just me or did England seem to score 1s and 2s with a lot of ease? Again, there seemed no urgency in India's fielding. It looked like they were just going through the motions.

The batting. Oh, the batting. Perhaps there was a grand plan in sending Jadeja in at 4. That did not work out all that well. He was looking so lost out there. His mom should give him with lots of milk and almonds to build up his strength 'coz his shots seemed to go nowhere. He undid all his good bowling effort with that innings. And got a lot of abuse from me in the process. I have never wanted an Indian wicket to fall so badly. By the time Yuvi, and then Pathan came to the crease, perhaps there was just too much to do.

One thing England need to be commended on is their bowling effort. They picked up on Indian batsmen's weakness with the short ball and exploited it to their full advantage. They were the better team out there today and they won. It is indeed a shame that India did not work on this aspect after their last game.

One thing that kept coming back to me was how everyone seemed to agree that the reason why India won the cup in '07 was because they were fearless. They were extremely confident in themselves and backed each other up to win from improbable situations. That quality seemed missing in this tournament.

Life as an Indian cricket fan is never easy. For me it is more difficult 'coz my next favourite are the eternally choking South Africans. Sigh. It's not looking so good for me....

Dwayne'd!

2009-06-12T20:39:00.005+01:00

Oh, this is depressing!

India have themselves to blame for this. Aweful batting effort. Just aweful! Dhoni's gem(!) of an innings has already been called. But for some late gutsy hitting by YP, Yuvi and, well, Bhajji, the scorecard would have been a bigger eyesore.

One did get the feeling that 150 would be a competitive score. And when Simmons' wicket fell, I still thought we had a great chance of winning. But Bravo and Chanderpaul took it away in style! Credit where it is due, I would have enjoyed their batting if they weren't playing against India. The main problem areas for India remain bowling at death and fielding. If a couple of easy run out chances would not have been missed, WI could have been pushed a little bit more.

Anyhoo, it's Mission England next. Perhaps they will just fall apart and save us some trouble? They have played their part in this competition by qualifying for the Super8's. Don't they need some extra practice for the Ashes or something?

P.S. Was Chanderpaul's stance, when on strike, a little wierd or have I just not seen him bat for a while?

2 Simple Rules

2009-06-11T17:41:00.004+01:00

...to maximise your fantasy team's score.

1. Check which players Megha has selected for her team. Don't pick them.
2. If possible, check with Megha which players she chose initally, but changed her mind at the last moment. Definitely pick those.

As they say, Apna to bad luck hi kharab hai! :(

I am Bored

2009-06-04T22:38:00.004+01:00

I am on Board....

Actually, I am on Bored...

Are you bored of this yet?

Go on then...get on Bored and check out the story of 2 guys who might as well have been brothers in their previous birth....

Yes Ma! I got published at BCC! today...I know I have done you proud..sniff...

Adios Symonds?

2009-06-04T14:08:00.003+01:00

Another "alcohol related incident" and Symonds is on his way back to Australia. With him not being selected for the Ashes as it is and now his contract being off the table, is it the last we have seen of him?

As per cricinfo, he is keen to tell his side of the story. That is something I am eagerly waiting for. His attitude problems aside, I suppose Australia has been left poorer without him in the side for his sheer talent.

It is a pity that he refuses to learn from his mistakes. Although, in all honesty, it is difficult for me to feel sad for him!

Warning Has Been Sounded

2009-06-02T22:59:00.004+01:00

..by Bangladesh that they ain't gonna be walkovers. They put up a fight against Australia and gave Sri Lanka more than just a scare. Indian team will do well to pay heed.

I am not too bothered about the loss to NZ. What does bother me is the fitness of certain team members and match weariness. On the other hand, Ishant's bowling was a relief. RP Singh gives me a lot of confidence because of the awesome IPL he had and Ojha looked good in parts too. If only our openers strike gold soon...sigh...

Anyways...tommorow's match is important for reasons more than it being a warm up game. No two teams playing can capture the magic of an India-Pak match for me :). Hope I am able to catch some live non-Cricinfo action.

Back In Business

2009-05-28T15:40:00.010+01:00

Alert - This post might contain a LOT of cheesy lines, "duh" moments and stuff you might've heard and even written yourself already. Blame it on the break...

