ICC World Twenty20 2009

The squads are displayed at Cricinfo.

England isn't to be underestimated at home - they are lions and in their den. I'm hoping they do well this time for then we could all see them finally express themselves honestly and freely. Being bridesmaids for ever has soured them off limited overs cricket and those who have won them in the past. They are well positioned to win this one, and if they do, we all may heave a collective sigh of relief for it is possible they may have something good to say about limited overs after all.

New Zealand is a potential world beater...write them in for the semis or more if Taylor and Ryder click with McCallum.

Australia has begun to come into its own. Not its usual dominant self yet but watch out for good performances from the Ozzies. I'm sure they'd not mind Gilly and Warnie playing T20 for them!

Sri Lanka....the dangerous floaters. I call them floaters, because they could switch off as easily as they play brilliantly. TM Dilshan is in a good frame of mind. He's htiiing the straps in all versions of the game - along with other veterans, this Lankan team has it all to win the cup. Mahalinga, Murali, Sanath, Sanga, Mahela, Mendis...strong team this.

Pakistan are always contenders...irrespective of who plays for them. They have a good team...a capable team.

Bangla Boys will upset a few teams...they've been around for a while now as a team.

West Indies, in T20, are not to be sneered at. And they have been in England for a while now acclimatising themselves. Gayle at the top is a game changer. Castro has been in form recently. So has Sarwan been. If Fletcher, X-man and Simmons come good, then along with Bravo and Chaders they can whip up some useful stuff. 'd have liked to see Younger Bravo and Barath being blooded.

South Africa - this could be the team for this year. But something tells me it could also be not!

India - this is a capable side but with some key players out of form. If English conditions influence the games, then I'd like to see how chaps like Rohit Mumbai Mamba Sharma, Suresh 6-Rainer Raina and Ravindra Jadeja manage. Ishant Sharma, who in my futile opinion has been wasting his time in the KKR camp, will have to be guided well by all seniors. Here is a chap who could win it all in a burst but hasn't found the key to do it. He appears kind of dyslexic when it comes to limited overs game...unable to bring it all out properly despite knowing how. To me, he will be the difference between going the full distance or being left stranded. RP Singh should be effective, Praveen Kumar is proving trustworthy, Irfan Pathan is a man whose shoulders have grown broader, but have changed the dynamics of his bowling in the bargain...he's still a rubber band, but more like an overused rubber band now....the snap back isn't quite there in his inswingers. But he is an honest trier and experienced.

I really do not know much about the other participating teams. I'll miss the Zimbos in the line up.

Here's wishing everybody the best, may the better playing team win.

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Melbourne Protest Rally - Indians abroad ask for JUSTICE

Video: Indians abroad stage peaceful protest rally in Melbourne - seek justice

It was heartwarming to see, albeit on television, Indian students and people of Indian origin consolidating and organizing a peaceful protest rally in Melbourne, Australia. I do not know if this is the first time Indians abroad have done so. The protest rally demanding justice commenced from outside Royal Melbourne Hospital where fellow Indian, Shravan Kumar, is in critical condition after being stabbed in the head with screwdrivers by Australian teenagers. (Latest reports suggest that he is out of danger now)

Apparently many Australians in the community commonly taunt, "You bloody Indians, go back home..."

Did any Indigenous Australian ever tell the men following Captain Cook's ship, "You bloody criminal Englishmen, go back home?"

Perhaps not effectively enough, for those ship-borne murderers managed to kill off most of the indigenous Australians with their superior gun-powder driven weapons (that's how they did it around the globe - CLR James politely called it "by ruthless conquest" ), so there weren't enough left perhaps to undo it all. In modern societies now, this sliver...this ruthless vein...reveals itself this way...through concerted baiting and attacks upon other immigrants or visitors by those who claim to now belong and own the land.

Australia did this to immigrant Vietnamese during and following the Nam war as well.

The problem with Indians abroad, unlike say Africans or Chinese, has been the lack of consolidation and organisation. Perhaps why the Ozzie police chief could say Indians were soft targets and thus must share the blame!

TCWJ supports the Federation of Indian Students in Australia and all Indians abroad against atrocities heaped upon them and in their struggle for justice.

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Day 403 - Amitabh Bachchan refuses Queensland honor in support of Indians in Australia

Racism in Australia - Timeline

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Racial Attacks on Indian Students in Australia

They bother me.

What bothers me more is the response of the Ozzie police chief, I believe the Victorian police chief, who came on television (Times Now) with a twist and a spin to it all. Justice will probably be not done with that attitude.

Remember the Ozzie PM attempting to prejudice justice in an earlier case? There wasn't any apology fromn that gentleman to the accussed even after the case was decided against the Ozzie government. This Victorian police honcho's statement sounds like more of the same one heard back then.

Worse, it lookes like the Ozzie universities will take the money from these students (they come here to India, advertise themselves, and tout themselves for students competing among themselves) but will not even raise a voice of concern for their safety in their own society or comdemn the attacks on their students.

Look at those CCTV footages! (courtesy Times Now and CNN IBN) Terrible monsters those Ozzie teens...and robbers too...and all still teenagers! Criminal teenagers of Australia appear to be rising in numbers. The criminal milieu of Australia appears to be growing...almost a sport now.

I shudder to think what would happen if some deeply agitated Indians decided to copy the Ozzies and do unto them the same like they did copy the Ozzies in cricket.

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From The Window of C.L.R. James

Chapter: The Window, in Beyond a Boundary

Two or three of the older ones came up and said, ‘Your father used to hit the ball constantly into the dam over there,’ and they pointed to an old closed-up well behind the railway line. I was taken by surprise, for the dam was in the direction of extra-cover somewhat nearer to mid-off, and a batsman who hit the ball there constantly was no mean stroke-player. But as my father always said, the cares of a wife and family on a small income cut short his cricketing life, as it cut short the career of many a fine player who was quite up to intercolonial standard. I have known intercolonial cricketers who left the West Indies to go to United States to better their position. Weekes, the left-hander who hit that daring century in the Oval Test in 1939, is one of a sizeable list. And George Headley was only saved for cricket because, born in Panama and living in Jamaica, there was some confusion and delay about his papers when his parents in the United States sent for him. While the difficulties were being sorted out, an English team arrived in Jamaica and Headley batted so successfully that he gave up the idea of going to the United States to study a profession.

West Indian cricket has arrived at maturity because of two factors: the rise in the financial position of the colored middle class and the high fees paid to players by the English leagues. Of this, the economic basis of West Indian cricket – big cricket, so to speak – I was constantly aware, and from early on. One afternoon I was, as usual, watching the Tunapuna C.C. practice when a man in a black suit walked by on his way to the railway station. He asked for a knock and, surprisingly, pads were handed to him, the batsman withdrew and the stranger went in. Up to that time I had never seen such batting. Though he had taken off his coat, he still wore his high collar, but he hit practically every ball, all over the place. Fast and slow, wherever they came, he had a stroke, and when he stopped and rushed off to catch his train he left a buzz of talk and admiration behind him. I went up to ask who he was and I was told his name was MacDonald Bailey, an old intercolonial player. Later my father told me that Bailey was a friend of his, a teacher, an intercolonial cricketer and a great all-round sportsman. But, as usual, a wife and family and a small income compelled him to give up the game. He is the father of the famous Olympic sprinter. Mr.Bailey at times visited my father and I observed him carefully, looking him up and down and all over so as to discover the secret of his athletic skill, a childish habit I have retained to this day.

- C.L.R. James in the chapter titled The Window in the book

C.L.R. James was more than a cricket journalist. He was also a thinker, philosopher and an idealogue for African and worker liberation movements. He identified himself as a Trotskyite through his beliefs and actions. Reading him beyond a mere boundary is both interesting and informative about the person and times behind the book.

He shares with us one of his pespectives, identifying one of the foundations for the growth of West Indian cricket as monetary growth. The other foundations, it is understood, are talent, desire and determination. As you read the book, one understands that cricket was more than just a game...especially for the African middle-class of those times.

Being an active thinker from the perspective of Africans in particular and workers of the world at large, he has many writings to his credit. One such is a commentary by him on a book - George Padmore’s How Britain Rules Africa - where he uses the opportunity to insert his perspective into the commentary. It is titled
“Civilising” the “Blacks”; Why Britain needs to Maintain Her African Possessions which featured in the May 1936 edition of New Leader.

In the section CLR titles as Workers’ Co-operation, he urges a synergy between worker's revolutionary movements in other parts of Europe than England and in Asia.

