Switch-Hitting : Improvisation in Batting

During the one-dayer against New Zealand, Pieterson provided yet another reason to define him as one of the evangelists of modern day cricket. I have always been impressed by his bold attitude towards the game. Be it the decision of switching base from South Africa to England for a better career or be it the strong-willed hitting he brings to the crease during his batting. He has shown strength of character in crunch situations. Along with Flintoff, Harmisson and Hoggard he had brought a revival in English cricket during the summer of 2005. There have been a lot many eulogies written about him and I dont intend to add one more to them.

The reason to cheer about his batting in that game was his improvisation against Scott Styris. On two occassions he changed his grip from a right-handed one to a left-handed batsman just before the ball was delivered and carted the bowler over the boundaries. I have been a great fan of improvisations in batting in the recent times. It demonstrates the skill of the batsman to play innovative shots and take risks to a higher level. Especially in the case of changing ones grip, the batsman is too close to loose his wicket while changing the gaurd. And to do it effeciently and hit it for a six proves the skills of the batsman. I myself have a tendency for playing this shot atleast once in my innings. I love to do it especially to fast bowlers who are bowling a nagging off-stump line. Changing the grip and lofting them over the square boundary with a left-handed shot is a feeling to cherish!

There has been a hue and cry about the positioning of rules in such a scenario. Many purists were calling for the shot to be made illegal. Thankfully for the spirit of the game and keeping the thrill of the game alive, MCC has decided in favor of the shot. There remains a debate on the rules for LBW and wides in such a delivery. In my opinion, the rules should be applied depending on the batsmans grip while he was playing the shot. If a right handed batsman changes the grip to a left handed one, then his off stump switches with his leg and the LBW rule and wide rule should be applied correspondingly. Agreed the umpire might have some difficulty in judging LBWs depending on where the ball had pitched, but in such a situation he can always refer to the third umpire for the decision. Thats what technology is for - help in taking right decisions.

With this shot being legalised, I am eager to see more such improvisations from batsmen in the Twenty20 matches which are ideal for such shots. MS Dhoni, Pietersen, Misbah-ul-Haq, Yuvraj Singh - these are the batsmen to watch out for more such innovative shots.

About Cricket and the action Down Under

I havent been posting anything new on this space for quite a while now. I had been in India for the past 2 months and so was a bit busy with things there. As a cricket loving person I was looking forward to that time, because of the India Pakistan series and then the India Australia series.

I should honestly admit that no other series could upstage the last Indo-Pak series as THE boring series ever. There was nothing exciting in those matches. The old fighting spirit was lacking from the players and the Pakistani players seemed to be enjoying the dinners and parties hosted in their honor more than winning any matches against their traditional rivals. The real party began when the Indian team landed Down Under. The Border-Gavaskar series were a great one to follow. The end score line of 2-1 depicted the tough fight the visitors gave to the Aussies in their own backyard. The series started with Australia showing their cricketing prowess and the Indian team meekly went down in Melbourne. But as a giant was awoken from sleep, they put up a good fight in Sydney. Who knows if the umpiring was not such erroneous then the series might have ended on a different score line. The Aussie winning march met its waterloo in Perth, where the same Men in Blue became their nemesis, as it had similarly happened in 2001, where a winning streak of 16 consecutive matches was halted by the Indian team. Much of newsprint has already been dedicated to discussing the aftermath of that test and the racism controversy between Harbhajan and Symonds. The truth of that matter seems to have lost behind the shady curtains of BCCI and the ICC. Cricket again took center stage in the remaining tests, with the Indians coming together to give a brilliant display of talent and team work to win in Perth. Had the pitch not been so batsmen-friendly we could have surely expected a result in Adelaide and probably the series would have ended in a draw. Adelaide also bid farewell to one of the best players in the game. Adam Gilchrist finally hung up his boots after a glorious career in cricket. He gave enough reasons to cheer for any cricket fan no matter where his loyalties would lay. We will miss those attacking innings, those chirpy moments behind the stumps and that elegant walking which had become a Gilchrist trademark.

The IPL took centerstage with announcing its corporate sponsors. The entry of big names from the corporate world and entertainment industry into the cricketing arena promise a new revolution. The manner in which revenue will be generated and the manner in which the game will be marketed is bound to change soon. Lets wait untill April when the IPL would get underway to see how things unfurl from there onwards.

