Batman Forever

19^th December 2010 will ever be in the minds of many cricket fanatics, who have had an opportunity to see one of cricket’s prolific batsmen shining bright. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar also now becomes the first man to make 50 centuries in the history of Test cricket. Tendulkar has gone into a different zone and into the century mode. His 170-run partnership with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni came handy in a pressure cooker situation and Tendulkar now holds almost every conceivable batting record in the game, and never forget he also has 47 one-day international centuries to his name, which is soon waiting to reach a 50 mark too. It was certainly an exciting and a happening moment at the Centurion when the little master waged a lone battle and when that very single off a drive fetched his ton; emotions did take over from there.

As the crowd erupted with unbridled joy, Tendulkar, tired but composed, took off his helmet, looked skyward, and closed his eyes to offer a silent prayer. Hundreds of times have we seen this man raising his bat, but this one is very very special and close to ours hearts. The crowd gave him a standing ovation as the entire stadium erupted in euphoria while his teammates were simply ecstatic as they clapped and hugged each other, basking in the glory of their senior teammates. The Little Master said that the century of him has come in a right time when India needed it badly, and it was his father’s birthday yesterday. He dedicated this century to his father.

Tendulkar has always stood tall when it comes to performance and his batting speaks volumes and it’s perfectly apt to say actions speak louder than words. Indeed they do… for this man from Bombay, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar!

Maybe this ton ever doesn’t make any difference to the Brand Sachin, but it certainly and predominantly showcases one thing that Tendulkar now has reached a stage or a level where there is no comparison. Nobody can ever be compared with this very modest batting genius. Sachin and his records are on their way to immortality. This season has been a very productive year from the start and people, never forget the way he toyed with the clueless south-african bowlers to reach his double hundred off just 147 balls. Tendulkar never is yet another cricketer; he always is the best of the best! His 22-year long career has won him adulation to the point of worship from his millions of fans not just in India, but across the globe. Sachin Tendulkar is now a brand which gives hundred per cent quality every time and it is running faster than ever and harder as ever!

The news of the 50-ton feat spread as fast as a forest fire and the television channels beamed Sachin’s name a hundred times while the newspapers had the views of the present and former cricketers on this very milestone. Everybody seems to be excited but one man who did it all never lost his cool, temperament and modesty out there. It certainly comes with passion, it comes with experience, it comes with skill, performance and longevity. Who knows, even Don Bradman who had a test average of 99.94 would have lost his cool when the whole world shower praises and love upon him. But if at all there is one man who can handle it all, it’s the master himself.

Take a bow.. Sachincredible..Sach is class.. Sach is life!

To the Most Wonderful Grandfather,

As a child I have always loved him,

He is the person, who spent a lot of time with me,

To teach what I need to learn and gain;

The lessons in life he shared with me remain numerous,

And when they are spiced up with lot of love and care- I always was curious!

He was always one of the few strong willed people I have ever met,

Innumerable problems did he meet and many crisis he dealt with

Never was a sorrow-faced man nor of the gruelling nature;

Love, Care, Concern, God-fearing -define this man who manages to wear a smile every time you see him!

He is the person who brought my mother to earth;

Millions of times will I bow to him, who is mighty worth!

And the old-man goes there – who’s now all white- haired;

But still unchanged are his rapid steps and merry smile;

Countless thoughts, endless care, and sincerity in plenty – for which he ever had been known;

Endless special and heart whelming wishes from my heart, just for you to own!

Here comes my love and care wishing you on your birthday;

To such a gem of a person, who is at his best any day!!

An Ode To The Cassettes !!

Before the MP3 and iPod revolution; before file-sharing programmes on the Internet; before the rise of music fanatics and enthusiasts who went on to try their hand at the drums and guitar, there was a wildly successful wave that spread quickly : the cassette tape. Whether it was British rock or punk or the Top 40, music from cassette tapes and records will remain a cherished moment. In these post-modern days, when sleek mobile tech is in, the fact that cassettes still have a faithful fan following speaks volumes of its impact before it was dumped by the Gen-Xers.Today, with shorter childhoods and faster lifestyles, even the young are feeling the urge to turn back the clock to appreciate the days when the cassette was a huge hit. Let us take a U-turn back to those old days… when “iPods” had not been invented; when one electronic gadget ruled the roost.When I asked some of my friends about how things have changed, one of my seniors recalled, “I was a music freak back in the early 1990s. I used to buy Chinese Laundry, Howiee T, Dr Hyde, Rythme Nation, E.T.C tapes as they came out. I can never forget the classic cassette wars of Juice Crew vs Teddy Mohommed or Rythme Nation vs First Priority.”