I quote from there - "It is on the future of Africa that the author, himself a man of African descent, is grievously disappointing. He heads one section ‘Will Britain Betray Her Trust?’ as if he were some missionary or Labour politician. In the true tradition of Lenin, he insists on the rights of the African people to choose their own development. But, astonishingly, he welcomes the appeal of ‘enlightened far-sighted sections of the ruling classes of Europe with colonial interests in Africa’ to co-operate with Africans. That is madness. How does the lion co-operate with the lamb?

Africans must win their own freedom. Nobody will win it for them. They need co-operation, but that co-operation must be with the revolutionary movement in Europe and Asia. There is no other way out. Each movement will neglect the other at its peril, and there is not much time left. The great cracks in the imperialist structure are widening day by day."

In earlier subsections, he describes how England managed to conquer people and rule. In fact, after intorducing the book, he initiates his commentary with these lines - "The chapter on South Africa is particularly relevant. By false documents, by making chiefs drunk, by setting tribes against each other, by missionaries preaching religion, by every sort of dishonesty, and when that failed, by ruthless conquest, all of which is described in this book, Dutch and British brought the natives under their control, steadily fighting each other meanwhile. The British defeated the Boers, and both British and Dutch settled down to joint exploitation."

Any citizen of a formerly enslaved nation will promptly identify with that strategy applied and practised by colonial powers all over the globe without major modifications. Where it was felt necessary, the only minor modification made to this working plan by colonial powers was to erase the local inhabitants. History tells us so. Experience continues to linger in other forms.

Reading CLR James is interesting. Some things have changed today, but most things haven't. Society merely replaces its object of prejudice with a contemporary one.

In the context of today, CLR James sounds like a prophet...equally, he sounds like an idealist stuck on an island with no where to go. How would he explain, for instance, that the foundation of WI cricket which he hghlighted would prove to be its bane? The arisen "black middle-class" which he often alludes to, identifies with, and has taken pains to describe in the very first chapter of the book itself, can now not play good cricket for love or for money! It is a problem worthy of his attention.

Among interesting reads, one also came across this Rob Steen article at Cricinfo titled Beware the freelance cricketer published on May 27, 2009.

I'm sure it is a good read if you can go through the entire article where sentences pop up to scare you into thinking in a particular way between every full-stop and comma they are punctuated with. So I'll pick its argument's cornerstone highlighted in the article as a floater - "The tipping point will come when MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh espy the riches on offer beyond the IPL, jump ship and declare their independence"

It is a fair call, we must be afeared of ourselves.

Boards which neglect progress and take its viewers and cricketers for granted are bound to suffer consequences. It is also perhaps the reason why dependence on a single player is being shelved for ever by India.

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Guess What?

In the first Champion's Trophy, India will be represented by last season's panhandlers, Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers, besides Delhi Daredevils. That's because this season has been a cinderalla story for those two teams - while 3D get in on the basis of being pool table toppers and BRC were runners-up,

Deccan Chargers are Champions of IPL 2009!

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IPL 2009: Finals - Deccan Chargers v Bangalore Royal Challengers

Go Chargers Go!

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India's Vision 2000 document - Revisited almost a decade later

I used it in my previous article titled The Pool. I thought it might be worthwhile to keep it in records here for one refers to it so often. Also it might be fun to tally how India has performed in the decade since.

CAUTION:- India's Vision 2000 document is different from the Sri Lankan Cricket's Vision 2000. India's was drawn up in 2000 in response to the troubled times then and Sri Lanka's Vision 2000 was drawn up in 1996 following their World Cup victory.

Indian Cricket Vision Statement
Editor's note: The vision statement, as presented by the BCCI to Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, spans 25 pages. We are hereby reproducing those pages in full -- but don't worry, you won't have to wade through 25 pages of close type. Because the actual document is in the form of a slide show -- with just about 25, 30 words per page. Read on, for the verbatim report:


Approach Paper -- Presented by Dr A C Muthaiah, President, BCCI

Cricket -- A Global Game
Cricket's boundary exists only in the field -- as a game it transcends national boundaries
Cricket is played in 56 countries across six of the world's seven continents
It transcends social, racial and cultural barriers
BCCI is helping to make cricket even more global
Quality management and sound judgement will dictate the growth of the game in India in the years to come.


Introduction
Cricket is a valued part of India's heritage and way of life
In India cricket is treated with reverence, almost like a religion
BCCI, as the game's administrator, is fully aware of the passion cricket supporters hold for the great game and the interest they have evinced in cricket issues
BCCI will strive to protect the values of the game.



Objectives of BCCI
BCCI has identified the following set of core objectives that promulgate the spirit of the game
a) To promote the game in India to ensure outstanding success in the international arena
b) To preserve and protect the ethical values of the game
c) To enhance the entertainment values of the game through innovative measures


Mission Statement

a) To nurture the growth of the hallowed game of cricket in India
b) To preserve and promote the traditions of the game
c) To enable Indian teams to excel on the field whilst displaying the highest ethics and values of the game.


BCCI's Role in - maintenance of values

a) BCCI's strategic planning process has recognised the importance of of protecting the values that have been instilled in cricket over many years.
b) BCCI is stringent in its approach towards identifying and eliminating unfair practices and protecting the cultural diversity of cricketers in India.
c) Ensure that the game is played according to the laws and spirit of the game.
d) BCCI promotes respect, mutuality and honour amongst players, umpires and others
e) BCCI has blended cricket using commercial support to boost the popularity of the game.


BCCI and its stakeholders

a) BCCI is one of the members of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
b) ICC has 55 members' countries with three types of members: Full (10 members); Associate (25); Affliate (20). Only countries with Full membership play Test Matches.
c) BCCI's key stakeholders include the cricket loving public and the media.



Decision making process

a)Decision making process -a truly democratic way.
b)Specified decisions are taken at special/annual general meetings.
c)Various administrative/other decisions are taken at working committee meetings.
d)Various aspects of administration is deliberated and recommended by various committees under the overall superintendence of the president.



Indian Team.

a) BCCI currently field senior/junior Indian teams.
b) Indian teams plays in both test matches and one-day internationals.
c) India Team Plays against touring international sides and conducts tours overseas.
d) BCCI’s selection policy states that the selectors should pick the Indian side most likely to win match and /or series.



Aim
a) Indian team recently won second under-19 world cup and Asian cricket Annual under 15 tournament. It won world cup-1983. It entered semi-finals in world cup-1987. It did extremely well in world cup 1996 and in super six-world cup 1999.
b) Test matches - India is in No.4 position with 436 per cent win ratio (South Africa -75, Australia -62, Pakistan -53.
c) Aim to achieve No.3 position immediately and No. 1 soon there after.
d) ODI -India is in No.3 position with 35 per cent win ratio (South Africa and Australia -712, Pakistan-51). Aim to achieve No.2 position immediately and No.1 soon there after.
e) Average win ratio - India is in No. 4 position with 41 per cent (south Africa-73 Australia -66, PAKISTAN 52. AIM TO ACHEIVE No.3 position immediately and No. 2 soon there after.
f) Matches played in the proceeding 5 seasons taken. Total test matches played (where results known) Australia’s 46, South Africa 32, Pakistan 31, India 23.
g) Total ODI matches played 9where results known (Australia 126, South Africa 120, Pakistan 159, and India 165.



Providing direction
a) To provide over all direction to the game of cricket at different levels-school, colleges, clubs and corporates houses.
b) To ensure that India cricket is well equipped to meet the challenges of the new millennium.
c) To provide direction and vision for all aspects of Indian Cricket.
d) To allow Indian cricket players to perform both on and off the field.
e) To ensure that more people benefit from out great game, whether they are playing it or watching it.
f) To elevate the importance of coaching role at all levels of cricket.



Future goals
a) To ensure that India remains the top 3 team of the world in the next 5 years.
b) To prepare a team capable of winning world cup 2002. To make nationals level tournaments more potent, attractive and competitive.
c) To enhance the quality of physical and mental fitness of the players.
d) To reinforce the role of clubs/district associations to help in maximizing the success of state and India Teams.
e) To create excellent infrastructure for the game in India.
f) To attain Excellency in Coaching.
g) To enhance the quality of umpiring.
h) To formulate guidelines to be followed by state Associations to attain BCCI’s vision.
i) To defend and promote the spirit of cricket.


