So, the first season of IPL comes to a close. After sacrificing sleep for the last theree days, I am seeing stars at work (those spreadsheets never looked so pretty!)but if I had to do it again, I would not change a thing! Congrats to the Rajasthan Royals for breaking my heart yesterday but as a Chennai supporter, I was very happy to see a good game of T-20 cricket. The fact that we took it till the last ball against the best team of the tournament was enough to keep me satisfied. Moreover, in some way, it would have been a grave injustice had Chennai won the trophy after putting some very unconvincing displays in the round-robin stages. Better team selection (too many poor fielders to hide) and better strategy (why on earth would you send Kapugedera ahead of Badrinath!!!) would see Chennai challenge again next year.
I decided I would attempt to pick an all-stars IPL XI. My only criteria is that I should have seen the guys play (at least one game) and they should have played at least five games. The latter restriction rules out most of the Aussies and Kiwis but I believe it is very difficult to judge based on a few sparking performances. Therefore, messers McCullum, Hayden, Hussey etc miss out. The team will be very flexible and the batting order will be adjusted to suit the situation. It will be masterminded by one of the finest tacticians to play the game, the incomparable Shane Warne. As with the Rajasthan Royals, he shall be captain-cum-coach of this all-star team.
Without further ado, here is my team:
1. Shaun Marsh (Punjab)
2. Kumar Sangakkara (Punjab) (wk)
3. Suresh Raina (Chennai)
4. Rohit Sharma (Deccan)
5. Shane Watson (Rajasthan)
6. Yusuf Pathan (Rajasthan)
7. Albie Morkel (Chennai)
8. Shane Warne (Rajasthan) (c)
9. Sohail Tanvir (Rajasthan)
10. Manpreet Gony (Chennai)
11. Glenn McGrath (Delhi)
12th man. Mohammad Kaif (Rajasthan) - only for fielding!
In temrs of flexibility, this team has plenty of all-rounders and a fine mix of theorists/purists and the unconvential power-hitters. For instance, Nos 3 - 7 will rotate to ensure there is a mix of left/right handers and purist/power-hitters at the crease.
Some unlucky omissions include: Gambhir, Sehwag, Sreesanth, G.Smith and Pollock.
The team has heavy representation from the successful franchises ie. the semi-finalists but there is no representation from Kolkata, Bangalore or Mumbai.
I believe this combination can challenge the best in the world and come up trumps more often than not.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
IPL's media rules
A very good article by Sambit...lets hope Cricinfo is not squeezed out by other cricketing bodies, its my favourite website and I hope it continues to improve its services and stay committed to cricket. I remember when I was in Singapore in 1997/1998, I absolutely struggled to find cricket news on the web until I ran into Cricinfo, then www.cricket.org! Since then, I have seen the website expand its range of coverage, expand its staff significantly and in general, provide a variety of cricket-related articles.
The column by S.Rajesh, 'The Lists', editorials by Sambit, Dileep etc were always interesting and sometimes thought-provoking!
Shame on you Lalit Modi! Long Live Cricinfo!
http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/346487.html
The column by S.Rajesh, 'The Lists', editorials by Sambit, Dileep etc were always interesting and sometimes thought-provoking!
Shame on you Lalit Modi! Long Live Cricinfo!
http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/346487.html
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter Break
It is that time of the year again...the most anticipated holiday after Christmas down under (probably in all of the Western world?!). Not because of the wonder associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ but because of the extra long weekend due to the holidays for Good Friday and Easter Monday.
For our first Easter as a married couple, we had a lot of options. Unfortunately, we did not count on the opportunism and profit-maximising motives of the airlines, hoteliers and the tourism industry as a whole! Flights were ridiculously expensive and accommodation hard to find! Apparently, accommodation for the Easter long weekend gets booked out a year in advance!!!
