The ICC Equation

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Now that the Government of India has disallowed the Indian cricket team’s tour of Pakistan, the relationship between the India and the Pakistan Cricket board will surely come under stress.

Obviously, the BCCI and the PCB considering the financial incentives would have liked to go ahead with the tour. However, the matter was out of their hands once the Mumbai Terror attacks caused a rupture in the relationship between the two nations. The Indian government with parliamentary elections around the corner had no wish to act oblivious of the public sentiment. As cricket holds such a hold over the psyche of the two nations, the GOI decided to act firmly. (Now cricket lovers may argue that they should show the firmness elsewhere.)

Leaving the merits and demerits of the GOI’s decision aside, it is germane to wonder what it will do to the relationship between the two cricketing nations. As the decision is too raw, it is guaranteed to generate venomous outpourings from Pakistan. Already personalities like Rashid Latif has made demands calculated to sour the relationship between PCB and the BCCI further. The politicians and the media are going to join in to aggravate the situation sooner then later.

Funnily enough both the PCB and the BCCI appear reconciled to this decision and left to themselves they would quietly waited for the situation between the two countries to resolve before taking any drastic decision. As said earlier the situation has gone out of their hands.

To add to the turmoil, Sri Lanka Cricket Board a known BCCI baiter suspected of conspiring with the ECB has swiftly stepped into the breach. Their willingness to tour when other nations had refused is going to make them close to the PCB. Their intimacy surely would have caused discomfort to the BCCI if not for the fact that the ECB who would have relished BCCI’s discomfort is itself on shaky grounds over Stanford and their own breed of EPL.

This brings us to the interesting conundrum of who is going to support whom in the ICC. Until now, PCB has been a firm supporter of the BCCI and CSL rumored to support ECB. From news reports, it appears CSA and CA the weather cocks of the ICC has quietly backed BCCI. They may not change their colours soon unless the ECB shows enough gumption to take on the BCCI again. Considering the present bonhomie between the ECB and the BCCI, it looks unlikely that the ECB will launch an attack head-on. However, with its vote bank suspect, the BCCI’s days of bulldozing the opposition may be over. It has to learn to be more openly accommodative and less self-centered.

Surely, this change in the power equation within the ICC is good for the development of cricket and hence welcome.







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2nd Test Day 2, Mohali, India –England, 2008

India squanders away the toss advantage.

As I predicted India failed to score even 200 runs at close of play on the 1st day of the 2nd Test between India and England at Mohali.

Granted bad light robbed nearly 120 minutes of play. Yet to score only 179 in 72 over's averaging just over 2 runs per over is lamentable. By neither setting the pace nor securing the game, India has squandered away the advantage of winning the toss and batting first.

Look at it this way, 179 is by no means a comfortable total because; the pitch is going to provide some movement at the start of the day 2. A couple early wickets can leave India gasping and mounting a rear guard action. This uncertainty is needless and if the batsmen had attempted to force the pace, things would have looked rosier.

Gambhir by scoring his 3rd -century in as many matches has underlined how far he has evolved. He is currently India’s most dependable batsman. Dravid made an unconvincing 65. Contrary to what is said in the media, Dravid is nowhere near his pomp and struggled for 205 balls to score his 65. Someone should put his and our misery to an end.

By the look of it if the Indian batsmen fail to take the English bowling by the scruff of its neck, it is going to be one boring Test match.

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Pakistan Tour cancellation – It is the correct decision

The Indian cricket team’s tour of Pakistan has generated a good healthy discussion on this blog. If yesterday I assumed that, the majority was for a delayed tour today our readers have proved that the naysayers are in equal number.

Philip9876 another of regular readers has left a stinging retort at my feeble attempt to differentiate between sporting and political relations with Pakistan.

Here is his retort in full; the Ott he refers to is none other than me.

Ott, its easy to say that we should decouple politics and sports. But just going thru the sports minister's quote. "One team comes and mows down 190 people and they want another team to go there and play as if nothing happened?"

