Well for those of you wondering if my new year resolution was never to blog again, here we go. It's been a while since my last post but that's mainly been due to the busy (very busy) holiday schedule followed by a hectic first week back in college. Oh and just in case you didn't catch the sarcasm, well, I was sarcastic. First of all, a happy new year to everyone. Let's hope that this year turns out to be better than the previous one, as we hope every year, and let's also hope that we can actually stick to our new year resolutions this time around.
When it comes to the holidays, calling it a 'sporting' holiday would be THE understatement of the year (however young it may still be). My daily routine was round about the same as that of many sports fans across the country - wake up early and catch the NBA match at around 7, follow that with some highly competitive Ashes cricket till lunch, then enjoy the battle for the No. 1 spot in Test cricket between India and South Africa till dinner and finish the day, rather uncharacteristically, with a movie post-dinner. An absolutely perfect holiday, some would say.
After many long years of following basketball matches online and reading recaps on the website, or at times even streaming live games if they were important enough, Ten Sports has finally, truly brought the NBA to India. With four games telecast every week, there is finally something to wake up for in the mornings (apart from coffee, of course). It's good to finally be able to see live basketball on TV.
The Ashes, this time around, turned out to be a one-sided show. England, after nearly 15 years of torture at the hands of the Australians, managed to do to Australia what was being done to them for a long, long time. And that was total, utter domination. England managed to outplay Australia in all but one of the matches. It was only fitting that in all three of their victories, the English batsmen never had to play a second innings. And for the first time in 24 years, an English team managed to win the Ashes in Australia. That is a really long wait and a job well done by the English team. However one-sided it was, it was still a pleasure to watch. The quality of the presentation was simply outstanding and the cricket was of a fiercely competitive nature.
The afternoon's were invariably spent watching the India-South Africa Test matches. Again, it was a wonderful series. We got thrashed in the first Test and everyone thought it was going to be the same as always - that the Indians are lions at home and mice abroad. The second Test at Durban proved just how far we've come as a team in recent years. A low-scoring game it was, but a pivotal one definitely. Our bowling suddenly looked that much more dangerous and actually capable of taking twenty wickets in a game (which we eventually did). There were three things that turned that game around for us.
The first was Zaheer Khan's bowling on the second day. After being bowled out for 205, India did well to dismiss the Proteas for a paltry 131. Zaheer helped turn around the bowling after the first Test and by picking up three wickets in each innings, was definitely the best bowler in the Test (yes, even ahead of Steyn and Morkel). The second was another Very, Very Special innings from our second-innings savior, Laxman. Cool as a cucumber in the tensest of times, he produced yet another match-winning effort. Having saved India three times in the year already, he came out to bat with India struggling. They were barely more than a hundred runs in front and wickets were falling around him like ninepins! Batting with the tail, he produced a scintillating 96, the kind of performance we are used to, and at times take for granted, to push the lead in excess of 300.
The third and final moment that changed the course of the series was the absolute snorter that Kallis received from Sreesanth. It was truly an unplayable delivery and set India well on course to victory. It was an amazing match and for the Indian spectator, was so much more special. It also showed that though Sachin's 50th century went in vain a week earlier, the series was not yet lost. If anything, it had just begun.
Well, as the new year starts, I guess we could all take something out of that Test match. Even when things don't go right for the first time, never give up. Come back, try harder, and definitely, things can change. I don't know if there's a limit on how long a blog article can be, but I'm sure if you are still reading this, you must be pretty bored. So I'd like to sign off by wishing you a happy new year and a quote that we can all try and incorporate in our lives this year. It's from Kung Fu Panda (a must-watch movie) and is one of my all-time favourite quotes.
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the 'present' ".
Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Assorted Tidbits
It's been a week or more since my last post. And a hectic week it has been, at least by final year standards.
It started off with our trip to Chikmagalur for the Divisional district-level basketball tournament. Our college was chosen to represent D K District by virtue of winning the qualifier tournament the previous week. A walkover, a win and a loss summarises our tournament. But for all of us, it was more than the results. We were able to pin-point our weaknesses at the end of the tournament and we were reasonably impressed with our game throughout. Ofcourse, it also included the formal 'induction' of our freshers into the team! All in all, a good game, a great trip and some amazing memories.
The day that followed was supposed to be one of those traditional lazy days where you just wake up at your own will and laze around while moving within a maximum radius of 100 metres from your room. Instead, we found ourselves in Mangalore carrying out plans that had been in the works for more than two weeks now. It also meant we had no choice but to see Anjaana Anjaani as there was nothing better running (read 'Endhiran is not a movie I'm willing to shell out that much money to see!'). The movie was your typical, run-of-the-mill Hindi rom-com. The plus point, a big one at that, was Priyanka Chopra. Her recherché body exudes pulchritude in every scene of the movie!
