Yesterday was one of those rare days when I switched channels to catch something totally not sport related. I was watching a debate show I catch once a while-NDTV's 'We the people'. The topic made me sit up and listen as it has been one I have argued on and discussed about many a time of late. There is little doubt that this generation in India has embraced most of the ideas of the west and adherence to Indian culture and tradition has taken a back seat..The concept of a LIVE IN relationship has become the most controversial and debated in Indian society..Arranged marriages were most common in urban India but over the years marriage after a period of courtship, more commonly referred to as love marriage has also become extremely popular and acceptable..
Indian society has almost throughout been a perfect example of hypocrisy..It has had its flaws but tries to portray that it doesn't. The Westernization of thought started a couple of decades back and though this may not necessarily be a bad idea in most circumstances, it is definitely proving to be harmful when it comes to certain very stable aspects of our society. At the outset, I would like to clarify that I belong to the old school of thought. Morality, marriage, a stable family and ethics matter a lot to me and this is almost surely reflected in my arguments. But nevertheless, I do also understand and accept that I do need to look at the other side of the coin..
People involved in the debate were diverse..Some were in live-in relationships, some happily married, some youngsters who were not sure if marriage was necessary and some who ultimately married after being in a live in. Their perspectives were extremely interesting to say the least even if finally inconclusive..My personal take on this front is that a live in relationship more often than not is an option many highly career oriented couples choose to take..The very fact that the exit door is far more accessible in this case than in case of a marriage where one has a great deal of responsibility towards his/her spouse, the family and society also in general..In Indian society especially, divorce is still taboo despite increased divorce rates. Live in relationships provide couples with all the benefits that marriage does provide. They can enjoy emotional and physical bonding without allowing it to get in the way of their careers. Often, in many marriages, it is seen that balancing the personal and professional life becomes too big a challenge. This is more so when kids come into the picture..
Marriages on the other hand, more so in India are solemnized by a sacred oath which in most cases is a binding factor..Fights and arguments in relationships are sorted out considering the long term benefits and advantages of a stable family..Societal norms play a huge role as well in traditional Indian families when it comes to decisions in marriages..Indians find it rather difficult to accept that premarital sex is rife and that live in relationships have become quite common..Ultimately, be it live in relationships or stable marriages, what matters the most is the commitment towards the partner..Personally, I believe that seeking a live in relationship to avoid the trials that might pop up post marriage and also trying to find an easy exit in times of difficulty is sheer escapism...Innumerable examples can be given when couples have braved the odds, struggled through difficult times and brought up their children in a congenial atmosphere paving the way for their success..
Indian culture has always been respected for some of the strong values that it inculcates and it is rather unfortunate that at a time when people all over the world including the West respect the Indian approach to marriage i.e. striving for a stable relationship, most Indians especially the present generation tend to disregard the importance of the same..The sense of security and confidence that a stable marriage brings especially for the kids when they grow up should never be underestimated..
Though there is no definitive conclusion that can be sought to this debate, it is imperative to know that one must respect the choice of an individual in this case. A live in relationship might be beneficial for sometime to get to know the partner and helps iron out differences while laying out a good platform for a successful long term relationship. Misusing this form of relationship so as to derive physical pleasure while being aware that one can always exit without a second thought is wrong..I definitely hope that couples realize that marriage is not just a social obligation. It is as much a source of strength for a family as it is for society in general. The importance of unwavering commitment in any relationship is unquestionable and if marriage is the better way to strengthen the same, then it is the way to go..
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Cant wait for KICKOFF!
It can be stated with certainty that no sporting event on this planet can hope to match the aura and charm of the Football World Cup. Millions of fans in over a hundred nations wait with bated breath for the great tournament to begin..The sense of anticipation and tension is palpable..All this with good reason!..The world cup over the years has witnessed extraordinary crowds, brilliant players and great teams..The variety in style and footballing approach is unmissable..The open free flowing Brazilian style is in sharp contrast to the much more text book style of England and Germany. Holland's ability to enthrall and also disappoint in equal measure sets them apart. Argentina's fantastic footballing skills and of late the supreme athleticism of the the African nations has virtually guaranteed some high octane entertainment..
Top performances from players and teams over the years stand out in memory. Right from the supremely confident Ferenc Puskas who led Hungary in 1954, the precocious talent of Pele who appeared on the world stage in 1958, the unbelievably skilled Garrincha who played throughout with deformed feet, England's fairytale win in 1966 with the help of Geoff Hurst and Bobby Charlton not to mention Eusebio's remarkable football all through the tournament, Pele and Jairzinho gracing the 1970 edition, Holland, led by the classy Johann Cruyff, charming one and all in 1974 and 1978 yet finishing agonizingly short, the resilience of Germany in 1974 and the brilliance of Argentina in 1978..Dino Zoff's Italian champion side of 1982 which won despite the presence of the great Brazilian pairing of Zico and Socrates. 1986 was all about Diego Maradona. His extraordinary repertoire of skills proved too much for most teams and his goal against England remains embedded in memory...West Germany prevailed in 1990 and 1994 just means Roberto Baggio's penalty miss..Brazil played a truly superb tournament in 1998 courtesy their superstar Ronaldo but a mysterious illness kept him out of the finals and they were easily beaten by France with the genius Zinedine Zidane scoring twice..The Brazilians combined superbly and coached by the eccentric Scolari, they took the trophy for the fifth time. In the last edition i.e. 2006, Italy prevailed over France in a tense shootout which was made famous for all the wrong reasons with Zidane head-butting Materazzi and getting sent off at a crucial juncture..
As a tribute to this fascinating trophy, I felt I should just revisit the previous tournaments and take a walk over the years highlighting the major moments which for sure will stay registered in the memory of a football lover..
The first trophy was played in 1930 in Uruguay and the host prevailed in the finals..Italy won the 1934 and 1938 editions and the number of teams in the tournament was slowly increasing...The world war prevented the staging of the tournament in 1942 and 1946..In 1950, the World Cup was staged in Brazil..In front of a packed Maracana stadium rumoured to have accommodated close to two hundred thousand people, the hosts and favourites Brazil lost to Uruguay 1-2...This was deemed the final though it was actually one of the round robin games played..
The 1954 World cup was staged in Switzerland and Hungary were led by Ferenc Puskas, nicknamed the Galloping Major'. They trounced one and all and thrashed the eventual finalists West Germany 8-3 in a round robin game..But German resilience came to the fore in the final and they prevailed over Hungary 3-2... The 1958 finals in Sweden was dominated by the Samba boys from Brazil..Pele, who went on to become the finest footballer of all time made his debut at the age of 17..Just Fontaine of France scored a record 13 goals in the tournament which is still a record..Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2 to take their first title..The 1962 tournament was all about the wondrously gifted Garrincha, known as the 'little bird'..Born with deformed feet after a polio attack, his runs on the right flank became legendary..He conjured up some sublime performances all through the World cup and Brazil won the title by beating Czechoslovakia 3-1..
Photos below: left- the legendary Ferenc Puskas and right- the dazzling Garrincha
One of the most popular editions of the great tournament was the 1966 one..It was held in England and people all over hoped that England would win its first trophy..There were superb matches none better than the game where minnows North Korea took a stunning lead of 3-0 against giants Portugal only to lose 5-3. Portugal's Eusebio was the standout performer..England and West Germany progressed to the finals played at the legendary Wembley stadium and at the end of normal time the teams were tied 2-2...A highly controversial goal was awarded to England in extra time when most believed that the ball had not crossed the line..The referee in a moment of indecision and madness awarded a goal and this decision is debated till today..Geoff Hurst added another goal and eventually ended up scoring a hat trick to help the captain Bobby Moore and the great coach Alf Ramsey lead the England team to its maiden triumph..
Photo: below- England win the World cup 1966
The 1970 world cup was held in Mexico and some of the more memorable moments included the stunning save that Gordon Banks produced to prevent a certain goal off a header by the great Pele..Brazil cruised to another triumph by thrashing Italy 4-1 in the finals and Pele was the toast of the footballing world..The 1974 edition was held in West Germany..Holland, known as the 'brilliant oranges' stunned the world with a superb display of attacking football..Their attractive style was due to their captain, the classy Johann Cruyff..Neeskens scored in the final against Germany even before the opponents had touched the ball..but the gritty Germans somehow clawed their way back and won 2-1..The Dutch supporters were devastated but the superb football endured in memory..The 1978 finals again saw Holland stumble at the final hurdle, this time against Argentina..It is universally accepted that the Dutch teams that ended up as the runner up in 1974 and 1978 were the best never to win the trophy..
