Cricket Cricket..

It has been a mind-boggling month of events in the world of cricket. The test series between India and Australia was a spectacle of neck and neck battle. In amidst of the battle, announcement of Gichrist’s retirement was an unfathomable and unanticipated loss to OZs. They could stand up to the wave even after the bow out of Langer-Damien-Warne and McGrath. Can they, this time, again?

Unfortunate events that happened at Sydney definitely spur the momentum of Team India. They played extraordinary cricket at Perth. Perth, supposed to be an easy walk for OZs, but turned out to be a nightmare. They talked the talk, but couldn’t able to walk the walk. Indians played a like bunch of hungry cricketers. Their batting was immaculate, and bowling was spot on. Young Indian bowlers showed the charisma of orthodox and unorthodox swing bowling. They swung viciously with the new ball, especially Irfan and with the old ball; RP brought the reverse swing into picture, which is where the OZs were clueless against Poms, which cruised through the gate of OZs defense. Even though India lost the series by 2-1, but the fight they put up was something to relish in the coming years. It’s amazing to know that, India have been the only team where the OZs hurrah has been faltering. It was one more enthralling batting display by secular saint, Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest cricketers of all time.

The fourth day of fourth test was something special, Gilly announced his retirement. He decided to bow out of international arena. I felt he chose the perfect possible time to bow out (very few made this decision at right time). Gilly brought special significance to the keeper in a cricket team. Before his emergence into cricket, Keeper was considered to be a part time batsman and his primary job is to pouch the ball. But Gilly changed the facet of keeper criterion. He set the standards for the selection of keeper. He was the only player, who every team wished they had him. His aggression in the first fifteen overs was immeasurable. His strike rate is 96 in ODIs, who wouldn’t want him? Unlike his aggression, he is known for his humility and integrity and sportsmanship. He is the only player who would walk if he nicked the ball (Which is seldom in current bunch). Gilly will be remembered for his batting more than his keeping skills (remember 149 in the 2007 world cup final).

Shaun Pollock had the same thoughts as Gilly; even he retired from international cricket. Pollock, 34, made his decision to quit a bit sooner than expected. Pollock who started the career under the shades of his predecessors, made his own mark sooner than expected. His medium paced off cutters proved to be lethal. Even the best of the bests had no answer to his nagging off stump line. His meager runs per ball shows the evidence of his consistency. His batting skills were also handy, at times. He pulled out the Proteas from dire situations many times. But his miscalculation in 2003 world cup will remain as blemish in his illustrious career.

The irony in loosing these two players to their corresponding teams is, they lost two at the exit of one. Both in their primary job were as good as in their batting. Its a tricky trauma for the two sides. Anyway, Gilly bowed out, Pollock bid adieu. I wish, these two will have a great life after cricket.

On the whole, January was exciting, action-packed welcome to untiring cricket. Sachin belted some runs; Lee knocked over stumps, and cricket was the ultimate winner, again.

Nishant

'Nishant'-end of darkness was a movie made by Shyam Benegal in 70’s. 'Nishant' is a story about the exploitation of women and oppression of landlords, written by Vijay Tendulkar and the film stars Naseeruddhin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smitha Patil, Amrish Puri and Girish karnad. I can say, undoubtedly, they belong to best bunch of actors of last millennium.

The story is about the incidents happened at a village in Andhra Pradesh during 40s. Naseeruddhin Shah is youngest brother of brutal, powerful landlord of village, Amrish Puri. Smitha Patil is wife of Naseeruddhin Shah, who keeps her husband away from his brothers, who actively indulge in alcohol and women (he himself is not inclined to all these habits). Girish Karnad is a school master, who gets transferred to this village, comes with his wife Shabana Azmi and only son. Naseer gets attracted to Shabana at the very first sight and keep thinking abt her all the time. One day his brothers observe the difference in Naseer and make him savor the alcohol and in that trance he reveals them his fascination for Shabana. At the same night, somebody knocks on the door of Girish, while they are having the dinner and Shabana opens the door to answer and to her surprise, Naseer’s brothers grab her and take her forcibly to their mansion. Girish tries to get har wife back in all the possible ways; he approaches the landlord, police, lawyers and collector, and what not!! All these efforts go in vain as no villager is ready to testify in front of court. At the end, with the help of the priest, Girish mobilizes the villagers and they successfully end the oppression of landlord by killing all the brothers. The ironic twist in the end was they kill both Shabana and Smitha in the spur of moment.

The film mainly depicts the oppression of landlords that had(s) been prevailing in the villages of India. In Girish we can see the plight of a helpless and cowardice middle class citizen of India. He even reconciles with the situation and starts to live as if nothing had happened. But the movie shows even the powerless, feeble and vulnerable people can become stronger and detrimental if they stand together against the atrocious, vicious force of oppression. Shabana’s tryst with Girish at the temple spurs him to mobilize the people and bring the difference in the society. Even though he succeeds in bringing the change, but the force gets cut loose without a substantial leader and unmethodical, disorganized approach. That’s why the end up killing innocent Smitha and Shabana, who were truly victims of the society, were not among culprits.

This was the debut film of Smitha Patil, one of the greatest actresses of bollywood. Shabana did her role impeccably. The photography of the movie is picturesque by Govind Nihalani. Nishant does need a fair bit of thinking to get the point that director wants to address. One need to put his effort to understand thoroughly, otherwise will be in 'Nisha'!!

