The Ugly side of IPL has cast it’s Shadow yet again with the arrests this morning of Sreesanth and two other teammates of the Rajasthan Royals for Spot Fixing

IPL ~ Close it or Clean it

There’s too much as Stake to kill a Golden Goose ~ the Brand,the Franchise Owners Investments ~ so IPL commentator Harsha Bogle and BCCI President N Srinivasan said closing IPL  is not the solution ~ let’s strengthen the Cleaning Process instead and weed out what is bad about the IPL

Really ! Ironically and tongue in cheek  Cleaning IPL would reduce the stakes ~ would it not ! ~ and if the Rot begins at the Top,cleaning it would mean Closing down the IPL itself !   ~ ask Mr Unclean himself,ex IPL Commissioner ,Mr Lalit Modi who tweets that he has not created the IPL Monster but the Monster sits in Chennai !

Put the Fear of God in the Players ~ convict those arrested and Jail them says one Expert on TV News Channels

But what about putting the Fear of God into those who administrate the Game ! ~or are they God !?

My Clear Sense is that the Anti Corruption Unit of BCCI should have kept a tab on Bookie and Player Movements ~ how could they not realise that bookies were staying in the same Hotel as the Players in Mumbai ! ?

Another Vocal Panelist, a lawyer who is now a famous activist bluntly stated that the local police are the business partners of the bookies and it is they who give the go ahead to the bookies to go about their business !

A Film Director tweeted that like Horse Racing Betting ,even Betting in Cricket should be legalised ~ does he not realise the huge extent of Fixing that takes place in Horse Racing  !

I particular loved one response in the social media that exclaimed what’s the big deal that the player sells an over in spot fixing ! ~ Does not BCCI and IPL sell hundreds of Players in Open Auctions !

If the Delhi Police had conveyed last month itself  to the BCCI that they have these players and bookies under wiretap surveillance because they had leads on them,I bet this situation would not have arisen as these players would have been warned by someone ! ~ Deliberately and wisely the Delhi kept it under wraps from even the Anti Corruption Unit of the BCCI lest it leak out  ~ It was not a Joint Operation !

Of course Fans are cheated of a fairly fought game ~ seriously one of those who spend thousands to go for any one of the three games in which Spot Fixing has been detected and arrests made ~ namely  in Mumbai last night,or Jaipur or Mohali should take BCCI and the Franchise Owners to court accusing them of having failed in their responsibility to curb Spot Fixing and Corruption that resulted in them watching deliberate under performances,rather under-the-table performances in these three matches !

Where there are Obscene Levels of  Monies Involved and therefore High Stakes it will quickly breed a Fertile Ground for Corruption and Fixing  ~ IPL Cricket is no exception  ~ Tennis  & Premier Football leagues in the World  ~ all have been hugely tainted by Bribery and Corruption and rampant Match fixing and dropping Scandals

Now you must easily guess and realise why top Politicians head State & National Cricketing Bodies !

T-20,in my view, is formatted for sheer entertainment to bring in the crowds and popularize the game to a wider audience ~ the Game was  otherwise losing popularity worldwide in often boring 5 day test Matches that ended in Draws and even 50 Overs ODIs that were not as entertaining ~ Speed and Instant Nirvana are the two guiding Mantras ~ we want the big Hitters all the time ! ~ Purists hate this version and as for me I don’t hate it but am simply not enamoured by it as it’s more a Hit Out or Get Out Version and a budding Cricketer cannot truly hone his Cricketing Skills like he can in the traditional version  !

Actually My Prayers go out to the Rankha Family in Mumbai ~ they lost their 13 year old son a few days ago ~ he was kidnapped by his elder cousins for ransom but killed by them  ~ what conspired the kidnapping plan was that the cousins had to pay up for huge IPL Betting Losses  ~ what an irony if they had bet against the fixing bookies on the three matches under cloud of Spot Fixing ! ~ they could never have won!

And Mr Harsha Bhogle this is one of the serious bad sides of the IPL ~ the good side as you state are the livelihoods created for hundreds of middle class families by their IPL Cricketer Sons Earnings ~ but what about the bad side that involves the Underworld and has millions in betting and losing millions,in probably spot fixed matches and resorting to crime to repay !

Perhaps T 10 is next !