I dont even want to have any sort of communication with the country of Pakistan and her people. By going to Pak, the PCB would have made $20million. PCB is headed by Miandad, who in turn is a close relative of Dawood. Dawood is known to bet on cricket matches. With a relative of one of the world's dreaded criminal related to the PCB so closely, how do we trust the PCB any more? What's a guarantee that Miandad/Dawood nexus wont fix the matches or profit in private from the matches?

The money earned by betting on the matches will be used by Dawood to further his drug trade and to help ISI foment terror in India and the region.

Why give them a chance? I heard that PCB is in deep trouble and that by India pulling out, its on the verge of collapse. That's what i always wanted. To let Pakistan know that there is cost to escalating tensions and to pursue its wellknown policy of bleeding India with a thousand cuts. The only weapon that India has is economics. WE should use it to strangle Pak as much as possible so that the next time they even think of fomenting terror, they should pee in their pants.

As for all the people who say that both politics and sports should be apart, i would like to hear their comments after the next team from Pakistan comes and mows down his/her family.

We should have no contacts with Pak. Period. There are many more civilised countries in the world to play cricket with.

Though I do not necessarily agree with all he has said, I believe some of his points are irrefutable.

What do you think?

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Why do Indians love cricket?

COLIN TODHUNTER writes on why he thinks cricket is a big hit with Indians.

Cricket is just about the biggest thing in India, and I can see why. The test match variety involves a lot of waiting. It is a slow paced game; chess on grass. On almost every strip of waste ground, young boys play cricket.

They wait — for the bowler to bowl; for the batsman to bat; and for the fielder to eventually field. This near eternity of waiting mirrors just about everything else that goes on around them.

He concludes that as an Indian's love cricket as their life in general involves waiting intermittently.

Do you agree?

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The Aussie way of motivation

Last year when Sri Lanka visited Australia, Muralitharan was on the threshold of breaking Shane Warne's world record. At that time, Ponting came out with a statement saying that they, the Australian team, will not let it happen in Australia.

Though Ponting's remark sounded rude, it was a fantastic way to spur on his team. Needless to add they gave the Sri Lankans a good working over and delayed Murali’s quest for the world record.

Now Ponting has engaged the same tactic against India. In a recent interview, he said his team would try their best to make Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar struggle for his world record in the upcoming Test series.

Though it is a milder form of the avowal he made against Murali (probably since it was attempt to break an Australian record), the question is will it be as effective as it was against the Sri Lankans?

Will the Australian's lengthen Tendulkars pursuit of Lara's record?

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Badrinath replaces Tendulkar in the ODI squad

The injury sustained by Tendulkar during the second day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka is severe enough to rule him out of the following ODI series.

However, his unavailability brings a cheer to many Badrinath fans as he replaces Tendulkar in the ODI squad.

As Tendulkar opens for India in the ODI’s it is doubtful that Badrinath a middle order batsmen, will ever play. Tendulkar’s absence means Gambhir – Sehwag partnership continues unbroken.

Coming back to Tendulkar’s injury, wonder why I am unsurprised.

Only an ‘M’ can save India.

 

Photo courtesy marklarson

India vs. Sri Lanka 3 rd Test, 3 rd Day:

As I write, Sehwag, Gambhir, Ganguly, Parthiv and Tendulkar are out. Dravid is waging a battle with a rather sick looking Laxman for company.

Though they say hope springs eternal, the situation is dire.

Only an ‘M’ - miracle can save India.

Ishant’s recovery is important

The Indian physio was busy on the second day of the Third Test. VVS Laxman turned his ankle, Tendulkar jarred his elbow and a rearing Kumble delivery, messed up Parthiv’s pretty face.

However, in the context of day three of the Test, Ishant injury may prove dear. If India is looking to price out early wickets in the morning, a fit Ishant is crucial. Or else, India is looking at a lead of a minimum 100 runs.

A lead as large as 100 runs may prove a daunting task for the Indian batsmen and the pressure could make them wilt.

For India, a vigorous Ishant is indispensable to impose itself in the game.

Photo courtesy: dario(head)

Vaas misses a rare double by 2 runs.