Action Plan for the future.

a) The board contours of the plan encompass the following:
b) Setting up of national coaching academy.
c) Creation of web site for the cricket board.
d) Introduction of video feed back system. Nomination of medical panel to determine the fitness of players.
e) Nomination of medical panel to determine the age of the players of junior cricket.
f) Payment of fees on the basis of player’s performance.
g) Payment of international matches allowance and logo money on the basis of gradation.
h) Providing Physical training equipment to all state Associations.


Strengthening of the BCCI office
Introduction of captain's report on umpires for the matches in junior tournaments
a) Discussions on the observers report in the standing committee.
b) Establishment of museum on cricket
c) Conducting of specialist coaching camps
d) Long term planning for the 2002 WC to start immediately
e) More emphasis on junior and 'A' team
f) Strengthening of the BCCI office
g) Construction of HQ for BCCI
h) Introduction of players welfare scheme



For state associations
a) Playing of national level tournaments to be made mandatory
b) Improvement in the physical fitness standards thru intorduction of physio instructor, physio therapist, sports medicine nutrition program throughout the country
c) Improvement in mental toughness through psycho-analysis
d) Each state association to employ professional chief operating officer as executive secretary
e) Each state association will create atleast one ground of international standards with complete fitness facilities.
f) Establish national coaching council with coahces at the antional, zonal and state level.
g) Establish national umpiring council with umpires at the antional, zonal and state level.



Cricket academy-milestone
a) Twenty +plus players- age group 20-22 years and 20 additional players- age group 16-19 will be identified.
b) This group will be trained to become a player of international caliber
c) All service backup-with nutrition expert, psychologists, trainers, sports medicine experts etc. be provided.
d) Academy team would also visit overseas to get exposure of playing conditions of visiting countries.
e) Zonal academies will also be established



Cricket academy- Benefits
a) Spotting the talent and imparting knowledge methodically
b) Provide online coaching with e-cricket pro (Video feedback system using computers)
c) Potray talent with fact to enable decision making for selectors
d) All particicpants of the academy have access with professionals and coaches of all over the world.
e) It adopts scientific and technological savvy coaching methods



E-cricket pro becoming IT savvy
a) All matches are picturised in the video camera and then fed into computer system. Specialised software enabled viewer to select the pictures with innumerable alternatives.
b) To use exhaustively in national coaching academies.
c) Pre and post-match performance analysis of self and opposition.
d) Useful for online coaching of players
e) Can store video with data files of individual trainees/players.
f) To evolve strategic gameplan to improve win ratio
g) access through the central database by teams, coach, manager, zonal academies and all state associations.
h) To spot talent across the country
i) Video is used for research and analysis by the coaches
j) It enables the coaches to monitor and fine tune techniques of the players



Cricket Museum- An institution par excellence
a) It provides a holistic view of the Indian cricket history for all the cricket loving fans in the world
b) Central depository for the Indian cricket
c) Increase cricket awareness amongst the upcoming generation.
d) The wide Kiosks for visitors to view matches of their interest.
e) Gallery of alltime Indian cricket greats
f) Monument of the Indian cricket achievements
g) Virtual walkthrough of the history of Indian cricket
h) Enable this museum to be viewed worldwide through internet



Code of conduct- Promotion of ethical values
a) Players are obliged to report to team managers of any approach made by bookmakers, or the knowledge of any such approach made to any other player
b) Failure to make such reports is a punishable offence.
c) If a player is found guilty of accepting money from a bookmaker, penalty including suspension will be imposed.
d) All the players are appraised that betting and match-fixing are strictly prohibited
e) Warnings are issued to the players that bookmakers and betting syndicates might try to corrupt them and that they should be aware of the serious consequences of taking money from bookmakers.
f) Where approaches are made to players, by or on behalf of bookmakers, local police should be informed to enable initiation of criminal investigation.



Future prospects
a) A precursor tot he development of effective strategy for Indian cricket is a thorough understanding of the environment in which it operates.
b) An examination of this enviroment clearly shows that cricket exists in a world of fluctuating trends.
c) Demographic, economic, leisure and societal influences constantly impact cricket in India.
d) India's growing population indicates increase in viewer support base in the coming years.

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Like I said before in The Pool...let me do a quick copy & paste job herefor record purposes -

FOOTNOTE

Almost a decade later, and after so much has transpired in the intervening days, it is a nice pattime on a Sunday noon to compare with what was very commonly felt by "expert" commentators and writers of the game about India's own Vision 2000 document.

Let me link you up also to a sneering piece of that time...A blurred vision...Today, you draw your own conclusions.

A Note on Sri Lanka's Vision 2000

Cricket: Stumped by world inaction

A year after Sri Lanka took cricket by storm Simon O'Hagan discovers a nation in sporting turmoil

Simon O'Hagan

The Sri Lankans were a revelation and a sensation. With the pinch- hitter supreme in Sanath Jayasuriya, the peerless Aravinda de Silva, and the wiliest of captains in Arjuna Ranatunga, they had class and character in abundance. The established order never came to terms with their daring and originality. Although the team were not especially young, they were the inspiration the country needed to go on to even bigger and better things, and it gave the Sri Lankans the confidence to reiterate their aim to become the best Test-playing nation by the year 2000.

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The Pool

Manish Pandey is the latest to reveal the depth and quality of India's cricket pool at a level higher than under-19. He is an ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup winner under Virat Kohli's captaincy.

Someone suggested elsewhere in conversation after observing Manish Pandey's quality of cricket that this quality of India's cricket pool is because India created IPL, a forum for their youth to develop.

That statement, in my opinion, is mostly wrong and only fractionally correct.

It was in fact Sri Lanka which embarked with a clear roadmap ahead of all sub-continental countries with their comprehensive Vision 2000 document after their famous 1996 World Cup victory at Lahore. At that moment, India was preoccupied with its own vision which comprised of only two parts - 1) for the senior team to win a World Cup and 2) to become the financial powerhouse of cricket first, having dicovered satellite television and the Indian market through it a few years earlier, and that there was no future for the game without adequate funds in the cloistered world of those times. Youth development programmes were languishing.

What included youth into this limited focus India had at that time was the 1996 Under-15 Lombard World Cup win at Lord's by Reetinder Sodhi's Indian team. Again satellite televison had a role to play in it - an India then still smarting under the dual attack of Sanath Jayasuriya and Kolkatta-Clive Lloyd, leapt instead to embrace the world cup victory by the boys against historical rivals Pakistan. It was balm for an aspirational country adrenalized by satellite television and no longer fettered by the sedatory nextday newsprint. Any victory, any world cup, was just the balm needed and the U15 WC win was a brilliant one at that.

The result of that rag-tag team's win (the team was set up not by the full force of BCCI - who had allowed age group cricket to languish - as a planned procedure, but by some men in it who gathered a few names since an application of participation was sent...that's a different story in itself, how that U15 team came about etc etc) was that suddenly BCCI became aware that there were other jewels in the house. What better than the little kids in the house bringing glory to the nation? In that period when sporting teenage prodigies like Sachin Tendulkar, Vishwanathan Anand and Leander Paes had lit the spark for youth and gone on to become young men themselves made the BCCI suddenly do a double take on the youth.

BCCI also observed the effect the Lombard Cup had on the Indians who watched it on ESPN. The nature of newsprint it recieved. The healing effect. And importantly, the symbolism in Indian society associated with the young boys of the house going out and earning glory for the nation. BCCI didn't miss that. It also realized quickly that in age groups it was a different story - the advantage enjoyed by well developed countries with huge resources (at that time) and burly bodied players, was somewhat neutralized when it came to age group cricket. The skillful subcontinental youth could easily match the strong, lanky-gangly youth of those nations with immature skills. At that stage, in that period, the availability of resources did not seem to matter, and physical differences were also of less importance in comparison to spirit, concentration, skills and discipline, which Sodhi's U15 team showed in plenty. Youth was too good to be left languishing, BCCI realized. Something could be won here and winning was both television-friendly and market-friendly.

By that time, India, along with its subcontinental mates, had managed to break the stranglehold long enjoyed by a set of countries on and off the field in cricket.

Not only did a subcontinental team win the 1996 WC organized successfully and unitedly in the subcontinent (recall the pull-outs and unified teams put together by Azza, Wasim and Arjuna), and subcontinental teams featured in the U-15 finals at Lord's, but the increasingly stronger subcontinental teams (also in terms of finance) thrust forward their boards and men forcefully to break through the glass ceiling, which for long it was taboo to touch...let alone cross. A signal shift occured - Jagmohan Dalmiya was elected President of ICC around this time.