Whiny Winners

Last week was a chaotic one in cricket world. India lost a test match, thanks to some horrendous umpiring, Australia equaled the most number of test victories with that of Steve Waugh’s record, Harbhajan had been labeled as racist and handed a three test ban, Team India refused to lead the series further demanding the axing of Steve Bucknor from standing in the following test and reevaluation of Harbhajan’s case. Back in India, media made most of the incident, piled profits on the repercussions of average man. They held some talk shows, they collected the opinions of former cricketers, they covered the anger of common Indian, and some even took an interview of Harbhajan’s mother on the umpiring frailties and racism abuses. People rallied on street holding the banners and screaming slogans against Team Australia, Umpires and match referee (Some placards read satyameva jayathe, what is that to do with cricket) and burning their effigies. As Suresh Menon wrote in his article for cricinfo “The President-elect of the ICC, Sharad Pawar, is upset. This is not something trivial like farmers committing suicide, which he can ignore in his other avatar as the Minister of Agriculture. This is the real thing. The BCCI runs the ICC and the media run the BCCI.” Eventually ICC had to come down and removed Steve Bucknor from the upcoming test match and scheduled a rehearing of Harbhajan’s case. And as a result of this, Team India agreed to continue the tour and the people back home cooled off measurably. But looking back at the things, can we call it fair game? Is sportsman spirit prevailing in Indian side?

Everybody knows BCCI runs ICC. BCCI plays major role in modifying (manipulating) or introducing the rules. BCCI made ICC to step down Bucknor from the third test. But the question is, won’t he be standing in the any of the matches that involves team India? If he does, what happens to the trust that exists among teams and umpires, will it be there? If he does, then lot of scrutiny would fall on the shoulders of Bucknor. What if he doesn’t participate, the elite panel, which consists of just eight umpires, would grow slimmer.

But my concern is, how can we justify the removal of Bucknor from upcoming test? It never happened before in the history of cricket. Umpire selection shouldn’t be based on team’s choice. A team shouldn’t select the umpire. This will not be considered as fair game. Indian players, who criticized the OZs for their ill-spirit, have themselves slipped down into the same pit of shame and blame. This whole incident reminds me of my childhood incident.

When I was in high school, I used to play cricket with my brother. My brother was a way better cricketer than me and I would always end up on the loosing side. Every time I loose a match, I would demand him to bat left handed (he is a right hander), just to secure a pity win. As expected, I did win most of the times, and had been called a cry baby. Whenever I recall, at first I get embarrass and then laugh out loud. I laugh at my unsportive, mean manipulations to taste the victory chug, pity!!

Whiny winner, its not just me!!

Chaotic Cricket

This year’s Border-Gavaskar trophy will be remembered for many reasons. This tour is supposed be last visit to Australia by senior players like Sachin, Dada, Dravid and Kumble. The four giants, who have been standing tall as four pillars to this dynasty of cricket India, who have been the face of cricket India for almost decade and half, have come together to try one last attempt to make it a remarkable hurrah. Unfortunately, the tour has become a bad taste in mouth.

Men in blue had started off New Year auspiciously. First session of the second test match was controlled by Indian bowlers. They bent their backs and continuously bowled at right line and length. Just when I thought, India were cruising along very well, from no where, Steve Bucknor made his presence felt by pricking the balloon of cheers, by adjudging Symmonds not out. But the fact is Symmonds had nicked the one off Ishant, a young debutant, which could be heard by one sitting in the middle of crowd. Although, this was not the first one that went wrong, but I believe it was the crucial one. It changed the face of game and affected badly on young debutant, who couldn’t pick up the wicket through out the test match. It was a series of errors by elite panel members of ICC. Ponting stood his ground after nicking one to keeper; Symmonds got three undeserved chances, Jaffer bowled off Lee, where Lee clearly overstepped, David’s dismissal in the second innings, Dada’s undoubtedly questionable catch by Michael Clark and many more.

It wouldn’t be fair enough to demand umpires to come out correct all the time. But some of the errors were too clearly visible to be blindfolded. On top of that, current technology would be handy to make some decisions wisely. They chose not to refer third umpire, who was clearly accommodated to adjudge at the times of obscurity/uncertainty. Baffled, I am!! Rather they took the advice from Ponting, whose integrity itself is in doubt, in (mis)judging Dada’s dismissal. If Ponting was honest at the first place, he would have walked after nicking one to keeper off Dada. Certainly, in the middle of heated contest, a player tends to forget ethics to sniff the victory. Player’s integrity and sporting spirit is not as sacred as it used to be. It was clearly inadmissible to see OZs playing the game in ill-spirit, who have been world champs and have onus of setting the standards for cricket world.

The only fragrance from the dirt mud was spread by Tendlya’s 38th test century along with charismatic century by nemesis of Australia, Very Very Special Lakshman. Tendlya’s innings was a classic, conventional test innings filled with authority, and dexterity. Where as Lakshman’s was full of aggression and sweetest timing possible. For Sidneysiders, it was one last glimpse of wristy wreck by Lakshman and one last waft of deft and dash by ‘Bradmanesque’ Tendulakar, who is unarguably one of the greatest cricketers of all time.

The verdict of the Match referee after 5th day of the test match took the blemish out of the frying pan and into the fire. Harbhajan was labeled as racist and banned for three test matches, even though there were no evidences were presented. That was totally ruthless and clearly objectionable. Everybody agrees that Australians are not only a bunch of better cricketers but also better sledgers. It was weird to learn Harbhajan get penalized for abusing racially against the team which is deeply notorious for altercations with all the cricket teams in the world. Baffled, again!!

Anyway, it was one of those tests which will go into history for all the wrong reasons and one of them being, Gilchrist’s appeal to get rid of Dravid off Symmonds, where Dravid left a foot gap between bat and ball. Clearly, one has to question if we can still call cricket a gentleman’s game.