Photos: left- Pele and Bobby Moore after Brazil beat England in 1970
right- the 'ballet dancer'- Johann Cruyff of Holland
Dino Zoff, at the age of forty, along with the great Paolo Rossi,led Italy to their third trophy in 1982 in Spain..Brazil had two legends in Zico and Socrates and were very much favoured to win the world cup..Italy though upstaged them in the semis and defeated West Germany to take the trophy after a long gap of 44 years (the last they won was in 1938)...
The 1986 world cup in Mexico was all about Diego Maradona, the diminutive Argentinian who enthralled one and all with his superb runs, exceptional control and brilliant judgment..The quarter finals saw Maradona rip apart England with some glorious football..Two goals in that game will never be forgotten as long as the game exists...The notorious 'Hand of God' goal when in the spur of the moment, Maradona punched the ball from near his head into the goal..It was blatant..Much to the chagrin of the Englishmen, their appeals went unheard and the goal stayed..The legend though erased this from memory by scoring what is regarded the finest goal ever...He took a couple of turns in his half and beat a host of English defenders before finally racing past the bemused Peter Shilton to slot home the goal of the century..Argentina went on to claim the trophy by defeating the Germans in the final at the Aztec stadium..The 'Mexican wave' gained popularity ever since this tournament..The 1990 tournament was held in Italy and the Germans won by defeating Argentina in a controversial and ill tempered final..'Toto' Schillaci of Italy scored the most goals..The biggest upset was when Cameroon beat Argentina with goals from the talented Roger Milla..
photo below: Maradona lifting the trophy, Mexico 1986
The 1994 tournament was held in the USA and record attendances were witnessed for most games..England failed to qualify for this edition and Brazil was on song throughout..Romario and Bebeto combined brilliantly..the trademark celebration of the Brazilians was the rocking of a cradle started by Bebeto to signify the birth of his child...Dunga lifted the trophy for Brazil after a dull final which was decided on penalties..Italy's great striker Roberto Baggio missed his shot and was in tears after that...The tragic killing of Andres Escobar, the Colombian who scored an own goal left a bad taste at the end of the tournament..
The 1998 edition in France saw both Brazil and France dominate throughout..David Beckham's sending off against Argentina after kicking out at David Simeone remains a highlight along with Michael Owen's remarkable first goal..The Dutch were unlucky to lose to Brazil in the semis while France edged the Croats..Croatia's Davor Suker scored the most goals in the tournament.. Ronaldo had been superb all through the tournament but just prior to the final collapsed and with this episode went Brazil's confidence..Zinedine Zidane scored twice off corners to make it 2-0 for France and then Emmanuel Petit scored a third to make it a comprehensive win for the French..
photos below: left- Romario and Bebeto- cradle celebration 1994
right- Zinedine Zidane in 1998
The 2002 edition was held in Japan and South Korea..State of the art grounds including the Sapporo dome and Yokohama provided a visual treat and the football was also high quality..Senegal upset holders France to create a huge shock..Turkey played superb football but finally lost to Brazil in the semis..In the quarter final, England opened the scoring through Michael Owen but then soon enough, they were buried by the dazzling skills of Ronalidinho..His super run and pass to Rivaldo set up the equalizer and the next goal was a stunning free kick when from over 35 yards he lifted the ball over the dumbstruck David Seaman.. Ronaldo and Rivaldo were in supreme touch and they combined wonderfully in the finals against Germany...In the semis against South Korea who earlier had created a huge shock when they downed Italy and Spain, Michael Ballack, Germany's talismanic striker had scored but was then forced to commit a professional foul to deny a Korean goal..He was sent off which meant he would miss the all important finals..The Germans tried their best to keep the Brazilians at bay especially through the efforts of their brilliant custodian Oliver Kahn...But Kahn's first fumble cost them a goal when Ronaldo pounced on the rebound and a superb dummy by Rivaldo led to the second goal which enabled Brazil to clinch the trophy for the fifth time...
photo below: Ronaldo in 2002
The 2006 edition in Germany was ordinary for most parts and the finals was contested between Italy who had mastered the art of defensive football..France had Zinedine Zidane and they knew he was the sole hope..The final was evenly contested until Zidane in a moment of madness charged and head butted Materazzi of Italy..The latter had been riling the legendary Zidane and the reaction though expected wasn't appropriate considering the occasion..Zidane was sent off and Italy won the final on penalties..The triumph was overshadowed by this unfortunate episode..
photo below: Zidane runs into Materazzi in the finals in 2006
The 2010 edition promises to be bigger than ever with the African nations aiming to provide a grandstand finish..Top class young stars such as Wayne Rooney of England, Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal will brighten up the tournament..Brazil and Argentina look good though it must be said Argentina were lucky to qualify..England look a rejuvenated side under Fabio Capello and would seek to end their drought..Holland and Spain are in excellent form and boast the service of some truly world class players..Spain have been tipped the favourite by many to lift the trophy..The Spanish along with the Dutch and English, remain one of the perennial underachievers in football...I am looking forward to a truly classic tournament and cant wait for kickoff..My guess/hope is that the semis will have Holland, England, Brazil, Argentina/Spain...After that its anybody's game!..I just cant wait for June 11th...
photos below: left - Lionel Messi
centre- Wayne Rooney
right- Cristiano Ronaldo
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Master vs Genius!!
To most cricket lovers, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara have been the finest and most exciting batsmen of this era and possibly of all time. There have been numerous arguments and discussions as to who has been more successful, the more exciting, more consistent and eventually the biggest question of all--- who is better?... while it may be almost impossible to come to a conclusion that everyone will accept, I being a huge fan of both and an even bigger stats buff decided to undertake a venture that would yield fairly useful results. I would once again like to reiterate that these views and the way the stats have been interpreted may differ from person to person and no way am I trying to enforce any point or opinion here. It is a purely statistical sojourn coupled with some cricketing acumen. So please do go ahead- read, interpret and provide your valuable comments as to what other points can be considered.
PS: I would really not want to see any comments accusing me of bias and the like. This has been a work where I have had to put in quite a bit of effort and partiality and bias are not factors in this at all.
All stats here exclude the matches against the minnows (Bangladesh and Zimbabwe)
Sachin Tendulkar
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
166 271 29 13447 248* 47 54 55.56--------all countries included
150 248 24 11709 241 39 51 52.27
(significant drop by 3.29) when Bangladesh and Zimbabwe excluded)
The average of 52.27 I shall consider as the career average for all comparison. The form factor (peak & slump) is worked out as a deviation from the career average. Also another factor considered will be the innings/100 which is an excellent indicator of consistency with which a premier batsman scores centuries.
Overall 248/39=6.36 and just for perspective Don Bradman has 80 innings for 29 tons giving the ratio of 80/29=2.76
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1989 start-92 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
19 30 2 1085 148* 4 4 38.75
Not really considered as it is the first few years of career. But significant indicator of future greatness when you observe the average and number of 100's as it came against fairly strong opposition and away)
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1993 start-97 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
37 55 6 2959 179 10 13 60.38
Excellent period for Sachin. Improvement of over 8 from his career average. 100's ratio is down to 5.5.
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1998 start-2002 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
39 69 6 3831 217 14 15 60.80
Statistically the greatest period for Tendulkar. An exceptional average and a 100's ratio of less than 5.
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2003 start-2007 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
34 57 6 2017 241* 3 13 39.54
Very poor period for Tendulkar. Drop of over 12 from his career average. A 100's ratio of 19 is a huge indicator of a slump and a long one at that i.e. 5 years. Also noted during this period is a very low average of about 27 in the 2nd, 3rd
and 4th innings of test matches. His away performance was good (46 in 17 matches) while at home he was very poor (33 in 17).
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2008 start-present
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
21 37 4 1817 160 8 6 55.06
A renaissance for the great master. His average is back closer to his career mean. 8 tons in 37 innings is a ratio of about 4.6. Home and away form has been quite brilliant.
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Brian Lara
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
131 232 6 11953 400* 34 48 52.88
overall career figures (WI and ICC XI- includes games against the minnows)
126 224 6 11517 400* 32 47 52.83
For WI excluding games against minnows- no significant drop in average
Also the ratio innings/100 stands at 224/32=7.00 slightly higher (poorer) than Tendulkar's.
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1990 start-93 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
11 18 0 830 277 1 6 46.11
Early days in a brilliant career gives a fair indication of what is to follow (high risk game- few not outs) and also just 1 century (the ton was a massive 277- another indicator of things to come).
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1994 start-97 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
37 64 2 3303 375 9 14 53.27
A period which showcased Lara's genius and also his form shifts. From a peak in 1994-95 his form gradually dropped close to 1998. A century every 7 innings and an average of 53.27 not far from the overall career figures.
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1998 start-2001 end
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
35 65 2 3088 221 8 14 49.01
Lara had a brilliant series in 1999 against Australia and at the end of 2001 against Sri Lanka. In between though his form was very much patchy. Overall his average was about 3 lower than his career mark and his innings/100 was 8 (increase of 1). 1998 and 2000 were bad years but 1999 and 2001 were excellent.