Finally, we settled on going to Port Stephens, which, by all accounts, is one of the most beautiful coastal regions on the Eastern seaboard of Australia. We stayed in the Oaks Boathouse at the Tea Gardens for two nights. Unfortunately, the weather was a bit overcast but there were plenty of things to do. We went on a dolphin watch cruise (disappointing as we only saw 3 dolphins, presumably because of the wet weather!) and went to a place called Dark Point, an old aboriginal meeting place. Dark Point was absolutely amazing, massive 30 m high sand dunes appearing to stretch endlessly until, suddenly, crystal blue waters of the sea appear! It was bizarre to see and dunes on one side and the beautiful sea on the other!
We went to Nelson Bay Marina on Sunday and it was a total contrast to the peace and quiet in the Tea Gardens. The Marina is very commercialised with lots of skiffs, boats and all types of water activities. We had to choose between parasailing, ocean kayaking, Thundaraft (essentially an adventure ride in a big rubber boat similar to those used by U.S. Seals), jet skis, boat hire, fishing, dolphin watching, whale watching, cruises etc. Our decision was essentially simple, parasailing just looked and sounded cool! We experienced a plethora of emotions during the 10 minutes - the initial nervousness when we were strapped in, the thrill of taking off from the boat, the breathtaking views of the ocean and mountains at the top and the exhilaration of the sudden descent (along with the customary dip into the water).
After parasailing, we went to a place called Anna Bay and One Mile beach. The water was beautiful and unlike most Australian beaches, it was not too cold (about 22 C). After a little while, I convinced Parul to join me in the water and we both had a great time body surfing. The beach was great because it was relatively empty and the waves were awesome even in the shallow waters. After an hour in the water (and getting a significant tan!), we decided to see the most commercial part of Nelson Bay. This was the 5 - 6 km stretch of sand dunes in Stockton beach and again the contrast of the dunes and the sea was phenomenal. We saw many busloads of tourists from Japan and China there and we were secretly glad we saw the sand dunes in Dark Point, where it was not so jam-packed with people!
Our last stop was Lake Macquarie, a large lake in the Central Coast of NSW (about 90 minutes north of Sydney). It is a huge lake and there are towns situated all around the lake. We stayed in Warners Bay and had a nice Mexican dinner with cocktails and burritos on Sunday night. On Monday, we went to a new suburb development in Lake Macquarie and went Aqua-biking in the Lake (see http://www.aqua-cycle.com/ ). I made a donation to the beautiful lake as well by dropping my mobile in it!
With our spirits dampened by the loss, we went to Caves beach, which, funnily enough, is a beach with caves. The caves are not too big but again, it was a first for us. Again, we were blessed with a beautiful day and the water was very inviting! I did some more body surfing and the waves were again fantastic! I was very impressed with the quality of the surf up in the Central coast.
After a quick dip, it was time to drive back to Sydney and we decided to take the scenic route through The Entrance (www.theentrance.org)and Gosford and the drive through the Marina at The Entrance was particularly noteworthy.
Overall, it was a great trip and very relaxing. I would definitely recommend Nelson Bay for the scenic beaches and the variety of water activities.
For our first Easter as a married couple, we had a lot of options. Unfortunately, we did not count on the opportunism and profit-maximising motives of the airlines, hoteliers and the tourism industry as a whole! Flights were ridiculously expensive and accommodation hard to find! Apparently, accommodation for the Easter long weekend gets booked out a year in advance!!!
Finally, we settled on going to Port Stephens, which, by all accounts, is one of the most beautiful coastal regions on the Eastern seaboard of Australia. We stayed in the Oaks Boathouse at the Tea Gardens for two nights. Unfortunately, the weather was a bit overcast but there were plenty of things to do. We went on a dolphin watch cruise (disappointing as we only saw 3 dolphins, presumably because of the wet weather!) and went to a place called Dark Point, an old aboriginal meeting place. Dark Point was absolutely amazing, massive 30 m high sand dunes appearing to stretch endlessly until, suddenly, crystal blue waters of the sea appear! It was bizarre to see and dunes on one side and the beautiful sea on the other!
