Click
“That you Colly? Thank God for that. I was on the phone to Cookie for ten minutes before I found out that he isn’t captain. Yes – well it might have been news to him too. You are captain aren’t you? Yes I am still happy about that – anyone but Swanny to be honest.
Anyway, I’m sitting by a pool in Queensland and it’s a very pleasant 28 degrees. How’s the weather in Dubai? Sorry – can’t hear you Colly. Who’s Jonty Bucky? Sounds like a Saffer. No! No! I’m not John the Bookie! It’s me – Straussy. How can I prove it? Oh come on… (Muffled)… The coin I used for the toss in the Ashes… Swanny… 9.35 on the Monday morning… You were closest with 9.30… £500 I think… lots of disinfectant and a scrubbing brush… good as new… just the one stitch I think… still feels it when he drives over a speed bump.
Right – you know it’s me now. Oh, enjoying myself with the family, although you can get a bit tired of nappy changes. At least you understand that, not like Fred and Harmy. Speaking of Fred, Dubai’s his winter bolthole isn’t it? He’s usually finishing off a crate of Heineken in a hotel bar about now after a hard day playing golf and shilling property for Vaughany. I suppose he can’t give away a Dubai condo for free these days? You shouldn’t giggle Colly, I hear KP lost a bundle… (Much laughter at both ends of the line).
I haven’t really got any advice for captaining against Pakistan – except to keep one eye on that Afridi chappie and the other on the ball. Oh yeah, one last thing. Don’t whitewash Pakistan in a series, or they’ll drop you as captain, then pick a couple of buffoons for the job, before realising their mistake, beg you to take the job back and then not even trade in your MBE for an OBE when you win them back The Ashes. And listen Colly, if you win the World Twenty20 and you get an OBE… (Muffled).
Sorry Colly – getting a bit ahead of myself there, a bit hysterical. Don’t know why I got so worked up. You’ve no chance of winning the World Twenty20.”
Click
99.94 
Cook is in the T20 squad? Surely, there are more dynamic top order batsmen in English cricket.
Pakistan have had plenty of practise losing these last few months so it will be interesting to see if they can turn it around. I expect they will after a hard summer in Australia. Although, with the two most unpredictable teams playing one can never be certain.
And what is it about T20 and two match series? Another potentially deciding match isn’t too much to ask is it? They could even play twice in one day if time is an issue. Honestly, I don’t understand it at all.
By: nestaquin on February 20, 2010
at 12:23 am
Very much with you on playing three T20 matches as a minimum for a “series”.
Cook isn’t in the squad, but he is captain for Bangladesh. As we know, Strauss is never sure who is captain of the T20 team.
By: tootingtrumpet on February 20, 2010
at 1:00 am
Eoin Morgan’s star is definitely on the up – he’s a very clean hitter. With something in the pitch and the ball swinging the young Pak batting lineup was definitely in some discomfort – until Razzaq came along who promptly looked as dangerous as before he went the ICL way. England’s bowling looks very steady. I am pleasantly surprised by how good Sidebottom has become as a T20 bowler too. And it’s a shame Swann’s not playing the IPL – he would have been a handful. Colly is a deserved T20 captain.
It was interesting to see Afridi interacting with the players before and during the game. He seems like a big influence on this team even though Malik is the captain at the moment. The players probably also believe that he will be reinstated as captain soon enough. Must be quite strange as a player to have to worry about currying favor with the potential captains, which currently is more than half the team. With all that happening in the background when do they focus on winning as a team? Still, Malik, Razzaq and Afridi in the middle order is arguably the most potentially destructive allrounder bunch in T20 cricket.
By: holysmokes on February 20, 2010
at 4:11 pm
Razzaq!! Such a wasted talent.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 21, 2010
at 6:16 am
The Guardian promoting itself here? That’s a new idea.
By: fred on February 22, 2010
at 7:37 am
An Aggregator looking for pingbacks I think Fred.
Not sure what that means to be honest.
By: The Tooting Trumpet on February 22, 2010
at 9:49 am
I don’t know what it means either or who it was from but it was spam and has been duly deleted.
By: nestaquin on February 23, 2010
at 1:47 am
Tooting, are you really Alan Tyers in disguise? You are amazing with your tapes!