So, the Great Battle of the IPL is over. To be honest, I wasn't too keen on following the whole thing. The kind of phase 1 BRC had did not help matters at all. Couple of weeks into the league and I had almost stopped the occasional score check, it was getting that boring. And then, this guy happened, there were a few awesome matches, teams' fortunes started fluctuating with every match(except KKR's i.e.), BRC revived under Kumble and what not. What is a girl to do! I had to follow the last few games :)

A few random facts and thoughts -
- Tendulkar is not a good captain.
- I saw the finals live on TV. You would think that having read enough about the atrocious commentary, the fugly trophy, all the Modi fawning etc. I would be prepared. But no sir! I died a little inside every time I saw the trophy or heard Pommie Mbangwa or heard a spectator/commentator singing praises of His Highness Modi. I had a funny vision (at least it made me laugh). People who have seen the movie Mr. India might be able to relate to this. I saw Lalit Modi on a throne, with a shiny black and gold uniform, his loyal soldiers and servants around him telling him just how great and awesome he is and how he will definitely rule the world pretty soon. And Modi is pink with barely controlled glee, muchlike Mogambo..."Lalit Khush Hua!!". (Ya, I know it would be difficult to see the pink, but you know what I mean) Mercifully, I turned off the telly as soon as the match got over, and escaped the Closing Ceremony.
- Robin Uthappa has discovered new high levels of uselessness. Does that need explaining? FOAD Robin!! I never thought it would come to this with this guy.
- Rahul...oh dear Rahul...WTF?! How...I mean just how did you manage to drop that catch off Symonds?? And what about that godawful shot you got out to? What were you thinking? You remember that "not too many dot balls n taking singles" thing we talked about here? That works in T20 too...I swear....
- Some things never change. Hey Symonds, what's with all the chattering on the field?
- Great turnaround for the Deccan Chargers! They did look like a completely different outfit under Adam Gilchrist. And, was AG on song or what..I could literally see the havoc he wrecked on Delhi in the Semi final even though I merely "read" it on Cricinfo.
- And finally, Anusha has dicovered the IPL algorithm. It is called LIFO. So worry not KKR fans. IPL 3 is yours :)
- 430 words on IPL. Wow! Didn't know I cared that much....

Coming up shortly...T20 World Cup.

Update 1-
The move to South Africa was good IMO. I think there was a more even contest between bat and ball. SRK found a legitimate reason to run off to India and not be with his team. But most importantly, in accordance with Murphy's Law, there were a few spots of rain in SA, but the weather in England was fabulous. Lots of sunshine.

Symonds + Controversy = Humor?

2009-04-20T17:39:00.004+01:00

Controversial Symonds lands in trouble again

OK. I know there is a joke in here somewhere! Can anyone help me figure it out?!

Brickbats Can Wait...

2009-04-07T23:36:00.005+01:00

..for right now, I am just going to enjoy the fact that we finished our most successful tour of NZ.

After all, what is not to celebrate? We won a Test series in NZ after 41 years. We won the ODI series comprehensively. Gambhir had a terrific tour Test-wise and Sehwag took the honours in ODIs. Indian bowlers outshone their counterparts by some distance. Most of our batsmen were amongst runs. Dravid had a good series(words cannot describe how pleased I am at this). He now also holds the record for most catches. Even when the team was in a tough spot, there was always someone who put his hand up and pulled the team out of trouble. Most importantly, Dhoni passed the "overseas series" test.

Sure, people will raise legitimate concern about poor fielding/catching. Some will say that the pitches were hardly how they usually are in NZ, NZ is one of the weaker sides right now, Dhoni should have declared earlier, blah blah blah. Well you know what. I don't care. I really don't. So, for now, why don't you pass me the brickbats....and I'll forward bouquets to the team instead :)

MoYo is at it again!

2009-03-26T13:48:00.003Z

Yousuf may cut ties with ICL.
Grrr..

1st Day Review - It Doesn't Get Later Than This

2009-03-18T21:52:00.004Z

So, 7 minutes to go until Day 2 starts. Here is my tuppence on the first day.

After 60/6 I was pissed off to see NZL score 289 in all. But all in all I think I am ok with it. India are poor starters when it comes to away series. And I would rather take this start see India 6 down for 60-odd before lunchtime. Plus, you know, did you really expect NZL to just give up batting? Vettori is a very handy #8 batsman (he has scored 18 50s and a hundred before this) and Ryder is, well, Ryder. It is good to see a fightback. That is what Test cricket is about isn't it?

