Saturday, May 8, 2010

Cricket Nut VI - Dhoni dreamin'

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Thursday, May 6, 2010

The Gentleman of Extraordinary Leagues

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Instant thought after reading this on Cricinfo.

More over The League of Extraordinary Gentleman
Since we've now got

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Cricket Nut V - Catharsis

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Cricket Nut IV - Bid for Berry

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Blackberry icon from iconfinder.net.

Cricket Nut III - Cruel Intentions

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Monday, April 12, 2010

Wonder if Steyn will get into IPL's bad books?

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Excerpt from Dale Steyn column in The Times of India:

On a sad note, however, I was pretty upset watching a programme on TV the other day about just how threatened the forests and wildlife of India is. Less than 20 % of the forests remain and less than 1500 tigers in the wild! I am passionate about preserving the natural world and I’m happier being in the ‘bush’ than anywhere else in the world. What a pity that some of the enormous wealth that went into the IPL - and is being generated by it - couldn’t be channelled towards something as important as the preservation of the Indian tiger.

Remember Steyn's famous words after the first season:

The IPL was only four overs a game and it was like a paid holiday; you only had to work hard if you felt like it, which is probably why we finished second-last.

He did call himself an idiot soon after, though.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Symonds speaks out

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Some interesting answers in this interview in The Telegraph. And we weren't referring to the 'rebel with a cause' quip.

Today, you aren’t playing for Australia... Why the negative headlines over the past few years?

Part of the reason is that I did silly things. But, also, I think the way people see professional sportspersons has changed.

Too much scrutiny?

Yeah... There aren’t many places where you can be left alone and, so, I generally don’t go out a great deal... The change in the rules of the game has probably worked to my detriment. You know, I like to have a good time and I like to enjoy myself, but there are (new) things you can do and things you can’t. For me, enjoying cricket holds more meaning than winning or losing. It would be difficult for someone like me to survive and enjoy life in this Australian team’s environment.

..............

Having been born in Birmingham, you could’ve played for England... Has there ever been a regret that you played for Australia?

(Almost interrupting) Never...

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Cricket Nut - II

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A new IPL comic strip - Cricket Nut

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Thanks to Sahil Rizwan for the inspiration.  This one is just awesome.

As for the experience bit, check out the pro in action in the video below. (That is an official sponsor video btw. Not some paparazzi.)


More treats for the eyes.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Haha haha haha

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Hope the stick conjures up some magic for the World Twenty20.

Miami based Motion Pixel Corporation (MPC) and Cornerstone Entertainment of India finalised the signing of Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh to star in a new animated movie titled Captain India.

The story entails Yuvraj Singh growing up in Mumbai and encountering a magical cricket stick which he realises has special powers and uses it to help fight crime and also becoming an Indian Cricket Star to help India win the cricket World Cup.

Also, what's with the flood of Whirlpool ads featuring Kings XI Punjab players lately? To bring home the point that it's the quality of paranthas and lassis that's letting the team down? But wouldn't it have been better to bloat the opposition players instead. Watch them below:



Headline of the day

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Lumb leaves Kings XI numb

From The National

Cheerleaders are new face of ads

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Perhaps it would have been better to use cheer girls. Don't see too many men being paid to cheer.

“We would not have used cheerleaders in season one because the idea hadn't caught on and they generated controversy,” said Rajiv Rao, national creative director of Ogilvy and Mather Pvt. Ltd, the advertising agency behind the ZooZoo ads.

“But now cheerleaders have managed to make their way into Indian sports and the general acceptance is a clear reflection of India’s evolving mindset and culture,” Rao said.

More on livemint.com

IPL-crazy kids queue up to sports college trials

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Ever since alumni Suresh Raina and RP Singh became national names, the popularity of the College’s cricket hostel has only gone up. At the two-day Lucknow region trials itself, around 1,150 boys had turned up on the opening day. The final, inter-regional trials will be held in July, and the selected boys will be given admission to Class IX of the College as cricket trainees.


More in The Indian Express

The worst thing about the IPL ...

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is simply this: the cricket is quite good.

Well said, Dave Tickner.

Watch out for this league

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With the Cyclones, Dynamites, Kings, Blazers, Rangers and Sultans in action, Bangladesh's National Cricket League promises to be an exciting affair. And they have got something the IPL doesn't - Bangladeshi players and Shoaib Akhtar.

Hope they enjoy many Citi Moments of Success.


http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=133458

Not a dumb buy, this Lumb

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Sixteen fours and two sixes in a knock of 80. Phantasmagoric. (Sorry, Danny M is contagious.)