By: Purna on February 24, 2010
at 6:29 pm
Not Tyers, but I know he does something similar. Thanks!
By: tootingtrumpet on February 24, 2010
at 8:14 pm
Don Bradman never owned the highest score in test cricket but his ODI equivalent now does, breaching the 200 barrier to boot. Not that he needed this innings to make the point, but Sachin Tendulkar is inarguably, undisputably, the greatest one day player of all time, well ahead of the likes of Richards, Jayasuriya and Ponting.
By: Rajesh k on February 25, 2010
at 12:02 am
That fountain of youth thing again.
I will have what Sachin is having
By: Dement Horizon on February 25, 2010
at 2:23 am
I understand why you say that, but I think he needs a World Cup medal before it’s indisputable.
By: tootingtrumpet on February 25, 2010
at 3:55 am
No.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 25, 2010
at 4:18 am
I understand, that since you are disputing it, it is, by definition, not indisputable :)
But still, no.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 25, 2010
at 4:21 am
Actually, when Bradman made 334, it was the highest test score at that time. It was taken over by Wally Hammond with 336*.
By: Abhishek on March 5, 2010
at 11:04 am
I consider myself blessed for having watched two of his best one day innings- both at Hyderabad- the first one (186)against New Zealand in 1999, and the second one (175) in 2009 against Australia in a losing cause.
Almost the entire staff at our office packed into the cafeteria once he crossed 150 today – TV on mute, absolute silence when he’s about to face, and then, with a relief, dozens of voices doing the countdown- 21 more! 17 more ! and so on..
This innings should be produced as a DVD and distributed to all schools in cricket playing countries. Sachin has broken the 200* barrier and many other records – but we must not lose this art, this craftsmanship.We must try and unearth the next Sachin Tendulkar- does not matter from which country.He belongs to India yea, but he also belongs to all those who love the game.
Shane Warne was tweeting furiously towards the end :) One can’t help but love him (Warne) for his respect towards the game and its finest practitioners.We are all indeed blessed to be the contemporaries of some Cricketing geniuses.
By: Kumar on February 25, 2010
at 3:56 am
Don Bradman broke Surrey legend Andy Sandham’s world record score of 325 against England at Leeds in 1930. He scored 334, 309 of them on the first day. Unlike Tendulkar there is no credible argument against his genius and freakish abilities.
I’m puzzled by the constant comparisons stemming mostly from Indian fans as the rest of us recognise Tendulkar’s skill, consistency and continuing legacy.
Bradman’s average is astronomical and indisputable and yet while the runs provide the foundation it is his selflessness in coming out of retirement while chronically ill after World War II to lead Australia on an undefeated Ashes tour and his humanism in leading the case of sporting sanctions against Apartheid that make him Australia’s finest cricketer past, present and future.
How about we just enjoy Tendulkar’s batting while he is still playing and leave The Don to rest in peace. The confected connections and comparisons prove nothing except insecurity about Sachin’s status.
And to avoid confusion I fully recognise Tendulkar as the best batsman of the modern era but there is more to a cricketer’s greatness than the accumulation of runs. Like winning important tournaments and series, leadership, responsibility and how they repay cricket after they hang up the boots.
Which brings us back to Andy Sandham. He broke the world record in his final Test match before returning to Surrey to score his 100th First Class century. Upon retirement he coached and guided Surrey to seven consecutive championships and when too old for that he became their scorer and continued to do so until his eyesight failed him in his 80s. Please do not mistake this as a comparison with Tendulkar but that’s a great cricketing life.
By: nestaquin on February 25, 2010
at 11:05 am
Cricket can reveal so much about a man because it offers many ways to greatness (and many ways to fail to be great – ask Afridi).
Sachin has found a route to greatness through his mental strength and technical mastery over so long a career under so intense a spotlight. Bradman found it as Nesta describes, Big Clive through his leadership of his nations (and his World Cup Final hundred), Warne through his wringing of wickets from batsmen’s fear of what might happen, W and W for mastering a new skill in bowling, Gilchrist for playing the next ball as he saw it, no matter what else was happening etc etc etc.