With the introduction of the Walkman, being able to take my music with me and put on my headphones to create a private space, helped me cope with trying moments. Who can forget that black shaded version of the Sony Walkman!

Walk to the tune

The first generation of the Walkman was released way back in 1979 in Japan. Sony managed to sell 200 million iterations of the cassette Walkman during the product line’s 30-year period. After retiring the floppy disk, Sony has halted the manufacture and distribution of another now-obsolete technology: the cassette Walkman, the first low-cost, portable music player. The official announcement was delivered just one day ahead of the iPod’s ninth anniversary, and read, “although the decline of the cassette Walkman is attributed primarily to the explosive popularity of CD players in the 1990s, not the iPod”.

It took a little less than a decade after the decline of vinyl for a nostalgia movement to arise. In the mid-1990s, some bands would even have the top of their CD design take the form of an album or a 45. But I think we are slowly starting to experience a bit of CD nostalgia as well. Even though CDs are still present and available, people have started to stubbornly cling to them just like albums.

Though cassettes were a part of the music scene in the 1970s, they took off in the 1980s, finally outselling albums in 1983 at the height of the Michael Jackson mania. But while the album enjoyed a four decade-plus run as being the preferred medium for popular music, cassettes only enjoyed a eight-year run before CDs overtook them in 1991. If there is a movement for nostalgia for cassettes, it’s not the medium, but for the concept of freedom it offered to its listeners. For those who thought junior and high school were exercises in purgatory, a Walkman finally offered a little refuge. The medium also offered an exercise in freedom with the ability to create your own playlist from blank tapes.

I do feel the cassettes don’t need a nostalgia trip. They are still a practical medium. They are very durable; the tapes last for decades. I heard that some most recently released albums in the U.S. have been “TAPE-ONLY” releases. As essential as they were while we were growing up, it seems like cassettes were just the training wheels for what was to come. And people cannot attribute this tape-dump on the Gen-X. Of course no one would complain when they have the most advanced techie going into the iPods and when the iPods or music players also come with a video screen… that’s certainly something to cheer about.

Commonwealth Games 2010 - An Overview !

Commonwealth Games 2010 It may have been just a week back but the Indian contingent made sure India had something to cheer about..

The Commonwealth Games 2010 is so far the largest multi-sport event to be conducted in India after the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. Being the host nation, there was much pressure and several concerns were raised over the preparations: infrastructural compromise, poor living conditions of the Games Village, rains…

After the grand opening ceremony, the focus moved to sports. Athletes and sportspersons from 71 nations and territories were pitted against each other and in the final medals tally, the strong Australian contingent proved to be way ahead of everyone else. India created history finishing second with more than 100 medals. India had been a constant at fourth place in earlier editions of the games, be it at Melbourne in 2006 or at Manchester in 2002.

The overall statistics show that the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have clinched more than 50 per cent of the gold medals, with Haryana bagging the lion’s share. The silver and bronze are also the highest for that region, with four silvers and two bronzes under its belt.

************************

This time the athletic contingent particularly Krishna Poonia of India made history winning a gold medal in women’s discus throw event while Harwant Kaur and Seema Antil settled for a silver and bronze respectively making it a proud moment for the nation. The women relay team also made history winning gold in the 440 yard track event. The gold by the relay team is only the second gold for India till date in the track events after Milkha Singh grabbed the yellow metal in the 440-yard event in 1958 at Cardiff games.

The last day saw three extremely self-assured sportswomen — seasoned shuttle sharks Saina Nehwal and Jwala Gutta and the young Ashwini Ponappa — bring glory to the country. When India was just two gold medals short to gain the second spot, the trio guided the country it. Saina won a nerve-wracking battle after facing a match point in the second game to give India its 38th gold medal. Never before has the country been so united by a badminton game nor has India come so close to finding a really loved sporting icon after Sachin Tendulkar.

Ace Indian shooter Gagan Narang scripted history by winning four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games 2010. Narang had been performing exceptionally well from the start and he kept the momentum going throughout. However, other shooters like Omkar Singh and Vijay Kumar won three gold medals each, scripting a win in their respective categories.

