Australia v India, 2nd Test, Sydney, Day 5, India chasing a target of 333 runs were in a comfortable position until the dreaded finger of Steve Buckner went up, saw India's formidable batting line-up collapse. Rahul Dravid, who battled to 38, was sturdy when he pushed his pad forward to Symonds and hid his bat and gloves behind his front leg. The Australians yelled and India's comfortable position of 3 for 115 was soon to be 6 for 137. Gilchrist no doubt has been one of the game's greatest ambassador and his attitude nothing short of exemplary. For someone who volunteered to walk without waiting for the umpire's decision, the voiceforous appeal coming from Gilchrist was quite surprising. India eventually lost the match they deserved to win considering the nature of events that unfolded over the five days of the Sydney test.
Cricketers for long have been successful in making a transition to the media as writers and commentators. But given the spate of autobiographies cropping up, they might as well be successful marketing executives. John Wright's Indian Summers gave an insight into the Indian dressing room and more recently Marcus Trescothick's revelations about the use of mint to shine the ball during Ashes 2005. Adam Gilchrist's comments questioning the game's most revered player over the monkey gate incident in his autobiography "True Colors" is possibly headed in the same direction as the rest.
All Gilchrist has done is create curiosity in people's mind by raking up an issue that was amicably thought to be resolved between the two sides. The hype is a great marketing strategy and will help keep the cash registers ringing. If Tendulkar's statements have been contradicting as stated by Gilchrist then Michael Clarke's presence as witness in the hearing doesn't even stand a chance. Having edged the ball to Rahul Dravid at first slip, Clarke stood his ground as if nothing had happened while the Indian's celebrated his dismissal. In one of the matches in the same series the Australian players were found not appreciating the little master's century, very unlike Australian. So much for playing the game in the right spirit.
At a time when the Aussies are struggling to cope with the reverse swing on Indian soil, this one by Gilly might just go down the legside.
Monday 27 October 2008
Tuesday 7 October 2008
The Retrospective.
If October 2nd was a dry day for liquor lovers, it certainly was a dry day of sorts for me. Not that i was exasperated for not having laid my hands on liquor (am not a booze freak anyways) but it was a day when i was totally sapped and probably let myself and a team of 14 individuals down. That day when i felt distraught with my own actions.
The finals of the corporate cricket tournament between AOL & Wipro was scheduled for October 2nd at 9 a.m. The team had to be on the field an hour early. We had to win the match as there was quite a lot at stake. Another task i had in mind was to go for dandiya the previous night with a few friends. The plan was simple - I'd spend time at the dandiya party till 1 a.m, get some sleep and go for the match fresh the next morning. Little did i know what was in store the next day. Sometimes its the retrospective that helps you judge better - for better decisions in future, hopefully.
I must admit i had a blast at the dandiya party. But for some reason i was able to leave the venue only at 2 a.m. Saw my friends off and was home at 3 a.m. Two hours of sleep is by no means satisfactory considering the fact that i had to spend 4 hours on the field. Corporate events may not be as competitive as the regular league matches. But once on the field you don't want to be giving anything less than 100% for that is a great lesson sport can teach any individual. I was like an insomaniac clearly not feeling comfortable. One of my teammate asked me about my red-eyed eyes. For once i wished it had rained like crazy and the match got shelved. Anyways once on the field the everything else becomes immaterial.
Wipro batted first with former India batsman Sujith Somsundar in their ranks, was dismissed early. Despite the plethora of extras conceeded we kept the opponents under control who were 4 wickets down for 60 runs. For me the nightmare was just about to begin. A wicket-keeper's feel good factor is pretty much like a batsman hitting the first few balls he faces right in the middle of the bat. The sweet sound from the willow charges you up. Similarly, a keeper feels good when the ball lands with a thud straight into the center of the gloves. When that doesn't happen then something is certainly wrong.
It was terribly hot, I felt weak, feeling drowsy and was unable to squat well. But i couldn't show it out as the keeper forms the backbone of a team. It showed in my body language when i wasn't at my vocal best. Just when we thought we were cruising along well the new batsman edged an outswinging delivery. It went low to my right, hit the tip of my glove and was past me even before i could realise. When the ball is low, going away from you the best possible way is to stay low (knee bent) that enables the keeper to enable a smooth finish. Clearly I was late without the intended focus on the ball, a catch i would have snatched up on any other day.