Dalmiya was one of the significant engines of growth of subcontinental cricket. With IS Bindra, he was the pioneer of Indian cricket's transformation which began in the early 1990s. Sure enough, the man who saw merit in satellite television's synergy with cricket and who understood the underlying market dynamics more acutely than many others, now ICC President, revived and re-instated the concept of ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the 1997-98 season, which hadn't been played ever after the first trial a decade before. ^{History of U19, U19 WC 1997-98}

England won that U19 WC being revived as a formal ICC tournament after the first experiment a decade before...more a celebratory event like World Championship '85 was, till it was brought alive again as ICC Champions Trophy. New Zealand were the runners up then. The gods being satisfied and encouraged to bless, the "Youth" buzzword gained momentum. The Indian contingent in 1998 was this - some familiar names there with Viru, Bhajji, Kaif,Sodhi, Pagnis and Shukla.

BCCI may not have drastically altered the infrastructure yet. But it did, like it does and continues to do, learn and adapt as it went along...having learnt the value of 1) having to keep winning something frequently in the satellite era of cricket to remain viable 2) the greater chances of subcontinental youth winning events than its men and 3) the staggering market waiting to swallow as much cricket it could be stuffed with in the Asian belt and its diaspora around the world. India was a behemoth market for the game - like the fabled India of yore which every invader plundered through history, modern India continued to be an investor's fantasy land - but unlike the times before, BCCI was firm in its resolve that no longer would it allow others to plunder but would control its own destiny and resources. It set about creating a team for the next Youth World Cup in 2000. he focus was spreading and becoming more inclusive and more developmental.

The 1999-2000 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup was won by India.

Led by Mohammed Kaif now, with Sodhi as deputy, it featured Yuvraj Singh, Venugopal Rao, Nalin Patel, Ajay Ratra (scored a fighting test hundred in WI), Ravneet Ricky (veteran of all Youth World cups since U15 who never played for India Seniors), Yadav and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (now of Chennai Soopahkings). ^{1999-00 winning India Squad}

This success sealed the developing vision (India also came up with its own Vision 2000 document in 2000, presented by Dr A C Muthaiah, President, BCCI to Sports Minister SS Dhindsa following the match-fixing scandal)...the youngsters' success sealed the vision - India was anyway looking for youngsters to match Pakistan springing teenagers into international cricket. There was also a realisation that young legs were good for some aspects of the game and the better ones were a long term investment. Kaif and Yuvraj were pitchforked into senior cricket and the rest is history as they say.

The 2002 U19 squad threw up more cricketers for India. But the youth development SYSTEM was still in a fledgeling phase.

In the process, serendipity gave way to a planned route, and a dead end dark alley gave way to a well-lit end point under the tall floodlights. Age group cricketers need no longer despair - they had a target to work towards if they so desired.

The effect of all this was telling in the last Under 19 World Cup in Malaysia played in 2008. India won that too, but that's not the point. India will continue to win many more age-groups tournaments in future because players know it is a proper career now. The point really is the nature of planning and preparation which went into creating that team. It could stun anyone into thinking it was the national senior side, the way it was set up.

It all began with careful scouting for talent and making a pool from them. ^{U 19 Team} Again this was not serendipity. By this time, in the decade since Jagmohan Dalmiya became ICC President and in the fifteen years since Indian cricket experienced the satellite revolution to develop healthy financial resources, BCCI had managed to set up coaches teams and tours - regular junior teams, junior coaches (Cheeka and Dilip Vengsarkar were junior team coaches at one time), the addition of support staff even for juniors, all culminating in the National Cricket Academy at Bangalore in 2000. The appointment of Dave Whatmore as Chief Coach at NCA almost two years ago was a purposeful step in the same direction.

It was from the feedback recieved from state levels and national junior team coaches and NCA, that the 2008 team was organized into a pool. They were scrutinized by professionals and pared down to the ultimate winning team thriough a careful selection process with one clear goal - to win the World Cup.

The prior experience of a youth team winning and its effects made BCCI realize that the future lay in children. A young Indian team winning the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 under MS Dhoni confirmed it, and as also confirmed the decade-long growth in focus to include youth in the vision.

By this time BCCI had created a structure of cricket in India, which despite its flaws, had begun to appeal as a career to many children and their parents.

The groundswell was created by BCCI in these fifteen years, and especially the past ten years. The success of young boys and young men only made the career look glossier.

So this is how India ended up developing its youngsters, is what I say to the gentleman. IPL wasn't born yet. These are the reasons why India chose to include youth. You may say it is by default or for greed...but I ask you...why do you play? Everyone wants to win...India too wants to win...no one likes to lose..India has lost enough to understand how to rebuild from it rather than sulk or tantrum...we all plan for success. Therefore, I disagreed with the original statement mostly.

But IPL did do something. It amplified and solidified Indian cricket as a career choice. Now it stands on par with IITs and IIMs in India for that section of population which is inclined towards sports as their dream and job.

IPL is the next link in the chain of events and structure which began and were set up so long ago in the distant past, and went through many twists and turns in their tortoise progress forward. It is a continuation of the metamorphosis Indian cricket is undergoing since 1983.

Many of these changes may have been accidental...a response to stimulus rather than initiative from within. But what is wonderful is that they have been careful, weighed responses rather than reactions. No knee-jerk rections anymore through good and bad...not even through the match-fixing scandal and beyond. India has come up with measured forward-looking soulutions in the past two decades of its cricket.

IPL took time to germinate even after it was set up in response to the threats of that time. It did not emerge in a hurry overnight. The foundations were already there and some time was taken to think the whole thing through. Both ICL and the rebuffed Stanford took off meanwhile and lookedlike they'd consume Indian cricket. IPL did not sulk...it looked at the lessons ICL, Stanford brought home and also to the Pro20 experience of England and why it neede to create it. BCCI learnt the lessons they taught like a good student. It understood before many others what lay beyond the horizon such events were painting in the distance. So after granting the initial honors to ICL, IPL emerged as a carefully set up organisation. Indian cricket will be sustained by this new-age engine.

In this regard, I will agree with the gentleman. IPL will not contribute much to the skills...yes, there will be many new things learnt and to be added to what you alredy are through the structure, but IPL has become a brilliant platform to emerge into and a solid foundation to support Indian cricket at all levels for a long time, provided...provided the men who will look after the game in India continue to be wise, hold the same vision, and are capable of expanding and detailing it further.

I think those were the significant events which made BCCI take up youth cricket seriously again.

While satelite was a tool...a vehicle...what must not be missed that in many ways they youth of that time were able to force constructive attention towards themselves, rather than merely demand it, through their glorious deeds.

The true legacy of the men and boys behind that 1996 Under-15 Lombard Cup winning team is this what you see today, in the form of a Manish Pandey or a Pragyan Ojha or a Chetteshwar Pujara or a Manoj Tiwary or a Piyush Chawla or a Ravi Jadeja or a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma or an Ishant Sharma and so on. They compelled BCCI to take the boys seriously.

This is also perhaps the legacy youth cup veterans like Reetinder Sodhi, Mohammed Kaif and Ravneet Ricky will leave behind. They may remain unsung or partially hummed, but someday India will recognize, and perhaps record in its history, this signal contribution of theirs to a new era in Indian cricket. A hip hip hooray for them!

Once again, the scorecard of THAT Lombard Cup Finals.

- - -

FOOTNOTE

Almost a decade later, and after so much has transpired in the intervening days, it is a nice pattime on a Sunday noon to compare with what was very commonly felt by "expert" commentators and writers of the game about India's own Vision 2000 document.

Let me link you up also to a sneering piece of that time...A blurred vision...Today, you draw your own conclusions!

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BRC v CSK - Quick Update

It could well be a finals of last year's 7th and 8th ranked teams - DC vs BRC!

BRC have pulled this back in grand fashion.

More later after BRC bat it out.

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England will be a different kettle of fish

ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2009

Isn't that where the ICC Twenty20 WC 2009 will be held come June?

A couple of weeks from there, the skies are all grumpy over England. If you look up to them, they're sobbing down at you. The West Indian captain told us it was also windy and cold in parts of England. So buck up lads, you who are practicing in South Africa on season-ending pitches at the start of a southern winter, there's some serious work to be done.

While the ICC 50-50 WC allows for a spare day in the fixtures just in case the skies come bawling down on your play, I'm not sure such an arrangement is there for the Twenty20 WC 2009. ^{ICC Twenty20 WC 2009 Rules (pdf)} So there is every chance that points could be split.

The ball in England traditionally moves around in the first part of summer more than the second. The pitches tend to be lively as well at the start of the season. Even though there was more assistance to spinners than usual last season, by and large seamers and the like will matter more unless you are a really smart spinner.