We all have our favourites and they all have their flaws – and that’s how it should be, because to embrace a game and the men who play it is to embrace their humanity and our own. That’s one of the main reasons I spend so much of the brief time we pass this way watching and thinking about the Game – it’s reading about how India stopped on days like this that reminds me that it’s worth it.
By: tootingtrumpet on February 25, 2010
at 12:26 pm
Apologies Nesta for I mistakenly thought it was Hammond who broke Sandham’s record. I was talking purely about one day cricket. I absolutely acknowledge the supremacy of the Don in test cricket and this was not meant as a comparison to him at all. There are many one eyed fans who proclaim Sachin as the greatest ever. I’m sure you know that I’d never belittle the Don’s freakish achievements by considering him anything but the greatest test batsman of all time.
By: Rajesh k on February 25, 2010
at 1:38 pm
It’s all cool Rajesh. I’m very pleased for Sachin and consider him a batsman of the highest quality. Bradman himself remarked that Tendulkar was special.
I have no real argument with the title ‘greatest limited-overs batsman’ but I’m not sure he is the greatest one-day cricketer as there is a whole lot more to cricket than wielding the willow for hours on end.
When Sachin scores the decisive hundred in a World Cup Final away from home, is considered one of the finest fielders inside the ring to have ever played in pyjamas, captains a team of older headstrong alpha males through 16 consecutive Test victories and then backs up and wins the next World Cup and two Champions Trophies undefeated, I’ll humbly change my opinion and disengage my tongue from its mounting in my cheek. ;)
By: nestaquin on February 25, 2010
at 2:37 pm
absolutely spang on, Nesta…
By: Pepp on February 25, 2010
at 10:46 pm
Pepp, I think you’ll find that Nesta wasn’t quite being completely serious here, his tongue being in his cheek and all ;)
I fell for it as well.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 26, 2010
at 1:09 am
I would think that since you requested Nesta to ban me, RajneeshK, you would avoid my posts. As I have requested you to do, and as you apparently wish fervently to do. Otherwise, why request such? But no.
How lucky we all are to have you to interpret other peoples posts for us. What would we do without such assistance. Would we all be lost? Bewildered? Maybe you could just write everyone’s posts for them. No need to instruct, interpret, explain, advise, re arrange, etc.
Actually, I find that I can interpret Nesta’s posts quite well. I have for some time, you know. Even without your help. Yes.. a surprise, I understand that, but it’s quite true. You’ll have to trust me on this. I really can.
And you fell for my ‘spang on’ too. How unfortunate that you are unable to interpret my posts. What a lot of anguish you could save yourself.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 1:29 am
Pepp, I’m glad you noticed. For some time now, I have been drawn to my higher calling, and you finally have realised what it is – interpreting others’ posts purely for your convenience. My concern for your sub-par reading comprehension abilities seems to be justified by your continuing inability to actually spell my name. Please don’t thank me, it’s entirely my pleasure. I shall relentlessly strive to be of assistance in this matter.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 26, 2010
at 1:51 am
Perhaps I should call you the chowkidar of 99.4, the only problem being that no one employed you to do the job. It’s a self appointed position. Not worth a crumpet. But go right ahead. Re interpret, rearrange, request people to be banned, ( and what an invidious position you put Nesta in with such an absurd demand) and in general make a nuisance of yourself over my posts. I’ve lasted longer with better antagonists.
If only Sachin had batted another 28 runs, he could have beaten the world record for runs in an ODI . Held by Belinda Clarke.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 1:57 am
Thank you – chowkidaar will do, more of a personal, only-for-you chowkidaar. I’m glad you have provided your blessing to me to reinterpret etc your posts.
I know, exactly what Sachin was thinking too, I’m sure. You know, I think Dhoni might have a sweet spot for Belinda, which is why he kept Sachin off strike towards the end. Nicely played!
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 26, 2010
at 2:08 am
a chota chowkidaar.. not a burra chowkidaar.. you know who that is, right?
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 2:16 am
I’m sure you’ll enlighten my ignorant chowkidaaring self.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 26, 2010
at 2:21 am
As an Indian I was delighted to enter a time warp yesterday and be mesmerised by a vintage Sachin Tendulkar. The dazzling stroke play was like watching the Tendulkar of his youth.
