Cricket, a way of life

I am short on topics to write! So thought I'll write in a few words about... Cricket!!

Now, we are a cricket family.. in the sense all of us watch it with a lot of passion except my Mom of course. I think that's partly to do with the fact that we are so obsessed with it all the time!

Dad watches cricket of every kind. He fought with me the other day because I was not allowing him to watch the Saurashta v/s Bombay Ranji match! As my mom puts it right.. "Mattaiya thukkindu vandhutangala.. ", any match with a bat and ball is all that is required to get his attention.

Bro was slightly better off. I mean he watched all India matches and a bit of other exciting teams, like Australia v/s South Africa etc etc.

I watch matches with India playing in it. Period. Others I am not keen, though off late, I do track matches in which Australia is on the losing side ;)

Now, cricket has the unique ability to decide our moods. The day India wins, We are in the best of moods cracking jokes and laughing loud :). The day India loses albeit fighting, our mood is fine with some laughter missing. The day India "really" loses pathetically, we are in mourning and a simple request by Mom to remove the book from the sofa would invariably result in an argument and tears :(


So, happy days,

- The Hero cup final in 1992. First time I saw the magic of Eden Gardens lighting up papers to rejoice the victory :)

- 1996 World Cup match against Pakistan :). During 1996, we(bro and I) used to call the Indian team the "One-way" team ;), they had a chance to win only if they batted first :D and fortunately, we did it that day!

- 2003 World Cup match against Pakistan :). Sachin the genius !! I remember seeing a photo in the Outlook magazine where a chai walla had a board offering FREE tea to everybody cos of the win. I've tried hard to locate that snap, but haven't managed yet!

- 1998 series against Australia :), Sachin again :D

- 1998 Sharjah series against Australia :). Sachin was phenomenal in the last two matches :D, complete mayhem of the Aussies !

- 2001 series against Australia :). Vacation time, was at home :). The Kolkata test had the ability to cool frayed tempers between bro and me over some petty issue ;)

- Independence day Dhaka final against Pakistan :D. Saurav and Kanitkar did the trick.

- Natwest series final against England. We were returning from Shirdi and escaped the England batting marathon. Morose, we never watched the Indian innings for sometime after Sachin's dismissal... but the neighbours of my uncle's in Bombay ensured we did watch the match after all :D

- T20 world cup final in 2007 against Pakistan :D

- 2004 Series against Australia in Australia. That’s one of the reasons I bought a television as soon as I moved outta my aunt's place in Hyderabad :) not waiting for the roomies to say "Yes". Its tough to get women to decide on buying something together, more so when its for cricket!!

Before 2000, we used to win so rarely, most of them due to Sachin's sheer brilliance that the wins are so vivid in my memory. It also helps that I was in Chennai around that time. I barely watched a couple of matches in Pilani.. there was hardly any company :(. And to argue for the TV in the hostel common room is pretty annoying, so I sticked to 'The Hindu's report on matches!

Sad days,

- 1996 World Cup semi final. It still hurts :(. Bro and I couldn't sleep that night.. don't remember feeling so miserable any other time

- 1999 Test match in Chennai against Pakistan :(. We were about to win, but botched it up in the end. I watched this match at my Grandfather's place.. got so angry at the end, shouted and walked outta home without saying Bye to thatha :(. I am sure he was worried, every grandfather is worried when the "girl" child in the family is so aggressive ;). The only silver lining, I refused the offer to go and watch the 5th day of the match at the ground.. don't think I could have handled that :(

- 2003 World cup final :(. I slept through the first half hoping Australia would be bowled out for a paltry score.. they made 359! @$#!!!@#$#!&^%^

- 2008 Sydney Test match against Australia. Again #$@#$%^!$&*


There have been many other defeats, but can't remember anything that rankled for long.. I mean before, 2000, we lost 3 outta 5 matches consistently :), so can't be too worried about them all! I started watching cricket during the Sachin era.. watch matches as long he is there and then switch off... there was no hope/chance to win without him! Sachin is truly truly the GOD!


Ironically, my work deals with building a product for Australia! My secret desire is that if ever Cricket Australia were to buy this product, I would perhaps resort to some "rogue" coding :D. Fortunately for them, my biggest enemy - Mathew Hayden is now retired.. and if they continue their losing ways against India..I might just be nice :).

As for Hayden, if he continues to play for Chennai SuperKings and plays well enough.. I might support you also !! Strange are the ways of cricket!

B

New Year Wishes

I am still up now! Last time, I was up this late was in BITS.. I think :-/
Anyway, a happy new year 2009! Lets hope this is the year of peace, change and action!

To celebrate the new year, I'll attempt telling a joke..

This incident happened early last year while I was traveling to Chennai via train. As we were approaching Chennai, so went the discussion of my co-passengers..

"Sir, how will you go home?"

"I am thinking if I can take the electric train to Thorapakkam."