And then the batsmen - I am not sure it will be helpful going to England having played six weeks on pitches where the ball often refused to gain height. Youngsters like Raina and Rohit Sharma will have to make serious adjustments in case the ball does move in the air and off the pitch, and if there's decent life as well. They'll have to do some thinking about all that, Gary Kirsten and his flock. But whatever practice they gained from IPL is all one can do.

England, for me, is always a tough contender at home. It does well in bilateral ODIs generally, unless it is playing against Australia of course, or when facing an inspired team. Last T20 WC, they almost matched India's 200+ score with one of their own...perhaps the only two teams to cross 200 in the same match in that Twenty20 WC. England will rate higher than otherwise...at least at the start. In this context, I'm recalled to the fact that Paul Collingwood, one of the five Englishmen who came to IPL to get a T20 sense of it all, hardly played anything in this year's IPL. Let me play the devil's advocate here - Was it any kind of strategy by Viru? Neither did Shah play anything.

Freddie and KP played enough to build upon, but it was Ravi Boapara who came back with the gold. Not only did he play well in IPL, he also has been in good test match form against West Indies. I reckon, he'll be wanting to be in the thick of things next month.

Australia and New Zealand shouldn't be too upset by the conditions. New Zealand spent some time in England last season, as did South Africa, and Kiwi conditions are almost a carbon copy of the English ones. Mark the Kiwis up for some useful performances and progress in the WC.

I would like to imagine West Indies are making good use of their time there, getting used to the conditions and all that...they begin ahead of all subcontinental teams. In fact Pakistan and Sri Lanka haven't been playing a lot lately as well. The Bangla Boys also have been rather idle in terms of match practice.

But the Lankans kave had key players playing the IPL and using the practice well. Lasith Malinga will be a handful, Murali always is, and Sanga - Mahela have had some decent IPL outings to get into the groove. Then there is TM Dilshan...stupendous form, but will it work in England? Maharoof has been mostly on the bench. All in all Lanka will be strong.

Pakistan will never be underestimated - they always adapt quickly and are innately talented.

South Africa should be almost ready for the semi-finals. Australia may have the odd question mark on them. But they are there early.

Where does India stand in all this? The openers have to click and Ishant will have to do better in limited overs than he usually does.

By the way, the ladies would be playing their World Cup alongside at Taunton. So get ready for a truly rounded experience of cricket in June.

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Uncle J's cwBalls turn into paper

I've been off the beat for a decent length of time. Came to know just a little while ago that Uncle J rod has indeed written the promised book.




That's the book, that's how it looks - do get the copy if you can lay your hands on it near you, or at the portal Uncle J suggests we buy from. Believe me, if I think I know UJ's style by now, cricket books will never be written as they were till now anymore and that plain khaki cover would be concealing a powerful gunpowder.

Here's wishing many more such paper balls to UJ...we'll do the inking for him.

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The Gulf Stream

The England and Wales Cricket Board has rejected three offers to stage multi-million pound challenge matches since the collapse of its controversial Twenty20 deal with Sir Allen Stanford.

All three, one thought to have come from the Gulf states, were rejected and ECB chairman Giles Clarke said he was "staggered" by the swiftness with which they followed the Stanford debacle. ^{Telegraph.co.uk}

The Gulf region could once again emerge as cricket's main ringmaster with test cricket also likely to be played there sometime and growing interest in recommencing Sharjah-type operations.

The HQ of cricket - ICC - exists in Dubai as well.

What is clear is that the Sheikhs who have long owned America and its future (now along with newbie China), have begun to take interest in cricket anew. I really therefore do not understand ECB's surprise at such liquidity
in times of squeeze. It is the Gulf after all and haven't they seen the beautiful new cricket stadium in Abu Dhabi?

Once again cricket could flow through the Gulf stream...

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A mistake Mr.Modi...

Encouraged by the success in delivering an Indian tournament thousands of miles away from India, Lalit Modi, the commissioner of the IPL, is forming plans for an annual travelling competition as he looks to turn his brand global.

Two annual IPL tournaments per year are in the pipeline, with Modi hopeful that a second, short, IPL will be held every year at different locations, perhaps even including England. ^{Telegraph.co.uk}

To call them two IPL tournaments a year, is what I mean.

While I agree that there is scope for a second league with a winter slot based in the southern hemisphere, I am not sure one needs to call it IPL even if you are sharing the organisational technology involved and are partners with the local cricket board.

I comletely endorse the fact that this vehicle is most likely to succeed in making cricketing inroads into virgin territories as compared to the ageing 50-50 and convoluted test cricket formats, and someone has to do it.

I would much rather it was done under the aegis of ICC than under BCCI. Yes, all countries can be partners and they can rope in their own franchisees. Countries can bid for teams with their financial partners in tow. Let it be an ICC event.

I agree it goes against business principles to "give away" an organisational technology you have developed against all odds and the market created against all resistance, but sometimes that may be the wiser option.

Now South Africa has demonstrated ready technology to do the same. In fact they have a T20 WC under their belt as well in terms of organisation. I would hope they come forward to organize a winter league (in northern hemisphere terms).

It may also be wiser to forge strategic partnerships, say with the cricket board of SA, if a travelling league is to be set up.

He goes on to say -

Untapped markets such as the United States and Canada are on the radar and will be explored by the IPL governing council once the party dies down here in Johannesburg.

"The potential is huge," Modi told Telegraph Sport. "We have turned the challenges and adversities in moving to South Africa into an opportunity. It is fans who determine if you are successful or not and they have come out in force here. It has shown that the tournament can be in any region, in any country. This opens up many different opportunities for us." ^{Telegraph.co.uk}

It is wonderful to do a job well and even more enthusing is to know you did it well. But one must guard from grandeur. It makes you lose sight of fundamentals.

I am all for you to be the idealogue or the driving guru for ICC if they want you in the seat, but I would not be in favour of this globalisation business as an independent entity. Nt just for the risks involved....you talk about fans, the number of Asian fans and their Caribbean bredderin roosting in USA and Canada will ensure success...but that's not the point. There must be a body to regulate the game...there is ICC and it will be a big mistake to drag BCCI into such a role.

I do not mind if BCCI plays a leading role among nations from within ICC...I do not mind if ICC creates a separate governing body for this league business where external franchisees are involved and you, as CEO of IPL, play an important role in it, but somehow this does not seem the correct idea to me...business wise or organisational wise.

The biggest mistake one could make, ust when the IPL model is gradually gaining credibility and acceptability is to make it appear that you are becoming an alternative cricketing structure which is cannibalizing its previous self. It is here that I completely disagree with you.

Go ahead and do it under the aegis of ICC...make yourself available as an appointed manager for them if you must...if you must let your ambition ride you, but do not force it so that everything falls apart. I have supported your views often in the past, but I don't think I do here.

"Before this tournament we did not know if we could do it. But we do know now. We have to satisfy an appetite across the world and build a fan base across the world. ^{Telegraph.co.uk}

Knowledge that you "can do" must be tempered with understanding what you are setting out to do. Just because you realize that you have attained puberty does not mean that you go and impregnate the first female you come across. If t all you are driven, you'll probably do as good a job under rubber cover...so with ICC. You get to realize your manhood as their manager and cricket also benefits in a graded way rather than pure chaos.

"We will talk to the England and Wales Cricket Board, and South Africa are natural allies who want us to come back every year. The public and the boards want us but it is not realistic to come back to the same place every year." ^{Telegraph.co.uk}

It appears such a partnership that I spoke about has already been forged with South Africa, and for some reason it appears ECB is another. In fact, that's not surprising after ECB revealed their hand a few months earlier in no uncertain terms. ^{Was it decided beforehand?}

"Why not Australia?" you may ask.

It looks like England, for all its pretence, is more keen on driving change and modernism than Australia. However, it would perhaps like to remain cloaked under thick gowns while Australia walks around stripped to the waist with nothing much to hide in this regard. One would expect, taking the jolly sunsurfing Australian seriously, that Ozzieland would be a natural partner as well. Partner in the sense that one looking forward to play a constructive role in ensuring the game moves ahead without tearing itself and doesn't remain stagnated. Somehow the way England tries to do things beneath all those layers actually damages the reputation of an enterprise and makes it look subversive.

What is the reason for this growing ambition?

Is it just that the stands have been reasonably full in SA? That could happen with cricket junkies in a cricket playing country. And you might be forgiven to think seeing the number of Asian faces that many Indians combined a trip to SA with IPL. Apparently that isn't so.

