Bored Cricket Crazy Indians.com is one one big Bored Room.
In it 15 Bored Members play. In it many invited and unvited Bored Guests also play.
Together, they celebrate players' Happy Bored Days. Bored people also comment here.
There is also at the bottom of the Bored Chain, the Bored Peon. Btw, did you know what Bored Peon's brighter brother is called? -
Bored Peon's brighter brother is called Bored Neon.
Together, they make the Bored Brothers. Yawn.
Look up, and you'll know what they look like. But what are they looking at?
Someone just threw a few balls at them. Their reactions:
Bored Peon: Duck! Balls!
Bored Neon: Catch Balls!
The Bored Brothers (a new series)
Hey, I want in too!
By Q
David Shepherd has been standing on one leg since the 111 players for the IPL auction were recently announced. On last news he was pleading for a 112th player to be added.
I'm not doing any such thing, but since that list was made public I've been thinking what the hell?
So let me get this straight again. We've got 8 franchises. Each with a restriction of 10 international players per squad. Each with a restriction of $2 million each to spend at the upcoming auction. Each with already atleast 8 internationals in their squad.
True?
Yep, I thought so.
So then, each franchise can buy at the most 2 players each. That makes it a maximum of 16.
The maths is right so far I think.
What the hell then are 111 players doing on the list for the auction?
95 or more of them are not going to be bought by any franchise.
So are they going to earn their base price as it happened with Mohammad Yousuf and Ashwell Prince when they weren't picked up by anyone last season?
That's neat. Such an easy pay check of a few 100 thousand dollars.
Hey, include me in the auction list too, I want to play in the IPL. Sure you don't know me, nor have you heard of me, but who says you have to buy me?
Guess what - you don't! I just want to be on the list to make that minimum pay check category!
And it'll get poor old David Shepherd off that one leg as well!
Beaten, not stirred.
Zim can beat Bangla. Bangla can beat Lanka. Pak can beat lanka. But Oz cannot beat Ponting.
Ponting, beat it.
With you around, there’s one team less worth watching. The day you go, the team will come together.
Clarke will enter a phone booth and wear a cape, and even though cape fear or superman will not emerge right away, the TRPs of Aussie games in India will increase.
I will watch. Back home, you will watch too.
And it’ll dawn on you, the sun set on you long time back. You just never saw the light.
PADMA SHRI 420
By Gaurav Sethi (Naked Cricket) for Bored Cricket Crazy Indians (BCC!)
Naked Cricket anchorwoman presents the Bored News
Yaaawn…welcome to Bored News on the night shift.
This late night edition can be very demanding so let’s shed our inhibitions, shall we?
Just like Badrinath and Dravid shed theirs as they strolled in for an IPL net in the 3 Day Duleep Trophy game.
Dravid scored four times his likely strike rate, while Badrinath played for his likable Chennai SuperKings skipper.
Amit Mishra did well, bowling his quota of 6 ½ T20 game overs – that’s 26 overs, for only 149 runs. As anybody at the IPL will tell you, going for anything less than 6 runs per over is very good bowling indeed.
Sleep on it.
A sub-continental drift: who will be the 503rd?
A Sri Lankan politely enquired about Murali beating Wasim Bhai.
He asked, as if in a daydream, who will be the 503rd?
The Indians were offended. The Lankans fended. The Pakis silenced (even though Wasim Bhai was to be beaten). The Banglas were at Shakib’s penthouse. Other Asian cricket bloggers were yet to be invented.
Mendis crept into the skirmishes like a stray ball gone defective.
None of this was called for. And that’s why it was so sweet.
Btw Murali has two names, one's Muralitharan, doosra Muralidaran. Why? So how many names does Mendis have? Experts say, you'll have to read the answer off his hand or off the pitch. Or ask Sehwag. But be warned, Sehwag will call a press conference, and thank SRT and SMG for his God given ability.
welcome kumar dharmasena!
| 3.4 | Thushara to Tendulkar, OUT, not the best decision unfortunately but Tendulkar has to go, the ball pitches marginally outside the leg stump and straightens and hits him fairly high on the pad as he tries to work it to the on side, Kumar Dharmasena thinks about it for a while before raising the finger, this is Dharmasena's first decision in ODIs |
| SR Tendulkar lbw b Thushara 5 (15m 16b 0x4 0x6) SR: 31.25 |
welcome on bored dharmasena...!
you are obviously appointed under "debutant-gets-sachin's-scalp" scheme floating around for quite a while now...
Lanka-India ODI not played Live
It’s just like 13 years back. Sanath opens, scores runs, tons of runs, scores a ton. And Sachin opens too. Where is Sehwag? Where is the Sehwag-Gambhir opening combine? Nothing like a good glass of whine with another ODI on.
Why is it not a 7 match ODI series? Why couldn’t they eat into the Pak-Lanka test series – like have the first 1½ test series. Means the 2nd test be the first 2 ½ day test. Match over an hour before tea on the second day. And with it another captain. C’mon, it took three days of cricket to knock Malik off. Heard of Jamal Malik, he’s the kid in Hound Dog Millionaire. Does he play cricket? A little.
And Rohit Sharma’s playing too. That is not Live either. Deadweight? OK, so he may score a biggie, but where’s the joy? Badrinath would’ve made a biggie-wiggie by now, and Pujara a triple X. It's all about chances. And geography.
Yawn T Roads is driving home, to sleep.
Two twins were never so unlike each other. While one was an ace fielder, the other an ace at fielding questions. While one loved a good jaunt, the other preferred the road less travelled. So unlike, they didn’t even speak the same language. One spoke Afrikaans the other English. One was a cricketer, the other, a cartoon. Words cannot do justice to this caricature of a man. Look out for his yawns at Bored Cricket Crazy Indians. If you're awake.
Viva la Punter.
by Achettup
I used to rule the world
Lee would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I weep alone
Sweep the balls that I used to own
I used to toss the coin
Not bother which way it came down
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Cmon Aussie! Aussies win!"
One minute I held back Lee
Next the press closed in on me
And I discovered that my maties stand
Upon rivers of fish and rivers of sand
I hear selector's phone bells are ringing
Green and Gold choirs are leaving
Be my spinner, my old fast bowler
My visionaries for an Ashes field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you know there was never
Never an honest word
Well that was when I ruled the world
It was the wicked and wild Sikh
Blew down the stumps or got me to knick
Shattered calm insulted our mums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutions oh so quick
As the ball darts down the pitch
Just a yoyo on a muppet's string
How ever did Singh become king?
I hear selector's door bells a ringing
Baggy green greats and their sons are leaving
Be my spinner, my old fast bowler
My vissionaries from an Ashes field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Kevin Pieter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
I hear selector's door bells are ringing
Saffers taking our crown and off they're leaving
Be my winner, my Aussie supporter
My Fanatics when we're off to an Ashes field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Andrew Strauss won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Will there be any tears for Ponting:
Australia has a major complication - Ricky Ponting.
His record as captain is worrying. Australia lost the series to India, lost the test series to SA, won the T 20, but again lost the ODI series. And SA were without their skipper Graeme Smith. It's just not coming together for the Aussies. And a very important element in the success of any team - leadership - is missing.
But then there's Ponting the batsman. In both Tests and ODIs he's still among the Top 5 batsman in the world, and on his day he's the best. He's been among the runs consistently, and he still scores his runs very fast. Undoubtedly, among the best.
So who's more important for the Aussies - Ricky the skipper, or Ricky at one down.
In the not so recent past, Ponting has seen a very important partnership fail - the partnership between him as a captain and as the team's best batsman. It's a vital partnership for the success of his side. Doesn't seem to be clicking anymore.
So who's more important - Captain Punter or Punter the batsman.
Australia is overhauling its entire side at the moment. Leadership is a very vital input.There are some very talented individuals coming into the side, but the Aussies need matchwinners. Matchwinners don't develop in the absences of confident and competent leaders. Both traits are not being displayed by Ponting. It's the right time to hand the reins to Michael Clark. The veterans with the exception of Ponting are gone, so a new captain will not have to deal with the baggage of senior elements.