A bit of running around after the movie eventually resulted in us finally finding the TV Tuner card we were looking for. The TV in our wing was finally functional. It also meant the end of any form of studies henceforth, but that's a consequence we shall deal with later on. As of now, we're busy watching the TV. The week also included the first episode of the returning show, Kaun Banega Crorepati. It's been a while since we've all seen the Big B in his familiar role opposite the 'Hot Seat' and it was pleasantly refreshing to see that again. It does, however, get repetitive after a day and that was all that most of us could handle.
To round it off, we were also really lucky to see a few records broken in the cricketing world. Twenty one years in cricket and one would think his hunger for runs and his passion to dominate opposition bowling attacks would die down. And yet, here he is, ever hungrier and renascent after the debacle of the 2007 World Cup. It also happened to be the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the new century. Only once in a 100 years does this happen. And it was on this day that a man, whose lucky number is ten and whose name contains 'ten' in it, came out to bat and once again, try and rescue India from a potentially risky situation. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
This diminutive Mumbaikar has been India's go-to guy for the majority of his career. The mere fact that at the age of 37, twenty one years into the game, his is still the wicket the opposition bowlers value the most tells us why he is considered God by many in India. In a special innings for the Little Master, he surpassed the mountainous stratum of 14,000 runs in Test cricket. He also notched up his 49th century in Tests and his 6th double hundred, tying him with Virender Sehwag for most double hundreds by an Indian. A simple statistic for those that say he is beyond his prime, Tendulkar has achieved two of those six double hundreds and crossed 1,000 runs yet again in the last ten months. And there appears the number ten again. Coincidence? Some would say it is destiny. Either way, it is a strong substantiation of the famous saying, 'Form is temporary, but class is permanent'. And Sachin is sheer, out-and-out class.
In hindsight, it was a great week on the whole. Receiving my offer letter made it that much better. As I said before, getting placed is like a hurdle. Passing all your interviews and getting the job is like jumping the hurdle. Getting your offer letter is comparable to landing safe on the other side. All eyes are now on the fifth day of play of the second Test match tomorrow. Should be an interesting one!
It started off with our trip to Chikmagalur for the Divisional district-level basketball tournament. Our college was chosen to represent D K District by virtue of winning the qualifier tournament the previous week. A walkover, a win and a loss summarises our tournament. But for all of us, it was more than the results. We were able to pin-point our weaknesses at the end of the tournament and we were reasonably impressed with our game throughout. Ofcourse, it also included the formal 'induction' of our freshers into the team! All in all, a good game, a great trip and some amazing memories.
The day that followed was supposed to be one of those traditional lazy days where you just wake up at your own will and laze around while moving within a maximum radius of 100 metres from your room. Instead, we found ourselves in Mangalore carrying out plans that had been in the works for more than two weeks now. It also meant we had no choice but to see Anjaana Anjaani as there was nothing better running (read 'Endhiran is not a movie I'm willing to shell out that much money to see!'). The movie was your typical, run-of-the-mill Hindi rom-com. The plus point, a big one at that, was Priyanka Chopra. Her recherché body exudes pulchritude in every scene of the movie!
A bit of running around after the movie eventually resulted in us finally finding the TV Tuner card we were looking for. The TV in our wing was finally functional. It also meant the end of any form of studies henceforth, but that's a consequence we shall deal with later on. As of now, we're busy watching the TV. The week also included the first episode of the returning show, Kaun Banega Crorepati. It's been a while since we've all seen the Big B in his familiar role opposite the 'Hot Seat' and it was pleasantly refreshing to see that again. It does, however, get repetitive after a day and that was all that most of us could handle.
To round it off, we were also really lucky to see a few records broken in the cricketing world. Twenty one years in cricket and one would think his hunger for runs and his passion to dominate opposition bowling attacks would die down. And yet, here he is, ever hungrier and renascent after the debacle of the 2007 World Cup. It also happened to be the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the new century. Only once in a 100 years does this happen. And it was on this day that a man, whose lucky number is ten and whose name contains 'ten' in it, came out to bat and once again, try and rescue India from a potentially risky situation. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
This diminutive Mumbaikar has been India's go-to guy for the majority of his career. The mere fact that at the age of 37, twenty one years into the game, his is still the wicket the opposition bowlers value the most tells us why he is considered God by many in India. In a special innings for the Little Master, he surpassed the mountainous stratum of 14,000 runs in Test cricket. He also notched up his 49th century in Tests and his 6th double hundred, tying him with Virender Sehwag for most double hundreds by an Indian. A simple statistic for those that say he is beyond his prime, Tendulkar has achieved two of those six double hundreds and crossed 1,000 runs yet again in the last ten months. And there appears the number ten again. Coincidence? Some would say it is destiny. Either way, it is a strong substantiation of the famous saying, 'Form is temporary, but class is permanent'. And Sachin is sheer, out-and-out class.