However, according to their survey, it is said that - "The IPL points to the fact that around 70 per cent of the audience for this year's tournament in South Africa had never attended a cricket match before."

Now this is probably what the purpose of T20 was in the first place - to bring in folks...even those who never saw a cricket match at the ground.

This is also what we have felt was a huge asset.

But I ask a question - "Shouldn't this...from hereon...this be an ICC (or a body formed by the council) matter?"

What he says subsequently, we have also said and quite agree with - the spirit IPL brings back to the game of cricket is wonderful...where biases and favoritisms which gradually seeped in over years and hardened to jagged edginess of jingoistic support, have been ripped away to reveal how the game was once enjoyed...for instance me rooting hard for Gilly against Sachin Tendulkar's team, or for Symonds against Bhajji, or for Pidge against Dravid, or for Castro against Yuvi, or for Shoaib Mallik against Dhoni...IPL has ripped apart the flimsy curtains we hand between us to reveal our sameness.

While the curtains are required for the purpose of social decorum, behind them we are the same cricket loving flesh and blood.

Coming back to the point, Mr.Modi, I hope you give your plans some thought and come out with a mature concept along with your supporting boards.

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Southfest Semifinal

IPL 2009: Second Semi Final: Chennai Superking v Bangalore Royal Challengers

Yesterday, the Deccan Chargers confirmed their participation in the Southfest Finals created for this sean's IPL in urgent fashion. Today, one of the two remaining Southie teams - Chennai Soopahkings or Bangalore Royal Challengers - will progress to join them after launching at each other, hopefully in determined fashion, in the second semi final today. The Kerala contingent is perhaps shared by the two on view today to complete the southern quorum.

One is Yellow and the other is Red - there is no dearth of auspicious colours in the southern context - we hope therefore, we shall have a competition worth of semi-finals.

The Yellow Jersey Soopahkings ( copyrighted to Homer ) have been riding high on Hayden. But their local Indian talent has stepped up in spectatcular fashion as well, particularly Suresh Raina. Only problem, the talent has been inconsistent. Watching Suresh Raina bat brings home the terrifying brutality he will eventually be capable of with growing maturity. Dhoni has delivered a few times, but CSK has built its progress around Hayden. What if he were to be consumed early? What if Praveeb Kumar outfoxes him like he has before? It is possible Sivamani's drums would fall silent...

For Bangalore Royal Challengers under Anil Kumble have been an unrecognizable team. They have been fierce competitors, shrewd in their strategy, tactics resembling guerilla warfare, and most importantly, a resolve like the firmly jutting chin of their skipper and supreme confidence emanating out of well distilled vintage Quality with a capital Q. BRC doesn't lack in quality players with great experience....like high-end molasses matured through a long, finely tuned and complicated technique, the veterans of BRC are a serious force to reckon with.

Appanna and Manish Pandey have shown keenness to move on in life. They have determined they like to advance rather than stagnate. Praveen Kumar is finding his magic again. Anil Kumble continues to be a mean mean smiling assassin (he doesn't smile that much though these days...more like the grim relentless reaper), and Virat Kohli has compensated for an average batting season with useful bowling and fantastic fielding. Add this to what Boucher and Kallis and Taylor bring to the table...imagine if Ryder plays and he decides today's the day....Bangalore bear a beastly mien these days. These veterans are looking to clasp you in a crushing bear hug...Matthew Hayden is the key out of it. Can Suresh Raina fight through the chakravyuha these veterans have woven for him? Can Murali dominate his peers one more time?

Interesting questions...all promise that today's second semifinal will be a colourful southfest of proud stature.

UPDATE

Scorecard


 

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Semifinal between two choices

IPL 2009: First Semi Final: Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers

Let me say at the outset that I didn't watch yesterday's semi-final match except in a peek-a-boo fashion, for both teams in the fray are the ones I support - one is from my karma bhoomi, the other is from my janma bhoomi.

It didn't feel quite right after the initial glow of sporting appreciation was past to be found cheering one side over the other. I began to create plots and sub-plots of challenges in my mind and observed how the two beloveds would respond. It was all just to take my mind off that part of the game which is sometimes unwanted - the bias of a spectator which lends just that extra sliver of adrenaline to a spectatorial experience in sporting matters to lift it to memorable heights.

While that is good within limits, gradually it encroaches upon impartial viewing for simply the love of the game. Ultimately, I settled my guilt by staying busy with other matters and only popping to the television to catch up with the latest.

However, I observed one thing at the end of it - there comes a time when the mind senses a winner among the two loved ones, and one can identify a clear portion of oneself tearing away and flying off along with that who feels most likely to win at that stage. There is also clearly identifiable portion which remains writhing in empathic agony and ready to console. I found myself in the thin space between the two divisions, equally experiencing both. That space is a strange world, like the mahogany skies of dawn and sunset - wake up into any one of them and you'll be unable to tell one from the other, but a few moments of experience can split you to identify with one or the other with certainity. And immediately the experience of a morning or evening sweeps upon us, through our virgin body of uncertainity, from our mind downwards...we respond, feel, think and act accordingly. The other sky somehow doesn't register anymore as an experience of the present...but only as a consolatary "tomorrow is another day." We satisfy our minds thus...preferring to wait for one to come again later while enjoying the glory of the current redcurrant sky. It is thus that I find myself situated after MY Deccan Chargers defeated MY Delhi Daredevils. My consolotaion, this line up ensures at least one of my two teams plays the finals.

It was Gilchrist all the way for Deccan Chargers. One could sense the exuberance of Deccan Chargers to register their first win over big brother Delhi Daredevils. I had been preparing for this through the two previous encounters - Delhi looked to be playing at their season maximum, Deccan Chargers appeared to have the ablity to be mercurial. This is not hindsight mind you...call it Law of Averages or whatever else if you want...but the uncertain quiver in Viru's voice as he spoke after the toss could not be masked by his patent rustic commonsense which he had to force out this time. No, the signs were all there...Gilly was nervously eager, slipping over words to get on with the game. Viru stumbled and locked himself over them and attempted to break free with a forceful utterance of his commonsense mantra.

But the Delhi Daredevils bowling attack wasn't quite right for this pitch.

Teams had played on this pitch before and the slow bowlers were shown to be a troublesome entity on it. Delhi Daredevils stepped in with extra pace and just the one over from Sehwag to supplement Mishra's futile fightback. There was none of Bhatia's dibbly-dobblies...Deccan Chargers used Symonds and Harmeet Singh well in that role...and an over was knocked off Dilshan's quota!

Viru has been a tentative limited overs player and an even more tentative bowler in T20. Last season too iof you recall.

The 3D top order has been struggling and they have rowed thus far on the oarsmanship of ABD and Dilshan, with Dinesh Karthik chipping in once in a while. It struggled again in this crucial encounter with the ball keeping low and the Deccan Chargers working hard to keep it lower. The 3D gentlemen had to sweep and heave across their ankles and shins often, or precariously prise the gravity-hugging balls over cover and extra-cover's leaping hands. This state of affairs would enjoy a period, or an era if you will, but a downfall is always imminent...the next ball could be it. And that was how it shaped up for Viru and Dilshan, who did well to recover after yet another poor start by 3D...0-2 in the first over with Warner and Gambo pushed rudely back onto their haunches by Harris. With ABD's form mellowing down in the games immediately preceding and Viru continuing to remain ungreased lightning, the match promptly became a mountain for 3D.

Gilly didn't let off...he played those bowlers who ensured the ball sagged lower and lower, or made his regular bowlers adopt the same protocol. When 3D came in to bowl, it was all fire and brimstone on a pitch more receptive to gentleness. That came as a fitful afterthought to 3D during the match rather than as a pre-planned policy DC came into with. I guess someone misread it all.

Gilly didn't let off when he came into bat later either - as 3D continued to feed him with unconvinced slow bowling or bowling which was illegitimate under these conditions, he imposed severe punishment in the manner of Ross Taylor on another day against another team to record the second fastest over fifty score of this season's IPL.

Tirumalsetti Suman is a useful T20 player. In my book, he is a direct replacement for Joginder Sharma. I've mentioned him earlier here when I was covering IPL more regularly. He'll have his chances if he continues to impress in the domestic season. In this regard, I'd urge BCCI to re-instate the domestic T20 programme given up for IPL, for it brings forth more names and provides more opportunity for those who have thrust themselves forward to fructify their talent and efforts.

At the end, tough luck Delhi Daredevils. Congratulations to Deccan Chargers!