The talented Indian tennis team, which went into the event with great expectations, managed a decent performance scoring one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. The sole gold came from Somdev Devvarman who had a win in the men’s singles event while Sania Mirza won silver in the women’s singles. India, however, lost out in the mixed doubles and the men’s doubles.

Boxing fans in India suffered a major setback when Akhil Kumar lost in his quarterfinal game to a Malaysian wrestler. Indeed Akhil faltered when it mattered the most. Also the world number one, Vijender Singh was knocked out in the semifinals. But, world wrestling champion Sushil Kumar brought India a gold in the freestyle wrestling category dominating his South African counterpart in the final. Winning 6 big points against his opponent without giving away a single point, this prolific wrestler registered a clinical performance.

Achanta Sharath Kamal and former National champion Subhajit Saha ensured that table tennis contributed gold to India’s medal haul by overcoming Singapore’s Gao Ning and Yang Zi 3-2 in the men’s doubles.

The closing ceremony started with a celebration of the traditional Indian sports and later the stadium was lit up by dazzling laser lights that stole the show. There was a huge crowd of about 60,000 people watching from the stands and 7500 security personnel guarding the entire area.

But Tamil Nadu is far from New Delhi where residents are now either lamenting or heaving a sigh of relief that normal life can resume after the biggest and most chaotic party the city has ever thrown! But despite its handicaps, India is still willing and ready to host another big multi-sport event. Hopefully the administration will refine their process and take care in getting their equations right next time. They certainly will come back with a lot of vigour and experience the next time!

The million Dollar Tendulkar Does it yet again!!

The run machine, the little champion and the master blaster are some of the countless titles that have been bestowed upon cricket’s favorite son- Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Without a doubt he is the best batsman of the modern era. He is the man who shoulders the expectations of billions of fans when he walks into a cricketing arena. And as Matthew Hayden once said, everybody now have seen god. He plays for India and bats at number 4, he is the much celebrated, Sachin Tendulkar.

The Cricket genius Sachin Tendulkar has yet again set a benchmark by being the first man on the phase of the earth to score 14000 runs in the longest version of the game, the test rubber. The little champion already holds a record for most number of runs in ODI’s and Test. After the first test against Australia in which India scored a thrilling victory, Tendulkar scored 13,973 runs and he was instrumental in scoring his 27 runs on the second day of the test game between India and Australia at Bengaluru. Sachin scored 13,000 runs this January and was quick enough to get himself 14000 just 9 months after it. Tendulkar got to his 14000-run mark when he slapped a boundary off Hauritz through the covers. Outstanding is the word to be used for the amount of hard work that has gone into this achievement, the amount of effort he has put in, in spite owning several of those records.

Tendulkar does not go for records, but records are always fond of this man, who forever will stay the pride and face of Indian Cricket. Every time Sachin walks in to bat, its prayers and prayers all over, just to see this little master score tons and tons of runs. The more you see him play, the more you will want to see him. Sachin also has more than 17500 runs in One Day Cricket and holds an impressive aggregate of 56 in Test matches and 45 in One Day Cricket. Tendulkar also holds a precious record for being the first and the only man to have scored a double century in ODI cricket. He also holds a unique record being the first player to score 10000, 11000, 12000, 13000, 14000, 15000, 16000, and 17000 runs in One Day cricket!! He is a complete batsman one could ever see- the best in the business among the fabulous band of batsmen.

I completely agree to Shane Warne’s words – “Technically you never can fault Sachin. Seam, fast bowling, off-spin, leg-spin, leg-break, off-break – nothing is a problem”. When he is out to bat even the best of the bowlers panic and fail to deliver their goods. You should always be mindful of the length and the spot when you bowl to a master blaster like Sachin Tendulkar because he is a man who puts away even the best of your delivery to the boundary and incase you bowl him bad balls? They are hit outside the park!! I truly salute the most impeccable and incredible Cricketing champion, Sachin Tendulkar on his 14,000 runs in Test Cricket!

Chennai Super Kings ku Whistle Podu !!