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Who's faster than a tracer bullet?

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Think. Think fast.

Watch this.


Didn't get it yet.

It's L Sivaramakrishnan and Danny Morrison.

Take the wicket of Kedar Jadhav today. Barely did we notice that Ganguly had snapped it, that Siva screams out, "Ganguly takes it." (Or was it "Hit straight to Ganguly.") "A Karbonn Kamaal catch." Tracer bullet indeed.

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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Mumbai must find their Plan Bs and Cs

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We all know that Twenty20 is all about momentum and Sachin Tendulkar messed up big time on that count yesterday against Chennai Super Kings. It was only the sixth over of the chase when Tendulkar's body language suggested he was in trouble. He sat down to take a breather after stepping out to hit R Ashwin over the top for a four. That sight would have been okay in say over 35 of an ODI but in over 6 of a Twenty20 it was a clear indication that the heat had taken its toll. Tendulkar ideally should have retired ill at that point. Forty-six for no loss off 5.4 overs was a good start for a chase of 165.

Instead he chose to stay on. Shikhar Dhawan fell first ball of the seventh over, and perhaps that's why Tendulkar must have thought that he should stay longer. Also, till that time, Tendulkar had scored 28 off 19 while Dhawan managed just 16 off 18. Maybe Tendulkar felt the others would find it tough to get going on the slow track. With Tendulkar not in top gear, the scoring rate dipped and by the end of nine overs (at the time of the time-out), the required run-rate had crept up to 9.45.

Tendulkar finally went off the field during the time-out. From there on, a combination of rash strokes and some excellent work by Chennai sealed the game. But perhaps it was the momentum lost in the three overs that Tendulkar overstayed and his exit with the team at the precarious position after nine overs (compared to the situation after the six Powerplay overs) that made it Chennai's day. With the fielding side in the ascendancy and the required run-rate a touch on the higher side, Rayudu, Bravo, Tiwary and Pollard fell attempting big shots. Obviously, this analysis would have been redundant had these batsmen stood up to the pressure and not crumbled like nine pins.

So why harp on overs 7-9 when the rest weren't up to the task. Well, in Twenty20, you expect a settled batsman to score at the rate required or more. Instead, a tiring Tendulkar was forced to nudge it around against the spinners and made just 11 off 11 since that boundary he got against Ashwin in the sixth over. With Tiwary finding it tough to score, Chennai were gaining control of the game. Say, instead of Tendulkar, a new batsman could have pretty much scored at a run-a-ball while getting his eye in. Or maybe not. But at least the batsmen would have had a chance to settle down before the run-rate started soaring.

Also, Tendulkar's late exit denied Bravo or Pollard the chance to don more responsibilities while chasing. Their all-round roles means Mumbai are unlikely to drop them, and with a semi-final slot pretty much assured, Tendulkar could have entrusted one of them with seeing the team through instead of challenging his own body. It would have helped eased the worry that Mumbai's batting is a one-man show just like India of the 90s. Although Dhawan, Tiwary and Rayudu have done well, it's obvious that having Tendulkar at the other end or a good start from the captain is really a confidence boost for the rest. And Bravo and Pollard are yet to play a substantial innings with the bat.

That brings us to the point that perhaps the successful run Mumbai have notched up so far might hurt them in the end. Because that's the nature of Twenty20. The team can get a bit complacent. But more worrying is that their wins have mostly been easy, with not much disruptions to their set plans before the game. The bowlers are in good form, and Tendulkar had managed to rotate them well. But what if a Malinga has a off day. Or if Tendulkar gets out early? Will Mumbai be able to recover and still win a game despite those hiccups. Last year, Delhi were huge favourites going into the semi-finals but were blown away by a Gilchrist blitzkrieg. Also, they ended up at two down for 0 after the first over of the game.

Will Mumbai suffer the same fate like Delhi did last time? Perhaps Tendulkar deserves a short break and let his team-mates slog it out during the coming set of mostly away games. He needs to let others take charge of the side.

It's not that planning doesn't help. This year it is clear that Kings XI Punjab didn't plan well enough before the tournament. Waiting for Shaun Marsh and Brett Lee to deliver results after returning from injuries showed the management's lack of faith in the rest, or maybe the inability to find the right guys to perform in their absence. Yes, it's easy criticising them sitting on the sidelines but isn't that why you have a team management? So is it surprising that the team's that struggling had their head coach joining them only after the first game?