When Vaas got out driving Harbhajan straight to Virendar Sehwag at covers, he missed out on a rare double by 2 runs. If he had scored the 2 runs he would have completed a deserved double of scoring 3000 runs and 300 wickets.

His aggregate now stands at 2998 runs and 347 wickets in 107 Tests.

How to get rid of Tendulkar and the other oldies

The issue which occupies any thinking Indian, an issue more important than the nuclear deal or much more worrying than rampant poverty is how to get rid of the seniors from the cricket team.

The fab-four, regardless to broad hints, refuse to make a graceful exist.Compounding their refusal is the reluctance of the grateful BCCI to wield the axe.

This leaves the onerous task of flushing the seniors out of the team to the fans. Fortunately for the Indian cricket fans, corporate India provides them a solution.

Corporate India, for the matter the corporate world has devised a sensitive way of getting rid of redundant employees. For instance, an indebted organisation creates a fresh Vice-President post and appoints these men to the post. By doing so, they achieve two objectives, one, getting rid of the employee and two, freeing the position for influx of fresh blood.

The Indian cricket fans should force the BCCI to adopt similar measures.

For example as recent as yesterday, Kohli a new inductee into the Indian team was voluble on the subject of sharing the dressing room with Tendulkar. This suggests a way to farm Tendulkar.

Make Tendulkar the coach of the Under-19 team. This will give the youngsters an opportunity to share the dressing room and gain from his experience.

BTW, we welcome similar suggestions for Laxman, Ganguly and Dravid.

India relinquish advantage

Sri Lanka Vs India 3rd Test Day 1:

India won the toss and swiftly ceded the advantage to the Sri Lankan’s by their inept batting. The debutant Prasad took three early wickets and India was 102 for 3 by the 23 rd over. Dravid after suffering and making others endure his painstaking batting succumbed for 10 and Tendulkar following suit with just 6 runs. Both the batsmen were lbw playing across the line.

Since then on, wickets fell at regular intervals with Laxman and Ganguly flattering to deceive. However, Gambhir held the innings together with a fine 72. He along with Sehwag put on a 51 runs partnership before the wheels came apart.

The last wicket partnership of 50 odd runs involving Ishant and Zaheer brought an appearance of respectability and India folded at 249 in the 80 th over.

Why Indian’s are unhappy with Rahul Dravid’s dismissal?

The Indian team’s unhappiness with Dravid’s dismissal in the second innings at Galle is well known. For the record, originally given not out, Mahela after a lengthy dialogue with Doctrove went for the referral and got the decision overturned.

Initially, it was assumed that Indians were unhappy with Mahela’s protracted conversation with the umpire. It was reasoned that the prolonged chat gave Mahela an advantage and a chance to plant a seed of doubt in the umpires mind.

However, the exact reason behind India’s dissatisfaction is now out. The Indian’s believe that Mahela’s long-drawn-out discussion was a premeditated attempt to buy time for his teammates, either in the dressing room or on the ground to look at the replays and decide whether a referral will be in their favor.

This explains why, a normally restrained Dravid, smote his bat on the ground.

A ’perfect Test match’ at Galle?

Can someone tell me whether the Galle Test qualifies as a perfect Test match for Sri Lanka?

What's more, let me take this opportunity to remind the Right Honorable Ranatunga the Chairman of SC that you had your day.

Take it away folks!

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A bomb blast is still a bomb blast

Whether it occurs in Pakistan,India or Sri Lanka, a bomb blast is still a bomb blast.
May be one can differentiate by their intensity and the number of people it harmed.
Every bomb is threat to life and limb so how can Cricket Australia say, Nothing hypocritical about touring India.

There is no way one can say a bomb blast in India or elsewhere is not a security threat.The very statement is hypocritical.

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Who is Ranatunga?

Is he the Chairman of the Sri Lankan Cricket or the BCCI?

It is high time our media stops asking others to opine on our cricketers.

BTW, Mr. Ranatunga, there is an old saying, "every dog has its day".

Yesterday it was yours.

Mind it.

Sri Lanka Cricket -Dispute Over Players Contract Resolved.

