Kooo Chuk chuk chuk!!!

My Dad happened to be travelling and when I called him he was just arriving at his destination.

The background sound that I heard on the phone is something that has left me yearning. The sound of the train entering the platform - thak thak, thuk thuk thuk thuk ........thak...thak......thuk..thuk..thuk ...thuk.............thak............thak..............thuk ...........thuk...........thuk....................thuk...............keeeeeeeegn !!!!!!! was awesome. The sound of the horn of a shunting engine in the background going “Phoooommmmmm”, the sound of the porters trying to ask if someone needs a hand, the excitement of the traveller looking out of the window to spot the ones that have come to receive them........the announcements at the station going “Tin Ting Tiiiingg” ........ WOW!!!!!! Its been over a year since I have been on the Indian Railways and on my next vacation to India a trip or two on trains is a guaranteed thing on the agenda.

With time being scarce on my short holidays and with airlines providing an affordable and viable alternative(and ofcourse Kingfisher airlines having Hot airhostesses), I have travelled less on trains in the last coupla years. I hope to make up for that this time round!!!!. The Tomato soup and the Omlette sandwich from the pantry, the Frooti and the ice cream which is more like kheer :P:P are novelties on the network. Looking out of the window and at the engine when the train takes a curve, standing at the door and have the breeze hit u on your face when thetrain is thundering through to the next station, the awesome sleep on the upper berth......... are all worth doing a thousand times. Oh yes i forgot about the Tinkle Digest and the Sportstar that I buy at the Higginbothams outlet.

1 month and 24 days to go!!!!!!!!!

T20 format - a critical Analysis

With India playing Pakistan for top honours at the Twenty20 World Cup finals in a few hours, this post does risk being criticised, but in the end it is just a matter of opinion and one that I can back with facts.

When it comes to cricket I have always been a purist - in the way I have played and in the way I have followed the game. I must admit that the Twenty20 cricket World Cup has me in a confused state. A format that will never get a purists nod, it is tremendously entertaining to watch. I am torn between being a spectator watching cricket for entertainment and a cricket analyst, trying to analyse where the game is going.

Twenty20 cricket, with its short game time, the ever changing balance of the game and the huge sixers - is very good entertainment, but the effect it will have on international cricket, in my opinion, will not be good for the game, like it known from a century ago.

Cricket coaching manuals will be rewritten when T20 cricket gets popular (are they already being rewritten). I remember being taught the basics of cricket - Place your feet close to your bat, hold the bat with a lose bottom hand and play along the ground. These basics no longer hold true in T20 cricket. The front foot comes out to the legside creating width and the bottom hand is the most prominet hand, and the ball is played more in the air than it is on the ground. Some shots are even quite similar to those seen in a Federer vs Nadal match. The crowd needs catching practise and they also need helmets.

Spinners are a rare breed anyway and T20 goes one more step and makes them near extinct. New Zealand is the only team that has played 2 specialist spinners in Vettori and Jeetan Patel, India played one in Harbhajan, while Australia, South Africa, West Indies, and even Sri Lanka played without a specialist spinner. Even the spinners who did play - Vettori, Harbhajan, Jeetan patel, Afridi were all bowling flat and even bowled a fair few yorkers. The Prasannas and Bedis will be disappointed to see the demise of flight, which is the essence of spin bowling, in this version of the game.

The most elegant of shots and the ones that got the cheers from the crowds used to be the classic cover drives, the on drives, the late cuts and the flicks and glances. But with this version, the slog over Cow-Corner, the reverse sweep, the top edge over the wicketkeeper and the hoick into no mans land is what is attracting not only the cheers from the crowds, but also the dance moves from the cheerleaders and the music from the DJs. "Pacing an innings" is another phrase that will lose its importance.

As this version of the game gets more popular, it is natural for cricketers to want to play this vesion more than the others and it is in this that ODI and Test cricket stand to lose. You will see young players trying to emulate yuvrajs murderous slogs over Cow-Corner rather than getting the basics right. The influence of T20 cricket will rub into the older forms of the game and I expect to see that straight after this World Cup is over.

With the governing body showing a clear intent to put its mouth where the money is, T20 cricket is definitely the way forward and I cant see how this will not impact mainstream cricket - Tests and ODIs.

All said and done, Its the finals of eth World Cup and what better than an India vs Pakistan clash. I am going to wear my "spectator" hat and enjoy the spectacle. may the best team (read India) win!!!!!

TGIF

Its Friday evening and its time to unwind, relax, destress and enjoy!!!!!! Anyone joining me???

And for those who know, its 2 months and 2 days to go !!!! :D:D:D:D:D

External factors

The last 8 months have been like a roller coaster ride. There have been things that went well and there were things that could have been better, but what hurt the most are the things that did not go my way. The frustrating part of this whole ride is that the things that did not go my way were all environmental or extrernal factors, none of which I had control over. It brings about a feeling of helplessness.

I have never been a fan of roller coaster rides at the theme parks. I am looking forward for this ride to end so that I can get on my feet and walk my way past things at my own pace and with myself in full control. When on my own feet, I can atleast step up my effort if the environment conspires against me.

Shakespeare said : "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances...” - looks like the Director of the play is unhappy with me!!!!!

T20 World Cup

The T20 World Cup is only a few hours away and India is one of the 2 teams(England being the other) that is going into the tournament without any warm up matches.

