mere funde

Category: Cricket

  • Cricket becomes interesting…

    … once again!!

    A long long time ago, test cricket became boring. Not because of the run rates or the draws. But because one team beat everyone else, every God damn time. And then as it happens with everything else, the winds of change started blowing.

    McGrath, Warne, Langer and Gilchrist retired. About a year ago Ponting and Hayden decided they could not bat anymore. Symonds found things more important than playing. Hussey and Clarke were ok, but they couldn’t carry nine other. Lee lost his mojo. Krezja is a pathetic excuse of a spinner (tonnes in first four innings!!), even Symonds and Clarke bowl before him. Only Mitchell Johnson looks like he can do some damage. But then one bowler doesn’t a test match win.

    India started the downturn, and Australia lost at WACA. Can you believe that?? They lost at the WACA. It was the Australian fortress, and they had not lost there in more than a decade. They cheered for a victory that was more a farce than anything else.

    In fact, the entire Australian team lost is so much that they lost again at WACA. That is a first in history. Back to back losses at the WACA for Australia. Who woulda thought?? 

    But here is the thing. The test world has become interesting again. India, SA, England and Australia are now equal contenders for Test supremacy, and possibly Sri Lanka.

    India has a good batting line up, and a promising bowling department. Australia still have Ponting and Hayden, and along with Clarke, Symonds and Hussey can bat anyone out of a test. England with KP and Flintoff would have a realistic chance at the Ashes, but methinks they need another good bowler. SA seems to have buried the ghosts of the past, and seem to have a good batting line up, and perhaps the best bowling with Ntini, Steyn, and Morkel.

    So here it is. To exciting times ahead.

  • Faith restored!

    There are millions out there who want to believe in God, and profess their love for the religion. However, they have always looked for excuses to not profess their love and faith. The ghosts of 1999 will, hopefully, finally be buried.

    Yesterday, the God removed that final hurdle. Now those disbelievers will have no more excuses. You will not need to  have any more excuses to profess that cricket is your religion.

    And no it is not that vulgar and obscene version. It is the pure and serene version that gives us the high like nothing else. Test cricket will for ever be my first love.

    There are good batsmen, the Pontings and the Haydens. There are great batsmen, the Inzys and the Dravids. There are sublime bastsmen, Lara. But there is only one God – Sachin. He is the hope of millions. He is the man who comes closest to Atlas in the modern world. And he has not shrugged for nineteen very long years now. He is the heart beat of the Sydney crowd, who I think love him more than anyone in the current Aussie dressing room. He is the darling of millions across the world. He may not anymore be the wicket to be taken. But as long as he is out there, India believes.

    I believe, and always have.

  • Adios Dada

    I was born and raised in the football crazy state of West Bengal. Until Dada happened that is. I remember how downcast people looked when Maradona had to pull out of the ’94 World Cup. But then in the summer of ’96 this man exploded on the scene of Indian cricket with two consecutive centuries on debut, and by the time he retired he had changed Indian cricket forever.

    Dada has never been the most technically sound batsman or the most exciting to watch. However, he was good enough to walk into the Indian team for most parts of his career. To watch his drives on the off side when he was in full flow was exhilarating. Bengal loved him, without conditions or logic. As Coehlo said in the Alchemist, “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”

    Me. I love him for he was the first Indian to have guts. He was not afraid to give it back. Be it Steve Waugh or Andrew Flintoff. Too often in the past had I watched Indian cricketers taking all abuse without standing up. It was refreshing to watch him give it back. I think he depended more on his instinct while making decisions, be it backing younger players, or shot selection.

    It was difficult for him to stay away from controversies, but then who cares. And anyway, who is Greg “underarm” Chappell to tell people about ethics. And Ganguly was not supposed to be super human anyway, we have Sachin for that. The Dada we love is a genius, and a flawed one at that. I remember the evening when shopkeepers in Siliguri refused to sell me stuff because they were watching Ganguly play against Pakistan in that Dhaka finals.

    I still remember how I felt like puking when I first saw the “Apne Dada ko bhule to nahin” ad for Pepsi. But he meant what he said. “But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward” He bounced back as only he could. Fighting till the last test. And going out with a wonderful series. Going out with a victory, knowing that we will never forget him.

    Here is my most enduring memory of him.

  • Farewell Jumbo…

    … you will be sorely missed.

    In today’s cricket, seldom are there moments when the game becomes larger than life. The one below was the one for me.

    Kumble gets Lara with a broken jaw
    Kumble gets Lara with a broken jaw

    There is a lump in my throat and my eyes moist as I write this.

  • Random Post

    Deadlines waiting to be met. Essays waiting to be tackled. Forms waiting to be filled. Meanwhile, I am here, blogging. “Why the f*%k?” one might ask. Because I am stuck at office for some call which wouldn’t get over before some time.

    The past couple of weeks have been overwhelming. I have acted crazily at times. Flown off the handle easily. Submitted two apps. Attended a very interesting admission event. And yet, the workload doesn’t seem to diminish. Sigh.

    The work at office is not much. But you still got to be there and do it. I am stuck with some sort of a mental block (writer’s block if you will) with the essays for two of the schools I am apping to. Sucks! I am keeping away from all parties, movies, and fun in general. And yet they don’t seem to get over.

    However, today seems to be different. The Master Blaster has achieved the record, and in fine fashion. Dada seems to be doing well. And I think I will be able to complete the first draft for one of my schools. Wish me best of luck people!!