I feel for the ladies...

First they have to watch a sub-standard tournament, then this.

And we all thought that big bad IPL was corrupting the players with the delicious jadoo ki jhappis that Ms. Zinta was dishing out.

Ponting simply unlucky in Mohali

Writer Suresh Menon's article on cricinfo suggests that Ponting had the disadvantage of leading his team against an extremely lucky man, hence that huge defeat in Mohali; Ponting was not only leading a team of rookies, he was also up against someone who wins a lot of tosses. And if Ponting still had the services of Gilchrist, McGrath- who knows the results would've been different.

That is like saying if Gilchrist played for India, we would have won the World Cup in 2007.
I know.

A captain's worth is calculated by how he shepherds the team, even when they are not winning. Especially when they are not winning. Ponting and CA were blessed with a great combination all these years in Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist etc. Perhaps Ponting was not really tested?

And player-to-player India is a better team so it should win, but is that an excuse for Oz to fail?

Wasn't India supposed to be the weakest side in the CB Series, and look what happened? I know it was an ODI series and ODIs are different, but on paper atleast wasn't India the weaker side compared to OZ?

Yes it helps if captains are lucky with the toss and if they have the right people to play the game. But here is thing: planning and preperation also matter. So does being calm under pressure.

Oz arrived in India minus a world-class spinner. Perhaps they don't have one. But you make the best with what you have. And was Cam white really the best choice? Surely Crazy wouldn't have done worse than Cam. And he is a full-time bowler.
Also, India used reverse swing, why didn't the OZ bowlers?


But mostly Ponting lost his cool with Sehwag, and more importantly with his own player when the chips were down. His field placements were defensive and his bowling changes defied logic. This has nothing to do with bad luck, just bad attitude.

Test cricket is dead.... Really??

Then why am I paying $50 to WillowTv?

Anyway, the cricket has been good so I'll not complain.

Also good has been the female attendance in the Mohali Test.

Sure women do watch cricket in India, but they mostly come in for the ODIs, and don't necessarily support the team as much as a particular player. Now it is MSD... few years ago it was Pathan...& sometime earlier Dravid... you get the drift. Anyway, watching test match cricket has been pretty much a male-sport in India.

Purists might hate me for saying this, but I think some of the new intrest has to do with the IPL. I think IPL has made it "cool" for women to support cricket.

Anyway, its great to see more women venturing out to watch cricket in a stadium. Especially since most of the basic facilities are missing in Indian stadiums. I am not sure how the stadium experience is now, but back in 90s it was bad. No water, no shade, dirty restrooms...


I remember, long time ago, my aunt once volunteered to take us cousins for a cricket match. We changed two buses to reach the stadium and it took us some more time to get thru the security cordon and get to our seats. I don't remember if the "seats" were concrete slabs, but I do know there were no plastic chairs in stadiums back them.


No complaints though; we were sitting right next to the players' pavilion and got to see Kapil Dev, Azhar, Srikanth, Wasim Akram etc.. up close. I even mustered up enough courage to ask Ijaz Ahmad for an autograph. He refused!! What a prick. Who refuses an autograph to a (sweet) li'l girl in pigtails?


Anyway once the game started it was carnival time. We were sitting next to a group that had managed to get in dholaks and drums and we would all dance in the aisles when a boundary was hit or a (Pak) wicket fell. I am not sure how much cricket we *watched* though. There were no big screens and my aunt kept mumbling about "replay" every time a wicket fell.


By the afternoon my aunt had had enough. It was HOT, we were out of water and food, and I am pretty sure some random guy had felt her up on her way to the restroom. Towards the end of the match things got worse. A few guys started a fight right behind where we were sitting; bottles were broken, newspapers were lit on fire, and baton-wielding police arrived on the scene. It was pretty scary to watch a lathi-charge from so close. It took us more than an hour just to get out.


I don't think my aunt ventured into a stadium again. I am also pretty sure she stopped watching cricket once Ravi Shastri retired.

Sattire-Must Read!!

MSD - Luck by chance?

Ok I've been reading a lot that MSD has been winning cuz he is lucky. Plus 'cuz he can switch his game when he is the captain.

I disagree. I think he won because he was able to *Lead* & *inspire*. Of course Ricky helped him too by getting all defensive and playing with 8 batsmen (C White).

Anyway, even if the lucky bit was true, wouldn't that be reason enough to make him the test captain?? I sure would like India to win the toss more often than not- esp in the subcontinent. Plus if he can bat the way he did whenever he pleases, bring it on I say.

But I feel Kumble shd continue for the remainder of the series and MSD shd be unveiled as capt for the Eng series.

KP Vs. MSD. How nice.

India Wins And I Post!!

So my first post as a citizen of the blogosphere. Exciting!
Also coincides with India's win.

Or shd I say total Aussie annhilation.

But the biggest challenge now must be to maintain the often abused "M" word ( err... not "monkey") but MOMENTUM- something that the Indian team seriously runs out of.