Cricket once again reached its pinnacle to grab the centre stage with the Champions League 2010 and this event was held in South Africa. The competition was launched in 2008 as a response to the overwhelming success of national Twenty20 domestic cricket leagues, most notably the Indian Premier League. And to top it all, this time Mega Star Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in by ESPN for endorsing this tournament. This tournament was held across venues like Durban, Port Elizabeth, Centurion and Johannesburg. Let’s not forget South Africa in the past, has been exceptional in hosting both the IPL in 2009 and FIFA World Cup in 2010. The winners of the Champions League 2010, the men in yellow.. the Chennai Super Kings.

Chennai Super Kings from the start were a team with a good batting line-up. They gain their strength from their faultless opening pair, Murali Vijay and the big Haydos. While Hayden accompanied Vijay for the first three games, it was the much more temperamental Hussy who came out to bat with Vijay, who was always amongst the runs. Both Hussy and Vijay complimented each other so well with a great understanding and when one of them call their shots, the man on the other end plays a second fiddle which is very much necessary in a 20-over game which demands good partnerships. And the man who stayed low for the first 2 or 3 games bounced back with a 48-ball 94, which was an impressive knock on a rain-hit day in Durban against the Royal Challengers in the semifinals. Indeed I’m talking about Suresh Raina. And for final game against the Warriors, Hussey and Vijay yet again pulled off a spectacular show getting the much needed runs on the board, clinching the trophy!!

Their bowling clearly was power-steered by the Chennai man Ravichandran Ashwin, who now takes the privilege of being the highest wicket-taker in the champions’ league 2010. While Chennai’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Doughy Bollinger and Albie Morkel, its wily spinner Muralidharan made a good climb up the ladder constantly staying amongst the wickets. And the bowling was just exceptional by its own. Dhoni was just wise enough to use his best bowlers at the right time to get a breakthrough.

The Chennai Super Kings from Group A had won three on four while they lost one in the super over against Victoria at Port Elizabeth. In their first game of the tournament, they had a win against the Central Districts by a 57-run margin. In the second game, the Chennai Super Kings won by 97 runs against Wayamba and in their last crucial league game that indeed was a do-or-die match for them, the team won by 10 runs against the all South African team, Warriors at Port Elizabeth clearly clinching a semi-final berth. They beat Royal Challengers in the semifinal and again beat Warriors comfortably in the finals to become the Airtel Champions 2010.

Their first game against the Central Districts saw a clinical performance from Subramaniam Badrinath and Anirudha Srikkanth scoring 52 and 42 respectively. It was a day on which the opening pair collapsed and Raina coming in at number 2 too got out cheaply. And from then on there was no looking back and Chennai finished with 151 in their quota of 20 overs. Their bowling still looked bright with Morkel, Balaji and Ashwin taking a strike each within the first 5 overs. It indeed was a good day for the lanky TamilNadu pace man Balaji who scalped 3 wickets giving away just 20 runs from his 4 overs while Ashwin, Murali and Bollinger went home with 2 wickets each. Chennai stole the limelight from the Central Districts and dumb folded them by 57 runs.

The second game for the Chennai Super Kings saw a splendid 68 from Murali Vijay and an entertaining 87 from his senior partner Suresh Raina. It was a day for Murali Vijay where everything seemed to fall in place and he was in total control of the ball. Though Wayamba lost 2 wickets in quick succession, the Super Kings pressed on for the prized wicket of Jayawardene and it was Bollinger who gave the sense of relief. Ashwin walked with his head held high with 4 wickets under his kitty and Morkel went home with 3. While Chennai set a target as high as 200 from 20 overs, the Wayamba managed just 103 from 17.1 overs. It was Chennai’s consecutive win and this time by a bigger margin of 97 runs.

Game three for the Chennai Super Kings against Bushrangers looked competitive. Though the toss favored them, the match failed to. Batting first Chennai scored 162 from 20 overs. Murali Vijay yet again steered a vital 73 from just 53 balls while Hussey got a nod for his first game instead of Haydos. Raina was the pick of the bowlers claiming 4 wickets while Murali and Bollinger had 2 each. The Bushrangers too upped the run rate at constant intervals managing the same score thus calling the super over or the one-over eliminator into play. While the Bushrangers gave away 12 runs in the super over, the Chennai super Kings had 23 to offer, thus losing a well fought game.