However I must disagree with Rajesh’s assessment of Tendulkar as the greatest one day batsman ever. He certainly is in the top three, alongside Viv Richards and Michael Bevan. However Richards to mind remains the best ever. An average of 47 and a strike rate in excess of 90 during an era when such numbers were not common place and the contest between bat and ball was more balanced. And his unbeaten 189 surely must be the greatest one day innings of all time both in terms of stroke play and perhaps even more importantly, crisis management.
By: Utster on February 25, 2010
at 3:13 pm
I honestly don’t see a point in comparing these greats based on pure stats.Cricket is a team game and one can’t credit a single individual for victories or defeats.
For all of Sachin’s stats, people can talk about his lack of a world cup medal (conveniently forgetting that Sachin was the top scorer in a couple of world cups). For all of Warne’s achievements, people can compare him with Murali’s better stats and Warne’s inability to dominate Indian batsmen.As for Ponting, I don’t think, inspite of all his achievements, he inspires the same kind of awe across the cricketing world, as say, Sachin, Warne, Gilly and Murali. And then, there is the question of losing two Ashes series in England, and a 2-0 drubbing in the hands of India.Punter has won more tests than any one else.He has also lost more marquee series than any other Australian captain.
So, they are all human and I agree with Toots that we are better served thinking about the ‘game’ and its impact on people.
As for Sachin – His greatness lies not just in stats and in longevity, and in carrying the burden of expectations of a billion plus resurgent nation (including the diaspora), and in playing all the shots in the book and some more, and in scoring heavily against the best attacks under varying conditions, and in being a great ambassador for the game and his nation, and in being a great human being doing his unpublicised charity work – his greatness is a sum of all these things.
Andrew Symonds once gifted a tee-shirt to Sachin and wrote on it: “To Sachin – the man we all want to be like.”
By: Kumar on February 25, 2010
at 4:22 pm
I think Kumar is right. But let me just scratch the itch, please :)
“When Sachin scores the decisive hundred in a World Cup Final away from home, is considered one of the finest fielders inside the ring to have ever played in pyjamas, captains a team of older headstrong alpha males through 16 consecutive Test victories and then backs up and wins the next World Cup and two Champions Trophies undefeated, I’ll humbly change my opinion and disengage my tongue from its mounting in my cheek. ;)”
On this, I have to respectfully disagree with you, Nesta. All of these achievements are phenomenal, and his team is rightly regarded as the greatest ODI side of all time. Note – his team. The world cups, the victories – his part in those were arguably the greatest of any in his team (Gilly and McGrath would come close), and yet, he could play with nowhere near the level of stifling pressure and responsibility that Tendulkar always did till 3 years ago or so. Ponting scored one of the great tons of all time in the 2003 WC, while his great rival flopped on the same stage. Absolutely true, but the way people chose to forgot why India were even in the final in the first place flabbergasts me. It was one of the very few finals in which Tendulkar flopped.
For me, the criteria for greatest is simple – if I were to pick an all-time side, who would I pick first; whose name would occur to me first? In Tests the answer is simple – I’d pick the Don and then the rest. In ODIs, it’s equally simple to me – and I think a lot of people would make the same choice I’d make.
To paraphrase you, when Mr. Ponting does all those things when he’s expected to be the only one standing with his finger in the dike, I’ll change my opinion.
Viv Richards is a comparison we can truly make only ten years or so after Tendulkar retires. The King was frighteningly good, but it pains me to say that posterity has enhanced his standing ever so slightly. I remember his swagger, and his certainty that he’d destroy the oppositon – and then he’d actually do it. But I choose to forget the batsman he was twelve years or so into his career – his eyes shot, still relying on those magnificent reflexes, but clearly not the King.
In 2022, when we choose to forget Tendulkar’s injury-enforced travails in the mid-2000s, Tendulkar will be seen in an entirely new, sepia-tinted light.
“…but there is more to a cricketer’s greatness than the accumulation of runs.”