We went to Nelson Bay Marina on Sunday and it was a total contrast to the peace and quiet in the Tea Gardens. The Marina is very commercialised with lots of skiffs, boats and all types of water activities. We had to choose between parasailing, ocean kayaking, Thundaraft (essentially an adventure ride in a big rubber boat similar to those used by U.S. Seals), jet skis, boat hire, fishing, dolphin watching, whale watching, cruises etc. Our decision was essentially simple, parasailing just looked and sounded cool! We experienced a plethora of emotions during the 10 minutes - the initial nervousness when we were strapped in, the thrill of taking off from the boat, the breathtaking views of the ocean and mountains at the top and the exhilaration of the sudden descent (along with the customary dip into the water).
After parasailing, we went to a place called Anna Bay and One Mile beach. The water was beautiful and unlike most Australian beaches, it was not too cold (about 22 C). After a little while, I convinced Parul to join me in the water and we both had a great time body surfing. The beach was great because it was relatively empty and the waves were awesome even in the shallow waters. After an hour in the water (and getting a significant tan!), we decided to see the most commercial part of Nelson Bay. This was the 5 - 6 km stretch of sand dunes in Stockton beach and again the contrast of the dunes and the sea was phenomenal. We saw many busloads of tourists from Japan and China there and we were secretly glad we saw the sand dunes in Dark Point, where it was not so jam-packed with people!
Our last stop was Lake Macquarie, a large lake in the Central Coast of NSW (about 90 minutes north of Sydney). It is a huge lake and there are towns situated all around the lake. We stayed in Warners Bay and had a nice Mexican dinner with cocktails and burritos on Sunday night. On Monday, we went to a new suburb development in Lake Macquarie and went Aqua-biking in the Lake (see http://www.aqua-cycle.com/ ). I made a donation to the beautiful lake as well by dropping my mobile in it!
With our spirits dampened by the loss, we went to Caves beach, which, funnily enough, is a beach with caves. The caves are not too big but again, it was a first for us. Again, we were blessed with a beautiful day and the water was very inviting! I did some more body surfing and the waves were again fantastic! I was very impressed with the quality of the surf up in the Central coast.
After a quick dip, it was time to drive back to Sydney and we decided to take the scenic route through The Entrance (www.theentrance.org)and Gosford and the drive through the Marina at The Entrance was particularly noteworthy.
Overall, it was a great trip and very relaxing. I would definitely recommend Nelson Bay for the scenic beaches and the variety of water activities.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Theremin
The following is a video that my Dad sent me...its a bit long but definitely worth watching.
What amazed me was Pamelia's control over the notes and pitch. The melody associated with the Theremin was unbelievable. Having never heard this instrument before, I was overawed by the instrument and more so by the fact that was invented way back in 1919!
Hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.
What amazed me was Pamelia's control over the notes and pitch. The melody associated with the Theremin was unbelievable. Having never heard this instrument before, I was overawed by the instrument and more so by the fact that was invented way back in 1919!
Hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Impact of a writer
Last week, the World learnt of the demise of the famous writer Sujatha. While I have not read any of his novels, he was regarded as THE benchmark for Tamil writers after the mid-70s. He also dominated discussions around the dining table, coffee machine (call it what you will) for people of my parents' generation. His influence on the younger generations was primarily through movies, as a script-writer for several blockbusters.
My dad was very upset when he learnt about Sujatha's death and he promised he would send me an email outlining the reasons for the impact that Sujatha had on the people. The email is provided below.
------------------------------
It was the year 1970.I had entered college(Vivekananda) and was into Chase and Stanley Gardner.My Tamil reading was confined to Kalki,Devan and whatever was in Vikatan and Kalki.Kumudam was viewed with suspicion in a middle class Brahmin household.There was a buzz about this writer Sujatha(a modern name in those days) and I started reading Kumudam.I was hooked.Sujatha believed in using a single sentence when others wrote a para.His economy of words,stylistic description attracted the youth of the day.(It still does.After nearly 40 years Ilamai Thodar in Tamil magazines are by him).After the phenomenal success of Nylon Kayiru (I cannot forget Iranginn written like the stairs) he started writing regularly.His Sasi Kathirundal with the O.Henry like twist in the tail is still fresh in my memory after 35 years.When he was writing in mainstream magazines he was also writing in Kanayazhi a literary magazine published from Delhi,where he was based then.His last page articles under the byline,Srirangam S.R where he made fun of Sujatha had people writing in protest.He must have been amused.He also had some film reviews,play reviews(he tore Punnagai to pieces,I wonder what Balachander had to say).