Fans and Australia will miss Ponting's batting. But the leadership has been missing so long, I doubt anyone will miss his captaincy. The Baggy Green is not sitting lightly on the head of the skipper. He will do justice to his side by making way for another captain, and another batsman.
After Australia's dismal performance, and so many controversies in his career, there will be admiration, but will there be any tears for Ricky Ponting.
by Mohit VarmaHappy Bored Day Danny Boy
Time to make that test average creep up to thirty too. Happy B’Day Vettori, how does it feel to be the only batsman in the team? (Look left for Vettori’s page today, tomorrow you’ll wish it were here)
Bored Joke: Daniel Vettori and the Delhi Daredevils - one doesn't play, the other doesn't pay. (Vettori was sick, below par, and hardly available for last season's IPL)
Kirkit ke gyarah fayde!
by Sunny Narang
Me and my wife have been visiting and working in a village called Kaladera, in Rajasthan, since the last 15 years, with traditional hand block textile printers, a caste known as “Chippa”. The family we were working with had three sons whom two were school going age when we started visiting in 1994. There was no regular electricity , and in the neighbourhood they had a tiny black and white TV which all the neighbouring kids came over to watch in the evening. The closest phone was in a small town ten km away. There was not much craze about cricket or anything urban, the kids watched films but could not differentiate between stars. Then somehow regular electricity happened with better infrastructure. People started buying fridges, motorcycles and colour TVs. Programs were beamed through the day. STD,ISD booths came up. Live cricket matches were seen and pirated VCD’s of the latest Bollywood releases were seen the very next day. Kirkit happened in a big way. Local school matches, matches between teams made of different neighbourhoods, even gully cricket. All ages of boys, even some village girls, a young 20 something girl who was our assistant used to be called by all the neighbouring boys to play cricket too, as she was a huge fan and loved encouraging cricket across caste and creed.
We thought we would use cricket and do some “progressive” movement by sponsoring a cricket trophy and prize money, but with one rule. No team would be allowed more than six members of one caste, as we wanted kids of all castes to play together in a team. We were told its not possible in a village. Its funny, we are in the 21st century, rural India leaves its villages and works together, eats together, plays together in its big cities but in its villages and small towns it clings desperately to its caste equations. We have counted more than 20 castes, both Hindus and Muslims, among a population of ten thousand, strict vegetarians in the village will eat meat as if there is no tomorrow the moment they get to the big city. The women never watched the movies as they were rarely taken to the city or a cinema hall, but the TV came into the homes. So came in Saas Bahu serials and Kirkit! We in cities do not realise the seismic shift that has happened in the last ten years in rural India with TV and the mobile phone. Young are growing up with urban aspirations in a largely rural country.
The thing about films is that they exist within the desi framework. Song, story, predictability. Cricket is international , its a global language which is accessible to everyone, its not lost in translation , its about fingers , about the wrist , about raw talent, about hard work. It goes beyond caste, religion, region, nationality, language, and its “pure male” like the Greek Gods, so it gives a space to the most feudal . Taliban can play kirkit, even a Beckham with his thong.
In India from my maid who comes to clean my flat, who has a son aspiring to be a pace bowler, to my mother who is as upper class Delhi Punjabi as it gets, “ Sabko kirkit ka kraze hai”. Baccha baccha energy drink peeta hai because Dhoni says so- a grandfather complained to me about his 4 year old grandson, “TV is their parent now” he continues.
So I decided to make a list of big and small things Kirkit does for our Bored Cricket Crazy !ndian society.
1. Teaches most Indians better geography ( South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc. )
2. Pronunciation skills are made better ( you will understand when you hear a Haryanvi saying names like Symonds and Shane Warne, imagine if we had Russian cricketers!)
3. National Integration, players from all regions(North-East still left out)
4. Religious tolerance(Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai, Parsi sab Bhai Bhai )
5. Gives us bored of film programming couch surfers some choice.
6. Makes math skills better ( batting average, runs per over etc. etc. provided me good childhood training for my IIT entrance exams!)
7. Social mobility ( Irfan Pathan, Dhoni- bhai without college degree how many jobs will make you crores)
8. Meritocracy ( some illusion in our “teri kya pull hai” culture that raw talent and hard work takes you somewhere)
9. Bollywood heroines find husbands ( Sharmila Tagore, Sangeeta Bijlani)
10. Our huge Black money reserves can find an outlet to have some fun on the satta bazaar.It does give employment to so many people like bookies , matchfixers etc
11. Pakistan ke saath dosti
What now?
The telltale signs are there, cricket’s coming on to me real strong. Yesterday it was Mandira Bedi at shoe shop, day before Pradeep Magazine on papaya, before that the Greg Chappell Foundation cricket match, and before that the drum roll of a ball.
Then today at Dilli Haat at the undivided J&K stall, I look ahead, surely that’s Gulu Ezekiel. Later as he walked past I confirmed his Guluness. We talked cricket, about the Bored, and Comic characters (not cricketers). I did not have his latest book on MS Dhoni, else I would’ve had him write, ‘for the Bored Cricket Crazy Indians.’ And that would have spawned a Bored Library. Next time you bored so and so.
by Naked Cricket
double meaning in cricket
here are some examples that caught this blogger's attention...
zahir has only one ‘ball’ left…
i like ‘playing’ with gambhir - sehwag
mendis uses his ‘middle finger’ very well…
Bored to the Bone XXXIV
“Sohail Khan in his 4th over, he’s given away no runs, well he’s given away 8 runs.” Keep an ear out for Waqar Younis. He's the pick of the commentator (s). And speaks even faster than he bowled. Now talking about Wasim Akram's "little bit corner" in the ground. Not quite Holding the bowler's Willey, but he tries.
Happy Bored Day Neil Johnson
It was the summer of 99. Your bat did the singing. Happy B’Day NJ!
(look left to click on NJ's page today. Tomorrow he'll be off to another county)
Bored Joke: What does Neil's mate Alistair live on: Campbell's soup, but of course.
SHAK is Numero Uno!
By Q
Call him our very own, call him our favorite son, call him our hero, call him our favorite minnow player, call him our favorite cricketer, call him BCC!'s Shak.
That is Shakib Al Hasan.
Bangladesh's favorite son.
We at BCC! rate him very highly and have so for a long time now.
Now the ICC have caught up with us as well.
His latest 3 wicket, unbeaten 30 odd, match and series winning performance has taken him to the top of ICC's ODI Allrounder Rankings.
Ahead of Andrew Flintoff, ahead of Jacques Kallis, ahead of Shoaib Malik, ahead of Chris Gayle, ahead of Sanath Jayasuriya, ahead of Yuvraj Singh, ahead of Paul Collingwood, ahead of Shahid Afridi.
Those are a lot of big names he's ahead of.
And he definitely deserves to be.
That's our Shak!
Mandira signs up
In front of the rows of shoes stands Mandira Bedi. If you look miles ahead, you’ll see Leela.
We exchange glances, not shoes, and she’s a redhead nowadays. Tom Robbins likes redheads, frankly, I don’t mind them either.
She’s not in spaghetti straps, and there’s no sign of Sony Max either. The word gets around: autograph hunters and tacky phone cameras appear. Even though it’s a shoe shop, she doesn’t look to shoo them away. Btw would you ask Mandira for an autograph?
If not, why not? The straps don’t count.
this is an indicative picture and not how Mandira appeared at the shoe shop. For one, she's wearing much less here, and no shoes. Is that why she was there?
main aur meri boriyat...
by straight point
kuch sust lamhon ke intazaar main
mein rahta hoon boriyat ki firaaq main…
viru ke attack aur dravid ke defense main
vipreet vicharon ke kshitiz ke ahsaas main
mein rahta hoon boriyat ki firaaq main…
one day cricket ki bheed se kahin door
ek test match shuroo hone ke intazaar main
mein rahta hoon boriyat ki firaaq main…
t20 ke junoon aur speed guns ke daur main
waqt thamm jaane jaise super slow-mo ke intazaar main
mein rahta hoon boriyat ki firaaq main…
awaaz sunne uss befikr bachpan ki
jisse chchodh ayaya hoon peeche roti ke jugaad main…
mein rahta hoon boriyat ki firaaq main…
kuch sust lamhon ke intazaar main…
mein rahta hoon boriyat ki firaaq main…
...
main aur meri boriyat aksar ek doosre ka intazaar kartay hain…
Happy Bored Day Omar Henry
When you make that test debut at 40, and play your last test 2 months later, you’re either Omar Henry or South African or both. Happy B’day O. Henry. Yours was one short story.