The unsportive scenario of Indian sports

It was an amazing day for cricket lovers - a day of pride for every Indian cricket fan - a youthful inexperienced Indian cricket team under the leadership of a new captain, in the absence of a formal coach won the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship. A feat many of the experienced and talented Indian teams from the past couldnt accompolish - winning a world championship. Dhoni and his men deserve all the praise they are getting and we only hope that the momentum gained in the past matches is not lost, but converted into a sustained performance on the pitch.

A nation rejoiced and welcomed its heroes in a fitting manner. BCCI showered the players cash awards. Agreed the players deserve the lavish gifts and presents, but if we pause for a moment and ask a question whose money is being spent. The BCCI has offered cash incentives from its coffers and we dont question them. But what about the money being spent from the state exchequer and used as a publicity stunt by the ministers, who by riding on the good will of the people are presenting these awards to their players.I dont question if the players deserve this money or not, but why are the ministers not spending from their pockets and instead using the public money.

Agreed India is a cricket frenzied nation and the hype its cricket players are recieving can be reasoned to a certain extent. But what about its other sport heroes? The Indian hockey team recently won the Asian Cup. This news didnt generate the kind of hype the cricket win recieved. Hockey is the national game of the country and yet its players are given a second rate treatment. Just because there is no corporate money involved, the media also doesnt seem to show any interest in the game or its players. After the Chak de India movie, there was some initial hooplah for the flagging support for hockey in India, but now it has become a bygone issue. Watching the cricket players basking in the glory, the hockey federation has every right to question this prejudice towards them or any other sport. The fault not only lies with the governments attitude towards other sports besides cricket, but also with the people of India. The amount of interest shown in cricket eclipses the interest shown in any other sport. Not getting the due glory for their talent can drive the players to not pursue other sports. Football, Volleyball, etc are all in a sad state of affairs in India. We all agree that sports other than cricket need to be encouraged, their talents nurtured and channalized properly, but what are we doing towards it. If the change has to happen, it has to happen in the minds of the people who watch, follow and play sports. Only then can we hope to see India perform better at sports other than cricket.

Twenty20 World Championship

Its as good as it gets. We couldnt have dreamt for anything better. An India-Pakistan clash in the finals of a World Cup (albeit Twenty20) is every cricket fans dream match. No matter what the result is going to be on Monday, fans from both the countries have a satisfied feeling from their teams. Just a couple of months ago, both the teams were knocked out in the first round of the regular world cup. After that calamitous performance in the Carribean, both the teams went back to the drawing board and in just a matter of months came out with teams frothing with youth and fresh blood. And the icing on the cake is that both have stormed into the finals, comprehensively beating all the other teams coming their way.

Clearly both India and Pakistan have been the best performers in this tournament. India was involved in three of the most exciting matches in the past week. Yuvraj's batting has been surreal and he has single handedly motored India's batting machine in this tournament. His fastest fifty record will be impossible to break untill another mad rush of adrenalin prevails on a batsman. He has had a golden run of form so far and the crowd loved each of the balls he dispatched home from the pitch. Dhoni has been very good in his captaincy so far, his field placings and bowling changes have all worked well. The good thing of having youth in the team is that the players are all on a buzz and there is a great vibe on the ground. The same holds true for the Pakistani team. Malik has been the alter ego of Dhoni. As usual Pakistan started a tournament with an internal controversy, but the players have handled the incident maturely. The best thing to do was to send the trouble-maker away from the stage and play cricket in peace. Misbah was a great find in this tournament. Between both the teams, Pakistan is the one having some experiance in this format of the game. PCB stages these Twenty20 tournaments in Ramadhan as night games, where all the hard hitting sloggers have come from. Misbah, Afridi etc are all products of these run feasts.

Time will come to a stand still for millions of people in the sub-continent and else where, when the two teams clash for the final trophy. India have history on their side, as they have never lost to Pakistan in any world cup match so far. But as Afridi puts it, Twenty20 is a different ball game altogether. A few good balls from Asif or Gul, or a few home runs from Yuvraj can turn the tables either side. With the short boundaries at the Wanderers, we could expect some great fireworks tomorrow from Uthappa, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Misbah, Malik and Afridi. So let the music roll, lights, cheers and boom goes the cherry sailing into the sky !