The format is very new to Indians as we have played only the solitary T20 match in South Africa earlier this year. The Domestic season in T20 is only a year old as well. In short India are not experienced in this format. Add to that the fact that the team is full of youngsters, and we have a very inexperienced contingent. This could be a plus for India as they are underdogs.

I am looking forward to this slam-wham-bang format. India plays Scotland on Thursday and then Pakistan on Friday.

The aim of this blog to is to guess the starting line up that India will go in with. Looking at the squad, there are very few places that are sealed. Lemme try and take a punt on a starting 11.

1. Virender Sehwag
2. Gautam Gambhir
3. Yuvraj Singh
4. Robin Uthappa
5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
6. Dinesh Kartik
7. Irfan Pathan
8. Yusuf Pathan
9. Harbhajan Singh
10.Santhakumaran Sreesanth
11.Rudra Pratap Singh

Considerations :

• Sehwag and Gambhir will provide the Right-Left combination at the top of the order, with that hope that Sehwag can give us explosive starts.
• Yuvraj is the best batsman on eth squad and has to come in at #2
• Uthappa slots himself into #4 as a dynamic batsman
  Dhoni will play at #5 as a specialist batsman, as he has the added responsibility of captaining the side. With the captain obligated to speak to the commentators live, keeping will be a burden on him.
• Kartik, an improviser, will slot himself in at #6 and will wear the gloves. He is not only a better 'keeper than Dhoni , but will also take the load off Dhoni.
• Irfan Pathan will be the genuine allrounder and I do hope he lives upto the expectations.
• Yusuf Pathan is talked off highly in this format and hence will earn his chance against a lesser team in Scotland. If he can bowl as well as he is required to, he can keep this place, otherwise it will go to Piyush Chawla, another leggie.
• Harbhajan, Sreesanth and RP Singh form the specialist bowlers.
• Yuvraj and Sehwag will chip in with eth ball as and when required.
• I dont know how and why Agarkar is even in the squad!!!!!!
• The 2 Sharmas, Joginder and Rohit will sit out!!!

If India, in each match, can score as many or close to 200 in each match, we will do well!!!!

Spring time Love

When winter is in, spring is not far behind.

When spring is in................?????????

Nope, its not the summer, but its the SNEEZING that is not far behind!!!!!

Its the mating season for seeding plants and they are spreading their love in the air (tichoo). Come September and my engine starts and once it starts it keeps going on.......(tichoo) forever.
It only gets worse when I play cricket. being in close contact to the grass and the dust (tichoo.....) and breeze on an open field just add to the troubles.

Remedy : A TelFast gulped down the throat and a couple of snorts of Beconase and that provides some (tichoo) relief.

A month when the sun starts to come out, the temperature starts to rise and the days start to lengthen - and with all these good things around, here I am sneezing!!!!!!!

Google Searches

I was looking at the history on google searches on my PC and found it an interesting tool to think back about what prompted me to make a particular search and about teh incidents that happened at that time. The list can also prompt us to learn something new using keywords found in them. Here is a list of google searches I have made in the last few weeks.

kanakabhishekam
birthday gift ideas
lola kutty
supriya pathak
australia public holidays
times uk
gphone
MS Swaminathan
Peas pulao recipe
Oru Maalai lyrics
Andrea Jeremiah
DK Pattamal wiki
Jiya dhadak dhadak
women going to temple during menstruation
IE 7 download
The Ghan
Mangalam Disha tuno
Sony India
Gujjus Malvern Melbourne
molakootal recipe
opals melbourne
C section incision
Gayatri mantra women reciting
o2 plus download
jurkat transfections
indoor cricket melbourne
Subhash K Jha
LCD refresh rates
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TiSP

World Athletics Championships - Osaka

Originally posted on 29th August

Its the championships of the worlds most virgin sport - Athletics!!!! Osaka, Japan is playing host.

I am loving it!!! But I am missing the action on TV as I dont have one at the moment!!!!!
The Indian hopes are all but over in this edition with Anju George ending up in 9th place in the Womens Long Jump with a below par jump of 6.53m. The Championships have thrown up a few surprises with World Record holder Asafa Powell (Jamaica) finishing 3rd in the 100m sprint. Tyson Gay of the US grabbed gold is what was a fantastic run from him. He is well and truly in line for the double as he competes tonight in the 200m SF. The gait of this man reminds me of a legend, one whom I idolised - Michael Johnson. Usian Bolt of Jamaica, has put in some great runs in the 200 m and hes one to watch out for!!

Russia swept thru the Long Jump Womens honours with Lebedeva winning Gold. Shes in line for an unprecedented Double when the Womens Triple Jump comes up in a couple of days.
Jeremy Wariner of the US has come close to Michael Johnsons quarter mile record. It would be interesting to see if he can break it. Aussie John Steffensen is favourite to end up on the podium. Among other Australians Kym Howe disappointed in the Pole Vault and so did Bronwym Thompson in the Long Jump. The good thing though is that Jana Rawlinson (previously Pittman) is running well in the 400m hurdles and Craig Mottram has an outside chance for Gold and a definite podium chance in the 5000m.

I watched the last lap of the 10000m race and that man Kenenisa Bekele from Ethiopia is just amazing. In winning his 3rd consecutive World title (1 less than his mentor and idol, the great Haile Gebresellasie), he sprinted his way thru the last 200 mts of the 10K race- tremendous stamina. He was still fresh for a victory lap and perhaps a few more as well!!! Champion stuff!!!!!

Go Athletes!!! Jump for glory, Run for Gold!!!!!