(Look left to visit Mr Henry's page today, for, like his int'l. career, the link will be gone tomorrow)
Papaya Cricket
If you look, you will find cricket everywhere. Even on a papaya.
Today morning’s purchase bore fruit. They don’t call it Disco Papaya for nothing. Took my newspaper-wrapped papaya and sat it on the kitchen counter. Then I saw Pradeep Magazine’s mug. It was an article I’d missed. Hand ironed the paper, realised, I’m reading Magazine in a newspaper.
It was a serious piece not like this one. Titled, ‘Patriot Games: A curious case of origin and adoption.’ Don’t know if it was the papaya, but I digested the piece rather well.
Tomorrow I eat the papaya, I wonder what cricket seeds will be sown in me.
by Naked Cricket
letting go one in hand...
for two in bush…that is…
so the prolific scorer in shikhar dhawan has been swapped with another ‘prolific’ bowler in nehra…for a player who is yet to prove his credentials at international level...
apparently after signing warner delhi dare devil's think tank has gone on leave, thinking this season's trophy is as good as theirs…or what else can explain this stupid move…
perhaps they should have listened to what this proven genius has to say about this un-proven kid...
Shane Warne
time will tell how successful warner will be under indian conditions…but for me, dare devils have already betrayed delhi's trust...as there is one old saying which goes like this…never let go your old relationships for forming new ones…
The Shoaib Akhtar Investment
What do you get once invested in Shoaib Akhtar?
Laughing Stock Options.
Bored Song
by sraguna
bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
This is my bored song to you.
The storm is coming soon,
it rolls in from the sea
My voice; a beacon in the night.
My words will be your light,
to carry you to me.
Is love for the game alive?
Is love alive?
Is love
They say that things just cannot grow
beneath the winter snow,
or so I have been told.
They say we’re buried far,
just like a distant star
I simply cannot hold.
Is love for the game alive?
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
This is my bored song.
December never felt so wrong,
cause your’e not where you belong;
inside my pages.
bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
I still believe in summer days.
The seasons always change
and life will find a way.
Ill be your harvester of light
and send it out tonight
so we can start again.
As sung an anthropomorphized BCC! (the entity) to the unwashed masses & with apologies to Ingrid Michaelson
Happy Bored Day Mr. Ganteaume.
If you play only one test, make sure you score a hundred. Here’s to you, Mr. G, Happy B’day! Have tons have fun.
(Look Left to visit Mr. G’s page today. Tomorrow it’ll be some other guy)
The travelling salesman team
Rings the doorbell and catches you napping twice in two days.
The game starts at 12.30 pm IST, cuts right through lunch, and then eats into dinner. That’s the least of it. Two ODIs in two days. (20th, 21st Jan, Karachi). If it weren’t for the BCCI’s leniency, may have been two ODIs in one day. One day game, one night game. Added up they would have made one Day Night Game. Here we are with two Day Night games, a two day break, and a Day game.
Then the Lankans travel back to host the Indians: 28th Jan – 10th Feb. 14 Days for 5 ODIs and a T20 game. That’s more like it. Two day breaks, and back to the grind.
Then the Lankans travel back to Pak for two tests. Which again are not played on the same days. Thank you BCCI. Cricket would be crazy without you.
PS: Why isn't India staying on for a Valentine's Day game?
one more dig at current selection...
by straight point
sorry...i couldn't resist myself...so i have to...
i know its for ODIs only but still...the problem with the selection for india's tour of srilanka is that it doesn't give right message to anyone...
whether to the players who are selected like praveen kumar...who can think that he can get away without performing at domestic level...if at all this is the criteria...
or to the players who are not selected like mishra...who will think that licking captain's ass...or to be in his 'in' group is far more qualification to get the nod than performance...
You may find yourself
You may find yourself in a strange room with a talking head on TV. You may find yourself in want of Ten Sports but the remote doesn’t yield. You may find yourself scheming with a waiter who conjures ten sports out of thin air. You may find yourself still 20 minutes from match time. You may find yourself asking him to block the channel till your return.
You may find yourself, 23 minutes later, in a strange room at the 5th ball of the first over that’s a no ball. You may find yourself ordering adarak ki chai. You may find yourself actually watching a Live International cricket match in Karachi. You may find yourself feeling good for a Paki blogger you know.
You may find yourself watching Sanath getting out to a no-ball in a sweet shop at half past noon on 20th Januray, 2009. You may find yourself watching Shoiab Akhtar bowl once more. You may find yourself at Bored Cricket Crazy Indians.
will india follow oz fate?
by straight point
carrying the debate forward from bored guest MTV's well written post, Hayden's exit makes oz like the rest of us (welcome on bored, sir!) and friend soulberry's comment there...
So, it is up to the rest of the world to make sure they keep their standards high and delay the settling in process for Australia for as long as possible.very thoughtful indeed SB!...
but much as it pleases me to see oz getting a taste of their own medicine in good and regular doses these days...it also worries me that we too are staring at a looming transition phase...thanks to bcci's muddled approach, and youngsters too, for not upping the heat with their sheer performances...
we are winning consistently, and that's also blurring the vision somewhat...
there is clear thought going into this which says that since we are winning so why should we change? to which i don't agree and i have my own reasons...
first, to bring in new players when we will be losing is what we are waiting for? don't you think this approach puts enormous pressure on team to keep the momentum going and also it doesn't give that new player some breathing space which any new comer needs? and if you are still not convinced, ask australia...they are feeling the heat, exactly for the same reasons...
i am of the firm belief that there is no better time to induct a fresh player when team is winning...he joins the happy and relaxed dressing room...gets his own time to be at peace with himself and team...while there's is no undue pressure on him straight away...like any player who walks into pitch after the fall of wicket...the batsman who is in takes the charge for a while...letting the new batsman ease into the situation at his own pace...
but do we still know (for sure) who we have earmarked for the replacements of our giants...? if we don't groom them now in this atmosphere when team is winning then when will we?
...and it's not the question of our pedigreed batsmen only...do we have enough (fit) bowlers in line-up say after zaheer? or if an injury forces ishant to step aside for a while...?
what measures are being taken for bringing bowlers like sree-santh back into the main stream...? where is dinda who was selected recently...where do munaf, balaji, rp and irfaan pathan stand in queue...?
dravid we all know is struggling for couple of seasons, if not more...and we have still some time left for nz series to begin...
why not 'rest' dravid for nz tour and give a chance to players like bardinath, pujara to be in team and see if they can be eased into the current setup...what was stopping us to rest some players from ODI team too for sri lankan tour to see how will they fare against the likes of M&M...?
but what do we get from our selectors...? while praveen gets in the team without any performance to back-up...players like mishra are shown the door coz they are not 'in' as far as captain choice of players concerned...
i know it's for odi's but the selection policy for tests as well as odi's should always fall in line with the vision we have for our team...
we are standing on threshold of a great opportunity...but one wrong move can derail the entire process...if the plan of phasing out seniors...the vision of making team india no.1 in all streams is not followed clearly, then i am afraid we too will go the oz way...and the pronouncement that we want to become the no.1 team will be as meaningless as a dead rubber match...when team plays for pride if nothing else...
remember what sehwag said recently...
it’s easier to get on top but staying on top is the tough part coz fierce winds blow on top...
An American twist
by Lalit
Twenty20 was born in English counties yet Indians made the pile. T20 caught eyeballs to match baseball. But does it match pitchers’ speed: for rapid relays and batters’ equally fiery responses? No.
Could bowlers and batsmen do it? Not with “speed” merchants’ long runs. Not with a minute or more of gap between two cricket overs. Not with ousted batsmen taking a minute and half to show up.