The Mahabharat between BCCI and ICL

The ICL kicked up a strom yesterday by releasing its list of players who have currently signed contracts with them. The list popped up some surprises - names like Dinesh Mongia, who recently played for India and some promising newcomers like Ambati Rayudu showed some growing unrest among Indian cricketers against the hegemony of BCCI. In my opinion the players have taken a bold but correct decision to join the ICL. Cricket in India is followed like a religon. You go to any city gymkhana, you would find budding cricketers toiling it hard to make an impression on the selecters and breaking into the team - be it at the club level, zonal level, state level or Ranjhi level. The path to the Indian national team is the toughest one - working hard, performing in each of the matches at each of those levels, then waiting to win some favor from the regional selectors. Without a god-father who can market you to the national level, its a very tough dream to come true for thousands of budding cricketers across the length and breadth of India. There have been numerous cricketers who spent their entire career playing Ranjhi games and other national leagues, without getting a single game for the country. The match fees of a game in any of these leagues is like peanuts as compared to the match fees the 11 players representing the national colors get paid. Imagine the plight of these players when they see their counterparts taking home all the money, limelight and publicity, just because they were not fortunate enough to get that single break into the national squad. And when an opportunity like ICL comes along, its natural for these players to grab it with both hands. BCCI has long maintained its monopoly on the game and has toyed with the careers of so many cricketers who could have had international careers were they born in other countries where the waiting queue is not so high. With this mass exodus of the players to the new league, the domestic cricket in India has recieved a major setback. Teams like Hyderabad, Bengal and Punjab have been severely effected. As a knee-jerk reaction BCCI has raised the match fees for the domestic leagues in a hope to retain the remaining players. But the ball has been set rolling by the ICL and we can surely expect to hear more news on this front about player defections.

Apart from the domestic players, each of the teams in the ICL are planned to have some international stars in their line-up. Some big names were doing the rounds for a while now. Brian Lara is a confirmed to play the league, while some big guns from the Aussies are still pondering the thought of taking the plunge or not. Big hitters from South Africa like Lance Klusener have already signed, while the erstwhile stars from the Kiwi-land, Chris Harris, Chirs Cairns, and Nathan Astle are showing some interest in the league. Players from across the border added some more excitement to the list. Inzamam joining the ICL was predictable owing to the rough path his career was heading after the listless and forgettable 2007 he has had. After retiring from the ODIs his Test career also looks almost over, with the PCB giving him a cold shoulder. Joining the ICL could have been the best option for him to derive benefit of the 1 or 2 years of cricket left in him - as they say make as much hay as possible while the sun shines! But the jolt out of blue which Pakistan cricket recieved was losing their most dependable player, their spine of the batting line up - Mohammed Yousuf. Yousuf recently had the best patch of form in batting, accumulating runs like a kid collecting pebbles on a sandy beach. After the World Cup fiasco, the PCB was sure to make changes to their team composition. But in the process of a giving a new look to their team, the PCB has lost out on its golden-egg-laying-hen. With Yousuf joining the ICL and if PCB sticks to its guns of not selecting him for the national team, then Pakistan will recieve a great setback. With its bowlers already struggling to remain fit or clear of any drug scandals, their batting line up sans the big Inzy, the inform-run-machine Yousuf and the maverick Younis Khan, Pakistan team would need to depend on prayers than ever before to give any kind of fight to the opponents!

ICC World Cup - The Comedy of Errors ends

The curtains finally came down on a farcically organised and ridiculously managed World Cup. For the past 45-plus days, there was a lot of talk of how ICC mishandled the tournament. The final match was a sublime example of how worse it can be. Keeping aside the cricket played by the two teams, the chaos created by the delayed start when the crowds were anxious if they would get to see any cricket or not, all the permutations and combinations were being discussed of how the match could proceed given the rainy conditions and when finally the match did get underway, the closing stages were even more farcical. If this is how the ICC wants to increase the popularity of the game, then they are seriously mistaken. There is a fundamental truth in science, keep it short and simple, that way people understand and embrace it better. Any person who is not from a cricket playing nation, could have not understood what the chaos was all about. A moment he watched a team celebrate, moments later he notices them come back to the ground and continue the game, there is no explanation to this situational comedy of errors. The rules are spoiling the fun of the game. I mean why cant we have a simple 50 over match, for heaven's sake, this is the World Cup, we should get to watch a complete game, if not now then whats the fun in the event. We never see a match cut short due to bad weather in any of the other sports (not to mention the much criticised Duckworth-Lewis rule and its pathetic implementations). We never heard of a Football match reduced to 60 minutes, a tennis match being reduced to 2 sets, or (even more imaginative) a 100 meter dash cut short, due to bad weather. All this happens only in Cricket, thanks to the money minded organisers of the game - the ICC, who is filled with people, most of whom have never played the game themselves and who only know how to cash in on the support of the fan following.