IPL Spot Fixing Scandal Erupts today  with Sreesanth & Two Teammates,Ankeet Chavan & Ajit Chandila of Rajasthan Royals arrested  along with Bookies and Foreign Players and other IPL Team Players too under the Scanner ~ Chandila has revealed that he was following Sreesanth’s instructions 

Perhaps Harbhajan should have done more than just Slapped Sreesanth in an earlier year and which had him in Tears ~ More to Cry now for Sreesanth if he really has indulged in Spot Fixing and received huge Sums of Monies from the Bookies !

Should be Fun reading what ex IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, who’s run away to London to escape from being arrested in India for IPL mismanagement and malpractices etc,has to tweet on this matter ! ~ his BCCI Powerful Friends have turned into Foes for him now !

Have been saying this for Years that Cricket is no longer a Gentlemen’s Game ~ Check earlier blogs on this as linked below  ~ have simply never been enamoured by IPL  and the way BCCI administers the game like a ‘Hitler’ ~and all because of  the Obscene Monies Involved that I believe has spoiled all involved in it too ~ from Cricketers and Administrators to Commentators and Owners and Associates that  includes  even Media Personnel ~ but I do love the Cheerleaders !  ~ and sadly even two days ago caused the murder of a young  Mumbai 13 year old by his cousins who had lost heavily in IPL Betting and had kidnapped him for ransom but killed him

……and you guys have been paying Thousands of Rupees to go see IPL Matches Live ~ now many of them under Cloud of being Spot Fixed !

….and all this bullshit ‘Zero Tolerance ‘ Policy by BCCI and IPL Franchise Owners is less to do with punishing perpetrators strongly and more to do with those who are exposing it !

Seems the Players being jailed in England for Spot Fixing has not really been a deterrent

Media Reports that a well known Overseas Player also from Rajasthan Royals is under the scanner ~ Check out the full 32 Member RR Squad for IPL 6 and the 10 Overseas Players in it 

Media Reports say that there is a video recording with the Delhi Police that  Ankeet Chavan had agreed  with the Bookies to Spot Fix and give away atleast 13 runs in  an Over in the 66th IPL 6 Match against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai last evening ~ He actually gave away 15 in the Third Over of the Match  with 14 coming of the first three Balls ! ~ he had Opened the Bowling for RR ! This is the Ball to Ball hitting by Glenn Maxwell off Chavan’s second and Innings third Over ~ Chavan was deliberately allowing Maxwell to hit ,so it is alleged ~ and here we were applauding Maxwell for the Two 6s while the Bookies and Chavan were applauding themselves and laughing all the way to the bank  for the deliberate bad bowling as had been agreed on before in Spot Fixing !  ~ Chavan has been with the RRs from 2011 and has played only 3 of the 15 IPL 6 Matches for RR this season

Just a coincidence that Mumbai won by 14 Runs ! scoring 166 and RR chasing to fall short by scoring 152 

• 02.6	A Chavan to A Tare, no run, 91.46 KM/H good length on middle stump. He goes hard at the ball, but straight to the fielder

• 12.5	A Chavan to G Maxwell, 83.30 KM/H good length going down leg. He picks up a single down to fine leg

• 02.4	A Chavan to G Maxwell, no run, 85.72 KM/H good length on leg stump. Straight to the fielder

• 62.3	A Chavan to G Maxwell, 82.25 KM/H good length just outside off stump. He hits a great shot for 6, that has gone all the way straight down the ground

• 22.2	A Chavan to G Maxwell, 80.89 KM/H good length just outside off stump. He picks up two through mid-wicket

• 62.1	A Chavan to G Maxwell, 75.27 KM/H short length on leg stump. He hits a great shot, 6 ! that has gone all the way through mid-wicket

A Thought  cannot escape my Mind ~ How do we view the fantastic record breaking and Match winning Innings of Gayle and Miller and Watson and Pollard in this IPL ? ~ in that they could not have done this without Spot Fixing and therefore being allowed to hit ! ?  ~ and they all won the  Man of the Match Award too !  ~ The Shadow is Cast Deep and Wide ! ~ and as ex India Pacer Atul Wassan comments on TV Channels ~ ” In our Cricketing Network  we know all this happens but I cannot give names as to who indulges in this and have got away too ! ~ This new Expose & Arrests is only the tip of the Iceberg !” ~ Well Mr Wassan,it is your Duty to come forward and tell the Police what you do know ! ~ or else you would be viewed as a passive accomplice or a guy who just boasts that he knows

