Cricket: India won, Sachin shone

 

India won the match, but for every once in a while in a team game someone comes along, who almost seemed like the one for whom prophecies are voiced and then one prophecy fulfilled leading him to another and a protégé metamorphised into a marvellous genius capturing amazement unlike previously imagined. It's a road not all willingly take, the some who do willingly take up the gauntlet,face a lonely climb up, hide there tears in pain and misery while lighting warm candles of affection and spreading the cheer and joy for others who follow. The Pantheon of Cricket won’t be complete without Sachin and yes, when the Pantheon is assembled Sachin’s statue would be humble and selfless and would continue to shine with an aura that no eye would afford to miss.

Sachin is a great genius and outstanding champion cricketer. His feats will make you wanting to know more about his ways,mannerisms etc. I think his humility, his respect for the game, his attitude towards the game and life that pleases and amazes me the most. I mean I don’t think I have seen/known many people who have achieved even close to the quantum of what Sachin has seemingly achieved so easily and be equally humble while he did what he did on teh cricketing field. His achievements and his humility add to his never wavering aura. There are many champions, who have come and gone, not many have achieved so much and at the same time lasted so long without being seduced by charms of fickle flame of fame. Sachin has lived more than half his life, more than two decades in public life, yet remained practically aloof, never was anywhere near controversy or did anything that would make u raise your eye brow. I think this makes his achievements more special. I don’t know if any book on cricket records would ever mention the pressure, the emotion and tears of joy when Tendulkar scored (centuries).

Even in this particular innings, he batted and scored half the runs of the team, yet not many who saw would realize that when he was nearing his double century, he was just pushing himself on will. He ran and sashayed down the pitch he pulled, swilled, ran for his partners apart from himself, a tremendous physical effort. In the end he came to field, and at the end of the game he said he would like to bat for another 50 overs and see how his body copes up. I don’t think his body matters anymore, he is walked away from the physical to the metaphysical will mind, body soul are in sync and things happen the way he want them to happen. I may be painting eloquence but then in last 12 months or so what Tendulkar has done over so many years cannot simply be done on the basis on healthy body alone.

Sachin’s in supreme form physically and seem to be winding the clock back dozen of years ago. While a few years ago people imagine his body not being able to bear the brunt of the rigours of the game, he restricted himself of the strokes that carried his signature but now in the present he has reinvented himself and looks more solid, capable of changing years and controlling the direction and flow of the game.

All things said and done, yesterday I would have loved to see him bowl and take couple of wickets just for fun. I guess 200 not out wasn’t enough. But then he over compensated and made up when he was stranded run out. He more than made up with a 200 not out, something that was never ever done in history of ODI cricket. Perhaps it may be done in times to come, but he would always remain the first to do it.

Yes a few more men played the innings, perhaps helped Tendulkar as booster rockets put satellites in space. Karthick if fast putting up weight of runs for a selection in the team with some splendid performances He batted well and just got well along with Tendulkar and kept the score to tick along. He was looking for more than a 79, yeah it wasn’t to be. His wicket saw entry of Yusuf Pathan, shrewed Dhoni’s hand in that is hard to miss in that decision. Pathan played himself in and was soon raced along to a good 30 odd runs; Tendulkar kept smashing it all over. Dhoni came to fore and just up the ante in double quick time; Tendulkar by now was looking ever more patient and focus to get to a coveted double century.

South Africans overawed with what they say just wilted under weight of expectation of scoring over 8 an over before even a ball was bowled. Devilliers put up his hand to score a good hundred but then he was a lone ranger. Tendulkar etched out a special innings. I hope the dust of adulation and admiration never settles. All I wish to say in the end that I wish I too was as humble as Tendulkar, the most worshipped cricketer the game of cricket has seen.

Cricket: India square series

India came back from behind to square series one each. I am still to be convinced of two test and four test and six Odis. I think Odis should be restricted to maximum of three, included more test. I mean would it have mattered to BCCI in terms of revenue if this were to be only a test series? But then seldom what BCCI does has anything to do with something called as rationale.