I had a dedication prepared beforehand for this season! Go Deccan Go!

Let me put up the montage again -

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Ah, it's that Test Cricket thingy again...

Adding to our continuing discussion to examine views about the changing face of cricket - Carrying the discussion forward - we now have Matty Hayden, ex-Australian opening legend, saying pretty much the same thing as Chris Gayle did. Never mind the absence of noise for this is Matty and he's retired unlike Gayle, but don't miss the point he makes in The Telegraph.co.uk

"Times are changing and players will indicate to us what they want to play. There is no doubt that someone needs to take control of the longer form of the game because you can't fight the tide for ever. To me, people have to love watching the game. The cricket has to have a point.

They have to introduce two divisions to make Test cricket more exciting outside of the iconic events, but what saddens me is that there were half as many people in the grounds to watch a great series between India and Australia and yet the Deccan Chargers lost every game of the last IPL but you could not find a seat in the house. That is a clear message."

Matty Hayden says pretty much what we have been hypothesizing.

Back then when Chris Gayle was being castigated (interested parties continue to land a punch or two) after opening out to a female reporter who used his unguarded conversation to manipulate a five-minuter for herself...Jimmy Adams spoke with Simon Briggs to lend a perspective on it all. He concluded with -

"Chris isn't saying anything that a lot of international cricketers aren't thinking."

- again in The Telegraph.co.uk

We have held all along that Test cricket will have to eventually cease being a parasite and be able to compete with other forms in generating revenue and payments to keep interesting quality players to take it up rather than focus on T20 or 50-50. It will have to allow some modifications and move with the changing times...sell itself as a niche product for the top elite perhaps?...The top six teams perhaps?

This is what Hayden said about that - When Chris Gayle warmed up for a series-deciding Test last week by admitting he could not wait for the day he swaps forever his cricket whites for the colours of the Kolkata Knight Riders, it led to a collective gulp across the Test-playing world. Was Gayle merely giving voice in public to what the players have whispered in private? Hayden, with the perspective of the freshly retired, is clear. Test cricket has to change to survive the Twenty20 revolution.

One might say, not dissimilar to what one has been suggesting for the past 2-3 years now.

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Not enough noise laddie!

There is the underplayed article one does come across in the British media, for a match report cannot be avoided, but in contrast to the Sir Vivan Stadium affair, they have been rather quiet when there is something similar festering closer home at drainless Headingley. Just a quick mention...some apologetic noises...a call for understanding...some surprise thrown in at the exposed mystery...and a quick attempt to move on from there. OK...not drainless, just dysfunctional drainage systems like the Sir Viv stadium was endowed with.

We miss the repetitive criticism the Brit brigade kept going on about in the Windies laddies...wotsay Straussy?

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Bit of a doubt about that

Ashes 2009

Here is an article, the kind of which people like me write in their blogs...hobbyists...not pro cricket portal oracles who rake in the moolah with their typing fingers. Ineffectual punches at meaningless targets is layman writing (re: kicking the West Indians in their face for good measure when they are down, that too in an Ashes article).

One agrees with some aspects of it - such as the level of competition West Indies has provided in comparison to the anticipated one Australia will provide with reference to Boapara, and also that Onions makes the attack look better than Harmison.

However, one disagrees with the basic premise of the article that Australia are ready to be skinned and roasted with a dash of Onions, Broad and Anderson.

Australia have pulled a few miles back since South Africa thrashed them at home and they were beaten by everyone before that...some of the components in the Australian team are coming good. I am particularly impressed by Peter Siddle. Now, the people the article talks about have looked good against a listless West Indies - motivated Kangaroos with plenty to prove (the newbies would want to start of their Ashes record on the right note) will be an entirely different proposition and probably jump all over the English layout, quashing them and making them all looking pretty silly.

That said, Australia are more vulnerable than ever before in all aspects, they are a team of enough Ashes first-timers to beconsidered a newish team - if England want to sneak off with the Urn once again, this is a good time to pull of a heist. And if they do do so, Graham Swann is the man who will probably have a significant hand in it along with Strauss, Bopara and KP. Ambush first up would be a good idea.

In balance, I'd back Australia to get well ahead of England eventually in the series. England tapers off in the face of a good fight and Australia perhaps knows this better than most teams. They'll look to begin with a high head of pressure to tamp down the Englishmen by the second test itself...weather permitting. Take a look at this Australian squad - forget those who have been there before...players like Hughes, Haddin, Hilfenhaus, Hauritz, Marcus North, Johnson, Siddle, McDonald and even Watson...these guys are hungry and capable of fighting for their hunger. They'll take a few punches but will hit back hard. There's a bit of a doubt about grilled roosmeat with onions just yet..

I'll say, watch out Broad, Onions and the rest of the hopeful Englishmen.

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Insensitive

This press release by PCB and the manner of its reporting by BBC.

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An effort which must continue

What struck me most in this season's IPL 2009 is the organisation's HEAT initiative (Help Educate Teach) directed at assisting schools and schoolchildren.

The aims of the programme are described thus at IPL's website -

"DLF IPL's HEAT (Help Educate and Teach) initiative.

The R9-million HEAT programme has two main elements. In the first, four schools in need in the vicinity of each host city have been identified to receive R100 000 for a specifically dedicated scholarship fund. The second part of the HEAT programme is aimed at benefiting individual learners attending DFL IPL matches.

Five learners are identified at every match and their faces flashed on the stadium screens. Each of these get R15 000 paid into their school fees account in their names."

I am all for sports reaching out to the community whenever it can. There is a double benefit to it - not only do the schools and children gain financial assistance, the inspiration to play and participate in sports is even more valuable for growing children. I hope IPL extends the programme on a regular basis within India as well.

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The message is a fine one

I came across this BBC article, where Steve Bucknor airs his opinion on the situation bedevilling West Indian cricket currently.

In its specific context, the message is apt. When you expand the message beyond the West Indies, it still isn't entirely out of place for a kind of player who doesn't apply himself hard enough despite the presence of talent. Stretching the views a bit more, one can also append them to one side's logic currently debating the changing game. It does indeed makes sense in a context.

Then I looked at who the speaker was...true the extra-hot air rising up from the ground in this season's hellish Delhi summer makes the treetops and lamposts outside my window quiver like reflections in a flowing stream; for a moment, I also felt credibility was among the foliage and wavering scenery.

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Carrying the discussion forward

Our consistent hypothesis over the past two-three years on the direction of cricket's evolution, its reasons, player perceptions, and possible future scenarios receives some confirmation from this article, The uncomfortable future of cricket, written by Imran Khan, a former media officer with the West Indian cricket team, at his blog. This also gels the recent discussion on the same topic - Honest W Indian or...? - we have had here.

The provocation for Mr.Khan's article appears to be the recent Chris Gayle interview brouhaha where he spoke with a view to the future and the reporter perhaps abridged it to the present. In the slow moving world of public admission/acknowledgement by all concerned, the ensuing debate is welcome. For the first time we have confirmation of how a large section of the players privately think about all these changes. By and by, the privately expressed thoughts of adminstrators of the game may also become public. It takes time for members and participants of the establishment to have the courage to express frankly, views which appear to run against the grain even if they are rooted in the evolution and common-sense modernisation of the game.

Since 2006, when T20 first broke open to international viewers via Stanford 20/20 (even though England's County Cricket based Pro20, which draws players from diverse sources, commenced earlier), our view has been that T20 was the next enngine of cricket's growth and support. Like 50-50 once proved to be, T20 is like an upgraded version of the engine....perhaps a new technlogy all together which can be unwrapped and played anywhere from Leningrad to Antartica. It could be wrapped up and taken indoors in Siberia, just as it could be laid out on a strip in Japan. We visualized 5-6 possible leagues including most countries of the world with inter-league competitions as well.

All of those nearly came about - events revealed however, the complete dependency of private leagues on world economic health status. But this does not mean there cannot be privately owned and run leagues in future - the mistake of having single organizers/enterprenuers running the show will not be made again - IPL has revealed the greater practicality of forming a body of mamny enterprenuers with a joint stake in the proceedings with uncumbersome entry/exit policy. I still feel that our initial impressions that there will be more than one league will come about in time. One league cannot include all or sustain the sport everywhere.

What IPL has also revealed that for the time being, the existing world body of cricket is the only one with the capability of organizing the game. With the help of private participants, it can hope to expand the scope of the game for the benefit of its individual constituent members and participating players. Naturally, the pool of players being drawn from will be common to all forms of the game...at least at this stage. Existing governing bodies perhaps also see a certain cost-effectiveness in having versatile players capable of playing all forms of the game, but that will change in times to come.