Lets talk about the good part of the World Cup - Cricket. Austrailia have proven their ability in all conditions and against all teams. Winning 29 games on the trot spread across 3 editions of the tournament is plainly phenomenal. This Austrailian team has demonstrated, what perfectionism, professionalism and sheer hardwork is all about. Ricky Ponting, who in my opinion is undoubtedly the best captain, has never got it wrong so far. We hear the talk of teams having those nervous moments in the big games, a world cup final for example, we see players doing it all wrong on the big day, succumbing to the pressure and then we see this current Austrailian team who delivers one superlative performance after another in the big matches. Stage-fright, is a word which doesnt seem to exist in the Austrailian Cricket dictionary. This World Cup final was probably the last outing for many players. Most of them got it right and signed out with their heads held high. Mc Grath, though couldnt boast of an amazing spell did manage to get a wicket. Jayasuriya, got a 50 at more than run-a-ball. Gilchrist, who could have probably played his last World Cup innings, scored a century in a typically aggressive manner that has made him one of the best wicketkeeper-batsmen of the game. And yes he took a great catch to grant his old team mate McGrath a wicket in the latters penultimate delivery. In the end it was a well and truly deserved Austrailia who were crowned the World Champions and if they continue their game, they could surely repeat the act 4 years from now. Sri Lanka were the deserving runners-up. They displayed good cricket over the past few weeks, albeit the final hiccup (which is not surprising, considering who their opponents were), they were a strong team throughout the tournament. Much more was expected from New Zealand and South Africa, but both failed to impress in the important semi-final games. New Zealand has made record appearances in the semi-final games so far. Its a pity they have never progressed any further. South Africa, seem to be sticking loyally to their tag of "chokers". The other teams were as un noticeable as a pebble on a rocky beach.

There was a lot of talk of crowds not turning up for the matches. A major reason cited was the early exit of India and Pakistan. For the next World Cup to be held in the sub-continent, I guess the ICC will now chalk up a plan such that they ensure India go through to the second round or even enter the semi-finals through the back door, only to bring in the crowds and the money from the sponsors! With such a great fan following and hero worshiping, the cricket lovers in India deserve an Indian team which is atleast half the strength of the current Austrailian team and not the bunch of pot-bellied non-performers who are gracing the national colors at the moment. Sachin Tendulkar has a huge popularity and is reverred as a god by many of his crazy fans in India. Agreed he was a genius in his prime days, but whats the use of those godly powers, when he could not win the World Cup atleast once in his 18 years of game, when mere mortals like Ricky Ponting have done it 3 times and each time with absolute authority.

Finally we bid farewell to the Carribean spirit which made an otherwise mis-managed World Cup, a lively affair. Even after a month, we dont know the truth behind the cruel murder of Bob Woolmer, the seriousness of the crime seems to have vanished from the public memory. This tournament had its moments, the vast number of player retirements, players being sacked, the minnows slaying the giant teams, the close finishes and tied matches, the six-ball-sixes of Herschelle Gibbs, the 4-in-4 wicket havoc of Malinga, the genius of Muralitharan, the sublime hitting of Matthew Hayden, the drinking fiascos of the Pommies, the rise of the Bangladeshi cricket and above all the continuing authority of Ricky Ponting and his band of professionals. When we reassemble in the sub-continent 4 years from now, I pray that atleast one team can stand up to challenge the Aussies.

ICC Cricket World Cup round up

Oh what a week it was. This world cup is turning out to be the most memorable ones in the history of the game. We lost one of the genuine cricketers, with the demise of Bob Woolmer. I had predicted some dramatic events after Pakistan lost to Ireland, but an outcome like this was the most tragic one. The whole episode of Bob's death has raised several questions, regarding how the game is being run by its authorities and the motives of the ICC. The investigators from Jamaica have sensed some foul play in his death. I hope the actual truth comes out and the perpetrators who have done this heinous crime are brought to justice, without the whole matter being dusted under the carpet.