Storm in the tea cup

Greame Smith was the only joy for first couple of sessions. SAfs won the toss and elected to bat. It was a conscious decision to bat first in order to avoid facing the spinning ball on the last day. Alviro Petersen made a century on debut. He was doing pretty good and not only rose to the occasion, but did very well, obviously helped by what look a wayward Ishant especially in first innings. A big partnership between Amla and Alviro saw them cruising and made Indian bowlers look like someone without plan and imagination. There was a storm to come in the session following tea.
I guess when Indians went back they sensed a storm in the tea cup. The whole scenario changed when Bhajji wrecked the SAfs batting line up and sweet memories of 2001 the Eden test flickered in front of many a cricket fans. In the hindsight that very test marked in some subtle ways how India team went to become a very professional, albeit a touch inconsistent but good test team. The balance is in favour of batsman but bench strength seems good but untested.
The buzz of the match changed soon after tea and out of nowhere things start to happen as if sequence of events waited for a hint of the trigger. One wicket let to another and what seemed like a picture perfect scenario in the second session looked so ominous, Kallis, Devilliers, Duminy, Prince along with Petersen and Amla came and went what seemed innocuous deliveries and unthought-of shots. The shots were inexplicable needless to say unwarranted and before the dust settled and sunset, eight wickets had fallen and India came out of back jail. Zaheer, Ishant, Misra and forget me not Bhajji claimed wickets and shared to onus. The cake was baked and the dressing was about to be added.


Sustained batting effort

Indians sustained the pressure. SAfs assisted the Indian batting effort, but bowling little less the good and fielding as worst as any you would imagine from SAfs. It was by far the worst fielding display I have seen from SAfs in quiet some time. Sehwag kept on smashing them all over. There is a method to his madness. See ball hit ball. His style is so simplistic on the lines of being almost minimalistic, but one of the more profound batsmen of his time if not in the history. His numbers say it all. He is for sure the corner stone of batting and other rally around him. Yes, he does keep you n the edge of the seat and will always give the other side a chance, yes he may make you want to pull your hair but when he does hammer scores those score are big loud and brash.
Tendulkar on the while seems to be batting like a Zen master, its almost serene, through out his innings; you could see the glimpses of various phases of Tendulkar through out his illustrious career. You could almost sense him holding fort and then come out with a brilliant stroke that would just steal your breath away. But the bowl he got out to deserves praise for Harris. He deserved it. Tendulkar smacked fourth century in as many matches. His tally is know like 47 test centuries and opened a considerable gap of eight centuries in test versus Ponting.
Laxman and Dhoni then prolonged the agony of foes as they built up a considerable partnership, each getting to their hundred meanwhile Laxman was the stabilising factor and gave support, Dhoni kept nibbling away. Laxman and Dhoni scored not out centuries and closing the door on SAfs.


Second time up hill

After tea on first SAfs seemed just very pedestrian, although this time they did get starts. I am leg side Smith always up for LBW didn’t have to face Zaheer's menace was claimed LBW by Mishra what looked a plumb decision. Kallis got ball of the series from an Indian bowler. Kallis must be proud to get on that delivery and Mishra would sing the swan song of this delivery even to his grandchildren. It pitched middle middle-off ripped across Kallis’s bat took the edge and Dhoni made on mistake. Badrinath added something to the scorecard and audiences memories when he kept the nerve to catch Petersen what ended up as a simple catch. Prince played an ordinary shot Devilliers foxed by a googly, Duminy beaten for pace, some moments of uneasiness for Indian audiences came when Harris and Parnell and Morkel stitched some useful partnerships Ishant bowled a line and length which bemused everyone except the batsmen he was wayward and looked distraught at missed catches. Fielding was quiet ordinary by Indians as well. There were so many missed catches. In the end before the close of play Bhajji claimed the honours and also the end wicket to help India square the series. It is so sad there were only two matches.

The focus on shifts to ODIs. I am hooting for Gibbs, Bootsman & Co while the Kohli and Raina need to redefine there role and a certain Yusuf Pathan needs to dish out some hearty performance. Tendulkar would want to hit a century in at least one of the ODIs.