Because of this limitation of pool to draw from at the current point of time, it is natural that contractual quality status would still depend heavily on a player's performance for his country at the highest levels over a period of time. Test performances and 50-50 performances will continue to form the standards of measurement in calculating player worth. Till they change of course, as they must. IPL has also revealed that different standards of measurement of player worth for T20 do exist and need to be developed. IPL has also revealed that scouting can deliver players from outside the limited pool maintained by the existing governing bodies of the game. There is no reason to imagine that these aspects will not be polished and developed in future into a more efficient independent system.

Players will eventually devolve into different groups. While there will be a handful of those who will straddle different forms of the game, it will be limited to the very best of the best who can adapt to all. Test cricket is not a self-sustaining form of the game except in snatches. There may be interest in some series due to historical reasons, or there due to situational reasons of that moment...like a sitcom. Empty stadia all around the world, from Lord's all the way down to Perth, during test matches involving even the better teams have witnessed empty stadia. Too many plastic seats shine through on TV even if the home team is performing well. Imagine what the situation would be if lesser teams turn up for test cricket....we have seen from West Indies, through England and the Subcontinent, down to the Southern Hemisphere that it is difficult even for the leading teams to draw spectators in. The number who turn up are not releveant.

What is relevant are the television viewership of test cricket or other forms of the game. Fans watch the game as they go about their business these days rather than take time out for test cricket unless it is as a change from routine. This is true for most viewers even if there may be a very small core who turn up at the stadium for every test match played. So, like it or not, the game has to be television friendly. Test cricket can be television friendly too and can be served as a niche product. But television demands more for its investment into the game so television can break even or make a profit as well. That has to be catered to...50-50 and 20-20 do just that. To date, test cricket is sustained by these earnings.

Eventually, test cricket will have to be able to market itself consistently to survive. There is only for so long that it can continue to parasitize on engines of support. It will have to reinvent itself a little more than the fixed limited number of overs (90 overs per day = 450 overs per test match - yes, test cricket is the longest, consumptive, version of limited over game in town!) already compulsory, the covers and super-soppers. It will have to accomodate lights...it will have to accomodate time changes for better viewership...it will have to accomodate something more perhaps. Like it or not, if it has to live on it will have to be meaningful to the times it is played in.

With greater choice, players will take options. If test cricket remains unfruitful, players will take the more viable options. They are more likely to opt for playing the shorter version only.

This will abrade a kind of cricket spectator.

You see, cricket is a peculiar sport and those who watch it are even more peculiar.

The cricket watcher has carefully grown and nurtured ideal worlds in his imagination. The kind where cricket players feed their families large slices of glory paid out of fat wallets of amateurism or nominal salaries. Cricket players of these worlds are above the rat race of ambition and avarice these world-holders themselves indulge in. You see, it is quite all right for the world-holder to work towards more....that's progressive...while in his held world, a cricket player dare not be paid or hope to earn more...that's regressive! It is a peculiar species this...the kinds which do not even go to the stadia to watch a test match on all five days all the time if they feel so strongly about it....unless they have a pass or memebership or corporate sponsorship. Curiously, all these "KINDS" have, in their imagination, created similar worlds for cricket and cricket players.

Also in these worlds, it has to be one or the other - test cricket is imagined to exist without the "parasitic" presence of 50-50 or T20! Only one form can exist and that is test cricket....perhaps on weed-fuelled breath or what! This kind of cricket watcher actually believes test cricket is supporting not just itself but also other forms of the game!

We migrate in search of a better future and greater profit, but a cricketer may not do the same. Not even migrate between forms of the same game! This kind of spectator believes that the golden glow of test cricket derived from his imaginary utopian world is the one which lends a halo to test cricket and keeps it afloat. Like all such utopian existences, their rest is based on dank and dirty things like 50-50 or T20. But we shall not diturb these ostriches...

Test cricket and other forms of cricket coexist at the moment with an element of parasitism by test cricket and domestic cricket structures upon 50-50. Now T20 will shoulder the burden just so we can have our test cricket or domestic score with our morning cup of coffee. In some countries domestic cricket tries to sustain itself through sponsorships, memeberships and the like. But in most countries there isn't enough going around on this score.

Some countries, we are told, pay their cricketers more than even their prime minister, the implication in discussion being that they do not need any enhancement of pay packages. While that may be true of their international players, I am sure even their domestic players supplement their income by other locum means. In India, perhaps the most affluent cricket body of the subcontinent, it is only now that international player contracts have hiked and domestic player contracts have wriggled a small way up to some rationality. This has been achieved purely on the strength of their singlemindedness in marketing their cricket in all forms, using all available technologies, among their population and diaspora. But what about other countries in the subcontinent? I do not know of the exact figures, but I guess domestic players still have a precarious existence. The funds required to sustain the game from grassroots are still uncertain. And we talk about trashing the life-giving foundation of cricket - T20 and 50/50, and depend solely upon the revenue test cricket might generate?

What are we? Are we plantation massas reincarnated with enslaved cricketers playing for our entertainment in a playground of our creation, with our limited rules of ambition and success? What right have we to aspire but deny the same to cricketers of most countries just because some English cricketers, or Australian cricketers are paid enough to put Gordon Brown to shame? In a curious way, the completely money-oriented machine of T20 serves a larger socialist purpose.

Cricket can thrive in the long run only if it divides itself into profitable segments with some run-off between segments helping each other. Test cricket will ultimately have to devise a method whereby it can continue to attract the best talent and enough supporters.

Sports in general and cricket in particular now promises something more tangible than only the glory showered upon amateur practitioners of it. A player can now take up this sport of cricket more confidently, knowling that efforts here will be rempensed reasonable securely and adequately. It's not like having to writre articles for newspapers despite being Don Bradman anymore.

Imran Khan quotes Sir Gary Sobers speaking honestly - that he cannot pass judgement since he was never in the position Gayle and the current lot of cricketers are in. That's a good blog and worth reading.

Welcome this change, accomodate this, prepare for change, and select your niche as a viewer if you wish to, if you still want test cricket. Allow for various forms of the game...just like men and women of different race color religion and creed coexist on this planet. I don't mind any form, I'll probably watch whatever cricket I can whenever I can. And yes, I now get most of my cricket fix through television rather than at the stadium, so I am in favour of any useful measures which can better the experience and generate adequate funds for the broadcasting agencies as well...if they are healthy, the game will be healthy and I shall continue to have my game of cricket.

It is good there is debate and open talk now. Something worthwhile is bound to come out of all this. While some group of fans will continue to air acrid opinions for reasons other than the goodwill engendered by sport, no governing body member of the game from any country dare express such jaundiced views after observing the success of IPL in South Africa. SA cricket, they notice, has picked up some useful dollars in times of global recession!

Cricket must exist as synergies at best, if not as nuclear entities if it must or it might in some future era, but anyone who proposes that cricket must be an all or none phenomenon are merely decieving fools imposing their fraudulent colonial-plantational utopia on players, and the rest of the fans of the game.

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Kumble's captaincy

I CONNECTED TO net at 4pm today to track BRC vs CSK match. Kumble surprised me by bowling first up. He didn't come till 6th over then again he vanished to resurface somewhere around 13th over and then again returned to complete his spell on 17th over. If it was a pre-planned strategy then is definitely a well though out strategy.

Big Matty didn't play aggressive shots against Kumble in the first over. Scored just one off 3 balls. Even when Kumble returned for the second and third overs Hayden didn't score much of him. Obviously the plan was to see off Kumble without much trouble and take on other inexperienced bowlers. Clever Kumble got hold of it and spread his spell over almost the entire CSK innings. Every good over from Kumble affected the momentum of CSK innings. It created that extra pressure to score more boundaries in the following overs. Also CSK could have scored more off Kumble had he bowled on the trot. He didn't give them an opportunity to settle down against him. To help things Kallis too bowled well. But to me the big credit for today's win by BRC goes to Kumble's execution of the plan. Just 129 by one of IPL's big daddy isn't a mean achievement by Kumble and Co.

Despite an easy target BRC made a heavy weather of it. Their batting hasn't improved from 2008. Their wins this season tells me that their bowlers won them the matches except against KKR in the second match. BRC is a team that can chase at maximum 140's and can at maximum set 140's as target. That KKR match was an exception to this rule. Beauty is this team with average batting performance may qualify for Semis and that speaks volumes about other teams languishing alongside BRC, especially MI and Kings XI.

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