Not with money grabbing ads taking T20 to four hours. Half an hour more than planned mandate.
Could there be relay bowling from both ends by two different bowlers? If experimented, could you T20 in less than three hours? Could you as well give each side 25 overs to play in 180 minutes?
Could that be one more format? Since 50-50 cricket is a modification of the earlier 60-60 overs, could it not have been 45-45 when the overs were reduced to ensure that it conformed to the 90 overs rule for a day’s play, preferably in six hours, of Test cricket.
Now, there is talk of two innings each side of 25 overs. But since one-day cricket is not Test cricket, why can’t there be a change of rules to make it five balls per over instead of six balls. Sanctity for Test cricket, but the 50-50 game is reducible to 24 or 25 overs each side or even less for the team playing second.
Five balls an over could give a new life to the one-day game if the 50 overs format stays with each side playing 250 balls instead of 300 balls and time being reduced from eight hours or more to six hours or just a little more.
The same five balls per over could be applied to T20, if relay bowling is not just yet feasible.
That is a different ball game altogether. May be the Indian American promoters of cricket in the US of A would be the pioneers of all these tricks of the trade. To mint, if not print, money. But why are they waiting for ICC nod to do something by way of matches on their own. Let the International Cricket Council decide when the time is ripe.
But is that cricket? There lies the rub? Is T20 cricket anyway? Is 50-50 cricket as well? Is Test cricket the real and only thing?
Will Yankees lap it up? Will baseball face a threat? Or just one more set of games?
Hayden's exit makes oz like the rest of us
by Mohit Tubby Varma (MTV)
Besides the impressive statistics, Hayden was also part of a very potent Aussie test cricket demolition unit. This unit made up of Langer, Ponting, Gilchrist and Hayden himself lifted the Oz batting order a notch above the other sides. The four of them scored big and fast, effectively batting the opposition out of the match. Now with three of the fab four gone, Australia's ability to score fast in a test match - a major reason for their dominance over other sides - is dented. Ponting can still dominate the opposition bowling; but without the three gentleman mentioned above, no longer can Australia crush a bowling side like they used to.
Ricky Ponting is now captaining a side that in both the bowling and batting department is beginning to look a lot like the other sides in the world. In fact, India with Virender Sehwag and South Africa with Graeme Smith, now have the opening batsmen who can do to the Australian bowling, what Aussies batsmen at one time did to bowlers around the world - demolish, demolish, demolish.
In the bowling department as well, India, England and South Africa now have more well rounded bowling attacks, with options in both seam and spin. Australia no longer towers over all the sides in world cricket, because the players who made them tower above everybody else are not going to be replaced easily.
Through some aggressive captaincy, and great players, India and South Africa, successfully pulled themselves up to the bar that had been raised by the Aussies. Dhoni and Smith can relax now. Ponting's Aussies aren't raising the bar anymore. India and South Africa by chasing big totals successfully in the fourth innings are the teams that are now defining the way Test Cricket is played.
It's no wonder that Ponting is so sad about Hayden's retirement. In Hayden he lost a player who could not only win a game, but define the game as well. Goodbye Haydos, the game will miss you, and there's a void in Bhajji's life as well.
Old Ghosts
by Gautam Jetley
My interest in cricket starts and ends with Douglas Robert Jardine: the most effective captain the game has ever known.
I qualify to write about him because i have his biography, and the book written by him after the series. And i have his portrait hanging on a wall in my home.
My only connections with contemporary cricket are the screaming hoardings i see as i drive down the roads in Delhi. Some asses in gaudy bollywood gladiator outfits; some idiots selling hooch; and some dressed in clothes that make them look as if they jumped off the back-seat of a cycle.
What would DR, as he was known to his friends, make of all this? The Press, for one, would be put into a corner, and told to type silently: his disdain for the press was legendary; and seeing how the press and the game have evolved, his disdain was rock solid. “Practise is for the players, and not for the public, and i don’t wish to speak to the press about that”… as simple as that. Poor old Plum Warner! No point arguing with someone who knows what to do.
Going by the adverts, there could not be any team discipline in today’s rag-tag bunch of boys, all of whom think, by the looks of it, that a win could land them another advert, and snake them up the popularity ladder. “Plum, i’m not here to win friends,” DR said, “i’m here to win the Ashes”. The iron will and the iron hand: Pataudi senior was sacked, and he never played for England again. And remember, he used to call him Your Highness? A team does what the captain says, else… It is stupid even to expect any captain to be of the calibre of DR: the mould was broken after he was born.
And all that hoo-hah about the “sprit” of the game? “Life is a game”, the advert said, “make it large”. Sprit of the game, Ha! Even Cronje fell from the sky – quite literally too… crash! 6 bouncers an over are better than regular financial deliveries. The other side has to be sent in, by artistry, or by force… and this bunch of gladiators tweak at the prospect of force… “This Time its War” the advert whimpered. All the dirt in the game, and Bodyline was against the “sprit” of the game! Well, if you can’t bowl them out, catch them out… beautiful. And this was the result of one little jerk of hesitation by Bradman (why didn’t he get hit, i still rue). The entire episode is put rather nicely in a quatrain by DR himself:
Australia’s writers showed their claws,
Her brackers raged, her batsman shook,
Statesmen consulted- and the cause?
Our bowling was just too good to hook.
Then, in late 1933, the MCC went to the West Indies. They were just as furious then – the Windian fast bowlers; especially Constantine and Martindale. Their plan was Bodyline, and the only target was DR. His reply was his first test century. In that year Wisden wrote that he played this form of bowling “better than any other man in the world was capable of doing”. Paint cannot confound the artist.
Plum Warner, the manager of the Bodyline tour, years later summed DR up: this is what he had to say – “if ever there was a match between England and the rest of the World, and the fate of England depended on that match, I would pick Jardine as captain every time”. Plum was DR’s most contentious critic.
What about the Selectors…? DR turns around and asks: “what in the world is that?”
Ignorance is selection bliss
by Sam
He was in form
He hit 100s
He hit 300s
back to back
In ranji, u-19
everywhere, anywhere
but it wasnt enuf
it wasnt good
to get him in
we blogged
we scoffed
we yearned
we pissed
but petition fell on deaf ears
Pujari of runs failed
to get in to the team
to the useless ODI trip
to the land of M&M
to the land of Jaya & Sanga
Jade jaa jade jaaa
puja ra tu baahar baithe jaa
Dhoni tu chup baithe rahe jaa
Mere rabba kabhi to hum
bloggero ki pukar to sune jaaaa
PS: This is a musical tribute to selection of Ravinder Jadeja in the team and ignorance of Pujara series par series!!!
Be our guest, you bored so and so.
Be our Bored Guest. Write in your yawns to Bored Cricket Crazy Indians (BCC!) at bcciwrites@gmail.com
Could be anything and many things cricket - an essay on your first bat, a book on the last ball that got you by the balls, a few lines on India’s rise to the No.2 test team, a word or two on MS Dhoni’s captaincy, a Hayden joke, and ode to the 12th man, a song for Shakib, a sketch of Zimbabwean cricket, a portrait of Ranjit Singhjee, a Jardine autograph and other stuff that goes over the head, on the leg side.
You got it, we want it. Coz we’re bored, so fucking bored. Heard that song? It’s the Bored Anthem which is to be sung not standing up, but on your haunches, with the fear of God, like a virgin catcher in the rye at forward short leg.
Bored Cricket Bollywood style
Yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat
Mujhe Kha jaati hai
Main isse Kha jaoonga
Kuch aur bun jaoonga
Na pata, main laapata
Yeh boriyat se hata
Suraj dhalne laga
Day/Night match pe
Suraj dhalne laga
Sitaron pe
Suraj dhalne laga
Cricket ke akhare mein
Yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat
Khali hai din, khali hai parchaiyaan
Khali hai dil, khali meri tanhaiyaan
Na koi jeeta, na koi hara
Na tha tie, na match abandoned
Aaj toh koi, khela bhi nahin
Yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat
Zamindar ne nikaal liya
Cricket ke match se
Ticket thi badi mahengi
Na khareed paye
Mai aur meri bahengi
Yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat
Mujhe Kha jaati hai
Main isse Kha jaoonga
Kuch aur bun jaoonga
Ek Bored Cricket Crazy Indian
Na mangooga mafi
Na hoonga bewafa
Khush, bas apne mein
Main raha
Ek, jinme honge anek
Bored Cricket Crazy Indians
Boloh! Bored (Bored!) Cricket Crazy Indians
Yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat, yeh boriyat
No canned laughter
Usually, I don’t do conferences, they do me. But when it’s Sehwag, know I’m due.