But only when those plans are put into practice can you assess and rectify them or in some cases, find new ones. Shane Warne's 'surprise the opposition camp' tactics worked really well during the first season. But the same may not be as effective now since teams are used to it. However, losing and struggling does give teams the opportunity to relook their strategies. If the reworked plans work, then they at least have the experience of knowing the situations where one needs to be flexible in changing set plans. Also, a few close games in the league stage, especially winning them, also ends up helping the team. Mumbai's wins haven't really been humdingers, apart from the Yusuf one. Which brings me to the point, did Mumbai have a plan B then?

Monday, April 5, 2010

Warnie leaves the media gasping for words

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Case 1:
Cricinfo's headline for an article on Monday's game: When there's a Warne, there's a way. Though I wonder if they meant Where there's a Warne ...

Case 2:
Cricbuzz's Gokul Gopal gets all lyrical. The article starts off
"Misty Morning, Clouds in the sky, Without Warning a wizard walks by..

..Casting his shadow, weaving his spell, Funny clothes, tinkling bell..

..Never talking, just keeps walking, spreading his magic"

These are my favourite lines from the song 'Wizard' by Black Sabbath, released in February 1970 - 4 months after the birth of a cricketing Wizard by the name of Shane Keith Warne. Sabbath had composed the 'Wizard' inspired by the character Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings. But this song can definitely epitomize the conjuror from Australia, who dazzled the cricketing world with his magical fingers
.

and this is how it ends
As for Rajasthan and the likes of Shetty sisters, they would be singing..

"Sun is Shining, Clouds have gone by, All the people give a happy sigh..

.. He has passed by, giving his sign, Left all the people feeling so fine..

..Never talking, just keeps walking, spreading his magic"

Case 3:
The Ahmedabad Mirror's Tapan Joshi gets technically correct with those good ol' idioms.

In his native Victoria, they say, “Wait till the Fat Lady spins.” Well, that’s what they now say in Rajasthan as well, as Shane Warne once again turned the match and tables on their heads — absolutely no pun intended — here on Monday night against Deccan Chargers

We just can't wait for Rajasthan to win it again this year.

SRK on Chris Gayle

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The Telegraph makes note of a few SRKisms:

When Chris Gayle was born, it must have taken very long for him to be delivered. Doctor must have said: Aadha aa gaya, aadha baki hai! Chris Gayle brings spirituality to the team. I saw him meditating on a manicure-pedicure chair with seven women around him, chanting Om…

Also, KKR's guys had a chat with Vikram Sathaye.

Wasim Akram
On whether he noticed Shoaib Malik’s love for tennis back then...
“No, but I did notice his love for shaadis!”
Brad Hodge
On how he copes with Indian food…
“I have made more runs in the toilet than on the cricket field!”

Wish we could watch this instead of those wonderful people imitating a drunk man who fails to walk a straight line, pleads for divine intervention with outstretched hands and miraculously gets a ball from nowhere.

The Sheik of Tweet

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Who else, but the King of Text himself? http://twitter.com/warne888

More in The Sunday Telegraph:

The champion cricketer's Twitter page is an eclectic archive of name dropping, recording Warne's stream-of-consciousness shout-outs to luminaries from the worlds of sport, business and entertainment.

The tweaker's Twitter targets include chef Jamie Oliver, tennis star Andy Roddick, tycoon Sir Richard Branson, singers Lily Allen, Keith Urban, Kylie and Dannii Minogue and cyclist Lance Armstrong.


Here's Warnie in conversation with Jemima Khan, ex-wife of former Pakistan captain Imran
JK: Sachin 200 off 140 balls. Sure you weren't bowling today Warney? Xxx 5.56am Feb 24

SW: jemima jemima !! your better than that ... thanks for vote of confidence... mmmmmm !!! hahaha 5.58am Feb 24

SW: hey jemima... How are you and the boys over there in uk ? All good I hope. How's the new house ? 8.25pm Mar 24

SW: hey jemima what's your little story of the day ? Hahaha am enjoying your tweeting !!!! 7.18pm Mar 27

Life at the sports desk

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Life at the sports desk

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The talking bat

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The talking bat

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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Stats, facts and other jolly stuff

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Stats, facts and other jolly stuff

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Friday, March 26, 2010

IPL's Alphonso fans

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Sanjay Manjrekar makes an interesting observation on Cricinfo:

I have just discovered there is this new group of Twenty20 cricket fans who are just IPL cricket fans. These are fans who do not really care too much for Twenty20 cricket: given a choice between an India-South Africa Twenty20 game or a Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders, these are guys who will go for the IPL game. These are people who perhaps have little knowledge of what has happened in the last international cricket series in India but have great knowledge of the IPL teams. They suddenly sprout up around March-April just like the famous Alphonso mangoes of Western India that come into season around the same time.

