The Law of the Airport

If flying to anyplace involves one of the 6 metro aiports at any side of the
travel - then the probablity of not meeting someone you know is as about as low
as the chances of Venkatesh Prasad bowling 100mph delivery.

"Warne"ing Bells Toll

Logically if you did drugs as a sportsman – you would be a disgrace. Logically if you were banned from the game for a year – you would be an untouchable. Logically if you were caught exchanging smses with hookers and your ruined your private life – you would be hated. It is possibly a tribute to arguably the best bowler in the world ever that in spite of all indiscretions he remains one of the game’s best loved and respected players. But then again if you have the charm and the guile of Shane Warne, it’s hardly a surprise.

Logically if you made your debut against Indians in Sydney and had just a wicket to your name for 150 odd runs, you would be demoralised. But if you are Shane Warne your next 142 tests will fetch you 698 more scalps. If you were a bowler coming in after the likes of McGrath and Gillespie and Lee had done their spells, you would hardly have any wickets to take but if you are Shane Warne you end up as the world’s highest wicket taker.

Shane Warne. As an Indian cricket fan, I haven’t followed Aussie cricket too often. So I can have only read about some of his famous spells. Having watched Warne bowl in patches, this tribute to him will always be a little hollow. But for an Indian fan to write a tribute about Shane goes to say a lot about his lovability and greatness as a bowler. The fact that people all over the world will be disappointed about his retirement decision – at age 37 at that – speaks a lot about what Warne was to the game.

Very few bowlers possess the ability to bring crowds to the stadium just to seem them bowl – the chances of that bowler being a spinner even more remote. However Warne holds that ability easily. The thrills of watching him fool a batsman – not just through that one wicket taking delivery but the whole set of deliveries before that crucial one slips in. Apart from being the master bowler – he is also one of the biggest showmen of the game. Guile, talent and histrionics – the whole package.


The unbelievable look of shock and surprise on the face of a batsman when what he thought was a well left ball pitching way outside leg stump has actually spun wickedly and crashed into an unsuspecting off-stump while the batsman was shouldering arms expecting the ball to go down for 4 byes.
For the life of me I can never erase the image of a shocked MSK Prasad on that ill fated tour of Australia in 1999 (The 3-0 loss for India). For a minute MSK did not move from his spot – he couldn’t believe that it was legal or allowed for a ball to turn that much from behind his legs. He was convinced that the keeper was up to some mischief. There was mischief indeed but only in the eyes of Warne after he had delivered that ripper.

For me personally, it was Ashes 2005 that made me an unreserved fan of his. Australia lost but for Warne it was a personal triumph. Not just with the ball where he threatened to win near un-winnable matches on his own with very little backup but also with the bat where again he threatened to win near un-winnable matches with his bat in this case he had the company of the trusty Aussie tail. It’s not often that one supports Australia for any match but purely for that one man – you would want Australia to pull it off. They did not and in weird way it seems good as otherwise Warne would have retired then but he stayed on to fight back and earn the little urn back.

Shane Warne has been a supreme magician in the game. He will be remembered for his umpteen well thought out wickets. For an Indian, he will be remembered for being the easy meat he was for Sachin and VVS and Sidhu. The humility of Warne though shone through when he stood in line to take Sachin’s autograph after the Sharjah assault.

Before the start of the current series and even before the retirement announcement, I would have hated to see Aussie win 5-0. But if there is ever a sendoff that a guy of Warne’s calibre deserves – it is a thumping 5-0 win to see him off into retirement.

In your face

I think thats the official term. As i write this Team India are a wicket away from scripting a glorious victory in Dakshin Afrika. To all the critics - this is as fitting a reply as any could be to those critics who wrote them off.

A south african cricket website apparently has a poll to predict the score line. It has the options 1-0; 2-0; 3-0 all in favour of SA. Again the technical term is "In your face"

Ofcourse this win has also meant that i am now the proud winner of a dairy milk chocolate. It pays to always bet on the Indian team. With their extremes - the odds will always be against them and in the long run you would always make more money.

But this article is not about the money. Its about a victory. Its about a victory which qualifies as a brilliant team effort. Its about a victory which had some brilliant individual moments. Its about a victory that had drama, comedy, suspense and twists and turns. Damnit! We have won our first match in SA. It is HUGE. As huge as it gets. Congratulations to the super performance.

I had mentioned earlier that we were probably just one good knock or match away from turning the tables. In this case - the fightback probably started when we lasted the full 50 in the final ODI and then going on to win the match v/s the Rest of Dakshin Afrika. The SA strategy of playing the Indians on bouncy fast bowler friendly pitches to ensure that the batsmen couldnt get in probably backfired with the bowlers gaining confidence. And which fool actually decides to underestimate an Indian batting lineup that includes Sachin, Rahul, Sehwag, Saurav and VVS? Really which fool does that ???

Apparently the South Africans did. What was immediately concluded as a feeble show on day1 when we were 156/5 was actually an exercise in application and patience by Sach, Rahul, Dada and VVS. But what really brought India back was 2 innings - one a fighting for life one by Dada and second - a more funny slam bam thank u ma'am by VRV. That knock had the whole dressing room laughing and in a positive mood. And it showed.

My moment of the match though has to be Sreesanths riposte to Nel. Singularly the most funny moment in cricket that I have seen to date. Again the technical term "In your face"

The Indian team was never bad - just out of form. When they do get back to form they can be devastating. The South Africans now know.

Let me end with the joke of the match. After day 1; Kallis "I dont think there is much wrong with the pitch, We are only disappointed that the bounce is a little less than usual. I think we will wrap them up tomm and put a huge score on the board and put them under pressure in the 2nd Inning"

Some big score. Some pressure!