Prudence says its Super 6

It’s just a matter of six teams aint it? Or could Whatmore be right?? Are there more Indias and Paks left to be conquered?? Let’s analyse which teams are beatable by the minnows!!

The ones that carry points:

Australia – Too damn difficult…. Current form is not bad at all, the past has always been glorious, and on paper stronger than the minnows by more times that I can count with my fingers. Remember, they have 2 points. A sure shot semi birth

Sri Lanka – Quite difficult … Current form is quite good, they are a charged up lot as always, Vaas and Murali could be too difficult a proposition to handle

New Zealand – Quite difficult too…. One of the teams I think that have it in them to beat the Aussies. They have done it in the recent past and am sure they might be able to do it again… Lou not playing may not be too big an impact IMO. More or less secure semi birth since they carry 2 points!

Windies – Been a good few months leading up to the WC. They’ve won all 3 matches and they beat the Pakis without a blink… The morale must be high and playing on home turf could be an intangible advantage. But with these guys u never know what can snap

The ones that don’t carry a point:

South Africa – The only reason they don’t have points is coz they were in the same group as Australia. This is the only other team that have the potential to beat Australia… I’m tipping they’ll be one of the 4 semis team

England – They are playing cricket the way they know to, and that’s probably not good enough. A potential candidate to be knocked out of the semis.

My take on who can be the semi contenders Aussies is a given more or less, NZ have the point advantage, SA stand a good chance, and its difficult to pick between Windies and Lanka!! This is considering the teams play the same way they have been and they don’t pull their skeletons out

Now that the games start in less than 6 hours time, we will know soon as to how the Phase 2 turns out.

A day of B'days and funerals!!

I turned 25 and I wasn’t feeling great about it in the first place. On the eve and probably around 00 hours when I turned 25, India had the penultimate nail on their world cup dream coffin… I must have spent at least a fifth of my 25 years playing, watching, reading, talking , thinking and of late blogging on/ about cricket. It was pretty painful seeing the team lose and be knocked out. And despite my best guesses it’s kinda apparent that matches were not rigged. (Did Bob’s untimely mishap prevent it is a question beyond me to answer)

What was more infuriating was the pace at which the heroes were written off!!! People taking funerals for the hitherto heroes?? Guys, how would u feel if someone had a mock funeral for your beloved?? (If you don’t feel a thing and you do a mock funeral, I would like to ask providence on why valuable space is blocked up for the other masses) This is the bane of making the great game reach the illiterate/ emotionally freaky/ educated yet uncultured masses… If what was seen on TV was any indication, there is no dearth for these people around the country….

It’s one of those days am ashamed to be an Indian… Not that the team has let the down… Everybody have their share of bad hair days…. One doesn’t chop the head off for that!! You make what amends are needed… Agreed they earn too much money, agreed that their success in life is not directly relatable to success on field… But who is the layman to judge their levels of integrity. They make huge sacrifices and what they earn is the price. Who wouldn’t want more money?? Who wouldn’t wanna cash in on their fame and earn more without doing anything that’s morally bad??

The friggin media is gonna be the end of the world… The day they want them they are heroes, the day they are down they are battered… News in today’s world of “Listed media companies” has lost its meaning… They will run any story that brings in TRP… My kind request is please don’t portray the burning of effigies, mock funeral, setting fire to pictures on the prime news!!!

The takeaways are – Cricket is a sport… For most Indians (including me) it is a religion since I’ve spent more time thinking about it rather than God. I don’t trash god or burn him or beat him when I feel let down… I’ve not been able to find god, for crying out loud :) :)

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you…. Oh my fellow lovers, I can understand the emotions… But don’t be morons… If u hate them don’t watch them… It’s better than beating their families up, or burning them… How sad is it that you made the captain beg you for the safety of the team’s families… Be prudent, be critics, be purists and not terrorists…

The commerce of cricket!!

Score of dollars are being spent each day on cricket in various ways! Companies who invest in brands actually invest in everything that actually helps them sell it. But for actors, I guess cricket stars are still a primary brand in themselves and primary brand developers with respect to the public at large.

Each major cricketing event is sponsored by some of these big conglomerate houses or the latest funda being “Indian Majors” or “Indian MNC’s”. Some of these sponsors have been dedicated ones, sponsoring games year after year, series after series. It’s a war hard fought than many as to who finally sponsors one of these.

Now considering the amount of money spent/ invested (I personally consider atleast 50% as investment) the stakes are too high… If the TRP’s drop, and drop pretty heavily am not too sure what these sponsors might gain!

So it is imperative on their parts/ for their cause that the origins of these sponsors remain in the competition. Am not too sure if that’s the way it works around the world, but with India I guess that’s kinda true… Despite being called a cricket crazy nation, am not too sure if more than half of the normal people will watch a non- Indian super 8 and thereon…

So considering India’s poor start and the fact that they may go into the super 8 by natural causes, I’m just wondering if one or more of these big money houses would do “what is in their power” to make us reach the next stage?? No insinuations, am not saying anything, no defamation, but to lose half the Indian viewer-ship is too much after the cost incurred….