Winning 2 games and losing a game, the Chennai Super Kings had their do-or-die game against the fiery

Warriors. The crucial game saw a fighting spirit from both teams and a 50 from the Australian Hussey

and 35 from the willow of the regular customer, Murali Vijay helped Super Kings to a great extent and from there on captain cool Dhoni chipped in with his valuable contribution of 31 runs. Ashwin yet again was the pick of the bowlers getting 3 wickets under his belt while Murali walked away with 2 wickets. Though at one stage, it was as if the Warriors recovered from their initial setback, Ashwin sealed things going through the Warrior’s line-up in the style of his own.

The big semifinal against the Royal Challengers at Durban was disappointing as the game was delayed and a tensed affair. It was an unusual match in an unusual circumstance. While the Royal Challengers boasted of their good bowling line-up and their list of foreign imports, Raina proved them wrong and it went worse as the night progressed. The Royal challengers were pushed to their backseat with injuries from Steyn and Kohli bothering Kumble. Raina, who was almost silent in the tournament used this opportunity to stamp his authority with the bat. Vijay scored 41 runs while Raina was busy putting every ball one notch over the boundary line as Chennai touched 174 from just 17 overs. The RCB had a huge let down from their eminent batsmen as Manish Pandey was the lone batsman waging a battle. The RCB woes became very prominent while the miscued shots landed safely in one of the finest CSK fielders. Chennai had a big win by a 51-run margin registered its place in the finals.

The finale between the Warriors and Chennai Super Kings was very fitting as Chennai took a win over the Warriors by 8 wickets. Batting first the Warriors managed a total of 128 runs from their 20 overs. Ashwin yet again remained amongst the wickets scalping 2 wickets, while the wily off spinner Muralidharan managed to grab 3 of them. The Warriors, which for most part of the tournament relied on their skipper Jacobs for a good start were forced to score most of the runs without his help as the skipper succumbed to an Ashwin delivery. The Chennai Super Kings rode on the blistering start from their opening pair of Murali Vijay and Hussey. Vijay once again proved his mettle as a perfectionist making sure the ‘Golden Bat’ winks at him. At a tense stage where Chennai has to score 12 runs from eleven balls for a victory, Dhoni’s six got the dug out on its feet and it just seemed that the win was just a top shot away. Hussey who came at the expense of Haydos played a brilliant innings of 51* and steered Chennai to a victory alongside Dhoni. And it just seemed that they saved their best for the last outplaying the teams in the semifinal and final.

It really is sad that this combination would encounter a change for the next season of the Indian Premier League but still the Airtel Champions have done it all. And now the champions of the IPL 2010 will stay the champions of the champions. Warriors, Bushrangers, Wayambas .. here we come .. the Chennai Chennai super kings. All you Chennai people wherever you are... This is a moment for all of us to cherish and preserve. The men in yellow now are the champions of the Champions League 2010. Point Registered.

Is this the End of Cricket??

Cricket seems to be going out of track for sometime now and match-fixing issues do top them all.

From the earlier match-fixing scandals that benighted the careers of many top captains to the beyond tolerable commercialization of the IPL, cricket has long since lost its sheen. For sure, this game of cricket which is called globally as the gentleman’s game is put to shame and the rot is truly unwinding and it’s out naked and so public!

The latest News on the match-fixing row first broke the story that the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan had apparently been rigged. On further investigations, came the shocking news that as much as seven players were contracted from the playing eleven and pulled into a match fixing scandal. Cricket is clearly losing its magic wand and merely is being stooped so low and stands only next to the millions of dollars that is being offered.

And almost millions around the world, who were watching that particular test match between Pakistan and England at Lords, saw Pakistan bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif deliver no-balls one after the other. Unsuspecting all these went dejected those millions of Pakistan cricket fans. But after the match-fixing scandal is out, Pakistan could only deliver anger, outrage and denial. And in spite of the videos being recorded, pictures clicked, dialogues taped, they just term it as allegations, just allegations shows how hard skinned they are! When as many as seven corrupt cricketers enter the field, cricket is being skinned and ruined.. very sad is the game of cricket caught amidst.

Now comes the question about the Anti-corruption Unit from ICC. It is said that the Anti corruption Unit from ICC or in short the ACSU will stay with the players all the time, be it in the hotel rooms or in the sporting arena. How can there still be a chance for a match-fixing? This surprises me to a large extent. There should for sure be a zero tolerance from the ICC towards dirty issues like this which can ruin the progress of the game. They should bring in a strict rule on match-fixing issues, and take care that the player who is found contracting will be given a lifetime ban from the game. No backdoor entries please.