In hindsight, it was a great week on the whole. Receiving my offer letter made it that much better. As I said before, getting placed is like a hurdle. Passing all your interviews and getting the job is like jumping the hurdle. Getting your offer letter is comparable to landing safe on the other side. All eyes are now on the fifth day of play of the second Test match tomorrow. Should be an interesting one!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Very, Very Special Day
Yes, as the more perceptive of you might have realised, the title refers to the recently concluded Test match between India and Australia. It was a historic win for India in more ways than one, but the stand-out factor, no doubt, was another scintillating performance from VVS Laxman under immense pressure. Usually the first person to get axed even with the slightest doubt over fitness or form, VVS has proven time and again why he deserves a spot in the middle order of a batting-heavy lineup.
Statistics would just say that he scored 73 off 79 deliveries and would just be one more among the 46 fifties through his career. They do not take into account the fact that he is nearing 36 years of age. Nowhere in his numbers will it be mentioned that he batted through with a sore back. And it will soon be forgotten that he has saved us on two consecutive occasions - today and the third Test against Sri Lanka barely a month or two ago. But such is the spirit of a man who has by and large been sidelined by a more stellar and star-studded batting lineup throughout his career.
There is something to his batting that is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It is a real delight to watch a free-flowing Laxman innings. His innings are never about his scores, but about the way he scores. When he does retire, the world will surely miss those ravishing drives and stunning flicks. His presence at the crease, even in dire situations, brings about a calm serenity in the midst of a fiery tempest. His teammates would definitely concur.
Another unsung hero of the Test match was Ishant Sharma. This tall, lanky fast bowler from the suburbs of Delhi has yet again proved that grit and determination go a long way in swinging the fortunes of a team. Ruled out of the first innings with a knee injury following a bad spell of bowling, he did brilliantly to come back in the second and literally bowl India within striking distance of the game. Not only did he account for three important Australian batsmen, he also came out to bat with 92 runs required and just a couple of wickets left.
He batted with exemplary patience to compile 31 important runs. More importantly, when he departed, falling to a wrong decision, he had left India needing only 11 runs. What followed was a tense finish which could have gone either way. A little bit of luck and a slightly misdirected throw made sure the valiant efforts of Laxman and Ishant would not go in vain.
At the end of the day, sheer determination and a greater hunger for victory is what set the two teams apart. After the last ball of the Test, even a staunch stoic could not have held back his emotions. Yes, one may ask why I singled out only the performances of these two even though everyone did contribute to the victory. I did so because a lesser performance from either of these two would not have led me to write this post in the first place. Ironically, neither of them was awarded the Man-of-the-Match.
On a completely unrelated note, Happy birthday GShah! :)
Statistics would just say that he scored 73 off 79 deliveries and would just be one more among the 46 fifties through his career. They do not take into account the fact that he is nearing 36 years of age. Nowhere in his numbers will it be mentioned that he batted through with a sore back. And it will soon be forgotten that he has saved us on two consecutive occasions - today and the third Test against Sri Lanka barely a month or two ago. But such is the spirit of a man who has by and large been sidelined by a more stellar and star-studded batting lineup throughout his career.
There is something to his batting that is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It is a real delight to watch a free-flowing Laxman innings. His innings are never about his scores, but about the way he scores. When he does retire, the world will surely miss those ravishing drives and stunning flicks. His presence at the crease, even in dire situations, brings about a calm serenity in the midst of a fiery tempest. His teammates would definitely concur.
Another unsung hero of the Test match was Ishant Sharma. This tall, lanky fast bowler from the suburbs of Delhi has yet again proved that grit and determination go a long way in swinging the fortunes of a team. Ruled out of the first innings with a knee injury following a bad spell of bowling, he did brilliantly to come back in the second and literally bowl India within striking distance of the game. Not only did he account for three important Australian batsmen, he also came out to bat with 92 runs required and just a couple of wickets left.
He batted with exemplary patience to compile 31 important runs. More importantly, when he departed, falling to a wrong decision, he had left India needing only 11 runs. What followed was a tense finish which could have gone either way. A little bit of luck and a slightly misdirected throw made sure the valiant efforts of Laxman and Ishant would not go in vain.
At the end of the day, sheer determination and a greater hunger for victory is what set the two teams apart. After the last ball of the Test, even a staunch stoic could not have held back his emotions. Yes, one may ask why I singled out only the performances of these two even though everyone did contribute to the victory. I did so because a lesser performance from either of these two would not have led me to write this post in the first place. Ironically, neither of them was awarded the Man-of-the-Match.
On a completely unrelated note, Happy birthday GShah! :)
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