0.4 Why does Sehwag look so annoyed?
I have decided to just watch the match today. And not be concerned about winning or losing. I want a good match. And I think SL vs. Pak sounds good too.
Yes I think FYP has caused brain damage. I think I might come back to wanting Pak to lose after some wickets fall. Hope that doesn't happen for a long time.
What a 3rd over - 5 boundaries!
Sehwag gone but that is VERY VERY FAST outfield.
So apparently we can expect a rendition of "Chak De India" for every boundary. And of course, any announcement (usually about change is bowling) followed by the creepy "piya hooooooooooooooooo" sounding sound.
YESSS! A review not wasted! Sachin stays :D
2nd close call in 2 balls! 2 heart-in-mouth moments!
Pakistan may be awesome at bowling, India may be awesome at batting, but there is one thing we share: sucking if fielding :D
The commentators are such bitches. After Misbah dropped sachin's catch "Misbah is going to continue feeling miserable till Sachin goes." Well then I hope he feel miserable the whole match.
Haww so my touchpad stops working because I drop water on it. I restart my comp to find last 2 balls "W W". WTF
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
SL-NZ Semis!
Deepak: "hey Cricinfo why don't you post one of my comment on the page, i would like to take a screen shot of it and put it on my Facebook !! So plz one for me." People actually do that?
SJB: "I think it is English players bowling out there wearing NZ jerseys.." So fair, it's fair to say Sri Lanka's openers are beating them all, black and blue. Get the pun.
S Potnis: "Is that supposed to be a pun on skin colour? I'm black and I'm not ashamed of it. But unfortunately my girlfriend makes me apply Fair and Lovely thrice a day :("
Eh? It was a pun on the jersey colours of England and NZ. And, ewww!
Nathan McCullum and Dilshan exchange dinner plans for later near the bowler's end. Or so it seems. The umpire intervenes.
Southee to Tharanga, OUT, Ryder take a bow! Even fat men can fly says George Binoy! This Kiwi sure can fly. Was that Jesse Ryder or Jesse Owens? Here's what happened - it was a short ball outside off, enough width and room for Tharanga in his current form to flay at. Enough room for him to try and go aerial. Ryder was lurking at point. He moved quickly to his left, took off with as much grace as he is capable of and landed with a resounding thud. In the meantime, he caught the ball. And then he stood up with arms aloft, menacing beard and frown in place, like a WWE superstar. What a moment!
Kuldeep: "Maybe Dwayne Leverock has been conducting a "Catching For Fat People-101" class and Ryder has been his student!!!"
Mel: "If cows and Jesse can fly, can NZ win today?"
Bouncer from Southee, over-cooked and banged into his own half, it goes well over the batsman's head and Brendon takes off to collect it over his head. And its not called a wide. Even in the moon, given the lack of gravity there, that should have been wide.
Ashok: "7.1 ... Even in the moon, given the lack of gravity there, that should have been wide. Wrong analogy. Ball will bounce more on Moon as Gravity is less. Isn't it?"
Umm, that was my point. Even in the moon, that would have been wide though as a norm most balls would bounce a lot in the moon.
Science 101. The moon is lighter, and hence its ability to attract other objects towards itself, in other words gravity, is lesser.
Shyam: "Whats the big deal about that ryder catch? Kamran Akmal would have taken it 10 out of 10 times."
I have two responses to that comment.
1. Yes, Kamran normally takes the tough catches, it is the sitters that he drops.
2. Yes, in Bizarroworld.
Ankur: "Is the result of this match that obvious that people are discussing gravitation here?!"
On the contrary, the gravity of the situation is such that gravity is being discussed.
Manoj: "In moon it would be a noball because when a bowler jumps right before he delivers the ball, he jumps higher and lands further, crossing the crease."
Hmm, to avoid no-balls, his landing spot would have to be fixed.
Ravi: "Science 101: The moon is not "lighter", it has lesser mass. There is a difference."
Pardon me, for I have sinned.
Circe Magnifica: "Since when the situation is grave, you discuss gravity, would you discuss electrostatics and electrodynamics when the situation is electric? (Which, is almost always the case whenever anyone of the species Ravius Shastrius is commentating)" Great names, all round!
Biman: "@manoj: In moon bowlers can't get any swing or reverse swing. bcoz no air.."