Sehwag at Shangri-La, another award show, cricinfo this time.
So, what does Viru say? Not much, but worth a listen.
On when he didn’t make the England tour his wife told him while watching a game, "we could have been watching in London, but we’re watching in Nasafgarh." Straight faced.
No canned laughter.
On 3 bowlers that trouble him, named only two. McGrath and Murali - how he didn’t read Murali’s Doosra.
But yet he scored through covers when Murali had a 6 man on-side field. ‘thought he was bowling the doosra when was bowling an offspinner’. Straight faced.
No canned laughter.
On preparation: When Kirsten bowled on to his legs, asked him to ‘hit me (with the ball)’ and he was ‘playing shot’
On family life: son plays with two bats, takes one bat from his cousin sis, and Sehwag bowls to the two batted kid. Straight faced
No canned laughter.
Sehwag’s awards: test batting performance of the year 201* v Lanka, 2nd test, Galle. Batting pair of the year (tests) Sehwag+Gambhir, Most % runs in boundaries (tests+ODI), Highest strike rate (tests+ODI), Funny guy.
For Bored Member Som’s take.
No canned laughter. Genuine
Believe in the Shakibbing
Bored Member Q is a believer. He believed in a man from a minnow nation.
After yesterday, even Shakib’s parents believe in him. Before that they wanted him to be a doctor, engineer or cross over to India. Even act in a crossover film. Anything but cricket Shakibu, they would say.
Now they watch him play. As will you.
That is if they telecast Bangladesh matches where you live.
Maybe you travel past the Urals and the Hindukush for a glimpse of Shakib.
At Bored Cricket Crazy Indians the banter on Shakib started long before his Mamas and the Papas played to his tune.
Be a believer. Donate some time for a player from a minnow nation.
Watch cricket grow. Watch yourself glow.
Sachin's out. But guess who's in?
After Sachin's first inning's duck vs. U.P., he's now gone for four.
Yet all is not lost. Bored Cricket Crazy Indians (BCC!) has found its way home.
We called out, 'Com back home!'. And it returned as www.boredcricketcrazyindians.com
Quite a mouthfull, eh? Luckily you don't have to put it in your mouth.
But on your screens. Would help if Bored Cricket Crazy Indians (BCC!) is added as a Favourite, on your Blogroll or as a tattoo.
You'll be wondering why we didn't register BCCI.tv, bcci.com, bcc.net or bcci.in
So are we.
But here at Bored Cricket Crazy Indians we say, 'no short cuts'.
If anything, we like to 'take the long way home'.
Like some Supertramp. Which incidentally is the band that sung that song.
Welcome back friend.
BAW Mendis! HAW Mendis!
Mendis, like most good Lankans has many first names.
They’re then stitched together. And form a rather formidable list of initials.
Mendis’ is BAW. BAW Mendis.
The batsmen say HAW Mendis!
Any ODI vs. Lanka has twin interests: Is Sanath back? Where’s Mendis?
Mendis bowled as late as the 19th over. What next, after the teen overs.
His second ball did Matsikenyeri in.
His second wicket took him to 50. With his third, his ODI stats are:
Matches 19 - Wickets 51 – Average 9.82
A tiny tune for Mendis:
BAW Mendis! HAW Mendis!
I’m not gonna play Mendis!
With time, this tune will grow. As will the legend.
Does Warner warrant a song?
Does Warner warrant a song?
Does Warner warrant a song?
It’s only t20 and y’know how that can pan out
Before a blink how you can wham out
You may not end up as one George Michael
But long forgotten, like some Andrew Ridgeley
Y’know the Delhi Daredevils
Blessed this babe with a lump-sum contract
That same IPL blamed for the player’s predicament
Now appears no less than a heavensent
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
But does Warner warrant a song?
Does Warner warrant a song?
He may not wear an MCC blazer
But how he blazed in the MCG, a pleasure!
If that ground ain’t big
Then the Kotla ain’t small
Sehwag, Gambhir, ‘n’ even Dilshan unfreezed
Seize the moment, seize the day
The sun is shining, you’re about to make hay
Hell, with the Daredevils you’re about to play
Warner warrants a song!
Warner warrants a song!
Subcontinental Headlines No More
By Q
Despite the English and the Australians holding the claim for bringing the game to the globe, the subcontinent seemed to make the game their own.
The exciting occurrences of a new young player making the headlines, a thrilling run chase with last ball wins, all bowled hatricks, reverse swinging demolitions of oppositions to snatch victories from impossible positions were always associated with the Pakistans and Indias of the world.
All this while the English and the Australians went about their business with expected calm and composure.
The Australians winning everything in clinical fashion and the English losing everything.
With the pulsating positives came the dark negatives as well.
Revolts against the captain, dressing room rifts among team mates, player-management arguements, factions within the team, fixing matches, relationship with bookies, ball tampering, visits to the match referee, fines, bans, you name it and the subcontinental players were in the limelight for everything wrong.
As much as they were for 16 year old debuts, 10 wicket hauls on debuts, youngest to score centuries, fastest 50s and 100s, first to 10,000 test runs, most 6s, first to 500 ODI wickets, and a whole lot more.
Then something changed.
Indians, Lankans, Pakistanis went into the background and the non-Asians, for lack of a better word, started to emerge.
Emerge with a bang to put it aptly.
The calendar changed from 2008 to 2009 and within 11 days the headlines seemed like lightning bolts.
A captain asked for the removal of the coach, while the coach remained quiet.
An emergency board meeting later the captain and coach were both gone, apparently resigned, and a new captain was put in charge.
News of rifts, factions, dressing room arguements surfaced.
The outgoing captain finally spoke and said that he was forced to leave, unlike we were told initially by the board.
All this and it did not involve a team from the subcontinent. In fact, the entire drama unfolded faster and with more twists and turns than any subcontinental drama in the past.
Elsewhere, another cricketer was forced to miss a match because he had one too many the night before, and was "inadequately prepared".
Night out partying and that too not for the first time and facing disciplinary measures sounds like a cricketer from the subcontinent outskirts suddenly exposed to the big bad world of international cricket.
Not quite right, as yet again the headlines were splashed by a non-Indian, non-Pakistani, non-Lankan cricketer.
His replacement for the match was a young 22 year old whom not many had heard of.
Had you? I hadn't.
He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and turned out to open in place of his drunk-and-dumped mate and smashed a debut ton.
It wasn't long ago when young players from India and Pakistan, whom not many had heard of, were being thrust on to the big stage.
Yet again, not this time.
This one wasn't even the most scintillating debut of the year, which is a mere 11 days old.
Nearby, another 22 year old was elevated to the international stage against arguably the best pace attack in the world today.
Awesome would be an understatement for what the young kid produced.
Here was another young cricketer, whom not many had heard of. Whats more is that he became the first ever cricketer in the country's century a bit old cricket history to play an international match without ever having played a first class game.
There was a time when such things were the order of the day for India and Pakistan. In their history, there have been numerous instances of boys spotted in the streets and thrust into international action with no first class experience whatsoever.
This time this headline belonged to no one from the Subcontinent.
It has taken the non-Asians 11 days this year to turn the tables and deliver headlines of the subcontinental nature.
Is the world a changed place? Are the Australians and the English and the Kiwis taking over? I haven't even mentioned the South Africans whose captain walked out at the fall of the 9th wicket to try and save the match with literally one hand!
If the first few days of 2009 are anything to go by, the year ahead will see a lot more drama, both on and off the field, and for a change it will not involve anyone from the Subcontinent.
That drum roll of a ball
I shut my eyes.