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2002 start-end of career (2006 end)
M innings no runs hs 100 50 avg
43 77 2 4296 400 14 13 57.28
Lara ended his career in the best of his form. His performance in 2003, 2004 and 2005 were simple extraordinary with over 1000 runs in all these years. As captain, his second coming was brilliant and he averaged 62 in 25 matches. His average is about 5 more than his career mark and his innings/100 ratio is 5.5 and a great improvement over the career mark of 7.
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Series dominance factor
Also, just considering another factor which I would call dominance (high scoring throughout a series and dominating it with the bat).
India have typically played many 3 and 4 test series for most of his career.
I shall rank Sachin's highest performing test series ordering them by the number of matches in the series. (will exclude one off tests)
5 tests---------> 368 at 46.00 in 1991-92 Australia
4 tests---------> top 4 include 493, 401, 396 and 383
3 tests---------> top 4 include 445, 436, 428 and 402
2 tests---------> 290 and 227
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West Indies played even as many as 6 tests in the mid 1990's when the team was very good still. Later the number of matches in series involving them dwindled to 3. Brian Lara had this unique ability to dominate a series like no other batsman when he started on a run. The figures below show just that.
6 tests----------> 765 in 1995
5 tests----------> 798, 466, 400 and 391
4 tests----------> 546, 531 and 500
3 tests----------> 688, 448, 393 and 345
2 tests----------> 331 and 299
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After all this analysis, I come to the following conclusion which I believe is fairly justified. Tendulkar during the course of his career has had two golden periods (60+ averages) and an extremely poor period when his average fell below 40 for most part of 5 years. His batting records have been considerably improved because of 16 matches against sub standard attacks (8 100's in 16 games).
The test average eliminating these matches is marginally below Brian Lara's. Tendulkar's consistency is remarkable. His innings/100 ratio is exceptional for most part of his career except the slump period. He has never quite proceeded to dominate a series quite the way Lara has.
Brian Lara, rather surprisingly has not deviated much from his career average and innings/100. He does not do his average any favours because of his high risk game and very few not outs. His consistency is lower in the sense that good and bad years often alternate in his career. He has dominated many a series whther they of be 5 ,4 or 3 games. This remarkable aspect makes him stand out among all premier batsmen. He ended his career in supreme form and I feel he probably retired a year too early. His penchant for massive scores is seen throughout with 8 scores of 200+ knocks and 9 scores between 150 and 200.
Now for my judgment. After all what's the use of all this otherwise?..
Brian Charles Lara is to me the greatest test batsman since Don Bradman. In terms of consistency he has not been poor (though many players show better consistency). His average never quite dropped to perilous lows. His greatest ability was to take control of a series and dictate terms. It was a pity that his massive run making and insatiable appetite had to coincide with the nadir of the West Indian team.
Sachin Tendulkar on the other hand is probably the most consistent and will undoubtedly end up being the most prolific player as well when he retires. He has not dominated quality attacks in series after the mid to late 1990's when he was at his remarkable best. He has feasted on some poor bowling too during his time and this had added weight to his figures. His rate of scoring 100's is remarkable but his ability to convert the 100's to big ones including double tons etc has been found wanting.
Lara will to me remain the most exciting man to ever hold a cricket bat while Tendulkar will remain the finest and most consistent.Not much separates them in terms of stats. Lara's best is way better than any player but, in his bad patches he could looks the worst. Tendulkar, on the other hand was far more even. he did reach a high but not the dizzying heights of the Trinidadian genius. From a purely personal point of view, I'd go for the Prince of Trinidad any day as there has been no one quite like him to thrill the senses and after all what is test cricket without the thrill?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
An SOS..
For many years, a species known as contest thrived in the cricketing world. The past decade has caused it much harm endangering its greatest and most endearing qualities..This species was best appreciated when quality batting (a) came up against quality bowling (b) on sporting tracks (c)..Sadly there has been extreme aid provided to empower 'a' resulting in batting records aplenty while there has been a dearth of the latter two over the decade which has pretty much meant that this species is tending towards extinction...Yes..the quality bowlers have dwindled but even mediocrity has a chance to survive if conditions are favourable..
Case in point is the latest concluded ODI between India and South Africa at Gwalior.. a powerful batting line up goes in to bat after winning the toss (its like winning a lottery)...Once this is done..especially in sub continent conditions (read docile and lifeless pitches, small grounds, lightning outfields), the team that chases (under lights mostly) is doomed...Barring a rare collapse from the team batting first, the one chasing is fighting a losing battle most times..Now, the species called a contest cannot really hope to thrive in such hostile conditions..
The contest means there is a balance between bat and ball throughout giving either a good chance...but present day rules and conditions have nullified all that the ideal contest seeks and provides..Bouncers are out, grassy tracks are passe, powerplays are in, grounds are smaller, free hits are in vogue..basically the bowler is not really respected..bowlers have started to pray for some divine intervention or atleast some use of brains by administrators...nothing has happened so far..Test matches were a ground where contests thrived the most...ODI's until this decade provided a fair chance but the advent of T-20's has almost snuffed out all hopes..
People have been raving about Tendulkar's innings..If seen from the right angle..one can realize this was rather inevitable..small grounds, hopeless pitches and a toss which clearly favours one team almost always (in most countries) have made these matches more academic...Records are broken but so is the nature of a true contest..Until the issue of the tracks is fixed and they made more sporting to strike a balance between batting and bowling, records like these will keep tumbling but the chance of watching great contests i.e. balanced games (read such as wc 1999 semi final b/w aus and SA) keeps dwindling...imagine all you sachin fans the scenario- world cup final india vs aus in mumbai- day night game...aus win the toss and bat..amass 350..match over ..done and dusted.. you don't want this to be a possibility..the species 'contest' certainly doesn't want this happening as it will be the final nail in its coffin..it is sending out an SOS constantly and periodically..hope the ones who matter heed it!...
Case in point is the latest concluded ODI between India and South Africa at Gwalior.. a powerful batting line up goes in to bat after winning the toss (its like winning a lottery)...Once this is done..especially in sub continent conditions (read docile and lifeless pitches, small grounds, lightning outfields), the team that chases (under lights mostly) is doomed...Barring a rare collapse from the team batting first, the one chasing is fighting a losing battle most times..Now, the species called a contest cannot really hope to thrive in such hostile conditions..
The contest means there is a balance between bat and ball throughout giving either a good chance...but present day rules and conditions have nullified all that the ideal contest seeks and provides..Bouncers are out, grassy tracks are passe, powerplays are in, grounds are smaller, free hits are in vogue..basically the bowler is not really respected..bowlers have started to pray for some divine intervention or atleast some use of brains by administrators...nothing has happened so far..Test matches were a ground where contests thrived the most...ODI's until this decade provided a fair chance but the advent of T-20's has almost snuffed out all hopes..
People have been raving about Tendulkar's innings..If seen from the right angle..one can realize this was rather inevitable..small grounds, hopeless pitches and a toss which clearly favours one team almost always (in most countries) have made these matches more academic...Records are broken but so is the nature of a true contest..Until the issue of the tracks is fixed and they made more sporting to strike a balance between batting and bowling, records like these will keep tumbling but the chance of watching great contests i.e. balanced games (read such as wc 1999 semi final b/w aus and SA) keeps dwindling...imagine all you sachin fans the scenario- world cup final india vs aus in mumbai- day night game...aus win the toss and bat..amass 350..match over ..done and dusted.. you don't want this to be a possibility..the species 'contest' certainly doesn't want this happening as it will be the final nail in its coffin..it is sending out an SOS constantly and periodically..hope the ones who matter heed it!...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Five of the best..!
In cricketing parlance, the mere mention of 1960-61, 1981, 1999, 2001 and 2005 serves up heady memories and replays and is inevitably a precursor to plenty of discussions. These years saw classic test matches and series played and cricket lovers all over were treated to some of the finest performances ever seen in the game's great history. The drama of these riveting and absorbing games was further enhanced by the tremendous achievements of the legendary players who graced these contests..I shall, with descriptions, photos and statistical highlights, aim to recapture those great moments from these outstanding series..
1. Almost universally acclaimed as the greatest series of all, the Australia-West Indies clash in 1960-61 had it all..Legendary players, top flight performances, brilliant and aggressive cricket coupled with edge of seat thrillers evoked a sense of awe in one and all who witnessed this memorable series. Frank Worrell (WI) and Richie Benaud (Aus) led their respective teams. The West Indians had arrived in Australia with the reputation of playing fearless aggressive and exciting cricket. But was their dynamic Calypso charm going to hold its own against brutal Australian efficiency?..A mouth watering contest was in prospect and it did not disappoint one bit..