Andy Zaltzman @Zaltzcricket on twitter: "Ghost of Isaac Newton responds to Jesse Ryder catch: "I might have been wrong about that apple on my head. Could have been coincidence."
Hahaha!
SJB: "I think it is English players bowling out there wearing NZ jerseys.." So fair, it's fair to say Sri Lanka's openers are beating them all, black and blue. Get the pun.
S Potnis: "Is that supposed to be a pun on skin colour? I'm black and I'm not ashamed of it. But unfortunately my girlfriend makes me apply Fair and Lovely thrice a day :("
Eh? It was a pun on the jersey colours of England and NZ. And, ewww!
Nathan McCullum and Dilshan exchange dinner plans for later near the bowler's end. Or so it seems. The umpire intervenes.
Southee to Tharanga, OUT, Ryder take a bow! Even fat men can fly says George Binoy! This Kiwi sure can fly. Was that Jesse Ryder or Jesse Owens? Here's what happened - it was a short ball outside off, enough width and room for Tharanga in his current form to flay at. Enough room for him to try and go aerial. Ryder was lurking at point. He moved quickly to his left, took off with as much grace as he is capable of and landed with a resounding thud. In the meantime, he caught the ball. And then he stood up with arms aloft, menacing beard and frown in place, like a WWE superstar. What a moment!
Kuldeep: "Maybe Dwayne Leverock has been conducting a "Catching For Fat People-101" class and Ryder has been his student!!!"
Mel: "If cows and Jesse can fly, can NZ win today?"
Bouncer from Southee, over-cooked and banged into his own half, it goes well over the batsman's head and Brendon takes off to collect it over his head. And its not called a wide. Even in the moon, given the lack of gravity there, that should have been wide.
Ashok: "7.1 ... Even in the moon, given the lack of gravity there, that should have been wide. Wrong analogy. Ball will bounce more on Moon as Gravity is less. Isn't it?"
Umm, that was my point. Even in the moon, that would have been wide though as a norm most balls would bounce a lot in the moon.
Science 101. The moon is lighter, and hence its ability to attract other objects towards itself, in other words gravity, is lesser.
Shyam: "Whats the big deal about that ryder catch? Kamran Akmal would have taken it 10 out of 10 times."
I have two responses to that comment.
1. Yes, Kamran normally takes the tough catches, it is the sitters that he drops.
2. Yes, in Bizarroworld.
Ankur: "Is the result of this match that obvious that people are discussing gravitation here?!"
On the contrary, the gravity of the situation is such that gravity is being discussed.
Manoj: "In moon it would be a noball because when a bowler jumps right before he delivers the ball, he jumps higher and lands further, crossing the crease."
Hmm, to avoid no-balls, his landing spot would have to be fixed.
Ravi: "Science 101: The moon is not "lighter", it has lesser mass. There is a difference."
Pardon me, for I have sinned.
Circe Magnifica: "Since when the situation is grave, you discuss gravity, would you discuss electrostatics and electrodynamics when the situation is electric? (Which, is almost always the case whenever anyone of the species Ravius Shastrius is commentating)" Great names, all round!
Biman: "@manoj: In moon bowlers can't get any swing or reverse swing. bcoz no air.."
Andy Zaltzman @Zaltzcricket on twitter: "Ghost of Isaac Newton responds to Jesse Ryder catch: "I might have been wrong about that apple on my head. Could have been coincidence."
Hahaha!
Monday, March 28, 2011
A smokescreen
I hate smoking. I have never made that a secret. Somehow the moment I see someone with a cigarette in their hand, I found a certain negative impression about them, whether or not I know them.
Which is why it really, REALLY saddens me that more and more people whom I consider friends are beginning to smoke. And what's worse is how smug they feel in their 'cool'ness and how easily they shrug it off as just something they do.
I don't know why I am so against smoking. Maybe it is a double standard because I am fine with occasional drinking.
I just know I hate this.
Which is why it really, REALLY saddens me that more and more people whom I consider friends are beginning to smoke. And what's worse is how smug they feel in their 'cool'ness and how easily they shrug it off as just something they do.
I don't know why I am so against smoking. Maybe it is a double standard because I am fine with occasional drinking.
I just know I hate this.
My last Tarang!
Ok I usually try to not name people in my blog so that you know, it's harder for creepy people to stalk me. But I think a few names need mention here.