Standing behind the leg umpire, who, in turn, stands by the batsman, this is my way to connect with their cricket.
But it doesn’t work that way. Just like they can’t open their eyes and connect with our cricket.
But in the hour that followed it wasn’t their cricket or our cricket, it was everybody’s cricket.
And no matter how much you meddle with it, twist and turn it, somehow cricket comes through.
So my eyes are shut. And I’m trying to think, and feel like them. Lasts no longer than a few seconds. I wanted to know what that drum roll of a ball feels like. What it feels like standing in a Zen like sweep stance, ready to sweep.
Snap out of it. Think he might sweep my head off. On a cricket field my instincts of self preservation invariably take over.
14 kids in three slots: B1, B2, B3, based on how much or how little they can see. Some kids can’t see at all, they’re blindfolded, looks like they’re some cool Kung-fu warriors, set to take on a more evolved Chinese version of Cricket-Fu-Man-Chu!They’re all in nifty tracks. And the song’s playing ‘from Chandichowk to China’.
Before the game begins, I take the field in –it’s bigger than the Kotla, but then most grounds are. Kids warm up, fielding gigs, throwing the drum roll ball and throwing themselves at it. Trust the bounce, trust the field, go-for-the-ball, flat out in every way. Watch these kids flinging themselves at the ball, looks like some Jonty drill.
Coach doubles up as umpire. He’s a chatty fellah so we chat. Rules: bowl underarm with the ball bouncing before the halfway line. Savvy field distribution: where does a B1 go – short midwicket, short cover etc. B2s further out. B3s in place. The kids who can see some keep wickets, do the running.
Let’s Rock ‘n’ Roll: 10 overs, 15 overs, whatever we can get in. This is the IIT Delhi cricket ground, Dean, students, the future of India is in.
I’m the lone wolf with a camera. And I’m at short cover, soon short mid off. Looks like KP is setting me up.
First ball: bowler holds on to the stumps, finds his footing, right (under) arm over the wicket. And announces: BATSMAN READY!
That was said again and again and again. BATSMAN READY!
That’s cricket for you: one kid telling another to get ready. And sometimes even the batsman used to echo his words: BATSMAN READY!
As there were 14 kids, no teams, just a fluid system where one B1 replaces another, B2 for a B2, and so on - everybody bats, bowls, fields. Just like good old numbering.
My chat with Coach-umpire sneaks me into their system, the coaching, the zones, even the World Cup. But I just can’t take my eyes off the game. Recall this much- it’s a plastic ball with metal shavings in it. I’m a metal head now.
Not since Gooch vs. India have I seen so much sweeping. Not since Sachin have I seen anybody sweep so fine. And though no reverses one kid did tonk it in my direction. Naturally I ran.
By now the press was in on it. The mobile press box was everywhere – mid off, leg slip. I was at the leg umpire’s where a batsman would cool his heels, often with this college kid holding him in place, like an old buddy, arm around. (Clicked that). Btw the runner or non-running batsman was always behind the line. The rules were worked out. This wasn’t faux cricket. It was the real deal.
While No.3 Govind was Gooching away, I checked with the scorekeeper – 4,1,3,4,2…hell, he was on 49. And then Govind tried to smash one towards Mech. Drawing but got Civil Engineered. He was castled.
Scoreman and I felt his pain. The coach didn’t. He clapped. Twisted guy claimed it was good to get out on 49. Not one for the milestones. Wonder what he thinks of stones? Was he inspired by Sachin’s comment?
Next a tailender. By the time the ball got to him, he would sweep once, twice, at times even thrice. Coach piped in with a kind word. Followed by the fielders, the bowler and even me –that worked as he swept square for one. Applause! Next over Walsh was out.
As he walks past me to mid wicket, I rave about his shot. He mock leaps in the air, ‘Just like Sachin’
Next ball he saves a full blooded shot throwing himself at the ground – don’t know whether it was his stomach, chest or face but he had every inch of him behind that drum roll of a ball.
"Batsman Ready?!"
That drum roll of a ball
Down to thirdman for a single
Batsman Ready.
Hot selling wickets - 'HIT' WICKET!
A good ol' fashioned Indian 5th Day pitch
Dream & Nightmare XIs.
Bangladesh have been bad boys. They need to be spanked. Which they were, by Zimbabwe.
No, the Flowers haven't returned. Neither has Olonga. Nor Goodwin or Houghton or any of those guys who made your dream Zim XI. Now, out with it, you closet dreamer: what’s your Dream Zim XI? Don’t be shy just let your feelings roll on by…Is Traicos in? Johnson? And don’t say only Andy Flower, KP won’t like that.
Back to Bangladesh. They had their backs to all the walls in Mirpur. Zim 205, Shakib scalps 3 for 22. And what do Bangla do – they bungle it. Not Shakib though, he scorches 52 of 66.
Bangla 167/10. Time to rattle off your Nightmare Bangla XI, boys. How many for Ashraful as skipper, raise your typing finger.
KP’s swan cum eagle song
You play well against yourself
You play well against your Pa
You play well against South Africa
You play well against Britannia
You play well against Mama Mia!
You’re from Africa
But they don’t want you
Who the hell are you?
An Englishman or a Jew?
Get out, or we’ll sue! Sue, sue, sue
You get out, out, out!
You get a break
For heaven’s sake
You become big, you rake
You become captain
You become a pain
You gain, you feign
You lose your mind, become insane
Want more, you want more
Want Moores out, want Moores out
You have your way, have your shout
Get ready for one last rout
Drink your ale, drink your stout
Must’ve been drunk
You’ll soon be shrunk
From Big Pom Pietersen
To li’l kid Kevin
Nearly dead, closer to heaven
That’s what they’re saying
That’s what they’re praying
To hell with them
To hell with them
There ain’t no rhyme
There ain’t no reason
You’re a lad
For every commercial season.
no moores 'at the end of day'...
as they say
every exit is an entrance for someone else....
so here comes strauss and there goes KP and with him 'at the end of day'...
when oxford announced 'at the end of day' as the most irritating phrase...KP's days at the helm were numbered anyway... 1) we all know how blindly poms follow oxford... 2) coz of his fondness for this phrase which is well document here @ BCC!...
Not a very long engagement
This is strange. You can be peering into Hayden’s past, yet it’ll be ‘Farewell Kumble, farewell Ganguly that stares back at you. That’s cricinfo for timing. Whole lotta screensavers but no careersavers are they?
Hayden’s 37+, but in international cricket years he's like an Indian cricketer in his prime.
Never mind that debut in ‘94, he only became a problem for bowlers in Y2K.
And now it’s barely 09, and he’s gotta go. Btw how many test years for Gilchrist – approx 8, sir.
And how many will Mr Cricket Hussey play – not exactly Hayden’s age yet, but at 33 his form is almost Matty. Hussey’s been in 3 years, and he’s no Ponting or Clarke or star player, else he would’ve been in ten years back. And when he skippered he also got rogered. That too by the Kiwis. Giving the Aussies the heebie-jeebies.
Time for Oz to look for more pups, with more bark, more bite. And not players who go soft after just 8-9 years in the biz. At least aspire to double digit years, if not twenty.
Or does it happen only in India?
why KP & Moores quit...
kp: yaar england main mere siva 'coach' achcha nahi hai...so i quit...
moores: jo aadmi hamesha 'PK' ulta rehta hai...vo captaani kya karega...isska 'coach' nahi ho sakta...so i quit...
before that...ecb in their last-ditch effort to save embarrassment...made KP drink gallons of pepsi...but still failed to make him say 'yeh dil maange moores'...
according to BCC! sources...that's when the fate of the duo was sealed...
For Sydney
Even though both Smith and I didn’t see Sydney through, we’d already had closure.
I had to leave Sydney four overs before close. Smith spared less.
Not that it mattered.
When Steyn fell, and Smith walked in, Sydney, at least for me, was purged of its previous misdemeanours.
Some of its cricketing soul had returned.
Walking down the ramp, in company, never before had Smith seemed so aloof, apart, awesome. Almost a higher being, from another era. Bradmanesque.
We knew the injuries, we couldn’t see them. That added to the aura.