The world cup was a mixture of emotions for the sub-continent teams. While the promising Sri Lankans and the vibrant Bangladeshis proceeded to super-8, the most prolific teams - India and Pakistan disappointed us. The hopes of a billion people were squashed, when India crashed out of the world cup. The men in blue had a bad outing with Bangladesh, but they broke numerable records when they played with Bermuda. Unfortunately, they could not carry the form into the all-important match against Sri Lanka. Chasing down a score of 254 must have been easy for a batting line up consisting of 3 batsmen who appear among the top scorers of one day cricket, but a focused bowling from Vaas and the magic of Murali proved to be the Waterloo of the much hyped Vision-2007 plan of Mr. Chappell. Apart from Sehwag and Dravid other batsmen did not bother the score keepers. Sachin Tendulkar, is worshipped by many as the best batsman in the world, but I personally rate him below par compared to seasoned players like Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and Inzamam. No matter he has scores of records to his name, but in do-or-die matches, where he is expected to stand and deliver, he disappoints most of the time. There was a time when he single handedly won matches for India, but now he resembles an old horse who is well beyond his use-by date. Apart from that single innings against minnows Bermuda, he could not create any magic in what was probably his last world cup. The thought of being bowled for a golden duck, in what could have been his last one day innings, will surely be haunting him for a long while. Well, the less written about the nondescript performances of the Indian team the better.

Australia and South Africa showed how enjoyable cricket can be. The Aussies have been delivering score of 300+ continuously for a while and now they seem to have learnt how to defend them as well. Now, that the teams for the super-8 round have been decided, we can look forward to some interesting matches. Looking at the performances in the past 2 weeks, I guess, it would be Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand that could make it to the semifinals. After viewing results of the initial matches, we can hope for some more dramatic and high scoring matches in this batsman-friendly world cup.

Cricket World Cup - the week of the minnows

What an eventful first week it was at the ICC Cricket World Cup. All the teams had their first outing, some produced predicted results, some not so predicted ones, while some just surprised every pundit of the game. Austrailia, South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand came out all smiling. While the Aussies proved that they are still the best and professional at their game, the Proteas displayed their aggressive intent on the field. Herschelle Gibbs the hero of the Wanderers chase last year, established a new one day record when he dispatched 6 sixes in an over. Playing against the minnows, these teams were expected to show some fireworks, but that was something amazing.

Talking about the minnows, the 2 major teams from the sub-continent are going to have some jitters when they hear this word - minnows. Yesterday, Pakistan was sent crashing out of the World Cup by a team who was making their debut in this tournament. Nothing absolutely nothing is worth writing about the Pakistan team's performance at this world cup. The days of Imran Khan - inspired Pakistan team, which had great bowlers tormenting their oppositions, and batsmen who could still smash a last ball-6 and win matches, seem like fairy tales, when you observe the utter mundane performances generated by these bunch of players. As is always said, there is something more than what meets the eye, about the Pakistani team. I sense, there is a lot of in-house struggle going on in their camp, which resulted in an out of sorts performance. For sure there will be heads rolling, Inzy and Woolmer will be the first scapegoats. What happens to this team, after they return back home, will be a big drama played before the press. So I wont be surprised to read some eye-catching stories being reported from there. India, well they had a bad day out. Bangladesh applied themselves clinically to their game and emerged winners at the end. For India, it was that day when none of your plans workout. This being the first match, India have their task cutout for the next 2 games, if they have to hope to go through to the next round. In my opinion, Sehwag should be made to sit out, he is not delivering any performances for such a long time. Dinesh Kartik would strengthen the opening pair with Robin Uthappa. But lets see what Mr. Chappell has in his "Vision-2007" plan. But this group looks quite open now. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are both bouyed up, and with India desperate to improve there are some great games to follow in the coming weeks.

England, well this team looks quite the antithesis of the one which had won the Ashes. Those glorious summer days of 2005 have now become distant history. But this team could still get through the next round unless Canada pull off another major upset. Lets see what the second round of matches have in store for us.