The batsman eventually went on to score more than 50 runs that enabled Wipro to defend a formidable 180 in 20 overs. In the break i was down and out physically although few of my teammate's tried to cheer me up. I'd paid for my mistake overnight. The only way out now was to compensate with the bat and try to win the match for my team. I did my best batting reasonably well scoring at close to 10 runs per over and in the process managed to reach 100 in the 11th over as expected. At times i couldn't run those singles which i could have at relative ease, had cramps and felt like vomiting. My first thoughts were about the Dravid's and Tendulkar's playing a 5-day test match at Cochin or Vizag where the temperature can be unforgiving. And here i was, a non-entity who was passionate about the game playing a 20 over game in relatively better conditions.
We needed 80 runs from 8 overs with 8 wickets in hand. From now on it was a matter of sticking at the crease as long as possible and keep the score ticking. A realistic target for sure and a gettable one. By then i was watching the ball really well until the first ball of the 13th over when i top edged a short ball to a fielder at deep square leg.The bowler yelled as i walked back making it evident that he'd broken a partnership that would have seen AOL through for i was determined to finish the game at any cost. There was a great sense of resentment morseo since the drop catch played on my mind throughout. Eventually we lost the match and the finals by 10 runs. Ironically the batsman received the man of the match award while my teammates teased me saying i should have got the award instead.
As i mentioned earlier the level of competence isn't quite as comparable to the highest level. But for an individual such experiences, emotions are similar irrespective of the league one represents. The drop catch reminded me of Herschelle Gibbs who dropped Steve Waugh's catch in the 1999 world cup that helped Australia go through the finals. Incidentally Steve Waugh was famously quoted as saying "Son you've just dropped the world cup". My inability to finish the game later reminded me of the famous innings by Tendulkar against Pakistan in 1999-2000 in Chennai when he battled all odds with a severe back spasm scoring 136 before holding out to Saqlain Mushtaq. That loss in particular still continues to haunt Sachin.
I am no Gibbs or a Tendulkar but the fact is that i could relate to what these legends must have gone through. And to play under such pressure physically and emotionally at the highest level takes tremendous effort. As for the common man it is rather easy to be a couch critic and lament at these players when they have had a bad day on field. The underlying fact is that every athlete tries to give his 100 percent or more when he performs. Over a period of time they become champions who in the process toil hard relentlessly. It doesn't take much effort to comment on a drop catch of a Brett Lee delivery bowling at 150kmph, ridicule a 7-time Tour de France winner in Lance Armstrong with dope charges or a 8-time Grand Prix winner in Valentino Rossi. But to emerge victorious after every possible adversity like these champions do requires great effort and courage. Criticism is fair when it is constructive.
Michael Jordan in one of his quotes said - "I've always believed that if you put in work results will come. I don't do things half-heartedly. Because i know if i do, then i can expect half-hearted result". As for me it was a day that taught me a great deal. It was a lesson well learnt and that would be not to do things half-heartedly and to get one's priorities right.
The finals of the corporate cricket tournament between AOL & Wipro was scheduled for October 2nd at 9 a.m. The team had to be on the field an hour early. We had to win the match as there was quite a lot at stake. Another task i had in mind was to go for dandiya the previous night with a few friends. The plan was simple - I'd spend time at the dandiya party till 1 a.m, get some sleep and go for the match fresh the next morning. Little did i know what was in store the next day. Sometimes its the retrospective that helps you judge better - for better decisions in future, hopefully.
I must admit i had a blast at the dandiya party. But for some reason i was able to leave the venue only at 2 a.m. Saw my friends off and was home at 3 a.m. Two hours of sleep is by no means satisfactory considering the fact that i had to spend 4 hours on the field. Corporate events may not be as competitive as the regular league matches. But once on the field you don't want to be giving anything less than 100% for that is a great lesson sport can teach any individual. I was like an insomaniac clearly not feeling comfortable. One of my teammate asked me about my red-eyed eyes. For once i wished it had rained like crazy and the match got shelved. Anyways once on the field the everything else becomes immaterial.