Buchanan begins to make sense

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Buchanan begins to make sense

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Super Over bid

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Super Over bid

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When Danny met Pandee

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When Danny met Pandee

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The perils of endorsement

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The perils of endorsement

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

What should the Kochi franchise be named?

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Shashi Tharoor suggested Kerala Tuskers. Since after all it is the land of coconuts and elephants, how about Coco Jumbos? No hassles of coming up with a theme song too.



On second thoughts, better not use that as the theme song. You could fit in Chris Gayle and Sreesanth in that video, but it's a bit too laidback for a sports team, even for one from Kerala. If you are wondering where Gayle came into the picture, read this.




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Did the Mongoose cost ...

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Hayden his wicket? The short blade doesn't seem too conducive for sliding the bat in.

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Monday, March 22, 2010

Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders

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Match highlights


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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Who will captain the Kochi franjhise?

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Chris Gayle
Captain Coolest-cum-Opposition Slayer. Laidback. So is most of Kerala. Leads revolts against employers. So do the Commies. Loves to earn and spend the big bucks. So do Kerala's capitalists. Would so love the place, tropical climate and all. Can put on those sunglasses, relax in a houseboat and sip on a coconut in Kochi's backwaters while showing off all the gold chains he garnered at those innumerable jewellery showroom inaugurations. And the captaincy? Gayle happy. Team happy.

Sometime tomorrow in a school in Kerala ...

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Teacher: Why was Kerala in the news on Sunday?

Students: Because we have a franjhise in the Eye Pee Yell.

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17000000000 rupees ...

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for the right to run an IPL franchise? And only for 10 years. And for Pune.

To put that in perspective, Reliance will pay around Rs 500 crores for the Mumbai franchise for the 10-year period that started in 2008. And when bought, the franchise was assured of having Sachin Tendulkar on its roster (the fees didn't include his pay).

On the other hand, a consortium of five will pay 1500 crores for the Kochi franchise. Now, assume if these five had an equal stake in the franchise, their individual shares towards the franchise rights would approximately be the same as the combined share of all the owners of the Jaipur franchise (Rajasthan Royals).

The Sahara Group bought the Pune franchise. What surprises a bit is the description - The biggest patron of sports in the country - that Cricinfo gave the group. Sahara is the main sponsor of the national cricket and hockey teams and several tournaments such as the national championships of wrestling, archery, boxing and shooting. It supports many bright young sportspersons, especially promising individuals in of wrestling, archery, boxing and shooting. But still in terms of numbers, won't an Air India or Indian Railways beat them hands down in terms of number of sportspersons on their payrolls, tournament participation, sporting infrastructure etc. Or does the sponsorship of national teams turn it in Sahara's favour? But is that patronage or smart marketing?

Many more thoughts on the new franchises, we shall post the same over the next few days.


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The story of Cricky the Goose

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The story of Cricky the Goose

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Uthappa smashes it

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Chennai's super catches

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Saturday, March 20, 2010

Is Cheteshwar Pujara ...

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the new VVS?

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Friday, March 19, 2010

What happens in a strategic time-out?

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What happens in a strategic time-out?

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Is it a surprise more people want to watch IPL than England?

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Is it a surprise more people want to watch IPL than England?

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The hat-trick

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Ganguly: Gayle and Bond will give us impetus

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Our last match didn't go the way everyone wanted it to. We definitely disheartened our fans at home. Without offering any excuse, one needs to say that any team can have one bad match. Bowling first, we fared badly only in the last five overs. Before that Shane Bond, Ishant and company did keep things under control. Bond showed a glimpse of what he is capable of, having arrived in the city just a day before the match. I am confident that as he settles down and adjusts to the heat and sultry weather he will be some bowler to deal with.

Gayle and Bond will give us impetus

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Hitler played cricket

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From Cricinfo

Adolf Hitler wanted to use cricket to train German troops according a new book about to be published by the BBC’s former World Affairs Editor, John Simpson.

However Hitler, who was taught the basics of the game, found the complex rules too much to comprehend and wanted to do away with the use of pads because they were “unmanly and un-German”.

How much less suffering the world would have endured had Hitler played against Harold Larwood and Co without any protective gear.

Check this game out: http://www.cricinfo.com/games/content/site/games/bodyline.html



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A streaker sporting weird body art

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A streaker sporting weird body art creates a stir

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Get a bat of your size, Haydos

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Once again we snooped in and got this gem.

Non-serious IPL spectator: Gosh! Why is he playing with a dwarf's bat?