Cricket Carnival Begins

The greatest event of the cricket world, the world cup has got underway in the beautiful islands of the Carribean. This is the first time this event is being staged at these islands, and hence the entire cricketing world is excited to experience the carnival of cricket this spring. Before the tournament got underway, there were plenty of concerns about the logistics and preperation for the mega event. Several issues have cropped up indicating the underpreparedness of the authorities hosting the event. But the cheerful nature and the spirit of the Carribean folk is overcoming all these issues and we are all looking forward to an exciting tournament.

There was a hue and cry about the fitness levels of the players involved, as almost all the major teams had to battle with injuries to some of their key players and we are missing some of the great performers on this stage. I personally miss Brett Lee and Shoib Akhter. Lee was very unlucky to have missed this mega event while Akhter didnt deserve to be here at all. No matter how much we loathe him for his attitude towards the game, but we all love to watch the pindi express bowl those zipping deliveries.

World cup is the Holy Grail for all thoese who play cricket, and all the teams had been planning for it since the past 2 years. But just before the tournament began, there was a major upheavel in the cricketing world. Austrailia who were having a great form, recently lost all their last 4 matches, ending up in losing their top standing in the rankings. As a team they were marred by injuries and lost their strike bowler Brett Lee, who was a natural match winner for them. Pakistan cricket was embroidelled in the drug scandal - due to the 2 mavericks Shoaib and Asif and then lost their major player, Abdul Razzaq who was crucial to their plans for this tournament. But there were plenty of positives also coming out. New Zealand for instance proved their mettle by chasing down totals more than 300 twice and proved that they are a force to reckon in this tournament. India has struck great form as a team and are going great guns aiming for that trophy, while England and Sri Lanka have also reached the prime of their confidence.

In my opinions this tournament is slightly open with a few favourites. Austrailia is no doubt the first favourite to win the title yet again. As a team they havent been at their prime over the last few weeks, but one cant write off this great team of world class performers. South Africa and New Zealand come in next, these teams have the gut-feeling in them which make them a strong force to reckon with. If the Aussies are vary of any one then I am sure its the Proteas and the Black caps. Both the teams are in their prime form at the moment. From the Asian teams only India has a chance of laying their hands on that cup. The team looks well balanced now, with the Big-3 combining for one last time to have a shot at the elusive trophy. The whole team is confident with their performances and looks rightly balanced except Sehwag who is not performing at all. Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Kartik have brought a new dimension to the batting line up. Zaheer khan has hit great form and shall spearhead the attack with Sreesanth and the veteran Kumble will be a great asset under the spin conditions what all commentators are predicting for this tournament. From the other teams, Sri Lanka has the strength to make it to the last 4. Pakistan is as usual the most unpredictable, but with their major strike bowlers missing, very little could be expected from them. England - its the same question .. could be or could not be.

This is probably the last world cup for some of the biggest names of the cricketing history. Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Lara, Ponting, McGrath, Gilchrist, Flemming, Pullock, Inzamam, Jayasuriya all of them would love to sign of in style and must be eagerly clenching their fists to get on to the final 22-yards. So bring them on and let the action begin!

Sporting heroes bow out of fame

Well as the year 2006 draws to a close, lets have a glance at the sporting action in the bygone year. We had the all-anticipated FIFA world cup in the summer which was the best organanised tournament in its history. Germany had opened up its warm arms to welcome football fans from world over and the event was an outstanding success for all the tourists who took many great memories home. Though there were some surprise defeats and non-performances, but it all ended in an eventful finale with a stand-off between traditional rivalling neighbours - France and Italy, with the Azzuris taking the honors in the 11-metre (penalty shootouts). Some of the legends were in action for the last time in this tournament. Luis Figo could not do much for his home country and all their dreams were stalled by a last minute-rejuvenated France side. Le Blues were courting all their experienced legs for one last shot at the golden trophy. Zidane, Lizarazu, Vieira all teamed up for one final tourney together. Though Zidane did not have a respectful exit from the world football stage, but at the end of his career he still proved that he was a magician in the mid-field, with all other big names looking a tad novice against his skills with the ball. This year we bid adieu to many football greats along with Zizou like Lizarazu, Figo, Pavel Nedved etc.