This was a bit disappointing, Nesta – I’m sure you didn’t mean this statement to reflect what you think of Tendulkar. His career has been about a lot, LOT more than the accumulation of runs. For non-Indians, it may sound facile and overblown, but there’s an indefinable way he has united us and improved the quality of our lives not just with his runs and triumphs, but also with his demeanour, his humility and importantly, his defiant opposition to anyone who’d chose to claim him for any community smaller than the whole nation.
By: Rajesh K on February 25, 2010
at 6:38 pm
I like it Rajesh!
When Tendulkar’s career began, say the word India in the West, and images of famine, cows walking down thoroughfares and poverty pretty much covered the Westerner’s view. (Cricket and hockey fans had a little more, but not a lot). As his career is approaching its finish, India in western eyes, is hi-tech booming industry, Bollywood and millionaire cricketers. It is a mark of Tendulkar’s genius that he is at home in 2010 as he was in 1990 and just as potent a symbol.
By: tootingtrumpet on February 25, 2010
at 9:28 pm
much more well put than I did, and succinct.
By: Rajesh K on February 25, 2010
at 9:36 pm
And Nesta, since your tongue is still planted firmly in its mounting in your cheek, I shall struggle no more with this metallic hook that is dragging me by the cheek towards the surface, and accept that I fell for that clever bait hook, line and sinker.
Well played, sir!
By: Rajesh K on February 25, 2010
at 9:16 pm
I was surprised at the response Raj and decided to not comment because I didn’t want my sly and dry humour to cause further offense. I certainly wouldn’t dare to mention Sachin’s two stints as skipper or how he quit the post mid-tour but what I will say is it’s about time people ceased using the tired excuse about Australia’s excellence to denigrate Ponting.
For the record only one player has played in Australia’s last three World Cup and dual Champions Trophy triumphs. Since the 1999 World Cup he has played with 56 different team-mates and through example he has inspired, most, if not all of them, to perform at their very best when it mattered most. The best of the lot, SKWarne played his last ODI ten years ago!
As for first picked in a fictitious teams I prefer the question, who would you choose to play for your life?
For me there is no confusion. I doubt he’d make many All Time World XIs though. My man is as fierce and cunning as a hungry tiger snake and as ruthless as life itself. The more pressure the taller he stood and with an open mind and a generous heart he is a man you could trust with your life on and off the field.
Can you guess? I’ll give a clue. He won two World Cups. One as a death bowler, the other as a middle-order batsman.
By: nestaquin on February 26, 2010
at 11:49 am
I meant my mea culpa, by the way – I thought I’d gone over the top in my defence when you clearly were indulging in some sly and dry humour and that fishhook metaphor was a genuine apology.
I think my question – who’d you pick first – and your question – who’d you pick to play for your life – are similar. I agree with you on every point about Ponting the cricketer, and I certainly don’t want to belittle his extraordinary achievements as player, fielder and captain.
We’re blessed to be watching such players day in and day out – cricketing excellence, at the one day level at least, has gone up several notches – the bulk of it due to Australia and their never-to-be-surpassed unbroken chain of captains. Border and Taylor took them to the top of the Test tree, but ODIs, there is no doubt, the greatest captain has been the man you refer to, the man who defied biology by running on ice water. Mr. Waugh would certainly be captain of my all-time ODI team.
Please don’t take my defence of Tendulkar to be a condemnation of others. Everything has a context, and just as people put too much emphasis on “he-hasn’t-won-as-many-games” with Tendulkar (it’s hardly his fault he played in some sub-par teams), the flip side holds true as well.
If I were to answer your question, there is no confusion in my mind either. That man would be the opener and first name on my all-time ODI team, the one who has performed at his best under pressure in tournament finals, from Colombo to Sharjah to Sydney to Kolkata. That is the man I want playing for my life.
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 12:38 pm
Another summer of cricket at home is over for AU, it seemed endless, as all summers do, and full of great cricket, unfortunately, none of that was displayed by either Pakistan, or the WI.
Yet they had it all, really. Great batsmen, great bowlers, great pitches, great conditions. Only one match was abandoned due to rain, and that was looking to be a shoo – in by AU anyways.