The series began at the Gabba in Brisbane. From a rather precarious 65/3, the West Indies ended up with a very good score of 453. Garry Sobers made a superb 132 which is still regarded by many as one of the finest test innings seen down under. Worrell and others weighed in to put pressure on the hosts. Australia replied powerfully with Simpson who scored 92 and a magnificent 181 from Norman O'Neill. They had amassed 505 and a lead of 52 was going to be handy. The West Indians were blown away for 284 with the great left arm paceman Alan Davidson taking 6 wickets..Faced with a rather attainable target of 233, the Aussies were stunned by the fiery pace of Wesley Hall and were tottering at 96/6. Davidson joined the skipper Benaud and together they were involved in a fantastic rearguard effort and at 226/6, Australia looked to have it all wrapped up..A moment of panic resulted in Davidson being run out and when Hall began the final over of this extraordinary game, all results were possible. Benaud was caught behind, Hall missed an easy run out and dropped a catch that would have been easily taken by Kanhai and by now it was nail biting stuff..Conrad Hunte ran Grout out with the scores level and when Joe Solomon swooped brilliantly and threw down the stumps from mid wicket to run Ian Meckiff out, the teams were stunned. They didn't realize immediately that they had been part of a classic test match finish and the rarest one at that- a tie.!..What a start it had been to the highly anticipated series?...
In the next test at the MCG, the Aussies dominated the West Indians throughout and earned a 7 wicket win. Davidson picked up 8 wickets for the match. But there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the Caribbeans would be back..and they did exactly that.
Sobers top scored with 168 and the spin pair of Gibbs and Valentine combined in both innings to enable the West Indies to inflict a crushing 222 run defeat on the Aussies..The series was now thrown widely open again and the teams entered Adelaide to try and press home the advantage..Rohan Kanhai made brilliant centuries in both innings and with Australia reeling at 207/9 chasing a massive 460, few had any hope that they could survive two hours against the marauding West Indian attack. In a quite remarkable display of grit and determination, Kline and Mackay survived nearly 110 minutes and rescued Australia from certain defeat and this truly exhilarating series reached its much awaited finale when the teams travelled to Melbourne for the final test..In a gripping contest, the bloody mindedness of the Aussies came to the forefront as they squeezed home by two wickets to win what was possibly the finest series ever 2-1..The West Indians were lauded for the fascinating brand of cricket they played and were given a ticker tape farewell in Melbourne with thousands lining the streets..The contest between these two great cricketing nations came to be renamed after the charismatic West Indian captain Frank Worrell who so inspired his team and gained the respect of one and all..The memories of the summer of 1960-61 undoubtedly are ingrained in the minds of all test cricket lovers and the quality of cricket played has never been bettered..
Below: Left- Final run out of the tied test at the Gabba
Right: Farewell accorded to Frank Worrell's team in Melbourne after the great series.
The scorecards and statistics of this magnificent series can be found here
The video highlights of the tied test and the series can be found here.
2. Australia had been ravaged by the Packer years and when the team was back to full strength in 1981, they travelled to England to contest the Ashes. England was led by the mercurial Ian Botham, a strange and rather hasty choice for captain..The Aussies missed the great Greg Chappell who was out with injury but had a strong outfit led by Kim Hughes..In the first test at Nottingham, Australia prevailed in a low scoring game by 4 wickets with Lillee and Alderman causing havoc in the English ranks..Botham resigned from captaincy after the 2nd test at Lords where he bagged a pair. The game itself ended in a draw and when the series moved to Leeds, the Aussies definitely had the edge. English morale was at an all time low and they had to quickly find a way to settle the nerves. Mike Brearley took over as the English skipper and persuaded Botham to relax and perform..The game started horribly for Brearley when in response to Australia's 401 (Dyson 102, Hughes 89), England were bundled out for 174. After being asked to follow on, England collapsed to 135/7 and were staring at an ignominious defeat. Ian Botham who had top scored in the diastrous first innings with a half century was joined by Graham Dilley and Dilley's aggressive approach soon rubbed off on Botham. Ian Botham went on to score an audacious unbeaten 149, the highlight of which was the extraordinary hooked sixes off Lilee..Richie Benaud's immortal line on commentary "Dont bother looking for that. Its gone right into the confectionery stall and out again" remains in memory..Chris Old also supported Botham and England finally posted 356 setting Australia a paltry 130 to get..The momentum had swung though. Australia, still favourites to win were quite irritated and when Botham got the first wicket, the game was on. Bob WIllis scythed through the Aussies with a quite remarkable spell of 8/43 and the Aussies were bundled out for 111 and England had triumphed astonishingly after being asked to follow on. The series was well and truly alive when it moved to Edgbaston. Australia dominated the game and at 105/5 chasing 151, they were extremely well placed to go 2-1 up. Ian Botham who had risen like a phoenix had other ideas though. In a sensational spell of fast bowling, he took 5 wickets for 1 run and the Aussies collapsed to 121 leaving England victorious by 29 runs..In the next test at Old Trafford, Botham once again scored a quickfire 118 in the 2nd innings. He belted 6 sixes and 13 fours and it was a quite stupendous display of power hitting. Australia, with centuries from Yallop and Border bravely attempted to chase the massive target of 506 but fell 103 runs short. The Ashes had witnessed an unbelievable turnaround and Ian Botham was the toast of England. The next test at the Oval was drawn to hand the series to England 3-1. For reasons well documented, this series came to be known as Botham's Ashes and to this day is the pinnacle of the great all rounder's remarkable career.
Below: Left- Ian Botham after his remarkable 149* at Leeds.
Right: Bob WIllis during his superb spell of 8/43 at Leeds.
The scorecards and statistics of this immortal Ashes face off can be found here
The video of Botham's 149* is here.
3. It was David vs Goliath once again except that in this case there wasn't a glimmer of hope for the underdog. When Steve Waugh led his exceptional Australian team to meet the Brian Lara led West Indies in the Caribbean in 1999, nobody was in doubt about the result. The West Indies were plagued by controversies and crushing defeats over the past two years had done little to boost their confidence for this all important clash..In the first test at Port of Spain, the West Indies were bowled out for what was then their lowest test score- 51 to lose the test by a huge margin of 312 runs..Severe criticism and calls for Brian Lara's head followed and there seemed no way out..What followed can only be described as out of the world!...In the 2nd test at Sabina Park, Brian Lara exorcised the ghosts of the previous test by compiling a supreme 213 and added a record 322 with Jimmy Adams paving the way for a huge total. The West Indian bowlers responded well to bowl the Aussies out for 177 and set up a 10 wicket win..The comeback had only just begun..At the mecca of West Indian cricket- Barbados, the Aussies, riding on strong performances from their captain Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting scored 490. After bowling out the West Indies for 329, Australia themselves ran into an inspired Courtney Walsh and were routed for 146 thus setting a daunting target of 308. It seemed all over at 105/5 when Lara and Adams combined again to lift the home team to 238 when Glenn McGrath came back to castle Adams with a beauty. McGrath then left the West Indies gasping with two more quick wickets and at 248/8 with 60 runs more to get and only the tailenders Ambrose and Walsh to follow, all hope seemed lost. Brian Lara already incensed after a clash with McGrath kept the runs flowing and essayed some gorgeous drives. When Ambrose finally fell with 6 runs to go, the end seemed nigh considering the fact that the inept Walsh was to follow. Courtney Walsh showed enough pluck and guts and kept out some fantastic balls from McGrath and Gillespie and when Brian Lara finally crashed Gillespie through the covers to win this classic game, the world had just witnessed one of the most remarkable matches and were enthralled by the sublime batting skills of the left handed genius. Lara smashed a superb 100 made off just 84 balls in the next test but was unable to stave off defeat as his team went down by 176 runs..The series was level 2-2 but the psychological battle had been won by the West Indies and Brian Lara had taken single handedly on the might of the Aussies and come up trumps..
Below: Brian Lara rushes off to celebrate the astonishing win at Barabdos.
The details of this classic series can be found here.
The highlights from the Barbados classic including Lara's epic 153* can be found here.