Akash (obviously). Dude I know I keep trying to bring you back down to earth, but today you can really fly high (geez so cliched!). That was one of the best choreographies I have ever seen from you. And no, I am not just saying that because it's a nice thing to say. That love-lust contemp piece last year was epic, and this year was equally good, if not better. The lifts were OMG so difficult, I can't ever imagine how a skinny person like you ever manages to lift people :P
And speaking of contemp brings me to Ayushi obviously. Dude so sexay! The lifts were so clean, even though all I know about dance is from SYTYCD and a bit from Akash. It was just so amazing to watch!
Lakshmi: I have always maintained you are SUCH A PLEASURE TO WATCH. I can just sit and watch you dance all day. Specially since it means you will not be a dumdum during that time :P And you just keep getting better and better. Love you! :)
Bathina: SO pretty! And hot. And speaking of hotness so must mention Maanavi! And overall, ballroom was so brilliant.
Ganla: so big yet so graceful! Patel: you're like a little kid (with amazing dancing skills) who's been told that the more energy and expressions he shows on stage, the more candy he will be given! :P
Srajna: awesome costumes! Mummy ke stitching classes into use eh? :P
Even though I hardly know anyone from the macha dance, it was as good an my year 1, which is the one which distinctly stands out in my memory.
Bollywood: With so many people on stage, I do not know how you people managed to stay so co-ordinated.
We all know how much sweat and blood (literally) goes into preparing each year.
Overall, you guys were just in a different league all together tonight. I know I am probably biased, but the moment it ended, I was like "hain? bas? aur naacho na please!" Not to sound too much like a sore loser, we all know who deserved to win tonight.
I admit NTU was very creative, like they always are. The sari thing was very nice, using the screen created a very sensational effect and the start with tabla was genius. It was SUCH a surprise to see Gattu dancing too! :D
But overall, I will maintain till I go to my grave that today, of all days, NUS deserved to win. I know (ok I don't know, I can only sympathise) it must feel awful to not have won when you worked so hard. But then you win some, you lose some. You come back stronger next year.
To everyone in NUS who was there:
It has been a pleasure yelling my lungs out with you guys :)
Akash (obviously). Dude I know I keep trying to bring you back down to earth, but today you can really fly high (geez so cliched!). That was one of the best choreographies I have ever seen from you. And no, I am not just saying that because it's a nice thing to say. That love-lust contemp piece last year was epic, and this year was equally good, if not better. The lifts were OMG so difficult, I can't ever imagine how a skinny person like you ever manages to lift people :P
And speaking of contemp brings me to Ayushi obviously. Dude so sexay! The lifts were so clean, even though all I know about dance is from SYTYCD and a bit from Akash. It was just so amazing to watch!
Lakshmi: I have always maintained you are SUCH A PLEASURE TO WATCH. I can just sit and watch you dance all day. Specially since it means you will not be a dumdum during that time :P And you just keep getting better and better. Love you! :)
Bathina: SO pretty! And hot. And speaking of hotness so must mention Maanavi! And overall, ballroom was so brilliant.
Ganla: so big yet so graceful! Patel: you're like a little kid (with amazing dancing skills) who's been told that the more energy and expressions he shows on stage, the more candy he will be given! :P
Srajna: awesome costumes! Mummy ke stitching classes into use eh? :P
Even though I hardly know anyone from the macha dance, it was as good an my year 1, which is the one which distinctly stands out in my memory.
Bollywood: With so many people on stage, I do not know how you people managed to stay so co-ordinated.
We all know how much sweat and blood (literally) goes into preparing each year.
Overall, you guys were just in a different league all together tonight. I know I am probably biased, but the moment it ended, I was like "hain? bas? aur naacho na please!" Not to sound too much like a sore loser, we all know who deserved to win tonight.
I admit NTU was very creative, like they always are. The sari thing was very nice, using the screen created a very sensational effect and the start with tabla was genius. It was SUCH a surprise to see Gattu dancing too! :D
But overall, I will maintain till I go to my grave that today, of all days, NUS deserved to win. I know (ok I don't know, I can only sympathise) it must feel awful to not have won when you worked so hard. But then you win some, you lose some. You come back stronger next year.
To everyone in NUS who was there:
It has been a pleasure yelling my lungs out with you guys :)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
India vs Australia coming right up!
Immense Zaheer continues his Australian opera
The world may not have noticed it, but there's a tumultuous opera on between Zaheer Khan and Australia. The first time they met in an ICC event, the 2000 Champions Trophy in Nairobi, Zaheer kicked down the door, burst onto stage, got Adam Gilchrist, yorked Steve Waugh and said, 'hello, sunshines.'