What Pakistan and the WI didn’t have was a fielding mentality. I don’t think I have seen worse fielding, really. Perhaps India 2007, but I expected that, I didn’t expect the really abysmal stuff that was never, at any time, improved or upped, or changed. The same errors over and over again. Gayle and his wierd coin toss calling was , in the end, the stuff of just gobsmacked idiocy.
Win after win after win. In any format. At every ground. One draw, and the WI could have won that. Pakistan came close to one win, but sank back into some parallel universe that bore no relation to cricket as I know it.
While it was tremendous fun watching England sink 5-0 in that glorious mad tilt of theirs to retain the Ashes 2006 ( people paid big money to see England lose time and again that tour, myself included) there were no laughs to be had with the WI and Pakistan. Afridi had a commedian’s attitude, but it wasn’t enough.
Gayle whined and moaned, “Watson’s soft, Bollinger who? ‘ but Dougie bowled Gayle out first up 6 times. Watson was Man of the Series. Gayle predicted a turning point, it never came. Yusef didn’t say much, and looked hopeful, but it didn’t happen. No moaning from Yusef, though, and for this, much thanks.
And so on, to NZ. NZ has the capacity to make an AU cricket fan cry and weep, I expect nothing less from Vettori and Co. And well done, to AU, and the Punter and Pup Clarke and all. We were treated to some tremendous batting and bowling and the usual excellent fielding, always the telling point of any team in any game. This summer, AU’s fielding was brilliant, none more so than the Punter, the eagle eye in top form.
By: Pepp on February 25, 2010
at 11:01 pm
And this would be the same India of 2007 that narrowly lost the tests and narrowly won the ODIs then? Their batting and bowling must have been a hell of a lot better to make up for the vastly inferior fielding then. This is an exciting developing Aussie team – don’t cheapen your appreciation of them by stooping to sly digs at others.
Australia were brilliant this summer – it takes a unique brand of professionalism and drive to go a whole summer unbeaten, even against relatively poor teams. It’s a raw, exciting new team that is being shaped before us, and if Ricky Ponting can shape Australia’s next world beating team in his own image, that will have been the crowning achievement of even his accomplished career. Can’t wait for these young guns to visit India later this year.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 26, 2010
at 1:27 am
Narrowly lost the tests?? Narrowly?? in what way NARROWLY???what on EARTH are you on about? India’s fielding was abysmal. Even you, blinded by nuttiness must admit that. Just don’t read my posts, Rajneesh K.. You can save yourself a lot of time and effort, you don’t need to hunt down and stalk my posts, merely to then complain about them. Just avoid them!!. .it’s SO SIMPLE!.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 1:33 am
Save yourself the aneurysm and look up the scoreline.
My time, my effort, mine to use as I please – and I think you don’t give my nuttiness enough credit. I’m utterly blinded by it, and thus will strive to hunt and stalk you.
You know, if you’re so bothered by me being so bothered – let me just copy+paste – Just avoid them!!. .it’s SO SIMPLE!.
By: Rajesh Kannan on February 26, 2010
at 1:55 am
Whoa.. I see Modi has taken a swing at Ricky. Silly silly man.
But that won’t affect my delight with the IPL stuff. I just love it. Loved it from the first ball of the first match , and have had my adoration of it increased. I am lucky that I dont have to churn myself about ‘which is best’.. or pretend a sort of heirachy of cricket that simple doesn’t exist. I can enjoy it all.
Of course, getting it free to air helps. Would I pay to watch it? Probably. Yes, I am sure I would if I had to.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 2:03 am
hmm. great silence in all the Brit newspapers re the Winter Olympics. The big roar was , in summer that England had overcome its sporting problems re Au, and had finally passed them on the ladder. Well over due. Battling those Americans decade in, and decade out, all alone, in the swimming was a heavy load.
But not a lot of all this stuff currently..a large silence has descended. Still, it will be nice to see it all starting up again at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
I just wish that T20 was one of the entries. I will never understand why India didn’t make it a condition of holding the thing.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 2:24 am
Ugh.. Tomorrow, Wellington NZ. Whoever bowls into the wind is done for.
But my fave cricketers of all time, St Shane Bond and the huge and nifty sainted Oram are in the squad.
We need to have a small wager, Nestaquin. Bond versus Tait.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 2:30 am
Bond better bowl well to young Dave Warner because the tiniest error in line or length will be punished! I’m on Snowtown to inflict the most damage.