Once Upon A Time Cricket was a Gentlemen’s Game…Now tainted forever with Match and Spot Fixing and Illegal Betting…my passion for the game has ebbed considerably

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Sting Operation on Matchfixing exposes current Pakistan Cricket Players……Cricket stopped being a Gentleman’s Game a Long Time ago….Racism , Matchfixing ,Corruption ,Nepotism,Selection Bias,ICC Bias…

Monday, August 30th, 2010

IPL Cricket Stink…providing a link to some bluntness

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Twitter Shashi Tharoor gets a Taste of Twitter Lalit Modi !

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Modicracy and Tharoorgate !…do you really expect them to be sacked!?….Tharoor may merely resign…Modi will not!

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Fixing in Football ~ Horse Racing ~ Cricket  ~ Cycling ~ Tennis ~ Olympics ~ Libor Rate

What about Stock Market Fixing !? ~ Nah ! It’s a rhetoric question !

Just Like when Footballers deliberately lose Matches ~Just Like when Horses are not allowed to run on Merit by the Jockeys ~ Just Like Spot Fixing in Cricket ~Just Like Steroids and Banned Drugs being taken by Competitors across Sports  for that  Unfair Advantage ~Just Like Tennis players throw matches for money~  Just like Olympic Athletes dope to outperform and win medals ~ Just Like influencing Libor Rate Setting to take leveraged profitable positions on consequent trends

So it is in Stock Exchanges  for that Unfair Advantage ! ~ Insider Trading ~ Stocks being allowed to run beyond merit ~Selective Punishment ~ Circular Trading ~Biased IPO Gradings ~ High Frequency Trading making a mockery of Research & Fairplay

ABBA Song says it all :

“I wouldn’t have to work at all, I’d fool around and have a ball…

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man’s world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man’s world “

Till you’re caught ,that is !

BCCI is Mindless !  ~ allowing and in fact ensuring Indian Cricketers succumb to Mind Games in International Matches even at Home in India!

We lost away in England and Australia ~ in fact got thrashed !

We lost to England at Home  !

And Now we have lost to Pakistan at Home ! ~ Disastrous Batting and Not Penetrative enough Bowling ~ except for some stray performances !

All under Captain Dhoni and BCCI !

Sehwag takes the Catch in slips aff a Jadeja Ball and Wk Capt Dhoni runs off to celebrate with Jadeja ignoring Sehwag !…

…….and they call it the Dressing Room Divide !

The Divide  has been created by BCCI and Dhoni ~ a Superstar who’s unable to command respect from other superstars !

It’s all about Monies ! and the Arrogance and how Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely ! ~ you are in control to spend Billions of Dollars in the BCCI Kitty the way you want ! ~ why do you think top politicians head state cricketing bodies ! ~you create a hotbed concept like  IPL and run it like your fiefdom ~ This not only is corrupting young talent but also is affecting the game of  established Indian Cricketers who approach Test Matches and 50 overs ODIs with a T 20 mindset  and throw their wicket cheaply attempting uncalled for and rash strokes

I completely am in sync with the worry that  just retired Rahul Dravid voiced ” I’m more worried about the lack of Solid Batting Talent in India once the legendary powerhouses have all retired ! ~ Who will take their place !”

Who will indeed !

What can we do about it !

When Dhoni came onto the scene years ago in a fearless swashbuckling style with iconic long hair and helicopter strokes ,I became an Instant Fan ~ He deserved all the Adulation and Endorsements and Monies he made ~ but clearly the past few years all this has gone to his head and his game and captaincy has suffered ~ some of his on field strategies have been inexplicable ~ often a strong impression is felt that he simply does not care if we win or lose! ~ no fire in the belly ! no passion ! ~ that we saw in him when he burst onto the scene years ago ~ got him and Harbhajan Singh at the Town Hall Stamp Duty Office in Mumbai a few years ago registering property they had invested in now upscale Lower Parel area in Mumbai ~ Nothing wrong in such judicious Investments except that it creates an impression that riches from the Fat Fees from BCCI and State Bodies and IPL and ofcourse Big Endorsements and the hero worship by a cricket crazy nation has gone to their head and  led to complacency and underperformance  and taking their place for granted in the Team

Cricket is no longer a Gentlemen’s Game ! ~ The Patriotism,the Passion ,the Prestige to earn and own an India Cap…all diluted for ‘Paisa’ !

