Category: Cricket

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Go(A)ing away…

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I am sitting in front of my computer, with my favourite word processor flashing its pale blue light on my face, thinking what to write today. Nothing special is going on around here to write about…

Yeah rail accidents are occurring: so what they have become now a very normal occurrence with one big accident happening every month. Yeah there have some more disgraceful antics of the politicians to garner mileage from the accidents: so what, it’s what they do the best.

Yeah, the Indian cricket team has lost the 1st test match to the Sri Lankans like no other world number one team is expected to lose: so what, with the Indian cricket team you get what you least expect every single time.

But yes, there is one thing that’s going to happen after a long long time! I am going to away from the computer screen for quite a long time now that I am going for my job and am not taking my dear computer with me. So it’s going to be a pretty long break, I guess from the world of blogging, starting the 1st of August (although it was already so a few weeks ago!)…the question is will I be able to survive without it?? Let’s see, because that’s one of the most difficult things: to be away from the computer after being hooked to it, virtually 24X7 for the past 4 years! It’s going to be interesting seeing all the extra time that I will be getting and all the things that I can do with that extra bit of time!

Let’s see!

Several things….

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Yet again loads of time has passed since my last post and i really don’t have any other excuse but sheer laziness for it…and you know what I am not even a little ashamed, why? Well I suppose even I don’t know about that much. Well lets leave it at that…better late than never isn’t it? Several things is the name of my post because I need to share several thing s with you all….and here I go…

Thing 1:

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I would like to begin this post with something which I like very much : Books!! Well this summer I have let myself down..how? Well till now, I have read only 3 books (The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle, The Digital Fortress and The Other Hand) in comparison to the massice 31 that I read during my last summer vacation! Even though I bought two others from the New Delhoi airport, I have made no progress towards reaching anywhere near that huge number of 31, as  I havent even read a single one of them! Anyways, on the brighter side, due to coming of my iPod,  I discovered the pleasure of Audiobooks. I listened to the audio version of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer and you know what I simply loved the whole experience…the feeling that the audiobooks impart..as if some one is reading you a story is what is the most appealing thing about them! I am now going to listen to the the remaining parts of the Twilight series too and am quite sure I will like them too!

Thing 2:

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Now comes a totally unrelated topic. LeT(Lashkar-e-Taiba) is making its base down here in the jungles of Jharkhand and Bihar…what the hell. Yeah as if the threats posed by the naxals (the MCC, the PWG etc.)  wasn’t enough, now even these bast***s from across the border are trying to establish their say out here. I mean what do these sadistic vampires get out of killing innnocent people for no reason whatsoever. Why have they misplaced their minds so easily in the hands of some mullahs , who have only one thing in theor mind…how to hurt India, and how to hurt the non-Muslims. I mean, if there is God he is only one, Ram or Allah or Jesus what does it matter? I just can’t understand this… Coming back to the Jharkhand LeT, this news simply has sent shivers down in the hearts of the already under-fire police department and the state’s governor Syed Sibte Razi (as the state is currently under the President’s rule, Razi is the all in all of the state). Now it needs to be seen, what do these people do inorder to tackle this sudden and immense problem.

Thing 3:

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Any of you who has seen me will be knowing that the most striking feature of me is my girth!! Yeah, bluntlyI am quite fat. Now these summer vacations always bring with them loads of delicious food (with the tongue watering Magoes and Lichis all around) and also accompany very lethargic routine meaning no exercises and hence meaning those very very irritating extra kilos that I very painstakingly manage to lose durin the time college is open!! 😦 I have started doing some Yoga but I dont think that’ll work and cutting down on the food isn’t my forte thats for sure, so what to do?? Yes I am going to run…from tomorrow sure shot (but Tomorrow Never Dies…or does it??)

Thing 4:

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Now that I enter the 4th and final year of my B.E. its finally the time of reckoning. As I have a call for further studies so its essential that I start preparing for the GRE (naah no Ties and Lies for me!) from immediate effect. Yeah I’ve bought all the necessary books and all…what is required now is some peace of mind to start over. I think I will begin it in earnest from tomorrow too. Moreover the coming semester will also bring with it the placements…well its not going to be easy, the next sem even though it has a lot to offer too!

Last Thing but certainly not the Least Thing:


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Now speaking so much and yet not mentioning the T-20 World Cup will be something I won’t be excused for. Yeah every one around is leaving no expletives while ostracizing Dhoni, the Indian Captain, yes, I agree he made some mistakes and that his batting form isn’t that purple anymore, but comeon people what else were you expecting? He isn’t some God, after all he is a human too and as the saying gose To err is human, so lets take this loss in the spirit of the game and lets hope Team India wins the next time. Now all my hopes lie with South Africa, Go Proteas Go (and No Pakistan No!!!)