This match fixing issue is something which is not new to the sport or any of its forms, but still just a ban for a game or two certainly will not help the game. Also we never can impose the whole blame on the Pakistanis either. As we cannot ignore an Indian interference and it is still debatable as we have seen allegations on Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja previously in this regard. Also South Africans - Boje and Chronje, who was then the South African skipper, were caught on their odd foot with a match-fixing scandal charge. When THREE blatant no-balls can pocket an amount as high as £150,000, who would give you thumbs down?

Either way this dirty issue has to be cleaned up. The game has to go on. It is a good wake-up call to the ICC and its associated squad members to get down to level zero and clean up the whole issue. Here should be the end to this dirty stuff. Let rules be strict enough to cash in on any player who is found guilty in this regard. Let’s play clean cricket and give the sport its respect. Say No to Match-Fixing!!

Three Cheers to Champions League!

Cricket is back again to grab the centre stage with the Champions League 2010 coming up and this event is all set to be held in South Africa. The competition was launched in 2008 as a response to the success of national Twenty20 domestic cricket leagues, most notably the Indian Premier League. And to top it all, this time Mega Star Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in by ESPN for endorsing this tournament that will kick start in September. So all the buzz is up and it is all set to start from September 10 and will be held across venues like Durban, Port Elizabeth, Centurion and Johannesburg. Let’s not forget South Africa in the past, has been exceptional in hosting both the IPL in 2009 and FIFA World Cup in 2010.

Now that all the ten participating teams have been finalized, the teams have been divided into two groups. From India, teams playing in the champions League T20 include, Mumbai Indians headed by the Ace-batsman Sachin Tendulkar, Royal Challengers Bangalore headed by Old fox Anil Kumble and Chennai Super Kings headed by captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

In the previous edition of this tournament, we had four groups of three teams, with two teams from each group advancing to another league stage which then determines the semi-finalists. But this time, it’s just going to be two groups with five teams in each group. Despite this change, the tournament will feature the same number of games -23, as last year.

The first game will see a clash between Mumbai Indians and the African Lions in Johannesburg, which will also host the big finals on September 26. The Mumbai Indians and Lions will share Group B along with South Australia, Royal Challengers Bangalore and a team from the West Indies while the Group A will feature the 2010 IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, Australia's Big Bash champions Victoria, South Africa's Pro Series champions Warriors as well as Sri Lanka's Wayamba, which represents the North Western Province, and New Zealand's Central Districts. With a lot of champion teams in Group B, one can expect a lot of passion, entertainment, excitement and tons of cricket. However The New South Wale Blues were crowned the 2009 champions, they did not qualify for the 2010 Champions League.

The champions League consists of home and away players as any other league. But one can see a lot of players getting eligible to play for both teams. And to hint on a few players who are eligible , Jacques Kallis (Warriors, Bangalore), Mark Boucher (Warriors, Bangalore), Makhaya Ntini (Warriors, Chennai ), Kieron Pollard (South Australia, Mumbai), Dwayne Bravo (Victoria, Mumbai) and Cameron White (Victorian, Bangalore). And New Zealand's Ross Taylor is the first player to qualify with three teams - his home province Central Districts, and 'away' teams Victoria and Bangalore. How is that for the surprise element?

And the rule says, If a player chooses to play for an 'away' team rather than his 'home' team (the team from the country he is eligible to represent in international cricket), the 'away' team must pay US$200,000 compensation to the 'home' team. No compensation is payable to an 'away' team if a player chooses to play for his 'home' team. So there is for sure going to be lots of news and controversies in the making. But let’s always hope the Cricket part steals the show! Cricket in any of its form – be it ODI’s, T-20’s or the Test rubber, it is and will be fitting and entertaining!! Doff your hats, ladies and gentlemen for the game of Cricket. Hail Cricket!

Age is No bar

Cricket in India and all over the world is all talks about the retirement of its ageing cricketers. Some have learnt the trick, its intricacies and stood a chance playing for their country and some have failed to capitalize on their opportunities and have lost a place in the side. A bunch of players though in their mid 35’s still wish to perform for their sides, people and cricket fanatics think otherwise. So I call this phase of cricket as “expecting retirement”. This is a serious debatable issue.