Onto today...as far as India's innings is concerned, Sehwag will be Sehwag. If he fires, India will automatically be in a very dominant position becuase of the sheer mometum his innings usually bring. If he doesn't, I would like to think that we have a very capable batting line up. Gambhir has a point to prove. At least I think so. He needs a good series outside the subcontinent. Yuvi needs a solid effort to cement his place in the side. But the man of the moment for me is Rahul Dravid(no surprises here). He has to make sure that he paces his innings well. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that playing a lot of dot balls and then getting out doesn't really benefit the team. So, RD, sweety, lets give me a reason to chear about from you in this series, all right?

Onto the live game...uh..as soon as it starts that is..

61/6

2009-03-18T00:42:00.003Z

The first session was our revenge for yesterday. And now for 2002....

Attack on Sri Lankans

2009-03-03T21:51:00.004Z

I have been seething with rage since morning and could bring myself to write only now. I have never ever believed in the argument that terrorists will not attack cricketers.

My thoughts are with all the victims of this cowardly act. Kudos to the Sri Lankans for handling themselves with much grace and dignity.

Update: Despite clear security threats, the Sri Lankans were not even given bullet proof vehicles, neither were they given a clear passage to the stadium by closing off other roads! Basic security measures anyone?!

Title? India Win!! (what else?)

2009-02-10T16:45:00.005Z

For the last 2 overs I have been chanting "Balla utha! Chhakka laga!" in my head(That's in a song from the movie Victory for the uninitiated). And the Pathan brothers have obliged :)

Time for a celebratory coffee break!

Harsh Decisions

2009-02-02T20:20:00.003Z

Now I know it can be a very subjective issue. But I was just wondering if there was any way to know how many times a batsman has been given out when he wasn't. Cuz I was thinking that Sachin might be holding the record for this one.

P.S. this is not meant to start a white skin vs brown skin or any other kind of flame war. I am really curious.

Ind vs SL :: 3rd ODI

2009-02-02T19:44:00.003Z

I am worried about India playing 4 specialist bowlers and the part timers being taken for runs this time.
I am worried about Yuvi falling to Mendis or Murali in an awful manner.
I am worried about the law of averages catching up with all Indian players in golden touch.
I am worried about Sachin getting another harsh decision from the umpires.
I am worried about Jayasuriya, the man who refuses to age, hitting Indian bowlers all over the park.

On the other hand,
I look forward to India winning the match and equalling its own record of successive wins.
I look forward to wrapping up the series tommorow itself.
I kinda also look forward to Murali getting the 2 wickets he needs to set a world record as long as it does not mess with the points above :).

And then,
It would be good to see Balaji in action later in the series and give Zak/Ishant some rest.
It would be fantastic to go on and win the series 5-0!! Ah, the dreams and high hopes!!

On an entirely separate note, I have decided that, since Rahul Dravid is not playing ODIs and T20s any more, I am transferring my affections to Dhoni for these formats.

No One Calls An Aussie A Cheat, Ya Hear?

2009-02-02T11:16:00.005Z

I can't believe Haddin has the nerve to call Vettori claims poor and low! I have seen the replays of the infamous "glove incident". I didn't think for a second that Haddin did that purposefully, I did not even expect him to call Broom back. But you would think that having seen the replays, he could have apologised maybe? Or just acknowledged that the dismissal did not look right and said something like "We all should be careful in the future" like Vettori said? Too much to ask? I thought so!

You Will Not Be Missed

2009-01-23T16:52:00.003Z

Angry at Sehwag's statements (apparently) Guru Greg has decided to call it quits.

"I am not interested in India. Not interested in Indian cricket."

Good riddance I say.

Bye Bye Chappell. Thank you for nothing.

Seasons Greetings

2009-01-05T13:40:00.002Z

Wishing everyone a slightly belated but a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Hope 2009 gives you a lot of reasons to smile :)

Well done India!!

2008-12-15T19:03:00.002Z

Looking at Viru and Gauti makes me realise how much we were missing out on in the past few years with no settled openers. Even with a rock solid middle order there was always a piece missing from the puzzle. That seems complete now. Oh, except for Dravid. As for him, he either needs to fire in the next match(with a convincing innings, not a scratchy, coma-inducing half century) or he needs to be fired!