On IPL and some more…

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IPL
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Well the Indian Premier League is all set to become International Premier League and will be held most probably in South Africa this year. Amidst all the protests from players and fans alike, the BCCI is very indifferently moving towards accomplishing this dubious act! I mean its like cheating all the fans out here who were waiting with all their hearts and all the gears to go for an all-out support for their respective favourites! Chennai Super Kings will have their home city as Durban and Kolkata Knight Riders perhaps in Johannesburg…what the heck!

I know, we are going to have the general elections coming at the same time as the IPL, but still…its so unfair! I know, the franchisees have agreed too, and the reason is obviously the money factor. Security isn’t much of a problem as most of the states agreed that they were capable of holding the matches wthout many problems, but the ever money mongering BCCI isn;t gonna listen even a single thing…and the worst thing is that the political parties have already started politicalizing this. The opposition has already started blaming the government and criticising it for it’s inability to provide proper security, saying “its as if we are talking about Pakistan”…comeon guys at least leave sports apart from politics!

For the time, as fans all we can do is wait and watch as the story develops further….

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The some more that I wanted to share about is a recent article that I came across in the papers. The one about a fund being started to locate the remnants of the Mughal dynasty and help them survive. This again is so very uncalled for. I mean, why do you need to start a fund for someone just because their ancestors once ruled the nation, and now they are selling tea for their living?

Their are so many other people in the country who need such funds more that them. I mean, what is the point of starting some fund for a group of people just because they turned to paupers from princes? This surely shouldn’t be a criterion for helping people…why single out them to be alleviated when their are so many other people dying hungry and without proper clothing…i just can’t understand…can somebody please make me understand?

Adieu Jumbo!

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ImageThe last day of the 3rd test match between India and Australia saw a legend of Indian cricket bowing out of the international arena after serving the country with a valour and strenght comparable to a mighty soldier. Yes, I am talking about the Indian with the most number of wickets to his name, the Indian who is also the third highest wicket taker in test cricket in the world, and the indian who is also a gem of a man! Yeah I am talking about Anil Kumble, or (as the public adresses him) Jumbo!

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Kumble decided to quit after sustaining an injury to his hand during the 3rd day of the 3rd test match, although he had already made his mind up to quit after the end of the series. The end of the match though quite uninteresting ( a lame draw!) witnessed a heart warming farewell to the Jumbo of indian cricket. All the players lifted him up on their shoulders and gave him a lap of honour around the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in New Delhi ( which was the place where he claimed all 10 wickets in an innings to win India the match against Pak).

As he left the ground he raised his cap to the crowd of Delhi and all those who were watching! This moment made me to remember the Test match in the West Indies where Kumble bowled his heart out even thought he was suffering from a broken jaw. That image of a bandaged Kumble turning it on the pitch always comes to my mind when I look around for inspiration during the times when I am down.

I salute that mighty warrior of India with all my heart!

The mantle of the captaincy thus passed on to M.S.Dhoni, who now has become the overall captain of the Indian cricket team!

The whole of Kumble’s career in the form of pictures is shown here.

The Don’s Average

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This again isn’t a work of my own. I found it yet again while surfing the good old net, but I thought it made a nice read.

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I know that Sir Don Bradman finished his career with a Test average of 99.94. But would he have finished above 100 if he had not played his last Test? asked Dhanushka Edussuriya from Sri Lanka
This is an appropriate question, since it is the 100th anniversary of Sir Donald Bradman‘s birth tomorrow (August 27). The Don went in to his final Test, against England at The Oval in 1948, with an average of 101.39, after having scored 33 and 173 not out (his 29th and last century, in his 51st Test) in the previous match at Headingley, where he led “The Invincibles” to a remarkable seven-wicket victory after they were set 404 to win. Statistics weren’t so instant in those days, so I doubt whether Bradman actually knew he needed four runs to maintain his three-figure average. He also didn’t know for sure that it would be his last innings – his famous second-ball duck, at the hands of the Warwickshire legspinner Eric Hollies, came in Australia’s first innings and made the score 117 for 2. Since the Aussies had already bowled England out for 52, an innings victory was on the cards, but it was by no means certain that Bradman would not have to bat again (he would have needed to make 104, or 4 not out, to average 100 if he had gone in a second time).

If you want to give the whole article a read see this.

Didn’t Sachin say so??