Outstanding cricketers to the likes of Muralitharan, Jayasuriya, Matt Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and not to forget Indian stars Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar have faced such a situation. There is now a need to analyze why people fail to give a chance to their star players just because they are ageing. Though so much has been proved, so much experience has been gained; they still play the game with the same interest, same passion and lots of energy. Cricket indeed is crazy about them. But they are expected to retire once they reach the upper bound. That is the rule of the game.

Matt Hayden and Adam Gilchrist are known for their attacking stroke play right from the word go. Though Gilchrist took a voluntary retirement from the game, Haydos after a couple of failures was shown the gate straight away. Now why dint they give him a second chance? That too to one of the rare breed of cricketers who has amassed so much runs on the board, who was once even regarded as the best player in the side. Do they think somebody young can do a better job replacing the giant batsman? Clueless.

Muralitharan and Jayasuriya also did face this ageing pressure. Jayasuriya opted out in his mid 39 and Murali was then made to go through this situation. One of the leading wicket takers in the world who has scalped 800 wickets in Test and who still has more cricket left in him is barred just because he is nearing his 40. That wouldn’t be fair enough. If there was a drop in the performance levels, then that would be fine but a cricketer who is still able to grab 8 wickets in a test, who still keeps batsmen guessing is bound to play the game according to me. Do they think the young Mendis or Malinga can fill his place? .. I don’t think so.

Particularly some Indians have faced such a situation much harder and much faster. People were expecting Dravid to retire from One day Internationals after he went through a lean patch in the 50-over format. Now why is that situation not happening for a Yuvraj or Ishant who is not able to capitalize on the very many opportunities offered? Maybe they are young enough? We should now face facts. Cricket is not a game only for youngsters, it’s a performance oriented game. You perform, you stay in. Even for the first man on earth who has scored a double hundred, this situation is no different. I’m indeed talking about the batting genius Sachin Tendulkar. People are just waiting to see Tendulkar retire. Why is that? Folks, nobody on this earth can ever replace the evergreen Tendulkar. He still has so much cricket left in him, so much to prove, many records to surpass! I can bet, if people like Sachin, Murali, Gilchrist step down, we are not going to see the same old competitive cricket. Cricket comes as an entertainment package. Let the masters of the game rule it !

Meet Paul, the footballing Nostradamus

Never has a creature shot to such a pinnacle and instant fame as much as Paul, the octopus has. Paul became internationally famous for his 100 percent prediction in Germany’s seven matches at the 2010 World Cup as well as the fitting final. The World Cup and all the fanfare was all an excellent experience and this gullible marine octopus shot to fame from nowhere. He even was regarded as the greatest footballing pundit out there.

Paul, the octopus lives in Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany. Paul makes his predictions by choosing between one of the two transparent cubes which will bear a national football team’s flag on the outside and each of the cubes will contain his food, mussels. The container, into which Paul lowers himself first to gobble up his food, is interpreted to indicate his prediction for the game. His prediction skills have reached an unprecedented high with the latest correct prediction of Spain beating Germany in the second semi-final. But perhaps the strangest thing of all is that several zoos and aquariums in Germany seeing Paul predict winners, have been forcing their animals to give their prediction on the game. Unfair .. aint it ??

Paul’s prediction skills were regularly mocked by some of the leading analysts that it is just simple mathematical probability or chance at work and nothing beyond that. Even critics claim his predictions have been spoofed by various sections of the media around the world and had been blown out of proportion; Paul seems to be very famous on the web applications and websites and even on the leading social networking site, Facebook. Also the website called paulpredicts went online soon after the World Cup concluded.

Well.. now that’s not it all. Once Paul was done with all his predictions, the famed oracle creature was in demand from all quarters of the globe with his increase in popularity on account of his flawless predictions. And on the other side, supporters of Germany were disappointed as Paul picked Spain ahead of Germany in the semifinal clash. The much anguished fans of Germany called for Paul to be killed, cooked and eaten to take the revenge of the Germany’s loss in the much famous and grand sporting event. It goes with the cliché’, what goes up must come down!! As if all the above musings were not enough, the psychic octopus has also been made to forecast as to who will be Russia’s next president – Vladimir Putin or Dmitry Medvedev! The eight-legged creature has already cast his imminent vote, which has been sealed until the election year of 2012. So any guesses for this one ??