The Aurora Borealis of cricket.
Thank you, Graeme. Shine on.
we haven't been that bad...
said pricky after winning the sydney test...
bingo pricky!
you have not been that bad...
earlier you used to lose dead rubbers out of boredom...
now you win a dead rubber and get thrilled...
hmm...not bad...
1 test, 4 stumpings, 0 catches, 0 runs
Happy Bored Day Rajindernath. We remember you today. Caught unawares? That’s your first test catch then.
(look left for Rajindernath's page today, tomorrow, it'll be somebody elses)
the moment which defines man...
the moment which defines team...the moment which defines test cricket...
| What a moment ...Smith walks out to fight for his team ...broken hand and all ..the SCG rises to applaud | |
| 107.4 | McDonald to Steyn, OUT, pitches in line and slides on to hit him right in front of leg stump, Bowden has no doubts and Australia celebrate, MacDonald has made up for the drop |
| DW Steyn lbw b McDonald 28 (65b 2x4 0x6) SR: 43.07 | |
smith you beauty...you have made sure that this is one of those memories which won't fade away even from my 'flash' memory...
take a bow!
update: photo uploaded
Ponting brave?
By Q
Australia are on the verge of a rare test victory here.
Rare did I say?
That's rare!
South Africa were set a target of 376 in about 5 sessions.
Brave that of Ponting after the Aussies were creamed for 414 just about a fortnight ago.
But then...
Would Ponting have been so brave had South Africa been 11 men standing and Smith was there to kick off the chase?
Yeah, I thought so.
Dilshan’s triple
Sure Dilshan’s been scoring runs, tons, but a triple? Sure the top order was in exile, but a triple?
Turns out it was Dilshan’s three wickets cricinfo reported. You will never see that ‘triple’ headline on cricinfo. At best it would’ve lasted a few minutes. By the time you was refreshed it was four wickets.
Dilshan scalped four, and Bangladesh looked like skinheads.
Earlier in the piece, the Delhi Daredevils good fortune shone on Dilshan – he scored more runs in this test (162 & 143*) than he has in many lifetimes.
Btw Dilshan scores plenty vs. Zim and Bangladesh. You’d think he was the land of milk and honey.
There was a time I would confuse Dilshan for Arnold. That problem was solved. Arnold ran away to the ICL.
Earlier for the Daredevils, Dilshan threatened to get away too. Didn’t score many, but he’s a good fielder. Is that why the Devils bought him – or is there a clandestine game with the Dacca Warriors?
Dilshan was named after one of his longer innings, possibly vs. Bangla - Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan.
What’s your take - Does Dilshan give it all he got?
The legend of Cheeka: An urban legend?
It was the good old days in the late 80's from my memory. Srikanth was dropped from the national team for a while. He was the butt of all the cricketing jokes in every way gleefully disrespectful from the fans whatsoever. Common lore usually was based on how he is a nothing cricketer who only wildly swings his bat in a vain hope of connecting. Yes, even Srikanth went through a lot of flak from the selectors to the fans when his form deserted him... perhaps on many counts rather unfairly.
With this as the background, the Don Bosco school in Chennai had invited him to be the chief guest for their sports day event. Don Bosco at that time had two promising players in the name of Tanvir Jabber and an another bowler, whose name I cannot recall. Both these guys were already big names in the national junior circuit and their very names was enough to make school kids in the zonal inter-school competition go in a state of panic and outright fear.
So when the event happened, the script was to him coming in as a chief guest and play a couple of deliveries to kick off the school cricket competition. Sure enough, after the standard formalities, Srikanth went to the field to face a few token deliveries to get the crowd going.
First ball: The great fast bowler of the school took a shortened run-up, made a few smart stereotyped laughable quirks to the fielders nearby and bowled the first ball rather casually. Cheeka didn't move his feet, hit it not very cleanly but the ball sailed over the boundary for a six with such ease.
The crowd went berserk.
Second ball: Furious, the bowler went back muttering angrily... Took an extended run-up, more than what he usually does and charged in with all his might. The students held their breath back because that bowler was indeed quick. The bowler let loose a fast and short riser... Cheeka simply danced down the track and hit the bouncer on the up right out of the school compound all the way into the Don Bosco junior school compound across the opposite side of the road! One of the biggest sixes ever seen.
Crowd went ballistic... He smiled and left.
It was the much needed humble lesson every one learned. For the fact, that if someone made it to the national team amidst all common odds, there is a significant untold brilliance, which no common fan can ever know.
While this could well be an urban legend, since your truly was not there to witness this but took a stupid decision to watch a western flick instead on the sly without my parents knowledge and add to that the fact that I was a football buff back then, this incident is still being sung as far as a few days back as this huge urban legend on Srikanth, told over generations from the ones who watched it unfold on that day.
To me, I take it as on that day, there were many who learned a much needed lesson in life, including me.
Hilditch's dog gets media's goat!
By Som
Australia has clearly gone to dogs. Doubting Thomas, sample this.
Chief Oz selector Andrew Hilditch was photographed walking his dog, daughter and wife at an Adelaide beach on Saturday when Matthew Hayden was batting for his career in Sydney.
All hell broke loose and now the Oz media is up-in-arms. What on earth prompted Hilditch to walk his dog in Adelaide at a time when he should have been watching Hayden, on TV at least, given the opener's future would be his biggest call of the season?
"We all love our pets, but jeepers . . . couldn't the dog have been walked in the lunch break? " cried 'Herald Sun'.
I guess all they meant was pet dog can wait, all Hilditch needed was to sit glued to the TV and see if there is life in the old dog in Sydney yet.
Chief Oz selector Andrew Hilditch was photographed walking his dog, daughter and wife at an Adelaide beach on Saturday when Matthew Hayden was batting for his career in Sydney.
All hell broke loose and now the Oz media is up-in-arms. What on earth prompted Hilditch to walk his dog in Adelaide at a time when he should have been watching Hayden, on TV at least, given the opener's future would be his biggest call of the season?
"We all love our pets, but jeepers . . . couldn't the dog have been walked in the lunch break? " cried 'Herald Sun'.
I guess all they meant was pet dog can wait, all Hilditch needed was to sit glued to the TV and see if there is life in the old dog in Sydney yet.
The Bench warmers X1
By scorpicity
This is a long hop and for the Test x1... There are obviously many missed off my memory and hence it is not a well thought-out comprehensive line-up but one born out of waiting endlessly in an airport lobby.
The Batsmen:
Shaun Marsh
Arguably the best of the lads being churned out of the Australian domestic system. Chances of him playing for Australia are when the legendary batsmen in the current line-up develop acute chronic hernia.
Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah
England could easily feature an alternative 11 that will beat their national team 50-0 in any format of the game... that includes playing immediately after a bypass surgery. Victims of the sub-organization that unofficially run the ECB called “Stick-up-to-the-Bum-pals Inc.”
Yuvraj Singh – captain of the bench warming x1
Do we need to say more.
Boeta Dippenaar and Mohammed Kaif
Both remain an eternal mystery on all fronts... One, being, are they actually good enough at this level. Two, where they unlucky to be born at the wrong time and place. One can never know. The only positive is that both are incredibly boring when they bat, which is really cool for us and all the pensioners in the world.
Mark Ramprakash
100 first class centuries, a county cricket legend and a role model among the kids taking up the sport in England... A living testimonial of how overrated English county cricket is.
Russell Arnold
The fall guy, who averages over 40 and has rescued Sri Lanka countless number of times and yet invariably found himself on the benches. Had no choice but to buckle down to a fat lump of solidified flour through much of his career, usually as the by-runner.
The bowlers:
Andre Nel – Spearhead
The chances of this fiery bowler playing for South Africa again under the quota system would be when few of his white team-mates contract hepatitis-C.
Charles Langeveldt
Did a first among the benchwarmers and went straight into the hall of fame. An opportunity to play under the quota system arose for him and he chose to go into voluntary bench warming exile. The last news heard was him calling up Nel on the phone and singing the Def Leppard classic “I'll be two steps behind”.