Serious IPL spectator: That's The Mongoose.

Non-serious IPL spectator: More like The Midget to me.

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

The snake bat

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The snake bat

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I let captaincy affect my batting

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Brendon McCullum need not tell us that. But unfortunately no mention in this interview about John Buchanan, the genius whose ideas almost doomed the Kolkata Knight Riders. Why come with up some multiple captains theory when you could have been frank and just stated you didn't want Sourav Ganguly as captain?

I let captaincy affect my batting

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How come Dhoni is playing then?

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A conversation we overheard yesterday during the game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals.

Non-serious IPL spectator: If Rajasthan are batting, then who's bowling?

Serious IPL spectator: Royal Challengers Bangalore

Non-serious IPL spectator: Then how come Dhoni is playing?

Serious IPL spectator: Dhoni? Dhoni is not playing. He plays for Chennai Super Kings.

Non-serious IPL spectator: Oh, is that Kumble then?

Serious IPL spectator: Yah.


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Moth laga, moth laga, moth laga

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Ahmedabad takes steps to curb moth menace

The Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) will use fogging machines to reduce the menace created by moths attracted to lights during the IPL matches. Ahmedabad hosted its first IPL game on March 15 - Rajasthan Royals lost to Delhi Daredevils - but the players and spectators had to endure an army of moths. The insects swarmed over the entire ground, including the stands and the media box, making it difficult for the players and everyone else to sight the ball clearly.

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The Goggly

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The Goggly

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The joy of text (Not)

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The joy of text (Not)

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Things we'll miss from the last two IPLs

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John Buchanan
And his laptop. And Matthew Mott, his sidekick. We need some people to reinforce the time-proven fact that cricket is a complicated game that mortals like captains cannot understand. Like he does with his movies, Shah Rukh Khan has attempted to dumb down an intellectual, even nerdy, game by sacking Buck. Shah Rukh, be a man.

Paul Collingwood and Glenn McGrath
Oh, sorry, even their team didn't want them last year. Nonetheless, they were inspirational, reassuring figures on the bench, er, in the dugout. Pidge particularly for matches when Delhi Daredevils played sides with more than one Englishman in them. He could always make a prediction or three.

So long Shoaib, goodbye Colly

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Crass, but any day better than IPL's fun feed

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Now, try finding Sehwag's reaction to a beamer that Kieron Pollard got from Dirk Nannes in this crap video.


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It is all about technique

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After watching Kallis and Tendulkar cream the opposition bowling, who can disagree.

Some of it may be fun to watch, but cowboy batting styles makes it necessary for the coaches to impress on the players eschewing genuine technique how ordinary batting styles also work. Employing the slog-sweep, or the scoop variations that have followed Doug Marillier's initial invention in the late 1990s, is one thing, but when the captain and bowler start setting fields to curb such toffee brittle attempts in run-scoring, the improviser ends up with the flawed performance and more often failure.

Read more.


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A thrilling start

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Is Dileep Premachandran's verdict. Read the whole article.

In Blinded by Rainbows, the Rolling Stones ask: "Did you ever touch the night/Did you ever count the cost/Do you hide away the fear/Put down paradise as lost?" I don't know about touching the darkness, but over the past five days, in three different cities, I've watched stolid Jacques Kallis win a Twenty20 game, witnessed an Eden Gardens crowd roar its approval of a returning prodigal son, and seen Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya upstaged by two kids who could still walk down a busy street in Mumbai unmolested. Welcome to the IPL.

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Critics can say  whatever, but class is class

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Says Anil Kumble in the Hindustan Times.

Tuesday’s game showed us one thing: It doesn’t matter where you’re from, or what form of the game it is, when good players are challenged, or criticised by people who don’t have anything else to say, they tend to show the world why they’re considered good, or great.

We agree, but still some bad buys were made in the inaugural auction, Wasim Jaffer one such case. And thank god they didn't pay more.

"Look at my runs, assess my performance," says Jaffer, pointing to his five centuries in 28 Tests, including two double-hundreds. And that's why, he says, he was hurt by the US$150,000 he was deemed worth at the IPL auction last month - the lowest price an India cricketer fetched.

"Obviously it hurts when you compare the price of some others to what I got. I have proved myself on the field, and I have made runs in Test cricket, over 2000 of them. But other players who haven't scored enough have got much more, because people think they will be a big hit in Twenty20. That's what public image does. You can only change their views by going out there and scoring runs."

Read the rest of the interview at Cricinfo.