Sad ! Because Cricket was a my passion at one time ! played and captained the game at school,college and club high levels in the spirit it must be played ! ~ was a regular at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and could sit out all five days of a Test Match dissecting the game ball by ball ~ even gave shadow running commentary ~ tend to do this even now while watching a live game on TV ~my son,whose cricketing acumen too is splendid,thinks I should have become a Cricket Commentator !

I have seen how BCCI and the Politicians who head it  destroy and corrupt the Cricketing Culture and Spirit over the Years ! ~ one only has to look at how the State Cricketing Bodies and & BCCI Elections are held to conclude the rot in the governing and administration of such a lovely game ~ Match Fixing , Nepostism and Favouritism with State Quotas,Arrogance of  Administrators & Selectors

BCCI wants to take credit for all wins ~ it must take the responsibility too for all loss !

And one last Thought ! ~ am disgusted how ex test cricketers ,many of them who are now commentators,keep dropping judgements and opinions and changing them the way the wind and BCCI blows ! ~ for fear of losing lucrative contracts and powerful committee posts

These are your Godfathers of Cricket in India ! ~ and I don’t mean this kindly ! ~ one was found with Foreign Currency stashed away in his Club Locker many years ago and a wife who was involved in shady Gold Coins Membership Drive ~ and one who loves the Good Life and who’s been questioned for involvement by Enforcement Directorate in Currency Violations in IPL  and who’s wife has left him !

It’s a Question  of Propriety  ~ If it is suspect in Personal Life how do you expect practicing it in Cricket !

Cricketing Administration needs to be overhauled completely ~ did you know BCCI is not really the Government of India ! ~ and so the Indian Team selected by them is technically not an India Team representing our Country ! ~ Imagine the Minister of Sports commenting that he cannot interfere in BCCI as it is an autonomous body !

Dhoni wants an Eden turner from Day 1! ~ Methinks he wants England to win again ! ~ At Wankhede in Mumbai our legendary Batsmen came up Ducks against Swann and Monty made them do the Full Monty ! ~ while Peterson and Cook made our Spinners look pretty ordinary ! ~ and England levelled the Test Series 1:1 ~ a literal ‘Spin’ to the Story that India had prescripted !

Doctored Pitches and Insider Trading are two sides of the same coin !

I quite agree with Prabhir Mukherjee,the octagenerian Eden Garden Curator,when he terms Dhoni’s demand as “Immoral” ~last year when India beat England in an ODI at Kolkata he had countered Dhoni’s accusation that it was an ugly pitch by scoffing him “Pitches don’t score runs,Batsmen do !”

When Dhoni burst on to the Indian scene in swashbuckling style he had captured our Nation’s Imagination & Heart ~ I loved when he came on to bat and showed guts and a fiery spirit and demolished the opposition with unconventional strokeplay ~ he was swarmed with Endorsements and quickly became very rich and also an Influential Individual who called the shots at Selecting the Indian Team

All this ,in my view,doused his killer instincts and it showed in his strategies and ridiculous decision making on the field of play and prompted me to blog several times on this as I was really cut off with Dhoni ~ Check out my earlier posts on Dhoni that question his tactics

Dhoni seems increasingly disinterested….India all out for 296 after being 267 for 1 !…and then Nehra ensures we lose to South Africa who successfully chase 13 in the first four balls of the last over

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

Dhoni blames IPL Parties and Poor Performance for India’s poor show at the World Cup T 20 !…you really need to seriously introspect ,Dhoni !

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

India Throw their Wickets and Throw the Super 8 T 20 World Cup match against Australia

Saturday, May 8th, 2010

India just short balled out of the ICC T-20 Cricket World Cup

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Dhoni Bashing because he’s not Bashing !

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

I’m inclined to side with Shah Rukh Khan …v/s MCA…I blogged on this in detail yesterday…and why IPL Chairman and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs,Congressman and ex Journalist and TV Anchor Rajiv Shukla may too just side with him !