They meet again on Thursday, in the quarter-final of the World Cup. Not merely in another league or group or roundabout game, but a knockout. Between 2003 and 2011, the protagonists have had another minor scuffle, last May at the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, but let's get real, this is the big one.
Finally, after all the preparation, he has got to the game where the opera will reach its abrupt conclusion.
In the tottering-teetering four weeks of India's World Cup, if Yuvraj Singh has been fire fighter with the bat and the ball, Zaheer has been its game-breaker. The leader of a bowling union that has been pilloried for lacking express pace and incisive spin, Zaheer has kept it all together, now second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 from six games.
He has become more than what the commentatariat love to call the 'go-to' bowler. He is now India's make-it-happen man, the partnership breaker, the kind of performer who can produce a performance from what seems like sheer will and a glowering expression. But this cricketing Heathcliff has been born out of the monotony of long practice and hundreds of overs bowled.
Javagal Srinath wrote this week, "I can say with conviction that I have not seen an Indian bowler show as much control as Zaheer has." And Srinath has seen several, some holy cows, others merely famous names.
In the World Cup, Zaheer's spells, particularly with the old ball and a command over the reverse, have been Aerodymanics 101 dished out with a soundtrack of cacophony. It is left-arm bowling with the illusion of angle and change of pace, in which the fast may be fearful but the slow can be equally sinister; as if sending the ball down 22 yards to a brute with a bat has nothing to do with either earth or air, but is merely a sleight of hand.
If you want to understand what bowlers like Zaheer are to captains, maybe Sachin Tendulkar can explain. He described what it was leading a team that had Anil Kumble. "If something was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If nothing was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If you needed to contain runs, you give the ball to Anil. If you needed to attack, you give the ball to Anil." Right now, replace the regal 'Anil' with the cool nickname of 'Zak' because it is what he has become in Tests and ODIs.
At one time, Zaheer used to be one of India's earliest 21st century bad-boy cricketers, his name clubbed in with that of his mate Yuvraj, who ironically, is another of India's standout performers in this World Cup. Today, Zaheer is a pillar of his team's bowling, a seasoned performer, whose career could turn into a case study in India's National Cricket Academy curriculum about how fast bowlers don't always have to fade away. They can just get smarter. VVS Laxman said of him, "People won't look at him for statistics, they will look at Zaheer for impact."
If he had to pick a moment of enormous impact, Motera on Thursday would be a pretty good choice.
Battle of the flawed heavyweights
This match can be seen through several prisms: champions of the world v pre-tournament favourites, misfiring middle order v misfiring middle order, pace-reliant attack v spin-heavy attack, athletic fielders v incompetent fielders. Australia against India is a clash between teams with obvious imperfections.
Off-field dramas aside, Australia's progress in this World Cup was smooth at first - a comfortable win against Zimbabwe, a smashing one against New Zealand - and then uninspiring, when they laboured against Kenya and Canada. In each of those matches, at least one weakness was evident: a captain struggling for form, a middle order troubled by turn, spinners incapable of striking, and fast bowlers with wonky radars. All of these frailties were exposed by Pakistan, who ended the legendary unbeaten World Cup run on 34 matches. Australia's successes have been built around the opening partnership of Brad Haddin and Shane Watson, and the energy of Brett Lee. That might not be enough to topple India - but it might, for MS Dhoni's team is far from the shoo-in semi-finalist it was expected to be.
Before the World Cup began India's batting line-up was thought to possess the armour of God, their bowling was considered less formidable but effective in home conditions, and the fielding was known to be average. As their campaign played out, it became evident that the armour didn't fit the middle order - there were collapses of 9 for 29 and 7 for 51 - and the bowling, while adequate on helpful surfaces, was mediocre on flat pitches. The fielding has not been average. It has been abysmal. Slow anticipation, slower approaches to the ball, failure to cut off angles, and plain lethargy have allowed opponents to run at will.
I read all these articles about how such brilliant battles are going to happen on-field. And then the whole Indian batting collapses. Or if miraculously, it doesn't, the bowlers and fielders give away all the runs they made while batting.
Please let this not be a one-sided match. And please let India win (the WC).