My dad was very upset when he learnt about Sujatha's death and he promised he would send me an email outlining the reasons for the impact that Sujatha had on the people. The email is provided below.
------------------------------
It was the year 1970.I had entered college(Vivekananda) and was into Chase and Stanley Gardner.My Tamil reading was confined to Kalki,Devan and whatever was in Vikatan and Kalki.Kumudam was viewed with suspicion in a middle class Brahmin household.There was a buzz about this writer Sujatha(a modern name in those days) and I started reading Kumudam.I was hooked.Sujatha believed in using a single sentence when others wrote a para.His economy of words,stylistic description attracted the youth of the day.(It still does.After nearly 40 years Ilamai Thodar in Tamil magazines are by him).After the phenomenal success of Nylon Kayiru (I cannot forget Iranginn written like the stairs) he started writing regularly.His Sasi Kathirundal with the O.Henry like twist in the tail is still fresh in my memory after 35 years.When he was writing in mainstream magazines he was also writing in Kanayazhi a literary magazine published from Delhi,where he was based then.His last page articles under the byline,Srirangam S.R where he made fun of Sujatha had people writing in protest.He must have been amused.He also had some film reviews,play reviews(he tore Punnagai to pieces,I wonder what Balachander had to say).
Apart from the Ed McBain like procedural featuring Ganesh and Vasanth he also wrote humor.In the late 70s I could see the changes in his writings.He wrote Kanavu Thozhirchalai on filmdom.There was a huge hoarding announcing it in Gemini circle probably the only time it has been done for a magazine serial.His magnum opus Karaiellam Shenbagapoo was tremendously received.I was introduced to many books by him like Games people Play,Zen and the art of Motorcycle maintenance,Kaneer Pookal,Thamizhar Natupadalgal.In the 80s he made a whole generation of us aware of Haiku.(It is a pity that many started writing Poiku,as he would say).He had a great capacity to observe,(Nagaram,Kagitha Sangiligal about hospitals) countless about courts and police work.Being an Engineer and a genius in writing he could explain the intricacies of computer to laymen.His entry into filmdom literally took it to outer space(Vikram).Ace directors Mani Rathnam and Shankar owe a lot to him.Of late he wrote about Paasurams in Kalki and also about Vaishnavite philosophy.He also wrote on Thirukkural and Purananooru.His description of Srirangam where he grew up is one of the best autobiographies I have read.
So long Sir, you deserve the rest.A lot of us will miss you terribly.
-----------------------------------------
The text above indicates two things:
- It confirms my long-held view that books are always superior to movies and the impact of authors on people's lives is tremendous. However, its such a pity that this generation (and most likely, the following generations) will be more attracted to movies rather than books. I sincerely hope the situation changes but do not expect it...another unfortunate by-product of technological advancement!!
- It outlines the tremendous impact an author can have on a person's life. Personally, I am not sure if the death of an author will affect me as profoundly as it did for my Dad. However, I sincerely hope that some author influences me to such an extent that I feel as if I have lost a part of myself when he/she passes away.