The Issue is already Political….Laloo Prasad and Kirti Azad side SRK…even  Mamata Banerjee,the CM of West Bengal has requested that MCA reverse the proposed 5 year Ban on SRK to enter Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai…BCCI is to make the final decision,as Rajiv Shukla asserts

There’s a strong business link between SRK and Rajiv Shukla’s listed Company BAG Films…and also a stink of Insider Trading in it a few years ago

Check out my blogs on this in 2010,2009 and 2008 as below

IPL Cricket Stink…providing a link to some bluntness

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Who do we Believe !…Shah Rukh Khan’s Version of what unfolded at Wankhede Stadium last night or that of the Mumbai Cricket Association ( MCA) Officials

Yesterday,Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders won their game against Mumbai Indians in a crucial IPL match as we move to decide the four teams that will enter the  playoffs

….but Shah Rukh Khan was not there during the Match…he came in later…and is claimed he behaved like a ‘Don’ in real life !

MCA Version

Shah Rukh Khan tried to enter the Ground with his bodyguards and even an entourage of children after the floodlights had been shut off…and that was when the trouble started…a security guard refused him entry and he began abusing him…the abuse soon extended to MCA and even BCCI Officials who were not even present…even Cabinet Minister,Vilasrao Deshmukh was not spared…before all of this he even abused a Mumbai India Girl Supporter for supporting the Mumbai Indians when she had approached him for an autograph

…he was drunk….”Who the hell are you…..I’ll see who evicts me from here….This is my city…..who is your boss….I’ll bury him right here !”…are some of his boasts as related by MCA Treasurer Ravi Sawant and Spokesman Nitin Dalal who smelled that he was drunk ….MCA has filed a Police Complaint with the Marine Drive Police Station for verbal abuse,threatening and even assault….A Police Chief of ACP Rank had escorted Shah Rukh Khan away from the stadium last night while he continued to be abusive…why did they not test him for alcohol,at the time or later when the complaint was filed in the night

Shah Rukh Khan’s Version

…and Shah Rukh Khan’s has just stated his  Defence and Version of what unfolded last night …briefing the media from his residence ‘Mannat’….says he was not Drunk…I only drink socially…. the Officials were High Handed and with a High Attitude…the Security physically manhandled little girls,who are not even thirteen in the name of security…they should apologise to me….one short official wearing spectacles was abusive and as I rushed to him he hid behind the other officials…the security guard had come at me aggressively uttering in Marathi that which cannot be repeated …I was not abusive to any girl as has been reported…I did not want to be on the field… I just wanted to pick my children and their friends…I ran on to the ground to tell the Security not to touch the girls in the group in the guise of security…yes I got angry because of what they were saying and I was alone and they were 20 to 25 MCA and IPL Officials ….they were aggressive and abusive…and I too was abusive in retaliation…Let them decide to ban me from Wankhede…personally I would not like to go  myself if this is their behaviour…I’m extremely disturbed the way they manhandled children and touched little girls in the name of security…this is unpardonable…I should write a complaint on their behaviour and the language what the spoke…If they have filed a Legal & Police Complaint my lawyers will handle this

Methinks…. 

….that ShahRukh Khan is being targeted for his celebrity status….it is only human to respond like he did when provoked,especially where Children are concerned…I too would have done so….I’m with him on this completely as I’m inclined to believe him…he came across as credible….no sign of him lying…and he was not acting ! despite him being a brilliant actor

MCA ,like any other State Cricket Body,has been a cauldron of Political machinations and a Powerhouse of  many a controversy itself…a recent example being the claim of unsold tickets in last years World Cup Final…..!a law onto themselves,the shameless  arrogance and high handedness has to be seen to be believed…BCCI has errected it’s HQ in the compound of  MCA’s Wankhede Stadium on D Road on Marine Drive…MCA and Garware Club House which also is in the same area had been at loggerheads with each other  for years until a few years ago when common influence and control began to be dominant ….Club Members were earlier told Tennis Courts would come up in this area…..instead we have BCCI HQ and the Club has lost some of it’s parking area too…..the nearest Police Station is Marine Drive…and we all know the clout MCA and BCCI wield here too…remember the ex BCCI President Dalmiya Episode …how the current BCCI Powerhouse went gunning for him

So I for one am inclined to side with Shah Rukh Khan on this one….High Time MCA Office bearers are shown their place and their high handedness exposed

The Powerful Media needs to be fair here in their coverage

This Year’s IPL has strong action on the field and off it too !