Cricket: SAfs leads through to win

A five days test match gets over in four. If you beat any test team within four days you better be good. If you beat them inside four days and with an innings and you better be comprehensive. South Africa, batted for two days and India for two, corollary to that is that we bowled for two days and we did for two. They scored double hundreds and hundreds (Amla and Kallis), our bowlers toiled and our fielders spilled chances. The Steyn gun fired on all barrels, claimed 10 wickets in the match. Sehwag and Tendulkar came up with consolatory centuries.

Ian Chapell had already remarked on thin on resources in bowling department. Bhajji well I don’t know if he would select himself for the next test, not convinced he is in any form to play any kind of cricket. Mishra ripped a few past the bat and would be lucky on some to get many more wickets on others days. Ishant Sharma tried his luck, Zaheer claimed wickets. I think fielding did us in. Amla batted and batted, though it wasn’t a chanceless innings, but to his credit he kept on riding his luck and scored heavily and a big partnership with Kallis saw SAfs batting India into submission.

Question that may be asked, if the presence of Dravid and Laxman could have changed the result? I don’t know. Steyn bowled his heart out, he knew what he was doing and he out manouvered, out paced and out smart the Indian batsmen with and awesome bowling. I wonder if Ishant watched Steyn closely. He could learn a lot. Ishant has the bounce and the pace to upset batsmen, a certain Ricky Ponting would testify.

SAfs, batting and Indian agony.

They kept on batting, Smith weary of batting last in the fourth innings, from 6-2 to 558 for 6. They batted for nearly two days. Amla made a massive 253 in a manner that will give a team a much consolidated position. They may have not accelerated at the end of the innings but Amla, was an embodiment of patience’s and gusto. He seems to be a man of limited means but boundless determination. Amla is likely to be placed in a similar bracket with the likes of Collingwoods and Chanderapauls of the world. He may not have a very attractive but they are so very effective. Amla kept on chipping away and kept Indian bowlers at bay. Kallis looked good till he lasted, but DeVilliers gave a move on and Boucher chipping in and Dumminy came and went. Kallis had controlled most of the first day but then didn’t go on to get a double, Amla kept his head down, something he shouldn’t do while standing in close on the leg side. It is amazing the innings we got to saw.

Steyn peppers India away

Steyn and Morne skittle India, once again underlining the face that subcontinent is not a graveyard for bowlers, you just need a different skill sets. Steyn just made it look so easy. He was so awesome to watch the ball started reversing, he just kept bending it back with speedometer clicking at above 85 mph, too good for anyone or at least most Indian batsmen. He was a treat to watch.


No wall and a loud fall.

Rahul Dravid may have not altered the result in anyway, but he could have had India showing more fight. They say all the five finger are not the same, like begets like and all that. Dravid absences was dearly felt, there was no partnership of any note. Dravid may not make it to the next series. Sehwag and Tendulkar did try to fight it out with good hundreds, but they were consolatory in the context. The fate of the match was pretty much decided before they could score their hundreds. It was matter of time. Indian batsman has to still to master the art of batting when it comes to batting out time. They failed to do so. The batsman had to show some fight.

How could they?

SAfs is one of the visiting team which have played uninhibited cricket, Harris claim the fame In second winnings, There bowling looked good and Indians have to now sort out the two aspects of the game, batting and bowling, there is a case of strengthening the batting order and look for attacking bowlers. I am still to get convinced of Bhajji to be in the squad. Ishant and Zaheer did ok, Mishra impressed. SAfs didn’t only come here to play. They came here to win and the onus to make this series exciting is on Dhoni & Co.

Cricket: South Africans tour to India.

A test series that came as a new year’s gift to many of ardent cricketing fans. A small window carved out for South Africans (SAfs from now on) tour to India. May be three test and three ODIs would get u a better picture but then so far so good. South Africa and India match each other player for player, on paper but Indians would do well to match SAfs as a fielding unit. There would be many interesting battles within, this competition. Lets just for the moment, park the No 1 Test team championship and look at it in a way that SAfs have did well compare to other touring teams especially the teams away from sub continent. India has been up to the mark when they have toured to South Africa and they have done well in India. One may refute an odd inning, but South Africans have had better performance of many visiting teams.