The world may not have noticed it, but there's a tumultuous opera on between Zaheer Khan and Australia. The first time they met in an ICC event, the 2000 Champions Trophy in Nairobi, Zaheer kicked down the door, burst onto stage, got Adam Gilchrist, yorked Steve Waugh and said, 'hello, sunshines.'
They meet again on Thursday, in the quarter-final of the World Cup. Not merely in another league or group or roundabout game, but a knockout. Between 2003 and 2011, the protagonists have had another minor scuffle, last May at the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, but let's get real, this is the big one.
Finally, after all the preparation, he has got to the game where the opera will reach its abrupt conclusion.
In the tottering-teetering four weeks of India's World Cup, if Yuvraj Singh has been fire fighter with the bat and the ball, Zaheer has been its game-breaker. The leader of a bowling union that has been pilloried for lacking express pace and incisive spin, Zaheer has kept it all together, now second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 from six games.
He has become more than what the commentatariat love to call the 'go-to' bowler. He is now India's make-it-happen man, the partnership breaker, the kind of performer who can produce a performance from what seems like sheer will and a glowering expression. But this cricketing Heathcliff has been born out of the monotony of long practice and hundreds of overs bowled.
Javagal Srinath wrote this week, "I can say with conviction that I have not seen an Indian bowler show as much control as Zaheer has." And Srinath has seen several, some holy cows, others merely famous names.
In the World Cup, Zaheer's spells, particularly with the old ball and a command over the reverse, have been Aerodymanics 101 dished out with a soundtrack of cacophony. It is left-arm bowling with the illusion of angle and change of pace, in which the fast may be fearful but the slow can be equally sinister; as if sending the ball down 22 yards to a brute with a bat has nothing to do with either earth or air, but is merely a sleight of hand.
If you want to understand what bowlers like Zaheer are to captains, maybe Sachin Tendulkar can explain. He described what it was leading a team that had Anil Kumble. "If something was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If nothing was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If you needed to contain runs, you give the ball to Anil. If you needed to attack, you give the ball to Anil." Right now, replace the regal 'Anil' with the cool nickname of 'Zak' because it is what he has become in Tests and ODIs.
At one time, Zaheer used to be one of India's earliest 21st century bad-boy cricketers, his name clubbed in with that of his mate Yuvraj, who ironically, is another of India's standout performers in this World Cup. Today, Zaheer is a pillar of his team's bowling, a seasoned performer, whose career could turn into a case study in India's National Cricket Academy curriculum about how fast bowlers don't always have to fade away. They can just get smarter. VVS Laxman said of him, "People won't look at him for statistics, they will look at Zaheer for impact."
If he had to pick a moment of enormous impact, Motera on Thursday would be a pretty good choice.
Battle of the flawed heavyweights
This match can be seen through several prisms: champions of the world v pre-tournament favourites, misfiring middle order v misfiring middle order, pace-reliant attack v spin-heavy attack, athletic fielders v incompetent fielders. Australia against India is a clash between teams with obvious imperfections.
Off-field dramas aside, Australia's progress in this World Cup was smooth at first - a comfortable win against Zimbabwe, a smashing one against New Zealand - and then uninspiring, when they laboured against Kenya and Canada. In each of those matches, at least one weakness was evident: a captain struggling for form, a middle order troubled by turn, spinners incapable of striking, and fast bowlers with wonky radars. All of these frailties were exposed by Pakistan, who ended the legendary unbeaten World Cup run on 34 matches. Australia's successes have been built around the opening partnership of Brad Haddin and Shane Watson, and the energy of Brett Lee. That might not be enough to topple India - but it might, for MS Dhoni's team is far from the shoo-in semi-finalist it was expected to be.
Before the World Cup began India's batting line-up was thought to possess the armour of God, their bowling was considered less formidable but effective in home conditions, and the fielding was known to be average. As their campaign played out, it became evident that the armour didn't fit the middle order - there were collapses of 9 for 29 and 7 for 51 - and the bowling, while adequate on helpful surfaces, was mediocre on flat pitches. The fielding has not been average. It has been abysmal. Slow anticipation, slower approaches to the ball, failure to cut off angles, and plain lethargy have allowed opponents to run at will.
I read all these articles about how such brilliant battles are going to happen on-field. And then the whole Indian batting collapses. Or if miraculously, it doesn't, the bowlers and fielders give away all the runs they made while batting.
Please let this not be a one-sided match. And please let India win (the WC).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)