Once Upon A Time Cricket was a Gentlemen’s Game…Now tainted forever with Match and Spot Fixing and Illegal Betting

Cricket,at one time was my passion and focus…I’ve played and captained at school,college ,club and City league levels in India and Overseas too…won several cups and prizes…was called for Mumbai Trials in the late 1970s but Board Exams came in the way….have lived the patriotism highs when Wadekar  led India to overseas series wins in the 1971 in West Indies and England when I was just nine…glued to the radio commentaries through nights…created albums of my fav cricketers….I was that crazy….There was No sense of Big Monies…Only Great Pride to wear that India Cap… you had to earn it !…not Buy it !

Things Changed and Cricket Morphed into a Huge Money Spinner as the TV Age dawned….and with it came the powerful and dangerous age of Politicians Powering State Cricket Bodies and even the Apex BCCI…it has always been about the ‘moolah’ !

Now,where such Monies are Involved,it was not long before Mafia smelled a huge winner in Cricket….Illegal Betting became the Norm  and Bookies flourished under the patronage of Politicians and Dons…especially in India and Pakistan…believe me it’s War out there when these two countries meet on the Cricket Field…Passions and Patriotism spills into Violence at times…I’ve personally faced such situations when playing in top leagues overseas…I simply was shell shocked in one high profile Final where our top Indian Club had beaten the  best Pakistan Club Team in the semifinals and were facing a top Junior side that comprised both Country  players in the Finals….I was half way through my over  and we were winning when the Final was disrupted by the beaten Pakistanis who ran on to the field weilding stumps and bats !…it was Murtaza Ali Baig,brother of Indian Player Abbas Ali Baig,who pulled me aside from getting involved and to just be an observer !

Cut back to India and the current scene……

When the Stakes are this High,it was natural instinct for those involved and with criminal mindsets to lean towards ‘arranging’ or ‘fixing’ cricket so that they were always on the winning side in bets….How do they do this !?….the same old ploy of seducing accomodating players with huge incentives…cash and call girls….simply too tempting…results in blackmail sometimes

The Sun never really shone strong again in our  Cricketing Environment…the Stakes got even higher with the IPL Concept….this brought in a new set of Players…Team Owners & Franchisees and many accused of their Treasure Chests of Black Monies…either their own or fronting others

Now The latest Sting Operation by India TV  has thrown up this ugly side of match and spot fixing and five small fry who figure in the videos have been suspended by BCCI this evening

My Point is that once again the small fry,who’ll probably would never have  played for India,and who were making the most of their time in State and IPL teams ,will be targeted as the bad eggs or apples !….the big fry will continue to play the Administrator,Owner,Franchisee,Judge and Executor !

I refuse to believe that Match and Spot Fixing,Illegal Betting and Corruption that is involved is confined to the small fry

I personally am not turned on by the IPL at all….something died in me a long time ago….I became cynical about the game…My Mindset being that all matches are fixed…its for the Players and the Game to prove otherwise !….how can I enjoy Cricket any longer !…it’s  no longer a Gentlemen’s game

Like Aamir Khan’s commendable Initiative ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to make a difference to reduce and eradicate social evils,can we expect now even Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar to take the Bull by its Horns and take on the Might of these Fixers  at the Highest Level !….it can’t be confined to just Bookies and Players…for a beginning,ban Politicians from being part of and heading Cricket Boards and State Associations….Something tells me that Tendulkar , like me,will just remain on the sides as an observer

I Hope Cricket gets Credible again in my Lifetime !…in a few months I’ll be scoring a 50 ! …come on Tendulkar !…Give back to the game more than what it has given you !…Clean it up for us !

Fingers Remain Crossed !

What a Wonderful Wholesome Sunday ! ~ Mothers day ~Serious Gym ~Excellent Breakfast ~Satyamev Jayate ~ Interesting one to one Interaction with Top Professionals ~ last ball IPL win ~ A Mother of an EPL Title Deciding Match on Mothers Day !… What a Finale !…Miracle was headed for Manchester alright…enroute to United but last minute diverted to City !

Mothers Day

…..Sunday began with Me saluting my late ‘Super Mom’ on Mothers Day….she went way beyond ‘Aam Rus and Dano’ !…I share Lin Yutang’s great thought  ”For all the Rights of a Woman,the greatest one  is to become  a Mother ”

Serious Gym-ing ! 