Just a stray thought! Just an idea of how commercialisation can ruin things…. Another one is news channels, but I’ve said enough on that before… Any thoughts on this guys??

Renaissance time again!!

Here I stand. 5 minutes of silence to one of the greatest exponents of the game! I’ve never seen him play, but if what he did off the field is any indication of his abilities, I gotta say he was awesome!

The SA owes a lot to him. He made them what they are. He kinda founded their beliefs. He helped them, nurtured them and took them wading through the big stage performance in their formative years. And am sure he tried helping our “friendly” neighbours too. But alas, when someone is so committed to suicide who can save him but himself! I don’t mean Bob!!! I mean thy neighbours

I’m sure coaching a team like it would be taxing on anyone. Particularly, for a “firang”. The fact that he must’ve had a torrid time is not surprising by any standards. It is as bad as coaching India. Not 11 people look up to you, 1100 million!! The team is now a disaster. Post the captain, I seriously wonder who is gonna take charge and what misery he’s gonna face. Inzy was a good man-manager; else you can never get a team like that to believe they are one unit.

Why people question the way he died is beyond me!! What has the world gotta do with how he died?? But that’s not a Q that I can answer.. What if it was not nature that killed him? The answer I know is for this Q – Should justice prevail?? Yes…

If only god knew what he was doing to a team like Pak by taking Bob away, am sure he would have thought twice… But with all the injustice in the game, I never really thought God was a cricket lover… (Sachin, Lara et al were created on off days!!) Am not gonna write them off as yet, but with 2 natural setbacks (Bob and Inzy) and a few stupid mistakes that a five year old would laugh at, they aren’t doing themselves any kinda good.

I would love to see them back at their prime… They sure are a side possessed on their day!! And fighters to the death! But are “phoenix” enough to rise back from six feet under the ground?? Only time can tell my love! Only time can tell….

Never speak ill of the Dee(a)D

Now what did David Hookes do?? Was Sunny the one who bet him up? Or were they sharing a coupla beers thinking of the glorious past they had and the possibly great run ins they had? Never speak ill of the Dead.. Never!!!! Now, it was so stupid to comment about the practice in itself. Just coz you didn’t do it does not mean you’re right and just coz someone else did it does not mean he is wrong.

It’s possibly one of the few times when sledging has the right effect at the wrong place…. Ur supposed to get agitated on the wicket and throw your guard away, not off the wicket and run your mouth…. Sunny we all appreciate that you have been a great cricketer… But to talk about sportsmanship or being a gentleman gamesmanship???? Aint that pushing it a little too far…..

Not too far ago did we see the Dada dance semi clad… Not too far ago did we see Bhajji blowing it off on various opponents….. Not too far ago was Shreesanth “not only talk to himself but also to the batsman” after every ball… It’s like a school student whining!!!
And Punter is right in asking us to look at how we have played in the last few years…. We have played it rough and we have given back what was rubbed on us… World is moving fast. People’s span to remember is getting shorter with too much to remember everyday. So u get it, u give it back that very moment. Period.

I do not think sledging is a bad thing to do… And if u cannot give it back, it’s your incompetence… We have read so many mails on how sledging firing back…. It is fun watching it, reading it and talking about it… And again Sunny, what were you thinking

Advaita?? It's so not true!!

This is definitely not a post on godliness. Infact it is the direct opposite of that. I was a believer in Advaita most times of my life. The other times are governed by my questioning the mere existence of God.

My recent relocation to the carnival of Asia changed it all… The city is filled with Gods.. Goddesses to be precise. I’ve always admired beauty in its obvious forms, but have never found myself staring, ogling or leering at any of the beauties of nature. Dubai changed it all.. I’ve seriously not seen anyplace like this… What is so good and natural in a desert??? FYI most parts of this city is a concrete jungle and it is filled with probably a great mix of the most good looking women in the world

Walk in to any shopping mall and one can have an eyeful and on a crowded day every second girl you set eyes on in better looking that the other. I’ve never seen a Greek goddess in her full glory, but if the descriptions in any of the books I’ve read is any close to what I imagine, every third gal you set sight on is a Goddess.. Believe me am not kidding.. I may not have any statistics to prove the judgement, but when the “Vital statistics” are right, I don’t see anyone raise any question.. Do u?

So what makes this special?? The operating word is mix… Arguably the optimum mix.. There is a right mix of women from varied culture, nation and tradition and each one has got a beauty of its own. There are Lebanese, Jordanians, Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians, Brits, Americans, French, German, selective lot of a very dominant Filipino crowd, Japanese and Chinese, Koreans and of course the dusky Indian beauties

I can’t think of any other place in the world where there exists such a huge population with so varied a mix of cultures. I haven’t travelled around, haven’t seen the world… If I was a guy who lives on punts that’s one punt I would place my bottom dollar on…

If u still can’t imagine what it is like, u got to see it… I see around my office and I don’t see one reason I can concentrate on the work…..