Onto England. They definitely are a better Test team than an ODI one. They can take back a lot of positives from the performances of Strauss, Collingwood, Flintoff and Swann. They were ahead of India till the end of Day 3 but erred badly when they needed to set India a target. Their batting lost the plot. But Sehwag was the one who actually took the game away from them. 387 should have been good enough. But he had other plans! And he executed them in such a manner that his innings overshadowed every other performance of the match.

Thanks you guys, for winning this game in such incredible style.

Back To Cricket

2008-12-10T12:57:00.001Z

I write this piece with mixed feelings. I am still not very sure if going ahead with the test series is a good idea. First of all the sheer amount of security provided to cover just the players and the stadium(5000 is the number I am told) is mind boggling. Would that have an effect on the players' psyche? A lot has been said about the English players and their mental state in the aftermath of the terror attacks but surprisingly little has been written about the Indian players. After all the terror attack took place in their country, and in the case of Sachin Tendulkar, in his city. Like us, the Indian players too would be hurt, confused, angry, scared and cricket might not be high on their list. Also, would the extra security discourage people from coming out to watch the game, given that Ind vs Aus did not attract many people as it is. Or would they come out in huge numbers to show their solidarity(the new buzzword). I guess we will know tomorrow.

Secondly, the BCCI has done it again. It has picked out a venue where the weather could end up playing an important part. The track at Chennai is flat as it is. Losing a few hours to rain would not be ideal, to put it mildly.

On to the cricketing stuff now. India are clear favourites to win the series, weather permitting. The opening pair is looking solid. The middle order looks good. Yuvraj and Rahul have a point to prove and I bet they will come good. Anil will be missed very much but Bhajji, Mishra and Ojha will be quiet a handful for England. And the pace attack has never looked better. The English test team is definitely better than their ODI team, but they still have a lot to sort out before they lay claim to the series.

Ah, who knows! Maybe a couple of fantastic games is what is needed to lift the gloom of the past few days. Now that the game is on, let's get on with it people!

Is Baar Nahin

2008-12-01T11:30:00.003Z

Is baar jab woh choti si bachchi mere paas apni kharonch le kar aayegi
Main usey phoo phoo kar nahin behlaoonga
Panapney doonga uski tees ko
Is baar nahin

Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga,utarney doonga andar gehrey
Is baar nahin

Is baar main na marham lagaoonga
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankein band karlo,gardan udhar kar lo main dawa lagata hoon
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav
Is baar nahin

Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga,chatpatahat dekhoonga
Nahin daudoonga uljhee door lapetney
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake
Is baar nahin

Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main,tedhey medhey raston pe
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye
Is baar nahin

Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai
Gaur se
Thoda lambe wakt tak
Kuch faisley
Aur uskey baad hausley
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai

... Prasoon Joshi

Update - This is a touching poem written by Adman and lyricist Prasoon Joshi that appeared on the news site Rediff today. Apologies to those who don't know Hindi. I am not the best person for translation. So if anyone can translate the above lines in English please let me know and I will link up their post to this one.

Terror Strikes...Same Old Story Repeats

2008-11-27T11:34:00.004Z

Hours after celebrating a resounding Indian win in Cuttack, I heard the news of Mumbai being under seige..Following the news, it seems as if the city has turned into a warzone. A Fidayeen style attack for the first time...

It is the same old story and yet it is not. Ministers and Prime Minister will say the same words they have said before. I guess they know their lines by heart now. (The Home Minister has been MIA though, from what I hear) In the course of the next few days, people will go back to doing whatever they do, and all will hail the spirit of Mumbai and forced normalcy will return. Those who lost their dear ones will move on with a void in their hearts for the rest of their lives and those who didn't will thank the heavens that it wasn't them this time.

I am one of those.

My mother was supposed to travel to Mumbai on Wednesday. To the very train station where one of the attacks took place. But her plan got cancelled on Tuesday itself for some reason. I shudder to think what would have happened had she gone as planned. But it is ok. We all will get over it in a few days.

Or will we?

How many such attacks have to take place before anything concrete is done?
Why does India seem to lack the will to do something about this?
Does the fact that there are more than a billion of us make the value of human life cheap in this country?
What can we as responsible citizens of the country do? (I really need the answer to this one)
More importantly, what makes young educated people take up this violent path? Is there something wrong with the social fabric of India?