Wipro batted first with former India batsman Sujith Somsundar in their ranks, was dismissed early. Despite the plethora of extras conceeded we kept the opponents under control who were 4 wickets down for 60 runs. For me the nightmare was just about to begin. A wicket-keeper's feel good factor is pretty much like a batsman hitting the first few balls he faces right in the middle of the bat. The sweet sound from the willow charges you up. Similarly, a keeper feels good when the ball lands with a thud straight into the center of the gloves. When that doesn't happen then something is certainly wrong.
It was terribly hot, I felt weak, feeling drowsy and was unable to squat well. But i couldn't show it out as the keeper forms the backbone of a team. It showed in my body language when i wasn't at my vocal best. Just when we thought we were cruising along well the new batsman edged an outswinging delivery. It went low to my right, hit the tip of my glove and was past me even before i could realise. When the ball is low, going away from you the best possible way is to stay low (knee bent) that enables the keeper to enable a smooth finish. Clearly I was late without the intended focus on the ball, a catch i would have snatched up on any other day.
The batsman eventually went on to score more than 50 runs that enabled Wipro to defend a formidable 180 in 20 overs. In the break i was down and out physically although few of my teammate's tried to cheer me up. I'd paid for my mistake overnight. The only way out now was to compensate with the bat and try to win the match for my team. I did my best batting reasonably well scoring at close to 10 runs per over and in the process managed to reach 100 in the 11th over as expected. At times i couldn't run those singles which i could have at relative ease, had cramps and felt like vomiting. My first thoughts were about the Dravid's and Tendulkar's playing a 5-day test match at Cochin or Vizag where the temperature can be unforgiving. And here i was, a non-entity who was passionate about the game playing a 20 over game in relatively better conditions.
We needed 80 runs from 8 overs with 8 wickets in hand. From now on it was a matter of sticking at the crease as long as possible and keep the score ticking. A realistic target for sure and a gettable one. By then i was watching the ball really well until the first ball of the 13th over when i top edged a short ball to a fielder at deep square leg.The bowler yelled as i walked back making it evident that he'd broken a partnership that would have seen AOL through for i was determined to finish the game at any cost. There was a great sense of resentment morseo since the drop catch played on my mind throughout. Eventually we lost the match and the finals by 10 runs. Ironically the batsman received the man of the match award while my teammates teased me saying i should have got the award instead.
As i mentioned earlier the level of competence isn't quite as comparable to the highest level. But for an individual such experiences, emotions are similar irrespective of the league one represents. The drop catch reminded me of Herschelle Gibbs who dropped Steve Waugh's catch in the 1999 world cup that helped Australia go through the finals. Incidentally Steve Waugh was famously quoted as saying "Son you've just dropped the world cup". My inability to finish the game later reminded me of the famous innings by Tendulkar against Pakistan in 1999-2000 in Chennai when he battled all odds with a severe back spasm scoring 136 before holding out to Saqlain Mushtaq. That loss in particular still continues to haunt Sachin.
I am no Gibbs or a Tendulkar but the fact is that i could relate to what these legends must have gone through. And to play under such pressure physically and emotionally at the highest level takes tremendous effort. As for the common man it is rather easy to be a couch critic and lament at these players when they have had a bad day on field. The underlying fact is that every athlete tries to give his 100 percent or more when he performs. Over a period of time they become champions who in the process toil hard relentlessly. It doesn't take much effort to comment on a drop catch of a Brett Lee delivery bowling at 150kmph, ridicule a 7-time Tour de France winner in Lance Armstrong with dope charges or a 8-time Grand Prix winner in Valentino Rossi. But to emerge victorious after every possible adversity like these champions do requires great effort and courage. Criticism is fair when it is constructive.
Michael Jordan in one of his quotes said - "I've always believed that if you put in work results will come. I don't do things half-heartedly. Because i know if i do, then i can expect half-hearted result". As for me it was a day that taught me a great deal. It was a lesson well learnt and that would be not to do things half-heartedly and to get one's priorities right.
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