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IPL skirt-o-meter

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IPL skirt-o-meter- Hindustan Times

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The blimp

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The blimp is 19 metres long, contains upto 400 cubic metres of pure helium and can be raised to a maximum height of 1000 feet. Once in the air at 300 metres height, it can withstand wind velocity of upto 40 knots during a storm.

http://beta.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article253860.ece

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Farmers target IPL to vent ire

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“Thousands of farmers from all across the state will gather in Chandigarh next week to protest the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government’s decision to roll back free power. We will decide on the mode of protest then. Disrupting IPL matches can well be one of the ways to register our protest,” said Bhupinder Singh Mann, a former Rajya Sabha member and president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union.

More in The Telegraph.

Meanwhile, Anti-Oz protesters held in Orissa.

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IPL tickets for votes?

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It’s learnt that wannabe BBMP corporators in Jayanagar and JP Nagar wards gave out IPL tickets — each worth Rs 220 — to nearly 70 youths belonging to their wards for Tuesday’s match. Tickets worth Rs 550 were also given away.

More in The Times of India

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Jingoism reaches new heights in IPL avatar

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Gulu Ezekiel in The New Indian Express:

The Indian Premier League has become the latest chest-thumping vehicle for Indian Netizens both at home and abroad. Any non-Indian critic of the annual jamboree now into its third year is immediately dubbed a racist. Any Indian critic is branded a traitor. Jingoism has found a new vehicle in India and the rest of the cricket world is told to dance to its tune or take a hike.

How a domestic cricket league with a smattering of international players came to this pass is entirely due to the massive PR machine cranked out by Lalit Kumar Modi and his merry band of Bollywood stars, fat-cat businessmen, ex-players and journalists, all with a vested financial interest in singing from the same hymn sheet.

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Tendulkar glow helps Mumbai shine

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Wonderful piece by Jamie Alter on Cricinfo.

Tendulkar is clearly enjoying his cricket, and it was evident in his body language throughout the game. After losing the toss and being asked to bat, a calm Tendulkar said he would have chosen to do so anyway. You could sense he was eager to get out and bat on what he called "a venue that has never been bouncy and tends to play slow and low". His mind was running, and the body caught up soon after in a thrilling display of what experience and form can produce.

Do read the whole thing

Lalit and Lara are best buds

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Better watch out Warnie. A prize for anyone who watches the whole eight minutes 100 times. Cheers.



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The lord of the fans

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Lord of the fans
Gambhir pointed out how crucial the home fans would be for his team tonight, even going as far as to say they would be the 12th man, but the crowd's reaction to each run Tendulkar gathered made it sound more like Dadar than Delhi. When Tendulkar clipped three runs, collecting the ball from outside off and working those wrists, the fans showed their appreciation. When he walked down the track and put Farveez Maharoof away for four, they went wild. And when Tendulkar steered a lovely four, opening his hands and placing it past the infield, well that was just what you'd expect from fans of this man. Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, had spoken before the first season of how he had envisioned city-based loyalties. That's not going to happen anywhere in India when Tendulkar is batting.

The lord of the fans

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Wish the IPL fun feed was like this

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Here's one of the fun feeds. What's the blimp-like thing Delhi are playing with.


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Will Mumbai Indians win this year?

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Are Rajasthan missing Ravindra Jadeja?

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No Ravindra Jadeja here

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Although the show is called IPL Rockstars



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If you were bored of the cricket ...

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Don't watch this. Or realise that it's impossible to avoid the game in India (of course, the warning applies only to couch potatoes).


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Over the top - Harsha Bhogle

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Thanks to Cricinfo.

"There might be 1411 tigers left but there's only one Murali"

“There are a number of moths around Maharoof. They must think he is covered in honey.”

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Tiwary's a Dhoni clone

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Apart from the fact that he's a left-hand bat.

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The Royal masterminds

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“We have done a dressing room design that we think is the first of its kind in world cricket. We have taken inspiration from some of the American sports and Premiership football and we have provided motivational backdrop for the dressing room. We unveiled that on the eve of our first home game in Ahmedabad,” Snape said.

In addition to the new dressing room, Snape has created caps with special numbers as we see in Test cricket. “Three years ago there was no history to the Rajasthan Royals. So we are actually creating history as we go. And every player now knows that they have got a number in succession in the history and we feel motivated now to make that a special legacy,” he said.


The Royal masterminds

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Rajasthan are yesterday’s bagel

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And in the IPL bakery, the Rajasthan Royals are the stale bagels left in the back of the cupboard. They are yesterday’s treat. You can tart them up with gold icing all you like, but darling, they are so 2008. Back then, we were young, we were foolish, we thought fondly of Danny Morrison. Warne’s outlaws were quirky, inexpensive and they hopped about incessantly, like gaudy tree frogs on an electrified roof.