South Africa remains the team to beat, almost all Indian batsmen the likes of Sehwag, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dhoni, Gambhir, have average runs scored significantly or marginally less compared to career averages. It’s including home and away test scores. Tendulkar averages 35 and Laxman 30 against South Africa. Of course that could change but that means that Indian batsmen would have to be on the top of the game against a very good seam attack and a brilliant fielding unit.


Man to man watch out for these tiffs.

Captains Dhoni vs. Captain Smith, Zak vs. Smith, Zak vs. Kallis, Bhajji vs. Kallis, Tendulkar vs. Kallis, both playing two down now. Steyn vs. Sehwag, Parnell vs. Gambhir, those are just few of the interesting tussles you would want to watch. One may forget India pacers and SAf spinners, but I think they would be crucial in getting break through at crucial times, which may turn the match. Zak seems to be on top of the game for couple of seasons now. Tendulkar had a good series vs. Bangladesh; Sehwag shall remain volatile and mercurial. Dravid would be missed to say the least. All of a sudden Indian batting line up would look fresh and new. Murali Vijay looks so good. Badrinaths earned the place in the squad. It would be interesting to note that once fabled middle order of Dravid Tendulkar Laxman Ganguly is replaced by Murali Vijay, Badrinath, Sharma and Manish Pandey. Off course they would have to do well. But Indian batting line up need to play to their merits.

One is hoping for a riveting test series. Don’t watch it for numbers watching it for some dazzling stroke play, controlled swing, incredible batting. It is gross understatement SAfs are a team to beat. Dhoni would have shuffled his pack of tricks well. Smith would be looking to score. Bhajji may want to prove a point; Tendulkar is 10 away from a ton of centuries. Its not that he would score all ten in this series, but one would like to bet on at least one if not two. Ishant is looking decent. Sreesanth would be missed.

May the best team win the series.

Away from the post, I managed to link my blog to fb to twitter using blog feeds. I had connected my blog to fb, but learnt how to update twitter when blog gets updated was something excited me. The title of the post is suppose to come up on twitter. I have my fingers crossed. :)

Blog: Unfazed and unfaced

Everyday is an evolution, sunset to sunset, sunrise to sunrise. One of the amazing things is how chaotic things are and they follow such a pattern even when everything around us seems to be completely random. At times it’s just so easy to formulate, at most times it is so difficult to imagine. Its amazing how we ignore, things right in front of our eyes, and right beneath our noses.
I learnt something today, something which I thought I knew, but never acknowledged. If you have to learn to think out of the box, first learn what’s inside the box, arrange the grey matter inside the box, perhaps the key to open the box is to find the keys inside, opening the box from outside is easy but to unpack is far difficult.

Is time really running out? The hard you hold on the more the grains of sand clasped in your hand seem to slip out. It seems life just such an ominous beast that you dread it and loathe it. But at times it is a challenge. It makes you feel like a craftsman sitting besides a potter wheel. It is so serene at times. For now, the immediate, my goal is being less dependent on chance and fate and more dependent on things which my result in pushing forward rather than sitting on my brains and rue life.

I have never rued my life or the circumstances, what happened had to happen the way it did. All of us have seen and gone through good and bad times. I for one must thank everyone around me. I have a blessed life, considering the fact that for half of this world, basic amenities are luxury. I have a place to call home and humans to call my own loved ones, family and friends. I have always wished them good. I may not be in agreement always but I fully respect the person and their ideas and opinions. It is so easy to ad rib someone not everyone takes it the way it is dished out.

Thinking too much and doing too little. I often wonder why I get suffocated things about my life. Will I just lead my life meandering along?

Song from the movie Saathiya,Composer:AR Rahman,Lyrics:Gulzar,Singer:Sadhna Sargam.