Nathan Bracken
Australia's best fast bowler in all the shorter versions of the game. Somehow doesn't find favor for the longer version. Maybe it is those ugly hair bands that don't look cool in whites. Pray, cricket Australia did a smart move in not introducing two bowlers like Clarke and Bracken in the same match. Imagine the agonizing hara-kiri fans in the stadium will be committing watching these two boring bowlers in action.
Sajid Mahmood
Right arm fast and wayward. The twin brother of Ashish Nehra, separated at birth.... It is unmistakable... that nose.... All Nehra's have that nose. With the “Stick-up-to-the-Bum-pals Inc.”in full operation, he has no chance other than being the water boy. Not very sad but true.
Stuart Macgill
For over a decade, he was Shane Warne's groupie and trusted sidekick. When he did get promoted, it was too late... he had contracted hip dysplasia along with Shane Warne's Labrador. A really sad but true story here.
Murali Karthik
One like Russell Arnold... An Indian parallel. His best hope is if Middlesex and England adopts him.
Now that we are through with the players, we ought to go for the bench warming coaches. Hey! I know all coaches in the world do nothing but warm the benches. But these are special.
Dave Whatmore
Perhaps the only coach in world cricket today, who has incredible turnaround results in his kitty... Yet, he has no respect or stature as they say due to either what he was as a player or possibly what he showed to his team mates in the changing room. A really really sad but true case.
“Guru” Greg Chappell
Of course, none will associate Greg as a bench warmer... no way. But I say, he will soon be for the future. I doubt after his stint with the Indian team and especially his 'yet-another-failed-vision plan' for Australia in that Indian series, it will be a brave or homosexually desperate board that will employ him in the future.
Sadly, even among my bench warmers X1, there are 14 listed candidates, which means even among the bench warmers, there are candidates likely to be a bench warmer's bench warmer. That takes the cake and the baking soda.
Now who will be so cruel to do that. Not me!
Mendis must wait, Murali must write.
Brought on in the 10th over, it wasn’t before the 12th that Mendis could bring it on.
11.6 Mendis to Raqibul Hasan, OUT, Mendis strikes in his second over, he gives it a bit of air and cuts back on the pace, it's the straighter ball, he lunges forward to defend and is hit low on the pad and in line with the stumps, umpire Llong raises the finger immediately
Poses a serious question: why must Mendis wait? Even against the Indians, M had to bide his time in adhoc army training before Sehwag could execute himself. That was the 9th over. A little morsel of joy however, Mendis bowled before Murali who was writing the 731st page of his autobiography at that time. Each page deals with a wicket. He will bowl 35 pages later.
test matches in india...
sydney cricket groundapart from seeing oz getting the taste of defeat match after match what else pleases me is the oz fans turn out at ground...even now when they are losing badly and have already lost the series...the last count was around 35000 spectators today!
this is just simply amazing...that too for a dead rubber match...
cut to india...and in not so recent past certain sachin tendulkar had to wave his bat to embarrassingly empty stands after crossing highest runs in test cricket...
when that was the last appearance of another bright son of india, ganguly, at that ground...who was playing magnificently...
...and when india was winning...
it sucks mann...it really sucks...
more so when they say cricket is like religion here...
though the reality is that its one day cricket which is religion in india....everything else just pales...be it the mother of series india-pak, the father of series india-oz...and even the prospect of india beating oz hands down is not enough for us to rush to stadiums...
did somebody say domestic cricket?
now what's that...you must be joking...nah dreaming...nah...whatever...
it's not that we don't follow test matches...we do...but at the same time we are somehow allergic to the thought of going to stadium for test matches...
before you jump on me sighting reasons like stadium apathy...bcci's complete negligence towards average cricket fan...etc etc...
you must have missed the test match at chennai between india and england...not only the match was great...but so was the atmosphere despite almost same (non)facilities prevailing over there...
no wonder cricket god upstairs blesses them with one great match after another...
that tie match...that india-pak match when tendulkar almost single handily won the match for us...who can forget the standing ovation pakistan received after winning that match...
...and now this biggest run chase on indian soil...to give you few examples...
we know correcting things like better facilities in and out of stadiums...more awareness towards common cricket fan's problems...ticketing issue etc will take some time to resolve...if bcci is willing that is...
so why not start with simpler solution?
some ground or places have cricket cultures...some have not...as simple as that...
like chennai...like mumbai...like kolkotta...or to some lesser extent bangalore or delhi...
why not make them permanent fixtures for every test series...?
if its a three match series than let it always be at chennai...mumbai....kolkotta...
and if its more than three match series then they can arrange rest match(es) on rotation policy to other places to see if there is an improvement in turn out in those stadiums?
or let them have rotation policy for stadiums only for odi series...to appease local cricket associations and their so called voting powers...
what do you think...? tell me...
Bangladesh wins.
Not a test but a session – the 1st one, 2nd test.
Earlier Mortaza mocked only Indians. Now he’s knocked two Lankans at a Balajiesque economy. Also in the same game, the Shakibbing continues – he knocked Jayawardene Sr for 11 in his 100th test. Elsewhere an English umpire hopped in his sleep.
The score midway through the 24th over: 55/3.This is Sri Lanka sans Sanath. But that Mendis fellow is back. A word of advice for the Banglas: don’t turn your back on him. He may not turn it much, but he does something anyway. 65/3, 27 overs. What’s for lunch?
C’mon!
by Naked Cricket
Millionaires lose the last test in a dead rubber.
Once upon a time, Australia liked to lose the last one.
Before that though they would beat you into the ground, turn up from the other side, and beat you out of the ground and so on.
Then, they would rest. And lose the last test. Murali Kartik would turn up. Clean them up in Mumbai.
Right now the Aussies look like they’ll lose to Middlesex. Murali would turn up.
And lose to the Railways. And Murali would turn up.
And lose to the Kolkata Knight Riders. And Murali would turn up. Worse, so would smug faced Saurav. A little late, but he would turn up.
So what’s losing a dead rubber to South Africa?
Just sing the Dead Rubber Blues.
Not that simple. This one at Sydney has more at stake than Perth and Melbourne.
It’s No. 1 at stake. That or burn at the stake.
More than word play. More about play.
Aussie hasn’t made the play all summer. It’s déjà vu all over again – India.
None of those beat you into the ground gambles. They just beat Symo into the ground, that’s all.
Ironical, a punter for a captain, yet such safe play.
If ever there was a time to send test cricket for another toss, it’s now.
The injuries are a heavensent. Time to rebuild, and give cricket its due.
C’mon Aussie C’mon!
Has it been that long already?
The ICC has been around. When they aren’t going round in circles, they’re adding the years.
2009 is 100 years. In ICC lingo this is the centenary year.
It’s been quiet after the random world teams were dished out, so the ICC cooked up another gourmet list.
They call it the ‘Hall of Fame’. But you will make it the ‘Hall of Blame’.
Only 3 Indians, 3 Pakis, 2 SAFs, 1 Kiwi, no Lankans, no Banglas, and no flying Dutchmen either.
There are 55 players. Had there been 555, you could have smoked ‘em.
Indians: Bish Bedi, Sunny Gavaskar, Kapil Dev.
Pakis: Hanif Mohammed, Imran Khan, Miandad
SAF: Barry Richards, Graeme Pollock
Kiwi: Hadlee
There are 22 Poms, 13 West Indians, 11 Aussies.
Catch the Spirit or lack of here.
By Naked Cricket
Bored Links 2008-09
blame bcci...
so oz has officially, finally and completely lost it...
the aura i mean...
but more than them losing so called aura, coz every champion loses it in the end, i am surprised at how CA the synonym of professionalism...the best system in place...could not see it coming...
it's all too easy when things are going perfect... even our bored peon can give lectures on management...systematic approach... professionalism...etc...
we tried to uncover this mystery and come up with a theory that it's BCCI they should blame for this grave oversight...
we all know that oz is playing india almost twice a year and hence CA is interacting more with BCCI...we are sure that's where they caught this bug...and now CA is looking like doing all the things BCCI is famous for...world over...
not that we are complaining...in fact it's the 'champagne' moment for world cricket for they are really feeling the pain which they were inflicting on others for years...
cheers!
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