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Bygone days. Radio days of yore. Of “running commentary”: No TV cricket visuals with live signage. But the running commentary was lively indeed. By big names or cricket stalwarts. For India, it was Vizzy or the Maharaja of Vizianagram: full of fun with barbs at youngsters of his days, but also with fulsome praise when called for. Yet he spoke sense. He could share the mike and take a break.
But not so Devraj Puri. A fussilade of words and a loner of sorts because he couldn’t share the mike or the time. One-man show. Breakneck speed and ball by ball account, no asides like Vizzy’s. Recall yes, comparisons galore but only when someone was out. Good voice, good info. Devraj’s son, Narottam, was also into cricket, but a doctor and a medicine man of sports. Almost like his Dad, but a lot slower. Not a speed merchant, a word reserved for the real fast bowlers in the old days.
by Lalit
blogs at cnunc
Good old Vizzy.
Thank You Sachin but...
Earlier in January, Bored Guest Lalit observed:
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.
A few days back Bored Member SP wrote:
i think it can work if we use first innings 25 over mark of both teams as forced declaration point...
so if teamA scores say 180/5 in first 25 overs... the innings should be called off automatically and the opposition teamB steps in and if say they score160/4 after their first innings of 25 overs the teamA should resume their innings from 180/5 score onwards...
Clearly, before the ICC plays cricket, they need to play catch up. What emerges one day as the truth according to Sachin, has been doing the rounds for yonks. When did the 25 over idea strike you, ten years back in the park? Out with it. Btw Thank You Sachin.
Bat and ball
Who is on top—bat or ball? In IPL 2, only one score above 200 so far. But a number of bowlers with a haul of 10 or more wickets. Indian pitches in ipl one, were they made for a run feast? Not so in South Africa.
by Lalit
Jutts connect. Only too well
1) Jatman 2) Sangwan (the dilli or Haryana jaat) 3) The Punjabi Jutt (just married). All three with some panache. Erratic? At times. But who's not?
by Lalit
Come together right now!
World cricketing greats could play five T20s. No IPL-ICL hassles. Just the likes of Sunny, Kapil, Nasser, Waugh, Bishen and the works - divided into teams of 15 or 20 each side, just for plain good bat and bowl. All of them needn't field more than 10 overs per head, using the extra guys to do the other 10 overs.
by Lalit
Deadly Cocktail? Squashed! Defused?
Thoughts. Were coursing through mind. Why not extend Kiwi tour and set up and set off IPL there?
Anyway, India polls and IPL might have been a bad cocktail, Molotov cocktail perhaps. Deadly combo.
Move it to Kangaroo land after a few games. Move it further and nearer home to Hong Kong. Get on top of time and jet lag. Not Macau, the Las Vegas style playground. HK may have rectangular grounds, not round ones or oval shaped, but Macau has casinos, but no cricket, perhaps no baseball, but pinballs.
So, South Africa. Good choice, hopefully. Land of Sun City and lions. A pride of them not far from J’burg at a white farmer’s big outdoors. The guy mollycoddles the kings of jungle. Good sight, if cricket watchers are given Entry. Some hope.
But land of Freddie and Kevin—for some games—might be equally interesting. Vizzy Mallya would be pleased as punch. Good pitch for Kingfisher beer.
After May 16 when chickens have been counted, would home turf be game? Dharamsala in cool mountains. Or Chail, at 8,000 ft above sea level, with the world’s highest ground, with trees around the boundary and machans in some of them for ex-royals, expelled by Viceroys of old for Scandal on the Shimla Ridge. Machans for Patiala pegs and frolicsome kings.
by Lalit
Cool Dude
Dhoni. Not with flowing locks any more. But locks or no locks, luck and lust to win: both intact. A cool dude, eh. No bragging. No jumping the gun. One win. But more needed. Not yet in the kitty. Hard work ahead.
England has had a secret weapon: rain. Kiwis have strong winds. Winds which demolished India’s T20 games, both of them. With one 50-50 defeat, Kiwis could say it is 3 all, but they know it’s not fair and square.
Back to gusts of wind: Did India manage to get on top of them? Perhaps.
When MSD won the toss at Hamilton, he admits he felt the breeze might help him. They did. In the first two hours, day one. But the storms petered out after six wickets pre-lunch.
Danny Vettori. Also cool. Readily agrees Indians not just upbeat but upfront. Own boys must learn to play 120 overs and score, if they want a fighting game. Field well. Don’t floor sitters.
Two sides. Gentlemen? The word is still in the dic. Still means something. Playing cricket, not hooky. Good boys. Stay good. Don’t lose shirt, white or blue or black.
by Lalit
An American twist