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A fan asked Sachin before the finals began : “So would we see you at Adelaide (venue for 3rd final)?”. Sachin replied : “It may not be necessary. We will wrap it up in the first two games only.” Not many people, me included thought much about these words of Sachin but how prophetic those words became. I still can’t belive it, INDIA WON THE SERIES 2-0. Hell, Dhoni’s boys silenced the Aussies in their own den, and thats one commendable job.

The foundations of the win were laid by the maestro Sachin himself through the well grafted innings of 91 (though I hated the time he got out as it added one more to his latest collection of nervous-nineties!!). Though when he got out the Indians sort of lost the way and ended up scoring just 58 off the last 12 overs. Nevertheless, the bowlers especially Praveen Kumar came good again and his wickets of Gilchrist, Ponting, Clarke and Lee simply made the life difficult for the Aussies. Though Hussey and Hopes did fight valiantly but in the end they fell short by 9 runs and India clinched the series.The presentation ceremony became hilarious when Praveen Kumar after accepting the Man of the Match award simply ran away from the dais from the fear of having to face an interview leaving the crowd and the teams in guffaws.

It was the final appearance for one of the greatest wicket-keepers that the cricketing world has ever seen. Adam Gilchrist retired from world cricket after this match and gave the example how he has always played the game in its right spirit by walking when he knicked one to Dhoni. Hats off to him!

Now this was some innings!

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Every body says that his time to quit is here. Someone says that he should start considering retirement, some say he should simply be ousted from the team. But Sachin Tendulkar, the demigod of Indian Cricket has proved’em wrong time and again.

The beautiful display of strokes that we saw in the match against the Lankans continued today in the first final of the CB Series against the world-champion Aussies at the SCG. Such was the grace and power of the innings of Sachin that it overshadowed every thing else on the ground. When he finally got to the three figure mark, he erased a lean record in ODIs in Australia as this became his first ODI century in Australia ever. Incidentally this was his first century in a tri series final after the one against Zimbabwe in 1998-99.

The strength that Sachin showed was simply tremedous. He suffered from cramps midway into his innings but didn’t opt for a runner. This didn’t even slow his running down a bit rather he was still eager for quick singles and doubles. Moreover his strokeplay and footwork were dazzling too. The Brett Lee beamer that hit him sqaure on the shoulder must have hurt bad but the great man didn’t show any indication that he was in any sort of pain.

One more thing that India gained today was the superb batting from Rohit Sharma whose gritty 67 helped to steady the Indian Innings as he along with Tendulkar created a big partnership of more than a 100 runs. The bowling of India was fine too. Pathan being the exception, each and every bowler bowled his heart out and Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma again impressed everybody with their gritty bowling.

Now looking forward to an Indian victory in the next final and hope that India seal the series there only!

Too Light eh???

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The world can only just admire it from a distance, and dream of what gems it produced. One man got to be with it, touch it, feel it, swing it for a whole hour.

As many would have guessed the ‘it’ here is the legendary bat of Sir Donald Bradman and the man here is Sachin Tendulkar in whom The Don used to see his very own reflection. Its only six months now to the 100th anniversary of Sir Don’s and so Channel 9 decided to commemorate the event by interviewing Sachin about the Don and also letting him have a feel of the bat that The Don used to ‘swing‘. And guess what Sachin said about the bat – “I can’t play with it. Its very light in weight. I am used to heavier bats.” Huh??

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He got to be with the legendary article in the world of cricket for one full hour and guess what he’s the only cricketer alive to do so! That’s some honour isn’t it??

Not all was wrong yesterday….

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The media might be crying foul over Dhoni’s remarks about the responsibility of the seniors, but in my opinion the Indian captain has got it right. Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag etc. are like stuck, not being able to free themselves and score runs on will as once they used to do. The cheap wickets of the openers costs a hell lot more on the team as it builds pressure on the batting team, and pressure is what modern day cricket all about.

What was heartening to see in yesterday’s match was that Indians didn’t give up once the going got real tough. First the excellent partnership between Dhoni and Gambhir that stabilized the Indian innings, then the fluent Gambhir Century and the partnerships between Utthappa and Gambhir, Utthappa and Pathan and Utthappa and Harbhajan were really a treat to watch.

Though the bowlers were more of a disappointment, they did well in the mid overs and the death to restrict the Kangaroos who seemed to be heading for 350 odd or so. If India do reach the finals it will be interesting to see how we handle Ponting whose lush century seems to marking a new form surge of his. For the moment though, looking forward to an Indian victory in the next match against Sri Lanka.