…..Later in the morning I introduced my daughter to some Serious Gym….she was serious…I was just Gym-ing !.. the trainer put her through a vigorous 45 minute routine….she’s really pumped up and wants to go to the Gym tomorrow morning again !….after a good hot bath we followed it up with an excellent breakfast…this led to deferring plans to enjoy a sumptious Gujju Thali today with Aaam Rus,as I had blogged yesterday !

Interesting one to one Conversations during the Day

….the day was enriched with some interesting one to one conversation with five top professionals I met

...MD of  one of  India’s most reputed  Banks told me not to worry about Greece or Spain as we can’t control it !…therefore why worry about it….he thinks the worst is past…when I quipped that ‘Gym’ must be easier than running  a bank !, he counter quipped that running a bank was easier !…Oh ! and we both agreed that we disagreed with Ruchir Sharma’s stance on India in his much plugged book ‘Breakout Nations’ by NDTV  and others…especially his theory that Indian Rupee must weaken for India to remain competitive…in my books if a country is strengthening with sustained GDP Growth at 7% + it’s currency too must reflect this and strengthen…a weakening rupee and a high Global Oil Price  is playing havoc with Oil Imports …In FY 2011/12 Oil Imports were US $ 155 b of the total Imports of US $ 498 b….and our deficit is widening

…a Senior Tennis and Cricket Commentator and me were discussing our children’s progress …he colourfully covers Wimbledon for us every year… acknowledges how far ahead our young generation is…much ahead of us in thinking and exploring great and varied opportunities…we both agreed that we need to be friends with our children and not to underestimate them…. leverage on their skill sets too

….another Monday Columnist with Mumbai Mirror said I made his day when I praised his column for it’s flow and fluency in the language….he’s a leading lawyer…”regretfully though! ” he confesses…..agrees with me that lawyers are not part of the human race !

….then while I was enjoying an excellent breakfast,it was time for some Sunday Morning ‘did you know !’ inside stuff….a Hospitality Veteran comes over and  in a hushed tone  revealed to me the woes of Varun Industries and why it has been smashed at the bourses from Rs 200+ levels to sink to lows of Rs 30 currently inside months !…potboiler stuff,if true !

…later a close friend and well connected in Business and Professional Circles got excited about ,what he believes,will be the inevitable Indian demise of a leading accountancy firm plagued with controversies and also the deathknell of Kingfisher !…and the largesse shown by the Government,especially a Minister in it, to Mallya and even in the Privatisation of Delhi and Mumbai Airports…he was emphatic that nothing can be done to change this deep rooted corruption in our system

Aamir Khan’s Satyamev Jayate

….missed todays episode of Aamir Khan’s Satyamev Jayate…but Family and Close friends were moved enough by it to insist I catch the repeat telecast….I saw the first episode and I’m not in the camp of those who criticise by default any good initiative…we complain…we procrastinate…we blame….but do we do anything about the state of affairs !?…..Aamir Khan has taken this strong initiative to address and redress wrongs in our society….last week he covered foeticide and female infanticide….today he highlighted child abuse….am sure something strong and good will come out of this initiative

Manchester City become English Premier League (EPL) Football Champions

…and then what an EPL Title deciding Finale Match between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers ! …we all witnessed A Mother of  a EPL Title Deciding Match on Mothers Day !

What an EPL Finale !…Miracle was headed for Manchester alright…enroute to United but last minute diverted to City !

That’s why EPL is EPL !…Title decided in the last minute of play minutes earlier in the EPL !….5 min of extra time and 10 man QPR up sensationally 2-1 against Manchester City with arch rivals Manchester United having won 1 -0 moments earlier against Sunderland and were minutes away from retaining the Title if City drew or lost…and City scored unbelievably 2 goals inside minutes of extra time and won 3-2 against QPR and took the EPL Title !…Maradona’s son in law Aguera scoring the winning third in the 94th Minute !!!….Noisy City going to get louder and more noisy tonight…..all night party !….Feel great for City but Feel for United !….City had beat United twice this season…the first was a humiliating 6-1 infliction and then recently 1-0…City are deserving EPL title holders now after a wait of 44 years after they first won in 1968…Well Done Manager, Roberto Mancini….City Captain, Vincent Kompany also selected as the best Player of EPL this year….Let’s Blame it on Barton !..the QPR Captain who was rightly red carded and send off for his head butting stupidity foul on the field of play…led to Five minutes of extra time that saw Manchester City keeping it’s date with History….City went wild….Celebrations have begun…..Mancini was chased by a Player to pour Champagne on !