4. Steve Waugh called India the 'final frontier'. The Aussies had not triumphed in a series in India since 1969 and he was determined to change this. His all conquering juggernaut visited India in Feb 2001. The Aussies had won a record 15 tests in a row and when the first test got underway in Mumbai, the signs were ominous for India. They were bowled out for 176 with only Tendulkar (76) offering any resistance. The Aussies were in trouble at 99/5 when the dashing Gilchrist joined Matthew Hayden and proceeded to slaughter the bowling. He made a brilliant 122 and the Aussies had well and truly gone ahead. When they bowled India out for 219, they were left to score 47 and this was achieved without any fuss. The Aussies had won by 10 wickets and this was their 16th consecutive win. India needed to get things right when the two teams moved to clash at the hallowed Eden Gardens. Steve Waugh scored a gritty century and his partnership with the tail enders boosted the score to 445. Nobody resisted with the exception of VVS Laxman, who made 59. Steve Waugh decided to enforce the follow on as he had a huge lead of 274 runs. When Tendulkar was dismissed, the result seemed a formality. The captain Saurav Ganguly provided much needed support to Laxman who had been promoted to number 3. Rahul Dravid joined Laxman at the fall of Ganguly and this pair went on to create history. Laxman's immortal 281 replete with classical strokes and silken wristwork was ably supported by the technically superb Dravid who made a superb 180. They batted the entire 4th day without being separated and Laxman's chanceless knock has since been regarded the greatest played by an Indian. His expert handling of the great Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne stands out for its sheer quality..India had altered the balance and now the Aussies were struggling. Harbhajan Singh, who had earlier taken a hattrick in the first innings bowled brilliantly and the pressure got to the Aussies. They lost the game by 171 runs and the Aussie team had been halted in its victory march..The great series moved to Chennai and a moment of indiscretion from the Aussie skipper Steve Waugh, who handled the ball, saw his team collapsing from a position of great strength at 340/3 to 391 all out. India led by Tendulkar's ton secured a lead of 110 runs and this was going to be vital on a wearing pitch..Australia once again failed to master the 'Turbanator' and his haul of 8/84 left India chasing 155. From 101/3 when victory seemed within the grasp, India collapsed to 135/7 and eventually the man who did the job with the ball, Harbhajan Singh had to squeeze out the winning runs to win the classic test match and thus seal India's triumph in one of the finest series of all time..This series instantly brings to mind VVS Laxman's immortal 281, Harbhajan Singh's 32 wickets and the return of Matthew Hayden who went on to become one of the most prolific batsmen of the decade..
Below: VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid during their immortal stand against the Aussies, Calcutta 2001
Check the scores and stats for this series here.
The video of the immortal Eden Gardens test where VVS Laxman scored his 281 can be found here.
5. Ricky Ponting had taken over the reins of the Australian team from Steve Waugh and the biggest challenge he faced was to sustain the extraordinary performances of the team under Waugh. Ponting reached England in the summer of 2005 with an exceptional unit and going by past records, retaining the Ashes was deemed to be a mere formality. The hype was enormous and the tension was palpable. In the first test at Lords, Steve Harmison grabbed 5 wickets and Australia were shot out for 190. Any hopes of an England lead were quickly crushed by Glenn McGrath who bowled remarkably picking up 5 wickets leaving the hosts tottering at 21/5. Kevin Pietersen, the volatile yet exceptionally talented debutant counter attacked and propped up England to 155. Michael Clarke's 91 to go with half centuries from Damien Martyn and Simon Katich boosted Australia to 384 and they had set England a target of 420. England collapsed to 180 and went on to lose by 239 runs. The familiar pattern had set in again and it was becoming all the more difficult for them to get back into the contest. The morning of the 2nd test brought England hope even before the game started. Glenn McGrath, so often England's nemesis twisted his ankle after stepping on a stray ball during practice and was ruled out of the game. England's morale needed no further boost and they proceeded to attack the rest of the Aussie attack and scored a remarkable 407 in les than 80 overs. England's fast bowlers came to the party and restricted the Aussies to 308. Shane Warne's brilliant bowling effort left the hosts stunned and at 131/9 it looked very bleak. Andrew Flintoff smashed the bowling and took the score to 182 which left the Aussies having to score 282 for a win. When Steve Harmison bowled Michael Clarke with a superb slower ball to leave the Aussies at 175/8, 1-1 seemed round the corner..Shane Warne had other ideas though. He made 42 and added crucial runs with Brett Lee. When Flintoff returned to have Warne hit wicket, at 220/9. the game seemed destined to be England's. Michael kasprowicz joined Lee and a quite stunning rearguard effort took them to striking distance. The tension was unbearable and just as it seemed that the Aussies had pulled off another of those great escapes, Steve Harmison produced a wicked bouncer which was ruled to have flicked Kasprowicz's glove. England had squeezed home by 2 runs and the Ashes was front page news all over England..There was hope all round and the sense of expectation and anticipation was something that couldn't be missed..The series moved to Old Trafford and England seemed to have the edge. McGrath was back but far below his best. England made 444 with Vaughan leading with a brilliant 166 and bowled Australia out for 302 with Simon Jones taking 6/53. England then made 280/6 dec setting Australia a huge target of 423. Australia lost wickets at regular intervals but also resisted with stubborn partnerships. Ricky Ponting's glorious knock of 156 took them to the doorstep of safety when with 24 balls remaining, he was dismissed. Yet again, this extraordinary series had taken another twist..Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath staved off some top class swing bowling and defended with their lives to keep Australia alive in the series. England dominated the 4th test at Trent Bridge and for the first time in 17 years, Australia were asked to follow on. After a poor show in the first innings, the Aussies responded well and set England a target of 129. Shane Warne reduced England to 57/4 and then Pietersen and Flintoff salvaged the situation taking them to 103 when Lee struck with too brilliant deliveries. He removed both the batsmen and when Jones went at 116/7, the match was up for grabs. Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard calmly saw England through this tense phase and the hosts now led 2-1..The country was over the moon and euphoric celebrations were triggered...The 5th test played at the Oval ended in a draw. Rain intervened and Pietersen, the beneficiary of dropped catches made an exceptional 158 to take the game away from the Aussies. England had won the series 2-1 and this was their first Ashes series win since 1986. Brilliant and lethal reverse swing which was so well exploited by England and the heroics of Pietersen and Flintoff to go with Shane Warne's haul of 40 wickets stand out among the various memories from this once in a lifetime contest..
Below: Flintoff consoles Brett Lee at the end of the Edgbaston test. Despite the brave effort of the Aussies, England squeezed out a 2 run win.
The details of this modern classic series can be viewed here.
A lookback at the classic 2005 Ashes series can be found here.
This is purely my list of the best 5 series I have watched, read or heard about. There are some more worth mentioning. The 1974 India West Indies series (WI won 3-2) which saw the debut of two legends in Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge and the West Indies Australia series of 1992-93 (WI won 2-1) which included the thriller in Adelaide where the Caribbeans prevailed by 1 run. I for one believe that cricket lovers who get to witness these classics or read about these series are truly fortunate as all the best facets of the game tend to be manifested in these amazing contests..Hope the great form of the game continues to enthrall, entertain and amaze for years to come!...
1. Almost universally acclaimed as the greatest series of all, the Australia-West Indies clash in 1960-61 had it all..Legendary players, top flight performances, brilliant and aggressive cricket coupled with edge of seat thrillers evoked a sense of awe in one and all who witnessed this memorable series. Frank Worrell (WI) and Richie Benaud (Aus) led their respective teams. The West Indians had arrived in Australia with the reputation of playing fearless aggressive and exciting cricket. But was their dynamic Calypso charm going to hold its own against brutal Australian efficiency?..A mouth watering contest was in prospect and it did not disappoint one bit..
The series began at the Gabba in Brisbane. From a rather precarious 65/3, the West Indies ended up with a very good score of 453. Garry Sobers made a superb 132 which is still regarded by many as one of the finest test innings seen down under. Worrell and others weighed in to put pressure on the hosts. Australia replied powerfully with Simpson who scored 92 and a magnificent 181 from Norman O'Neill. They had amassed 505 and a lead of 52 was going to be handy. The West Indians were blown away for 284 with the great left arm paceman Alan Davidson taking 6 wickets..Faced with a rather attainable target of 233, the Aussies were stunned by the fiery pace of Wesley Hall and were tottering at 96/6. Davidson joined the skipper Benaud and together they were involved in a fantastic rearguard effort and at 226/6, Australia looked to have it all wrapped up..A moment of panic resulted in Davidson being run out and when Hall began the final over of this extraordinary game, all results were possible. Benaud was caught behind, Hall missed an easy run out and dropped a catch that would have been easily taken by Kanhai and by now it was nail biting stuff..Conrad Hunte ran Grout out with the scores level and when Joe Solomon swooped brilliantly and threw down the stumps from mid wicket to run Ian Meckiff out, the teams were stunned. They didn't realize immediately that they had been part of a classic test match finish and the rarest one at that- a tie.!..What a start it had been to the highly anticipated series?...
In the next test at the MCG, the Aussies dominated the West Indians throughout and earned a 7 wicket win. Davidson picked up 8 wickets for the match. But there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the Caribbeans would be back..and they did exactly that.