Infact the trend of sportsmen retiring was very ominous throughout 2006. Schumacher called it a day from the racing circuit afte having reigned it for several years. Aussie swimmer Thorpe retired from the game, citing that he wanted to leave when on the top. By the year end, with the Aussies regaining the Ashes urn, most of the prolific players started announcing
retirements plans - Damien Martyn, Shane Warne, McGrath (and probably Langer if rumours are to be relied upon) called it a day and decided to relinquish the baggy green colors. With Warne and McGrath ended a golden era of Aussie bowling, both of them genius in their own kind had tormented the batsmen world over in all conditions. Warne couldnt have scripted his game any better, and having played the gentleman's game in a very hollywood-ish manner, he also left the stage on his own terms, giving a superlative performance in his last game at his homeground in Merlbourne.

With so many greats having left the centerstage, we now look upto the new heroes to fill in the large void left by their predecessors. Hussey, Clarke et al look very much capable for doing it for Cricket Austrailia and so does Frank Ribery is capable enough to fill in the void of the famed French midfield.

On extended Cricketing careers

There was a buzz generated when Damien Martyn stepped down from the International Cricket scene by announcing his retirement abruptly. The talk of - how long a cricketing career should be and when and how should it end, has gained a lot of steam. A very interesting article summing up the prevelant mood has been compiled by Tim de Lisle on Cricinfo. I would recommend it for a good insight into the whole issue

Ashes - the Humdinger of all Series

And so it begins tomorrow. The mother of all series - the Ashes. After that amazing end to a keenly contested series in the summer of 2005, the Ashes begin with their next series of battles between men who had become immortal just about 18 months ago. The hype to the buildup of the last Ashes had lived up and we were witness to an amazing piece of cricket in England, when the two best teams in the world (ranked 1 and 2 before the start of Ashes-2005) battled for supremacy over the small urn.

A series that had people flocked to TV sets (apart from the Lost series) and crcket grounds last summer had generated some magical moments, some brilliant displays of sportsmanship and amazing resolute in character from the players. That is responsible in more ways than one for the hype and hysteria among the cricket fans when this series gets underway.

Losing an Ashes series is a blot in Ricky Ponting's otherwise scintillating stint as a captian and he would make sure that it doesnt happen again. For most of the Aussie squad this could well be the last Ashes they play and they would do their best to end their Ashes careers on a high.

Flintoff and his men had pulled off an amazing feat when they won the Ashes after a gap of 18 years - an act that made them larger than life and generated public interest into cricket, which otherwise was losing its fan following in the English crowds. They arrive in Austrailia to defend it, with a much depleted squad as many of the heroes of the victorious last outing are missing. Simon Jones, who developed that reverse swing and caused a nemesis to most of the Aussie batsmen is down with injury. Ashley Giles who showed resolute character in his batting if not in his bowling is coming into the squad after a long lay-off, so he is expected to be a bit rusty and would need some time out there in the middle to hit the peak form. Micheal Vaughan the leader of the last troupe is out with injury and is hoping to return midway in the series. So it all boils down to Peterson, Harmisson, Hoggard and Flintoff to bear the brunt of the pressure and deliver career best performances - if they hope to retain the urn.

The last week has seen all kinds of permutations for the team selection. The Gabba where the series opens is traditionally a bouncy track. The Aussies have a great record on this ground and owing to the bouncy pitch the selectors were planning to fill in the Aussies squad with seamers. But as the line up suggests today its going to be McGrath, Lee, Shane and either of Clark or Johnson which takes to the ground tomorrow. Micheal Clarke, backed by many veteran cricketers found faith in the selectors and he starts tomorrow to add to the stomach of the Aussie batting line up. There have been much talk about the age of the Aussie squad, as most of the players are on the riper side of 30's. But Ponting has rubbished aside any concerns and going by the form of these so-called "aged" players, they are as young as ever.

England have their share of hiccups in the selections. They have brought in Jones to replace Read behind the stumps - a move that surprised many. They have yet to decide whom they pick up between Monty and Giles, but as Fletcher seems to have a soft corner for Ashley, it looks as Monty is going to miss out the tour opener.

All said and done we keep our fingers crossed for tomorrow when the captains go out in the middle to kick-off one of the most anticipated series. Ticket sales have been record-breaking, the media doesnt seem to get satiated with Ashes stories and the crowd is just waiting for some great action. I just hope the series just mirrors the last one, and I get to see some great skills from two of my favourite teams. So bring it on guys - let the action begin.