By: nestaquin on February 26, 2010
at 12:01 pm
Snow has bowled them stuff so fast they can’t play it, Nesta. It’s rather horrid to watch, actually. Shuddering stuff.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:21 pm
I don’t see the point of trying to figure out “the greatest” amongst the various candidates. Each operate in such different contexts its silly trying to evaluate one against the other.
Bradman of course is head and shoulders, but after from that, there’s a small group that only tragic fanatics would quibble about. Oh, I see the point now:)
Nesta, nice sketch of Ponting, pretty impressive, all those runs, at the same time as the leadership and the fielding.
Who would have thought, the biggest clash of the summer came not from the visiting teams but between Pepp and Rajesh.
Maybe the competition wasn’t always the best, but it was fun to see some new talent emerging. The sardonic world-weary experience of McGrath and Warne replaced by the excitement and enthusiasm of Siddle and Harris.
By: fred on February 26, 2010
at 4:11 am
It is my fate to attract the lunatic fringe, Fred. It was ever so and one must play the cards fate deals.
I didn’t mention the new talent emerging, ( the adorable Smith, Warner, I’ll even include the Lazarus like Watto here for the hell of it . et al ) as my flights of superlatives would enrage the pernickity.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 10:37 am
oh gosh.. poor Kev.. out for 6. Has he scored anything o’er 10 since his return from his botched leg thingo?
I wish I could get a translation from Moldovanian to English on my little voodoo doll. I am sure this would help.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 10:45 am
It was entertaining, though, Fred, wasn’t it? Just as Pepp inspires the lunatic in me, I seem to inspire the Nurse Ratched in her :)
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 12:41 pm
I’ve got it. It’s been bugging me for a while but I’ve finally figured out who Pepp reminds me of. This was the clue:
“It was ever so and one must play the cards fate deals.”
Scarlett O’Hara.
But tomorrow is another day.
Scarlett: the ultimate drama queen, intelligent, sexy, combative, pain in the arse, stubborn, passionate, slightly unhinged, beautiful, and certainly more than a handful for Rhett.
Sorry to be personal Pepp, but your inner Scarlett just shines through.
By: fred on February 26, 2010
at 3:07 pm
I’ll have to research who Nurse Ratched is.
By: fred on February 26, 2010
at 3:10 pm
One flew over the cuckoo’s nest – she’s the sadistic caretaker of the lunatic asylum.
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 3:24 pm
you must be very old, then , to tap into Nurse Ratched.. of course, you would remember well who actually wound up still walking around, dishing out the tablets, distributing the syrups while Randle was lobotomised to the max, and mercifully strangled by the Chief. Unless this lobotomy has already happened to you? Lets hope your saviour Chief arrives soon. Ken Kesey’s novel was all about not biting off what you can’t chew. Randle discovered this in the end.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 4:52 pm
I just want to be Jack Nicholson, that’s all :-D
Who doesn’t?
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 5:08 pm
These fanatics seem to have taken over Cricinfo as well :)
http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa2010/content/current/story/449882.html
By: Kumar on February 26, 2010
at 3:19 pm
And of course, the Guardian has to milk this page view bonanza for all its worth – their latest poll asks the question – Is SRT the greatest ever, ahead of Bradman? I’m sure the Guardian writers don’t believe that, but who can pass on the chance to siphon some ad dollars away from Cricinfo?
Patrick Kidd over at the Times wrote a joke piece saying Bopara is superior as he has scored > 200 in a match in ltd overs (first class, of course). And then pretended to be surprised as the wrath of Shiva and the angry Indian mob descended the comments section :-D
Someone should do a marketing case study out of all this – How to increase page views by provoking the angry Indian mob
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 3:36 pm
My own suggestion for page view enhancement is an article which goes like this:
Tendulkar better than the Don
Sachin Tendulkar is a greater cricketer than the Don. Neither Amitabh Bacchan nor Shahrukh Khan, the two iconic Indian actors who portrayed the Don, can compare in cricketing greatness to Sachin Tendulkar.