Sobers top scored with 168 and the spin pair of Gibbs and Valentine combined in both innings to enable the West Indies to inflict a crushing 222 run defeat on the Aussies..The series was now thrown widely open again and the teams entered Adelaide to try and press home the advantage..Rohan Kanhai made brilliant centuries in both innings and with Australia reeling at 207/9 chasing a massive 460, few had any hope that they could survive two hours against the marauding West Indian attack. In a quite remarkable display of grit and determination, Kline and Mackay survived nearly 110 minutes and rescued Australia from certain defeat and this truly exhilarating series reached its much awaited finale when the teams travelled to Melbourne for the final test..In a gripping contest, the bloody mindedness of the Aussies came to the forefront as they squeezed home by two wickets to win what was possibly the finest series ever 2-1..The West Indians were lauded for the fascinating brand of cricket they played and were given a ticker tape farewell in Melbourne with thousands lining the streets..The contest between these two great cricketing nations came to be renamed after the charismatic West Indian captain Frank Worrell who so inspired his team and gained the respect of one and all..The memories of the summer of 1960-61 undoubtedly are ingrained in the minds of all test cricket lovers and the quality of cricket played has never been bettered..
Below: Left- Final run out of the tied test at the Gabba
Right: Farewell accorded to Frank Worrell's team in Melbourne after the great series.
The scorecards and statistics of this magnificent series can be found here
The video highlights of the tied test and the series can be found here.
2. Australia had been ravaged by the Packer years and when the team was back to full strength in 1981, they travelled to England to contest the Ashes. England was led by the mercurial Ian Botham, a strange and rather hasty choice for captain..The Aussies missed the great Greg Chappell who was out with injury but had a strong outfit led by Kim Hughes..In the first test at Nottingham, Australia prevailed in a low scoring game by 4 wickets with Lillee and Alderman causing havoc in the English ranks..Botham resigned from captaincy after the 2nd test at Lords where he bagged a pair. The game itself ended in a draw and when the series moved to Leeds, the Aussies definitely had the edge. English morale was at an all time low and they had to quickly find a way to settle the nerves. Mike Brearley took over as the English skipper and persuaded Botham to relax and perform..The game started horribly for Brearley when in response to Australia's 401 (Dyson 102, Hughes 89), England were bundled out for 174. After being asked to follow on, England collapsed to 135/7 and were staring at an ignominious defeat. Ian Botham who had top scored in the diastrous first innings with a half century was joined by Graham Dilley and Dilley's aggressive approach soon rubbed off on Botham. Ian Botham went on to score an audacious unbeaten 149, the highlight of which was the extraordinary hooked sixes off Lilee..Richie Benaud's immortal line on commentary "Dont bother looking for that. Its gone right into the confectionery stall and out again" remains in memory..Chris Old also supported Botham and England finally posted 356 setting Australia a paltry 130 to get..The momentum had swung though. Australia, still favourites to win were quite irritated and when Botham got the first wicket, the game was on. Bob WIllis scythed through the Aussies with a quite remarkable spell of 8/43 and the Aussies were bundled out for 111 and England had triumphed astonishingly after being asked to follow on. The series was well and truly alive when it moved to Edgbaston. Australia dominated the game and at 105/5 chasing 151, they were extremely well placed to go 2-1 up. Ian Botham who had risen like a phoenix had other ideas though. In a sensational spell of fast bowling, he took 5 wickets for 1 run and the Aussies collapsed to 121 leaving England victorious by 29 runs..In the next test at Old Trafford, Botham once again scored a quickfire 118 in the 2nd innings. He belted 6 sixes and 13 fours and it was a quite stupendous display of power hitting. Australia, with centuries from Yallop and Border bravely attempted to chase the massive target of 506 but fell 103 runs short. The Ashes had witnessed an unbelievable turnaround and Ian Botham was the toast of England. The next test at the Oval was drawn to hand the series to England 3-1. For reasons well documented, this series came to be known as Botham's Ashes and to this day is the pinnacle of the great all rounder's remarkable career.
Below: Left- Ian Botham after his remarkable 149* at Leeds.
Right: Bob WIllis during his superb spell of 8/43 at Leeds.
The scorecards and statistics of this immortal Ashes face off can be found here
The video of Botham's 149* is here.
3. It was David vs Goliath once again except that in this case there wasn't a glimmer of hope for the underdog. When Steve Waugh led his exceptional Australian team to meet the Brian Lara led West Indies in the Caribbean in 1999, nobody was in doubt about the result. The West Indies were plagued by controversies and crushing defeats over the past two years had done little to boost their confidence for this all important clash..In the first test at Port of Spain, the West Indies were bowled out for what was then their lowest test score- 51 to lose the test by a huge margin of 312 runs..Severe criticism and calls for Brian Lara's head followed and there seemed no way out..What followed can only be described as out of the world!...In the 2nd test at Sabina Park, Brian Lara exorcised the ghosts of the previous test by compiling a supreme 213 and added a record 322 with Jimmy Adams paving the way for a huge total. The West Indian bowlers responded well to bowl the Aussies out for 177 and set up a 10 wicket win..The comeback had only just begun..At the mecca of West Indian cricket- Barbados, the Aussies, riding on strong performances from their captain Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting scored 490. After bowling out the West Indies for 329, Australia themselves ran into an inspired Courtney Walsh and were routed for 146 thus setting a daunting target of 308. It seemed all over at 105/5 when Lara and Adams combined again to lift the home team to 238 when Glenn McGrath came back to castle Adams with a beauty. McGrath then left the West Indies gasping with two more quick wickets and at 248/8 with 60 runs more to get and only the tailenders Ambrose and Walsh to follow, all hope seemed lost. Brian Lara already incensed after a clash with McGrath kept the runs flowing and essayed some gorgeous drives. When Ambrose finally fell with 6 runs to go, the end seemed nigh considering the fact that the inept Walsh was to follow. Courtney Walsh showed enough pluck and guts and kept out some fantastic balls from McGrath and Gillespie and when Brian Lara finally crashed Gillespie through the covers to win this classic game, the world had just witnessed one of the most remarkable matches and were enthralled by the sublime batting skills of the left handed genius. Lara smashed a superb 100 made off just 84 balls in the next test but was unable to stave off defeat as his team went down by 176 runs..The series was level 2-2 but the psychological battle had been won by the West Indies and Brian Lara had taken single handedly on the might of the Aussies and come up trumps..
Below: Brian Lara rushes off to celebrate the astonishing win at Barabdos.
The details of this classic series can be found here.
The highlights from the Barbados classic including Lara's epic 153* can be found here.
4. Steve Waugh called India the 'final frontier'. The Aussies had not triumphed in a series in India since 1969 and he was determined to change this. His all conquering juggernaut visited India in Feb 2001. The Aussies had won a record 15 tests in a row and when the first test got underway in Mumbai, the signs were ominous for India. They were bowled out for 176 with only Tendulkar (76) offering any resistance. The Aussies were in trouble at 99/5 when the dashing Gilchrist joined Matthew Hayden and proceeded to slaughter the bowling. He made a brilliant 122 and the Aussies had well and truly gone ahead. When they bowled India out for 219, they were left to score 47 and this was achieved without any fuss. The Aussies had won by 10 wickets and this was their 16th consecutive win. India needed to get things right when the two teams moved to clash at the hallowed Eden Gardens. Steve Waugh scored a gritty century and his partnership with the tail enders boosted the score to 445. Nobody resisted with the exception of VVS Laxman, who made 59. Steve Waugh decided to enforce the follow on as he had a huge lead of 274 runs. When Tendulkar was dismissed, the result seemed a formality. The captain Saurav Ganguly provided much needed support to Laxman who had been promoted to number 3. Rahul Dravid joined Laxman at the fall of Ganguly and this pair went on to create history. Laxman's immortal 281 replete with classical strokes and silken wristwork was ably supported by the technically superb Dravid who made a superb 180. They batted the entire 4th day without being separated and Laxman's chanceless knock has since been regarded the greatest played by an Indian. His expert handling of the great Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne stands out for its sheer quality..India had altered the balance and now the Aussies were struggling. Harbhajan Singh, who had earlier taken a hattrick in the first innings bowled brilliantly and the pressure got to the Aussies. They lost the game by 171 runs and the Aussie team had been halted in its victory march..The great series moved to Chennai and a moment of indiscretion from the Aussie skipper Steve Waugh, who handled the ball, saw his team collapsing from a position of great strength at 340/3 to 391 all out. India led by Tendulkar's ton secured a lead of 110 runs and this was going to be vital on a wearing pitch..Australia once again failed to master the 'Turbanator' and his haul of 8/84 left India chasing 155. From 101/3 when victory seemed within the grasp, India collapsed to 135/7 and eventually the man who did the job with the ball, Harbhajan Singh had to squeeze out the winning runs to win the classic test match and thus seal India's triumph in one of the finest series of all time..This series instantly brings to mind VVS Laxman's immortal 281, Harbhajan Singh's 32 wickets and the return of Matthew Hayden who went on to become one of the most prolific batsmen of the decade..