Image by abhip via Flickr

Finally, the contract dispute which grew to the extent of disrupting India's tour of Sri Lanka, has been settled. According to the SLCA (Sri Lanka Cricketers Association) Secretary, the players are set to sign the contracts next week.

Interestingly, the dispute occurred not over the salaries. Considering the pathetic financial state of the Sri Lanka Cricket (board) the seniors had agreed to renew their contracts without a rise in their salaries.However, the senior's insisted that the junior players should receive at least a 15 % pay rise.

As they were in debt, the Sri Lanka Cricket had initially disagreed on salary rise for the juniors. Now that the Indian cricket tour had wiped away their debts, they have agreed to increasing the junior cricketers salary.Despite this, Sri Lanka's top drawer cricketers are still some of the lowest paid international cricketers.

The other contractual road blocks like ban on contributing to the media (subject to SLC guidelines), ban on allowing players wife's or girlfriends' on tour and a penalty of half their match fee for losing a match were also withdrawn.

The players have also agreed to pay 75% of the domestic competition, which is interesting as their availability is dependent on the International fixtures which is again under the control of SLC.

Technorati Tags Sri,Lanka,Contracts,Cricketers

Sri Lankan Cricket back stabs BCCI

Sri Lanka has agreed to tour England in May. This tour is in direct conflict with the next edition of IPL.

This means, IPL franchisees who have signed Sri Lankan cricketers like Murali, Jayasuriya,Jayawadene,Sangakara and the latest phenomenon Mendis, have to do with out their services. In effect their non- participation will not only hit the franchisees financially (they will have to go for new recruits) it will also deny them an even chance to win the coveted trophy.

Not only that, Sri Lanka's decision has given a handle to the detractors of BCCI. Already, the English press has concluded Sri Lanka's decision as a indication of shifting equations in the ICC. They view this as a victory for ECB in its battle over BCCI.

One wonders, why Ranatunga, who was pleading with the BCCI to financially bail out Sri Lankan Cricket just last month, has agreed to this tour?

Surely, having got what they wanted (the media right for India's tour of Sri Lanka which saved them from penury), Sri Lanka has back stabbed India and Indian cricket by aligning itself with ECB.

[Back Stabber]

Before lambasting Dhoni for opting out of the India- Sri Lanka Test series, take a look at these stats.

	Mts Played	Mts Missed	Missed%
MS Dhoni	118	6	4.84
Yuvraj Singh	92	32	25.81
R Dravid	86	38	30.65
SR Tendulkar	81	43	34.68
Harbhajan Singh	78	46	37.10
V Sehwag	76	48	38.71
IK Pathan	74	50	40.32
S Sreesanth	61	63	50.81
RP Singh	57	67	54.03
G Gambhir	55	69	55.65
Zaheer Khan	53	71	57.26
SC Ganguly	50	74	59.68

Since January 2006, Dhoni has missed six out of 124 games, which includes 28 Tests,86 ODI's and 10 Twenty20 international. He certainly deserves a break, however, the press would have been more sympathetic if he had opted out of playing the ODI's instead of opting out of the Tests.

Pepsi drops Sachin-Sign of things to come?

Image by RNLJ&C via FlickrThough this bit of news has nothing to do with cricket, it is important in the sense that it may indicate the way in which the wind is blowing.

Pepsi has failed to renew Sachin's contract which expired in May. Remember Sachin has been with Pepsi from way back 1990's.

As Tendulkar is still the most salable cricketer with legions of fans who see him as 'GOD' it is surprising that Pepsi has let him go.

Pepsi has made some oblique reference about how Sachin has become 'unaffordable', however, industry sources believe that Pepsi has dropped him in favour of young guns like Ishant and Rohit Sharma.

This decision is interesting as Pepsi is considered as a weather-cock in identifying current trends. So does this mean that Pepsi feels Tendulkar's retirement is imminent?

Tri-series- Indo-Pak final- Dhoni left it too late

Dhoni left it too late.

He should have taken the attack, or tried to take the attack by the scruff of its neck much earlier.

By delaying, he reduced the possibility of success and increased the probability of failure.

Having said that Pakistan virtually batted India out of the match.

What do you think?