Rajasthan are yesterday’s bagel

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IPL fielding positions

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IPL fielding positions

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Chinnaswamy sets the benchmark

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Don't bring your own, we'll give you some: The list of items spectators are forbidden to bring with them is long and all encompassing. You wouldn't get in with a large flag, or something to create a din with. But the organisers were handing it all out. 'Cheer kits', Royal Challenger flags, inflatable noisemakers and more. The props were everywhere and the fans used them. The result was a sea of waving flags and an awful din.

The Chinnaswamy Stadium sets the benchmark

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He too played in the IPL

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Name: Musavir Khote
Team: Mumbai Indians
Matches: 4
Stats: Runs 24 Avg 12 SR 109.09 Wickets 2 Avg 25.5 Econ 10.2
Last played: 2008
Claim to fame: Could have been the last man to be sledged during a game by Sreesanth. Alas, 'Slapgate' couldn't shut Appam up.

Cricinfo Profile
Medium-pacer Musavir Khote was, by Indian standards, a late bloomer- he was almost 26 before he made the Mumbai side for the Ranji one-dayers in 2006. He switched over to Railways in the 2007-08 season to get more opportunities in four-day games, but not before he had impressed with some hard-hitting cameos for Mumbai in the Inter-State Twenty20 in April 2007. Those performances convinced Mumbai Indians to sign him on for the Indian Premier League.

From http://www.sportspundit.com/athlete/5722/
Musavir Khote, a medium-pacer was a slow learner as per Indian standards; as he started playing one-day matches (in Ranji Trophy) at the age of 26. These matches were played for Mumbai. Apart from Mumbai, Musavir has also played for Railways. This person is a right-handed player.

Musavir Khote entered the arena of fast-cricket on 3rd of April, 2007 in a Twenty20 match played against Baroda at Mumbai. He could pick a wicket in this match. Mumbai had won it by 8 wickets, with 23 balls to spare. As far as IPL is concerned, Musavir played against Deccan Chargers on 27th of April, 2008 at Mumbai. This day-night match went in to the kitty of Deccan Chargers. They won it by 10 wickets, with 48 balls to spare. In this match, Khote made ’34 not out’ in 18 balls out of the total of 154.

Khote made ’34 not out’ in 18 balls out of the total of 154. Really?. Well, he made 7 off 10 balls while Dwayne Bravo scored 34 off 18. Here's proof: http://www.cricinfo.com/ipl/engine/match/335994.html

That game also happened to be Khote's last for Mumbai. He played for Railways in a one-dayer earlier this year.

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IPL also stands for ...

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Intense pulsed light
Intense pulsed light (IPL), is a technology aimed at producing light of high intensity during a very short period of time. It involves specific lamps together with capacitors whose rapid discharge provides the high energy required.

Used for
The Intense Pulsed Light hair removal process has become very popular due to its cheaper and faster procedure compared to laser hair removal. The comparison of effectiveness between Intense Pulsed Light and Laser Epilation is debated by scientists, equipment manufacturers and practitioners, but results are generally accepted to be roughly equivalent. It is also used for the treatment of the skin in a process known as photorejuvenation.

Wikipedia entry

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Airtel Offers Broadband Speed Upgrade for IPL Fans

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Airtel Offers Broadband Speed Upgrade for IPL Fans

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Uthappa kicks Appam's ass

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Still figuring out what Appam is, read this.
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Any more crazy ideas?

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Sourav Ganguly's KKR captaincy result in a comeback to India's national team?

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Was Yusuf's 37-ball 100 the best ever?

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Dilshan's latest 'scoop'

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Dilshan's latest 'scoop'

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Disappointing to lose the first game

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It's our first home game of this IPL season and we have to pull up our socks. Our fans in Bangalore are looking forward to seeing us succeed, and we will be looking to turn things around and get some points on the board.

Anil Kumble: Disappointing to lose the first game

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Really, Warnie?

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So what to make of Warne's encomium for Pathan? Firstly, it makes little sense. Pathan batted for 37 balls. The bowlers on whom he took greatest toll, on a storied but small ground seating only 20,000, were Ryan McLaren, Rajagopal Satish, Ali Murtaza and Sanath Jayasuriya. His team lost. When Warne said of taking on Tendulkar that "it was a pleasure to bowl to him", it was a meaningful and heartfelt tribute. Exalting Pathan was simply succumbing to the tumescence of the moment - an action, of course, to which Warne is not exactly a stranger.
Really, Warnie?