Below: VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid during their immortal stand against the Aussies, Calcutta 2001
Check the scores and stats for this series here.
The video of the immortal Eden Gardens test where VVS Laxman scored his 281 can be found here.
5. Ricky Ponting had taken over the reins of the Australian team from Steve Waugh and the biggest challenge he faced was to sustain the extraordinary performances of the team under Waugh. Ponting reached England in the summer of 2005 with an exceptional unit and going by past records, retaining the Ashes was deemed to be a mere formality. The hype was enormous and the tension was palpable. In the first test at Lords, Steve Harmison grabbed 5 wickets and Australia were shot out for 190. Any hopes of an England lead were quickly crushed by Glenn McGrath who bowled remarkably picking up 5 wickets leaving the hosts tottering at 21/5. Kevin Pietersen, the volatile yet exceptionally talented debutant counter attacked and propped up England to 155. Michael Clarke's 91 to go with half centuries from Damien Martyn and Simon Katich boosted Australia to 384 and they had set England a target of 420. England collapsed to 180 and went on to lose by 239 runs. The familiar pattern had set in again and it was becoming all the more difficult for them to get back into the contest. The morning of the 2nd test brought England hope even before the game started. Glenn McGrath, so often England's nemesis twisted his ankle after stepping on a stray ball during practice and was ruled out of the game. England's morale needed no further boost and they proceeded to attack the rest of the Aussie attack and scored a remarkable 407 in les than 80 overs. England's fast bowlers came to the party and restricted the Aussies to 308. Shane Warne's brilliant bowling effort left the hosts stunned and at 131/9 it looked very bleak. Andrew Flintoff smashed the bowling and took the score to 182 which left the Aussies having to score 282 for a win. When Steve Harmison bowled Michael Clarke with a superb slower ball to leave the Aussies at 175/8, 1-1 seemed round the corner..Shane Warne had other ideas though. He made 42 and added crucial runs with Brett Lee. When Flintoff returned to have Warne hit wicket, at 220/9. the game seemed destined to be England's. Michael kasprowicz joined Lee and a quite stunning rearguard effort took them to striking distance. The tension was unbearable and just as it seemed that the Aussies had pulled off another of those great escapes, Steve Harmison produced a wicked bouncer which was ruled to have flicked Kasprowicz's glove. England had squeezed home by 2 runs and the Ashes was front page news all over England..There was hope all round and the sense of expectation and anticipation was something that couldn't be missed..The series moved to Old Trafford and England seemed to have the edge. McGrath was back but far below his best. England made 444 with Vaughan leading with a brilliant 166 and bowled Australia out for 302 with Simon Jones taking 6/53. England then made 280/6 dec setting Australia a huge target of 423. Australia lost wickets at regular intervals but also resisted with stubborn partnerships. Ricky Ponting's glorious knock of 156 took them to the doorstep of safety when with 24 balls remaining, he was dismissed. Yet again, this extraordinary series had taken another twist..Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath staved off some top class swing bowling and defended with their lives to keep Australia alive in the series. England dominated the 4th test at Trent Bridge and for the first time in 17 years, Australia were asked to follow on. After a poor show in the first innings, the Aussies responded well and set England a target of 129. Shane Warne reduced England to 57/4 and then Pietersen and Flintoff salvaged the situation taking them to 103 when Lee struck with too brilliant deliveries. He removed both the batsmen and when Jones went at 116/7, the match was up for grabs. Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard calmly saw England through this tense phase and the hosts now led 2-1..The country was over the moon and euphoric celebrations were triggered...The 5th test played at the Oval ended in a draw. Rain intervened and Pietersen, the beneficiary of dropped catches made an exceptional 158 to take the game away from the Aussies. England had won the series 2-1 and this was their first Ashes series win since 1986. Brilliant and lethal reverse swing which was so well exploited by England and the heroics of Pietersen and Flintoff to go with Shane Warne's haul of 40 wickets stand out among the various memories from this once in a lifetime contest..
Below: Flintoff consoles Brett Lee at the end of the Edgbaston test. Despite the brave effort of the Aussies, England squeezed out a 2 run win.
The details of this modern classic series can be viewed here.
A lookback at the classic 2005 Ashes series can be found here.
This is purely my list of the best 5 series I have watched, read or heard about. There are some more worth mentioning. The 1974 India West Indies series (WI won 3-2) which saw the debut of two legends in Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge and the West Indies Australia series of 1992-93 (WI won 2-1) which included the thriller in Adelaide where the Caribbeans prevailed by 1 run. I for one believe that cricket lovers who get to witness these classics or read about these series are truly fortunate as all the best facets of the game tend to be manifested in these amazing contests..Hope the great form of the game continues to enthrall, entertain and amaze for years to come!...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The quite fascinating field of genetics...
Cliched though the statement "Its all in the genes" may sound, it has always had a sense of mystery and intrigue about it. Of the myriad interests that i have, human physiology and genetics rank right up there..The very idea that almost all traits ranging from height, body constitution, physiological parameters right up to the more debatable finding that male homosexuality could be linked to a gene on the X chromosome has fascinated me endlessly..Genetics as a whole is an extremely vast subject but never falls short when it comes to arousing interest and enthusiasm..I have read quite a few books on physiology and genetics over the years but the one I chanced upon last week has been nothing short of a revelation..A random search at the British library led me to pick up this most amazing book titled DNA-The secret of life by James Watson of the double helix model fame..A great authority on the subject, Watson has at once made sure that this interesting yet complex subject is written in a manner which can be enjoyed by students and experts..
This classic book takes one step by step through the field of genetic research and developments..Right from the time Gregor Mendel worked on the pea plant and brought out the various aspects of genetic variations which have since proved to be the building block for future research to the work of Morgan on the Drosophila (fruit fly), there was a considerable increase in interest and prospects in the field..Hugely inspired by the book "What is life?" by the great physicist Erwin Schrodinger, James Watson and Crick negotiated several pitfalls and hurdles during their quest for determining the structure of the DNA which was deemed rightly to be the building block of life.. They came up with the double helix model which explained that DNA consisted of the four bases Adenine, Guanine, Thymine and Cytosine (A,G,T and C in short)..A combination of three bases was found to code for amino acids..Ribosomes in the cells use this information to produce proteins (chain of amino acids)...
Even more extraordinary in the all too amazing world of genes is the role played by evolution and the environment..There are particular traits which are more pronounced in certain populations..Genealogy is a most interesting field but one that has more questions than answers at the moment..
Gene cloning is another highly controversial yet advancing field..Modern means including the use of restriction enzymes to cut sequences and then attaching them to bacterial DNA (plasmids) using ligase enzymes and then obtaining multiple copies is one of the most widely used methods of cloning..The idea that it could be applied to humans to help in tackling genetic issues is still a topic that evokes much criticism from the conservative population..
The role of genetics played in solving crime cases is increasing by the day. DNA fingerprinting and forensic science have evolved greatly and modern approaches including short tandem repeats (STR's) wherein the fact that a sequence of bases repeats often in the sample is used to analyze and compare samples..The very fact that little evidence is sufficient to analyze samples means this technology assumes even more importance in the years to come..
Genes help transmit many favorable characteristics while at the same time due to mutations, missing sequences of amino acids and other modifications, the genetic information carried to the next generation can be flawed resulting in many genetic disorders..Some of them can be very common while some are very rare..There are a few diseases and disorders whose occurrence seems to be rather high in certain populations..The study of these and finding a cure for them is foremost on the agenda for modern genetic science..
Genetic flaws result in some of the most devastating disorders such as Down's syndrome, the cause of which has been found to be the presence of an extra chromosome 21 (known as Trisomy 21). From 1 in a few thousands, the probability of occurrence increases to less than 1 in 100 as the age of the mother nudges 40..Though this can be determined prenatally by various techniques such as Fluoroscent staining, it is still a rather difficult decision to choose between terminating the pregnancy and bringing up the affected child...
Huntington's chorea caused by a dominant gene is a serious mental disorder which affects mostly adults though early onset is possible...Slow mental degradation along with uncontrolled body movements inevitably lead to severe brain damage and death..There have been advances and the gene causing this has been localized but further progress is required to treat this fatal disorder..Hemophilia and Phenyl ketonuria (PKU) are other well known genetic diseases..The former is known as the "Royal disease' owing to its prevalence in members of the Royal Family of England and people affected bleed continuously when injured as blood clotting is impaired..PKU is caused by a recessive gene which makes its probability rather low..The body cannot metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine...But this is one disorder that can be controlled by an appropriate diet.. Sickle cell anemia is another genetic disorder affecting mostly African Americans. There is one amazing fact though.that people who carry the gene (unaffected) are also protected from Malaria.This goes to show how the mutations in a body's genetic constituency comes about as a result of the effect of evolution and the environment..