"Good idea Sir. Today is Saturday, the Tidel park route should be less crowded"

"Oh No! IT people are a crazy group, they travel any day any time. They don't follow any rule. I will take an auto now!"

B, even with her practiced demeanour of not laughing at a stranger's joke couldn't stop laughing :D! Take a bow, the IT guys! The world thinks we are fools and crazy!

P.S: Now guys, I am not sure if he said Thorapakkam... could be some other place on the route of Tidel park ;). Now, with my notorious reputation of directions and places... this is something you shouldn't mind at all :)

B

Merry XMas and Happy New Year

Amidst this season of gloom and despair, its decidedly a sombre Christmas and New Year.

Nevertheless, lets hope the New Year 2009 brings in happiness and peace in our lives!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009!

B

Secularism!

Strange week indeed.. I started off the week by reading an article in 'The Hindu' about the Kashmir elections. One person from a town had subscribed to something called "Islamic law" for them where people follow the tenets of the Koran. To explain what it is all about, he goes on to say "Men have beards, Women wear the burqa"..

Yesterday, while I was walking out of the temple, we had some women approaching us and telling us to join some function - some foundation for establishing 'Ram Rajya' in India. I did not stand long enough to ask what that entails :-/, Did Lord Ram specify how to lead a country in times of the poverty, illiteracy, terrorism and computers?

I believe both ideas are trivializing the issue and closing your eyes to the reality. This is the land of each and every person irrespective of religion and
you cannot ask somebody of the other religion to just go. Where will anybody go? Jump into the Indian Ocean :-/. India's biggest hope and strength shall remain to be secularism and democracy.

I think its high time schools started teaching children the virtues of secularism and tolerance.That would, perhaps in the long term avoid such incorrect dogmas! But... unfortunately, the bigger issue in our education system is not what it is being taught.. but bringing in people to be taught. :(

B

The little forgotten heroes

I couldn't resist posting this article - Brave constables

It talks about the brave policemen who managed to do the "impossible", if I could say that..Its these people's contribution that we need to be talking more about.

With my maternal family based out of Bombay, we visited the city on an annual basis during my growing years. All through these years, I never knew there existed a "Taj mahal" hotel against the backdrop of the Gateway of India. But one place, I indeed do know about is the VT or the CST station.  We boarded long distance trains to Chennai from this very station or from the Dadar station. Like the city itself, I remember the place as crowded with scores of trains and passengers present all the time. I dread to think what would have happened if the man with the microphone who announces the arrival/departure of trains on a daily basis had not had the presense of mind to warn the other passengers present in the station to move out using the back gate. I believe this truly signifies the "Mumbai spirit" more than anything else - A common man with the presence of mind and the will to help out others. 

Its these men that we need to be proud of in life. In their life, with meagre means, they still end up thinking for the community. Wish more of us were like this..

B

Change coming to India?

I did not walk the rally to Gateway of India in Mumbai. I did not walk the rally in Cubbon Park in Bangalore. All I did was to light a small candle in my balcony. But something tells me, this time its different.. is change coming to India?

I don't know what will happen tomorrow. Will all go back to their own lives and fight their everyday battles..., maybe they will.. but I still think we will make a difference.

So, candles to a "changing" India! Lets usher in a new era..

Anguish

Its ironic that my last post talks about "Unsung heroes".. the last two days of Mumbai terror seem to be a grim reminder of my pledge to pray for them... I am devastated and there seems to be a feeling of helplessness and strangely.. I doubt I am the only one feeling so..

I can't fathom why a man would want to kill others so mercilessly and then kill himself. I can't fathom why the intelligence did not have any inkling of such an attack and was caught so unaware..initially, they did not even know how armed the terrorists were and lost their senior officers. I can't fathom why the leadership which thought "long term" on the nuclear deal did not think so for dealing with terrorism..and most importantly, I can't fathom why we Indians have are so clueless, helpless when we hear such stuff..

And I am tired of the news channels.. I am sure there are other good/bad things happening in the country - lets discuss them as well.. The media with its complete focus on the attacks seem to be doing more harm than any good.. its quite likely the terrorists will get information on the commando operation from these channels. Last night, I saw a panel in CNN-IBN telling how the police system is not prepared for such attacks and how the policemen were not wearing the bullet proof properly.. Oh yeah, they were going to do a cat walk and they should have properly called you for guidance on wearing it.. A bit of common sense in these so-called panels would have helped.. the least you can do in a situation is to support these people rather than find a reason to criticise! I guess I must be void of common sense too.. I watched this nonsense for sometime.. long enough to feel disgusted. And far worse, is the "calls" made by some "so-called" terrorists to India TV! Gimme a break... we are talking about lives here, not damn TRP's.

Last, I pray for the families of the men who died fighting for us, pray for the men who are injured and wish them a speedy recovery, pray for the numerous innocent people who have died or injured.. God.. bestow us all with strength..

B