Though the marine creature has nothing to do with the realities of the outside world, the human community is more frenzied about its immaculate predictions. So much popularity in a very short period; gaining very many international fans all over. Only Paul can do it. No parrot, no camel, no crystal balls. Doff your hats, ladies and gentlemen, for Paul the Octopus, the living soccer seer !!

The legendary Spin Doctor marching Towards his 800 ??

The genial off-spinner from SriLanka has finally decided to call it quits in the test arena. Muttiah Muralitharan will play his last test game at Galle and against India. With just 8 wickets short of 800 in world test cricket, Murali will go into his last game. Muralitharan has always been on top of his form giving his hundred percent in whatever he does. He has remained a nightmare even to the world’s finest batsmen mixing up his deliveries and doing it intelligently. And for a matter of fact, this champion player from Kandy is currently the highest wicket taker in both tests and One-dayers. It for sure, tells you about his commitment, dominance and longevity in world cricket.

Though Murali hails from a family which runs a business making biscuits, cricket always took the priority. Way back in school, little Murali was a medium pacer and then on his coach’s advice the fourteen year young lad took up off-spin. Impressed playing school cricket, he went on to bag “Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year” in 1990-91. While his college cricket was brilliant, his club record was exceptional - 234 wickets at 14.51 runs in 46 matches. And from there everybody thought this young lad will make it big, but he has made it huge in SriLankan Cricket. Remarkable success and humungous fan following to this man who is rated as the greatest test match bowler.

When it comes to breaking world records, he is the man who has done it all after the genius batsman of the game, Sachin Tendulkar. Averaging over six wickets per Test, Muralitharan is one of the most successful bowlers of the game. Murali now holds the record for most one day and test dismissals. Muralitharan was selected as the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 2000 and in 2006. Muralitharan became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when he overtook the previous record-holder Shane Warne on 3 December 2007 in the longer version of the game. He took the wicket of Gautam Gambhir on 5 February 2009 in Colombo, to surpass Wasim Akram's ODI record of 502 wickets. Muralitharan also overtook Courtney Walsh's record of 519 wickets on his stride. His 700 came when he bowled Syed Rasel of Bangladesh and his 750 when he grabbed the wicket of Sourav Ganguly of India. Muralitharan has taken five or more wickets in an innings on 66 occasions in test cricket, which is again a world record. Records never get tired of him. They come on and on and on.

Though Murali has been spectacular, there was a time when he was tested and tampered with. He really went through a rough and bad phase when he was adjudged of having processing an”illegal bowling action” and that it contravened the laws of the game. The stand-in umpire called a “no-ball” seven times for an illegal action during the Boxing Day test match in Melbourne. Later again in the triangular World Series competition, he was given a no-ball more then a couple of times by Ross Emerson again for an illegal bowling action. But the best part was, he was signaled a no-ball for his leg-breaks than his normal off-breaks. Murali was then forced to undergo biomechanical analysis in Hong-King, but then came the good news that his action created an “optical illusion of throwing” and that he can continue with his action. But again, doubts persisted regarding his action thereafter in the minds of the on-field umpires in the 1998-99 tour of Australia and the SriLankan side got frustrated and almost abandoned the game after their lead spinner was reportedly challenged with no-ball calls.

But Murali has always been awe-inspiring with great levels of determination and confidence in his action and especially in himself. He never lent his ear to the controversies that persisted around him and the way the Australian crowd mocked at him every time he came out to play. Muralidharan has always been a source of inspiration for the young spinners for his plenty of variations under his armory. Muralitharan also has the unique distinction of getting 10 or more wickets in a match against all other 9 Test playing nations as well as capturing over 50 wickets against each of them.

Much has been said about this very legend or the wizard of spin bowling. So many wickets under his belt, umpteen matches played, plentiful missions clinched, so much has been proved and accomplished and he is ever economical, but still the passion for the game never ever dies or fades out. He still plays the game as he is playing it for the first time. Murali has proved it to each and every one of us that he is capable of daunting any batsman in the world. But let’s see if this legendary Spin doctor can pull off 8 wickets given the two innings and land on the magical mark of 800 before he bids adieu to the longer version of the game. Its now an interesting contest on the charts..Lets see if Dhoni’s men are capable enough to guard their stumps denying Murali his 800 or will Murali, putting in all his tactics and efforts into play dominate the Indian batsmen.. Its a question only time can answer!!