Breast cancer is found to be linked to mutation on the gene BRCA1 and early diagnosis is possible which helps prevent death..Advanced research has helped detect the link between various diseases and the genes in the body..The mapping of the human genome (The Human genome project) is a great venture and on completion with undoubtedly represent a path breaking achievement and holds the key to much of the future research in the field of gene therapy...
Gene therapy is at once a great ray of hope for the future..Missing sequences and faulty genes can be replaced and treated which might augur well for the lives of various affected people..Somatic gene therapy involves identifying, isolating and extracting the target cells and then infecting them with a virus (retrovirus) which contains the required functional gene..Once the natural DNA has the functional gene it is ready to be replaced in the body..This has so far been attempted in a very specific case of an immune disorder where the target cells were easily known and identified..The complexities involved are many and unless there are more definitive results and advancements, this superb concept will move slowly..Germ line gene therapy involves modifying the germ cells (sperm and egg) to help eliminate the possibility of disorder in future generations..Though seemingly a brilliant idea, the risks it involves makes the process rather dangerous..Gene replacement carries a risk of mutation and this might be extremely dangerous to the developing fetus..For now somatic therapy is the way to go..
Genetics and its various concepts and research makes it an extremely interesting field to read and an even more thrilling one to be part of..I sure hope to be able to lay my hands on some more great books such as the one by Watson so that I can stay abreast of the fantastic developments in genetic research..
This classic book takes one step by step through the field of genetic research and developments..Right from the time Gregor Mendel worked on the pea plant and brought out the various aspects of genetic variations which have since proved to be the building block for future research to the work of Morgan on the Drosophila (fruit fly), there was a considerable increase in interest and prospects in the field..Hugely inspired by the book "What is life?" by the great physicist Erwin Schrodinger, James Watson and Crick negotiated several pitfalls and hurdles during their quest for determining the structure of the DNA which was deemed rightly to be the building block of life.. They came up with the double helix model which explained that DNA consisted of the four bases Adenine, Guanine, Thymine and Cytosine (A,G,T and C in short)..A combination of three bases was found to code for amino acids..Ribosomes in the cells use this information to produce proteins (chain of amino acids)...
Even more extraordinary in the all too amazing world of genes is the role played by evolution and the environment..There are particular traits which are more pronounced in certain populations..Genealogy is a most interesting field but one that has more questions than answers at the moment..
Gene cloning is another highly controversial yet advancing field..Modern means including the use of restriction enzymes to cut sequences and then attaching them to bacterial DNA (plasmids) using ligase enzymes and then obtaining multiple copies is one of the most widely used methods of cloning..The idea that it could be applied to humans to help in tackling genetic issues is still a topic that evokes much criticism from the conservative population..
The role of genetics played in solving crime cases is increasing by the day. DNA fingerprinting and forensic science have evolved greatly and modern approaches including short tandem repeats (STR's) wherein the fact that a sequence of bases repeats often in the sample is used to analyze and compare samples..The very fact that little evidence is sufficient to analyze samples means this technology assumes even more importance in the years to come..
Genes help transmit many favorable characteristics while at the same time due to mutations, missing sequences of amino acids and other modifications, the genetic information carried to the next generation can be flawed resulting in many genetic disorders..Some of them can be very common while some are very rare..There are a few diseases and disorders whose occurrence seems to be rather high in certain populations..The study of these and finding a cure for them is foremost on the agenda for modern genetic science..
Genetic flaws result in some of the most devastating disorders such as Down's syndrome, the cause of which has been found to be the presence of an extra chromosome 21 (known as Trisomy 21). From 1 in a few thousands, the probability of occurrence increases to less than 1 in 100 as the age of the mother nudges 40..Though this can be determined prenatally by various techniques such as Fluoroscent staining, it is still a rather difficult decision to choose between terminating the pregnancy and bringing up the affected child...
Huntington's chorea caused by a dominant gene is a serious mental disorder which affects mostly adults though early onset is possible...Slow mental degradation along with uncontrolled body movements inevitably lead to severe brain damage and death..There have been advances and the gene causing this has been localized but further progress is required to treat this fatal disorder..Hemophilia and Phenyl ketonuria (PKU) are other well known genetic diseases..The former is known as the "Royal disease' owing to its prevalence in members of the Royal Family of England and people affected bleed continuously when injured as blood clotting is impaired..PKU is caused by a recessive gene which makes its probability rather low..The body cannot metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine...But this is one disorder that can be controlled by an appropriate diet.. Sickle cell anemia is another genetic disorder affecting mostly African Americans. There is one amazing fact though.that people who carry the gene (unaffected) are also protected from Malaria.This goes to show how the mutations in a body's genetic constituency comes about as a result of the effect of evolution and the environment..
Breast cancer is found to be linked to mutation on the gene BRCA1 and early diagnosis is possible which helps prevent death..Advanced research has helped detect the link between various diseases and the genes in the body..The mapping of the human genome (The Human genome project) is a great venture and on completion with undoubtedly represent a path breaking achievement and holds the key to much of the future research in the field of gene therapy...
Gene therapy is at once a great ray of hope for the future..Missing sequences and faulty genes can be replaced and treated which might augur well for the lives of various affected people..Somatic gene therapy involves identifying, isolating and extracting the target cells and then infecting them with a virus (retrovirus) which contains the required functional gene..Once the natural DNA has the functional gene it is ready to be replaced in the body..This has so far been attempted in a very specific case of an immune disorder where the target cells were easily known and identified..The complexities involved are many and unless there are more definitive results and advancements, this superb concept will move slowly..Germ line gene therapy involves modifying the germ cells (sperm and egg) to help eliminate the possibility of disorder in future generations..Though seemingly a brilliant idea, the risks it involves makes the process rather dangerous..Gene replacement carries a risk of mutation and this might be extremely dangerous to the developing fetus..For now somatic therapy is the way to go..
Genetics and its various concepts and research makes it an extremely interesting field to read and an even more thrilling one to be part of..I sure hope to be able to lay my hands on some more great books such as the one by Watson so that I can stay abreast of the fantastic developments in genetic research..
Monday, February 1, 2010
POA for 2k10
A new year has started and one month has just flown by..just like a full 2009 whizzed past..Ever since I got back from the US, I wondered what i was going to do and how I was gonna be able to spend time in India coz nearly all my close pals were in the US..
Books, tennis, gym, frds, trips to Bangalore, Deepak's visit and whole lot more helped ease the stress and dispelled all doubts about me not being able to survive in Chennai..
Now in 2k10, I have a whole list of things I wanna do..I sure hope to get most of them going..If I can get even 90% of this list done this year..I'd be beaming ear to ear at the end of it..
1. Defly wanna learn the Mridangam- something I had started years back and stopped for no reason wutsoever..will make sure I learn it..!
2. Play tennis regularly- the love for this game has grown over the years and Ill make sure I play enuf..
3. Teach part time- I love to teach and shud also help make a quick buck...shud start that soon...
4. Build a library of my own- Have already started working on this long time ambition of mine..Various genres, amazing books..I'd love a super collection...
5. Advanced course in Sanskrit-- lovely language and my interest and enthu for it is second to none and I sure wanna continue studying it..
6. Writing on Cricket- This I have started..I will continue writing as much as possible including a dream work on test history...
....I would love a visit to the UK but the probability of that happening is a little low..So I wouldn't put it up there..
and yeah lastly..find a nice gal!..That's gonna be one hell of a tough job I'm sure..:D
Books, tennis, gym, frds, trips to Bangalore, Deepak's visit and whole lot more helped ease the stress and dispelled all doubts about me not being able to survive in Chennai..
Now in 2k10, I have a whole list of things I wanna do..I sure hope to get most of them going..If I can get even 90% of this list done this year..I'd be beaming ear to ear at the end of it..
1. Defly wanna learn the Mridangam- something I had started years back and stopped for no reason wutsoever..will make sure I learn it..!
2. Play tennis regularly- the love for this game has grown over the years and Ill make sure I play enuf..
3. Teach part time- I love to teach and shud also help make a quick buck...shud start that soon...
4. Build a library of my own- Have already started working on this long time ambition of mine..Various genres, amazing books..I'd love a super collection...
5. Advanced course in Sanskrit-- lovely language and my interest and enthu for it is second to none and I sure wanna continue studying it..
6. Writing on Cricket- This I have started..I will continue writing as much as possible including a dream work on test history...
....I would love a visit to the UK but the probability of that happening is a little low..So I wouldn't put it up there..
and yeah lastly..find a nice gal!..That's gonna be one hell of a tough job I'm sure..:D
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