Of Third World conditions and Serial Offenders

2008-11-24T13:24:00.003Z

So Austraila and NZL had to endure a "Bad Test wicket" for the first Test. A monster of a pitch, no less! 40 wickets tumbling in just over 3 days! And, as if that wasn't enough, poor Matty Hayden had to encounter delays while the sightscreen was being adjusted, hands on his hips, frustration mounting et al...damn you Third World, destroying everything cricket stands for with this substandard stuff!!

Oh wait...the match was not being played in the Indian subcontinent? It was played in Brisbane? In Australia? So, no vicious spin? Really? Ah, everything is alright then. Excellent, excellent pitch. Exciting cricket played over 3 days. All's well with the world.

In other news, Ponting is fined for slow over rates, again, and Symonds is in trouble after a fight in a pub, again...Dare I mention the phrase "Serial Offender"?

Rain plays spoilsport

2008-11-23T13:06:00.002Z

This is not happening! I try to get up at 9am on a Sunday (that's very very early by my standards, for those who don't know me) and for what??

I am inclined to blame the BCCI. Who is with me?

India vs England - ODI Preview

2008-11-13T16:43:00.005Z

After the triumph in BG Trophy, India now looks ahead at a new challenge. Expectations are very high from Dhoni's men and no less than a thumping win would do. England's recent outings have not brought much joy to them which, inspite of what KP says, would have had an effect on the team morale for sure. Compared to that, the Indian team is in a much happy place. They will most definitely miss SRT and Ishant but there are good players in the squad to take their places and hopefully they will step up.

I expect a couple of close contests, but India should be able to sail through easily with a 5-2 win at the very least. The only way England can win the series is if India mess it up either by being complacent or conversely by trying too hard and over-attacking.

Series Review

2008-11-10T13:10:00.005Z

- Welcome Border-Gavaskar Trophy! It is nice to have you back. A 2-0 win is as comprehensive as it gets.
- Ind/Aus contests are beyond just cricket now. The animosity reminds me of Ind-Pak contests of before. Only it is worse now. It is on the field and off the field. The talk that goes on is more than just "mental disintegration". And honestly, I am getting a little bored of it now. Don't care who is doing the talking...or elbowing!!
- Finally, I am convinced that Indian fast bowlers have come of age. Zahir and Ishant have proved to be genuine strike bowlers. With RP Singh, Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan (yes, I have not ruled him out as yet) on the bench, we have a genuine pace attack now. A far cry from the days when pacers were just required to take the shine off the ball so that the spinners could go do their thing. It is also a major reason why Indians are better travellers now.
- Ricky Ponting is losing it. He is not used to playing catch-up to teams, not 3 tests in a row anyway. And the pressure is showing. There have been quite a few bizzare decisions from him that I think he will find hard to live down. Opting and persisting with White and not giving Krejza a chance until the last test, not giving Lee a bowl in the Mohali clash for an extended period presumably because of sloppy over rates, the mad rush while chasing a near impossible 516 in the same test, the icing on the cake being bowling part-timers when India was at 166-6 on the 4th day in the final test, again because of sloppy over rates. Very rarely were the Aussies ahead in this series, and they never managed to go for the kill when they were in front. Their frustration was aptly summed up in Haddin's crazy attempt to stop the ball by throwing his glove at it! A "New-Age Cricket" tactic Mr. Ponting or did your team just run out of ideas?
- With the departure of Ganguly and Kumble it is the beginning of the end of an era in Indian cricket. With Kumble goes one of the last gentlemen of the game. And with Ganguly goes the architect of the Great Indian Makeover. Siddhartha Vaidyanathan has written a wonderful piece that aptly describes my state of mind. Although I am excited about the prospects of this Indian team, I can't but help look back at the past.
- MS Dhoni. He does bring something extra to the team , doesn't he? Almost seems as if there is some invisible force in the field when he is at the helm. Plus it does something to his wicketkeeping and batting as well. He seems to thrive on responsibility. I hope that the combined pressure of captaincy in all 3 forms plus wicketkeeping plus batting combined with the constant media scrutiny don't take its toll.
- Rahul Dravid..what can i say. I will be in India on holiday when the 2-Test series against England starts. I have a feeling it could be his last. So, I will make sure I follow all of it. Of course, would be glad if Dravid plays for much longer :)

And finally..Test Cricket is awesome!!