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 3:45 pm
Apropos the Guardian, I see that complete dunce, Dileep is still sitting carefully in his armchair hidden from view, wailing on about why won’t people just play cricket to entertain him ( so he can pick up a few rupees for writing very badly about it ) put their lives at risk, and do what Dileep in his wildest imaginings wouldn’t do YET AGAIN.
You would think that his previous pratfall re cricket and terrorism would have brought some tiny insight, some smidgen of wisdom, but no.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:00 pm
alrighty then. NZ to bat. Snowtown on the prowl and looking majestic and calm. Mc Callum at bat, along with Peter Ingram.
I can’t see Tait’s entourage in the crowd. I am looking for a lot of beard , a lot of belly and a lot of flannel shirts.
haha. and Mc Cullum out. That was about 153kph .1 down and 6 to go, Snow.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:05 pm
Just to explain the Snowtown for Tait nickname, Fred. Just incase you’ve been expatriate for so long!!. .
It relates to a very terrible series of murders in South Australia, at a place called Snowtown, for no discernible reason. The name of the town, I mean. It has never to my knowledge ever snowed anywhere in South Australia. In the end, there were 7 bodies in a barrel hoarded inside a defunct bank building. And it comes from Tait getting 7 wickets one day.
Awful. I know.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:08 pm
I was just going to ask what that nickname meant – I got as far as thinking “snow town, Shaun Tait – same initials”. Obviously no way to guess the real meaning.
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 5:17 pm
Nesta.. I am getting a very good pic and sound here..
http://cricket2-funchoose.blogspot.com/2009/12/live-cricket-server-2.html
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:35 pm
this is amazing – which channel is it on?
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 5:48 pm
I have got good pictures on both channel 1 and 2 and also 6 . Now.. good luck with it. It may be different for you for where you are.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:55 pm
2 works ok – stop start, but something’s better than nothing. This is terrific – but don’t publicise it too much, they’ll take it down.
By: Rajesh K on February 26, 2010
at 5:58 pm
The Cake Tin at Wellington looks packed to the rafters. Fabulous NZers all painted up in the black and white. Scary stuff. But the NZ commentator already sounds buggered and bewildered. It’s the fielding by the AU side that his him stuffed. He can’t get past it.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:42 pm
a dropped catch by Haddin that was chased by Watto as well gave the NZ blokes a bit of relief. Next ball, Watto nails it. Johnson bowling like a maniac.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:46 pm
I will scout around and find some other sites for you if this doesnt work. Let me know. There are plenty , but you need broadband, which I assume you have. It very much depends on your server for the pic quality, I get quite a good one, with a few odd stutters, but generally I do quite well with these underground sites.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 5:59 pm
The link works fine Pepp. 118 doesn’t sound too many.
By: nestaquin on February 26, 2010
at 6:28 pm
Not as many as the NZers would like, I assume.. well. I dont think it’s enough, Nesta …. That was a brilliant bit of wrangling by Haddin the second last wicket.
I reckon Shane Warne’s renovation of Watson surpasses anything ole Mary McKillop managed to perform. In Spades.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:30 pm
Now the NZers have got the hang of playing TO the pace. Excellent batting off screamers by Tait and Johnson. Bit late, but nonetheless, excellent batting.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:03 pm
Big moment for me. Jacob Oram in to bat. * dreamy eyed*
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:08 pm
so soon!!.. great catch by Watson. Bybye , Jacob
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:14 pm
I just fainted. Shane Bond. Lord god almighty he is so gorgeous. He bamboozled Warner to the max..
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:42 pm
Warner has unbamboozled himself now.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 6:49 pm
Yes I remember those bodies in a barrel. South Australians hey, who’d have thought?
By: fred on February 26, 2010
at 7:00 pm
http://hitcric.tk/
I lost the other transmission. This one is working fine.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 7:01 pm
ooo nice result. 4 overs to spare. In a 20/20.
I honestly didn’t expect that kind of win. I will have to rejig my conclusions about the home summer play , now.
oh fred. .they don’t do much murdering in South Australia, but when they do, they do it wierd as all get out.
By: Pepp on February 26, 2010
at 7:53 pm
got to watch the quiet ones.
By: fred on February 26, 2010
at 9:14 pm
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at 10:34 am