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Insect Premier League and Warnie's lip service

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Tait not so great

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No room for complacency

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No room for complacency

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Maharashtra and Hyderabad topple big guns en route to final

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Maharashtra and Hyderabad topple big guns en route to final

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0444664614106666600401

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Even the IPL can't beat this. 

Rewind: Bert Vance's 77-run over Regulars Cricinfo Magazine

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The question of State or Club?

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The question of State or Club?

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Faking news is disappointed, Mr Modi

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Cricket was always an environment unfriendly game with thousands of trees being felled to produce bats and stumps. It was a welcome change when IPL decided to go green in its third season and partnered with UNEP. Everyone expected that the new Mongoose Bat used by Matthew Hayden would be non-wooden, but it was a disappointment. This week’s Sunday Magazine urges IPL to go green in true sense.
 http://www.fakingnews.com/2010/03/sunday-magazine-ipl-goes-green-but-why-wooden-bats/ 

Plant some trees today
Cider Gum Eucalyptus Herb 20 Seeds - Eucalyptus gunnii

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Modern cricket’s ‘naked’ truth

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So if you ask me what the big difference is between 1932 and 2010 where glamour in Indian cricket is concerned, I would say that in the earliest times, women were bold enough to throw their mangalsutras at outstanding achievers like Lala Amarnath. Today, Preity Zinta would wait near the dug-out to give her star performer a big hug.
Cricket | Modern cricket’s ‘naked’ truths | ESPNSTAR.com

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Can the IPL lure Lara?

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Can the IPL lure Lara?

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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Princely reflections

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KKR's captain looks back on a win well won, old boy

Princely reflections

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Sex, drugs, pizza

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Well now, if it isn't the cigarette-smoking, beer-chugging, text-messaging blond wonder

Sex, drugs, pizza

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Plenty of dogs but no Mongoose

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Plenty of dogs but no Mongoose

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What do you want her to do?

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A cheerleader either performs or turns down requests made to her. Well, some stuff is totally out of bounds. Or maybe not. And mind you, she's selfish. She'll drink beer if told to but dare you ask her to offer you one. Ah, try, since you are so keen on being refused. Do tell us any cool things you managed to successfully request out of sheer boredom.

Try your luck at http://www.kingfisherworld.com/ipl/make_dance.htm

But I'm a Cheerleader

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Comedy of errors

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Chennai's super dogs

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Rajasthan's prescription for motivation

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Best Team Culture" has been painted in bold lettering on the front wall, and you can't miss it upon stepping inside the locker room. To the left-hand side, across Warne's face starts a line "First for" and ends with "New Ideas" near the entrance on the same side. Snape, who is also the psychologist with the South African team, said the purpose of the idea is to create a strong bond in the squad and enrich the legacy of the team.

Rajasthans prescription for motivation

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The new commentary paradigm

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Heard today:
Serious DLF Maximum


Real Citi Moment of Success

Gift your favourite commentators a copy of

Talks Cricket

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Redemption song for Tiwary and Kolkata

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Redemption song for Tiwary and Kolkata
Three years ago, before the knee injury that ruined his chances of an ODI debut in Bangladesh, Tiwary was Indian cricket's man-in-waiting. But apart from the true cricket tragics, few will be able to tell you how his career has progressed since. In the space of 29 balls in front of his home crowd though, he reminded people that he too is a contender. Like Rayudu, he's just 24. The recent past can be written off as a bad dream. The future is no longer touched with grey. 

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Lalit says and other fun things

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What a fun feed this is. 






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Do you like KKR's new colours?

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Do you think Haydos will use the Mongoose?

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Four IPL captains fined

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Four IPL captains fined

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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Modis breakfast cafe

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Modis breakfast cafe

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Lalit Modi the new Shah Jahan?

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IPL cricket is a different game to the one which made Sachin Tendulkar; but the razzmatazz is worth it

To the uninitiated, the IPL is fast becoming the most coveted and influential property from India since the Taj Mahal that Shah Jahan built. More people in the world, I can wager without fear, have heard of the IPL than the new planets discovered in the solar system in the last few years; or indeed the name of the vice president of the United States. (Actually the latter is a bad example. Does anybody really know the name of the US vice president?)


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Flash Olympics

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Find more free online flash games at Fupa.com

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Stick Cricket

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Stick Cricket

Powered by: MySpace Games

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Double trap (non-cricket) game

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Find more free online flash games at Fupa.com

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KKR Street Cricket

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Find more free online flash games at Fupa.com

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SABC Sport Cricket Challenge

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Free online game

Top Spinner

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Hosted by Daily Free Games