Uh 'oh

2008-11-07T14:35:00.004Z

Looks like Team India has put itself in a bit of a spot here with some insensible batting. An all-too-familiar late order collapse is not what what , plus the usual generosity of spirit in giving Krezja an astounding debut. Hayden and Ponting are gone, but Hussey and Katich are looking good. So here is what I think should be done. (Another gem from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious coming up. I'll take the award now, thanks)

India need to send the Aussies packing ASAP with some attacking bowling and fielding (Dhoni, are you listening?).
Ideally I would want them to be dismissed by tea. The Indians cannot afford to let them get too close to 441, let alone concede a lead.
And then there is need to bat sensibly and not gift wickets away like in the 1st innings.

Also Rahul Dravid needs to bat down the order, specially if our openers start well. The man is under pressure and I suspect he will try and make one last bid to get some runs against his name and it may turn out to be a snoozefest! While I am on that, Rahul, could you please please please make a few runs in the second innings...with a decent strike rate?

Et Tu Kris?

2008-11-05T17:10:00.002Z

I cannot make sense of selecting M Vijay for the final test. Aakash Chopra might have been a better choice in my opinion since he has played in a few test matches before. Somehow this selection reeks of provincialism, which is not something I expected from Srikkanth. And now Vijay is in the ODI squad too? After playing just 20 List A matches? Sounds like the selectors are trying to justify Vijay's Test selection as a well thought out plan and not just a hurried decision. Unfair on Badri, who I think deserved at least one more chance in the ODIs.

It is hard to say goodbye...

2008-11-04T14:38:00.009Z

..which is strange because I never thought myself to be a huge Kumble fan. Of course, the man is a legend. Having more than 950 international wickets is no mean feat. And time and again he has proved that he can hold his own with the bat as well. Two innings come straight to mind when talking of Kumble's batting. One, his maiden Test hundred that came against England at the Oval which helped India pile up a huge score. Two, his innings in the Titan Cup clash against Australia in Bangalore. Sure, he made just 16 runs in a partnership of 52 runs but his role was not any less than Srinath's in pulling off that amazing win.

His commitment to the team needs no proof and he demands no less from his team mates. Enough has been said about his courage, the Antigua test where he bowled with a broken jaw and his last test in Delhi being cases in point. His record as a captain might be average but I feel he contributed a lot more than just leading the side. The dignity with which he handled the Sydney test aftermath is truly commendable, not many are capable of that. And to follow it up with a win in Perth was remarkable. Not only was it at a venue which is historically Australia's stronghold, it came against a team on a roll with 16 straight wins.

Ah, I think I figured out what my problem is. I took the man's presence for granted. And now that he is no longer a part of the team, I am starting to realise his importance. My mistake Anil Sir. Thank you for being a part of Indian Cricket. You will be truly missed.

Humble Beginnings

2008-11-02T00:54:00.003Z

Cricket for me is more than just sport. It has acted as a backdrop for fun times spent with friends and family. I have turned to it for inspiration when feeling bogged down by circumstances. Lately, I have also found it to be a sensible way of letting off steam. Curse that damned fielder who dropped the catch instead of yelling at your boss and getting fired :D. And of course, it has given me ample opportunites to celebrate the numerous hard earned triumphs. This game is one of those things that can evoke high passions in me. A smooth cover drive, a straight six over the bowler’s head, the sound of stumps being flattened by fiery pace, the almost-nicked deliveries, batsmen foxed by awesome googlies and dusras. What is not to like about this wonderful game?

So where did it all start? It’s all in the family dude!! My dad and a lot of my cousins are ardent followers of the game. One of them runs a popular blog. Cricket and I flirted for a bit for the first time in ’92. The backdrop was the one day series in South Africa in December that year. Schools were shut down because of the unfortunate riots that had broken out in India. So, since I could stay up late, the best thing to do was to follow cricket with my dad, me with my endless questions about the game and my dad only too happy to pass on the knowledge. Slowly I picked up the finer nuances of the game and began relishing Test contests too. During family gatherings I found myself sitting with dad, uncles and “bhaiyas” more interested in heated debates related to the game rather than spending time with my (girl)friends, who would inevitably get bored and leave. And by the time the ’96 WC began, I was hooked. The rise of Rahul Dravid later that year only increased my love for...err..the game :).

This blog is a space for my thoughts about the goings-on in the world of cricket. As long as you don’t expect hardcore intelligent analysis, we should be fine :).

Uh, one confession before I end this post. Even after almost 16 years of following this game I..er...still don’t quiet understand how the whole lbw thing works. I have tried, but somehow I can never tell. There, I said it. You can shoot me now.