Let me confess,I’m defacto a Liverpool guy because of my football playing and crazy kids…and Manchester United are arch rivals…therefore an arch rival of an arch rival is a friend  !…I wanted Man City to win the Title just so that United don’t retain it !

Another last ball winning finish in IPL

…and then just before Midnight, a crucial IPL match was won of the last ball ! when Kings Punjab chased successfully a huge target of 191 set by Deccan Chargers, who must have experienced a depressing low thinking how a won game was lost !…the inform and scoring at @ 185 strike rate David Hussey was at the nonstriker end having scored 65 of 35 with Four 4s and Five 6s… a new batsman,Gurkeerat Singh came out with his bat swinging and scored 29 of 12 and the winning runs with Four 4s and One 6 to became a hero…The scores were tied at 190 with one ball to go ,after Gurkeerat has smashed a 6,4,2 in the previous three balls….Deccan Charger’s Captain,Sangakkara,rightly calls the whole field in to save the single and what does dumb bowler MS Gony do !….bowls a short ball,instead of a fuller one…it was pulled away for a winning 4….Really !

Sure the coming week will be wholesome too !…For all of you’ll too !…Cheers !

India beat Pakistan and Sri Lanka but yet is out of the Asia Cup as deserving Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka for the right to play Pakistan in their first Asia Cup Final…Sachin Tendulkar,any comments ?

Hosts Bangladesh has played a brilliant  Asia Cup…nearly won against Pakistan,beat India and just now knocked out Sri Lanka….and deservedly won the right to play Pakistan in the Final on Thursday

Sri Lanka lost all three matches,while India,Pakistan,and Hosts Bangladesh won two each…Pakistan topped the table with 9 points that included a Bonus while Bangladesh and India are on 8 points each with Sri Lanka not opening their account

Bangladesh by virtue of beating India gained entry to their first Asian Cup Final

India must now be rueing their luck…and must have been on their way to the Airport to return even as the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka  Match had yet to finish !

That feeling comes back strongly…….that I blogged on March 16,2012 when  Sachin Tendulkar got his 100th Ton but yet India lost to Bangladesh ….Bangladesh chased a target successfully with just four balls remaining….of Sachin slowing down to a strike rate of 45%  as he approached his 100th Ton…when he was on a strike rate of 84%….to me ,it cost us the match !….and today we find that India has beaten both Pakistan and Sri Lanka and yet  don’t play the Asia Cup Final as it lost to Bangladesh and thus got edged out !….Sachin Tendulkar,any comments !?….I found columnist  Sumit Chakraberty of DNA echoing the same sentiment in the Sunday Edition of March 18,2012

Can we please not reduce cricket to WWF?

Sachiiiiin ! Sachin !…Sachiiiiin ! Sachin !….gets his 100th international cricket ton finally today

Friday, March 16th, 2012

Relevant Extract

….but what everyone seems to overlook is at his strike rate statistics breakup in today’s loss….he had scored 81 of 96 Balls …that is a superb strike rate of 84+%…his average in ODIs is a fabulous 86%….then he inexplicably slowed down considerably….his next 19 runs came of 42 balls to give him his century in 138 balls….his strike rate nearly halved to just 45+% !…inexcusable !….seems he was playing safe to ensure his century….especially after he came close to doing so in Mumbai…..finally  he was out scoring 114 of 146 balls…which means his last 14 runs after he scored 100 came of just 8 balls !…that’s a strike rate of 175% !….if you consider that Bangladesh achieved the target with just 4 balls to spare you can not help but feel that Sachin’s slowing down after 81 till he reached his century contributed to the loss….that is his scoring just 19 of 42 balls …..he could have scored another 20 odd runs ….it was even in and around the batting powerplay 

….not taking away anything from the swashbuckling winning display by Bangladesh Batsmen and even from the greatness of Sachin….but this feeling that Sachin should have not frozen when approaching his century stays with me…to me,it was also a contributory factor to the loss…heart of hearts I’m sure he feels this too !

His Last Five Centuries have not resulted in a win for India…a test match was drawn,and ODI was tied and three we lost,including today’s ODI