Monday, February 11, 2008
IPL & its power
I have been watching the developments associated with the Indian Premier League (IPL) with interest, primarily because it is such a new concept (for cricket, that is!) and the fact that it is pioneered by the BCCI, the richest and potentially the most inept (excluding the Zimbabwe Cricket Union) cricketing body in the world. But, by the sheer weight of money, the IPL has managed to induce a lot of change. Suddenly, cricketers have earning capacity after their international careers have ended. The Aussies are fighting with their board for permission to participate in the IPL (although this is nothing new for Cricket Australia (CA) as similar disputes occured in the mid-90s as well as the mid-70s). Simon Taufel, arugably the best umpire in the world, is now contemplating retirement from International cricket to umpire in the IPL. I wonder how soon we are going to see coaches consign their international assignments to the dust and coach the India Cements (Chennai)/Red Chillies (Kolkata) franchises! Finally, an interesting note: Channel Ten in Australia will be telecasting all matches of the IPL and are rumoured to have paid in the vicinity of $10 - $15 million for telecast rights for the next 10 years. In a country where cricket coverage is limited to the games held in Australia and World Cup games where Australia is involved (only!), this is a huge achievement. Telecasting the IPL over the Socceroos World Cup qualifier against Qatar (Soccer is the most popular game in Australia) is a telling statement. As a footnote, the 'rebel' Indian Cricket League (ICL) hardly received a mention in the Australian print media, let alone live television coverage!
Is this the beginning of the end for International cricket as we know it? Will the IPL and the CT20 (the Twenty20 champions trophy) dominate like the English Premier League (EPL) and the Champions League? Call me a romantic but I still think the pride and the (sometimes jingoistic) passion associated with international sport can never be replaced by clubs and franchises. However, if the standard of cricket is even half as good as it promises to be, then cricket lovers will embrace the IPL. Having watched the ICL, I was fascinated by the concept but the standard of the cricket being played was far from spectacular. Lets hope that the retired giants such as McGrath, Gilly etc do treat this as a bonafide tournament and not as a cash cow to supplement their retirement funds.
As someone who was not around during the Packer revolution, I am excited about the possibility of being a witness to the next great revolution in cricket. Will it happen? If so, do I want it to happen? I wonder if my thoughts will change and a follow-up blog in 10 years time will make for interesting reading? Will the IPL go the way of the pyjama cricket (as WSC was called) or will it crash and burn like Dennis Lillee's aluminium bat?! Lets wait and see...as for me, I cannot wait for April 18, thank you Channel Ten!
Disclaimer: The articles reg economics of IPL and the comparison of IPL & EPL came out on cricinfo after this blog!
Sources: Cricinfo, http://www.cricinfo.com/
Is this the beginning of the end for International cricket as we know it? Will the IPL and the CT20 (the Twenty20 champions trophy) dominate like the English Premier League (EPL) and the Champions League? Call me a romantic but I still think the pride and the (sometimes jingoistic) passion associated with international sport can never be replaced by clubs and franchises. However, if the standard of cricket is even half as good as it promises to be, then cricket lovers will embrace the IPL. Having watched the ICL, I was fascinated by the concept but the standard of the cricket being played was far from spectacular. Lets hope that the retired giants such as McGrath, Gilly etc do treat this as a bonafide tournament and not as a cash cow to supplement their retirement funds.
As someone who was not around during the Packer revolution, I am excited about the possibility of being a witness to the next great revolution in cricket. Will it happen? If so, do I want it to happen? I wonder if my thoughts will change and a follow-up blog in 10 years time will make for interesting reading? Will the IPL go the way of the pyjama cricket (as WSC was called) or will it crash and burn like Dennis Lillee's aluminium bat?! Lets wait and see...as for me, I cannot wait for April 18, thank you Channel Ten!
Disclaimer: The articles reg economics of IPL and the comparison of IPL & EPL came out on cricinfo after this blog!
Sources: Cricinfo, http://www.cricinfo.com/
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The Blogging Bug!
My first, albeit quickly aborted, attempt at blogging was a few years ago when I fancied myself as a cricket statistician who would thrill fellow cricket nuts with the ability to wander through the maze of cricketing statistics and conjure up some brilliant insights that would alter people's perceptions regarding the "worth" or "value" of some players. In particular, my blog was targeted at weeding out the flashy but ultimately under performing players (lots of sub-continent cricketers come to mind!). This attempt was aborted due to several reasons:
1. The emergence of cricinfo and superior statisticians with access to a huge database.
2. The lack of interest that my blogs generated
3. The time required to come up with meaningful analyses and the fact that I was desperately struggling to juggle full-time work and at least 20 hours of study per week.
4. The annoying, pointless drivel that people posted as comments or reactions to my "findings".
Clearly, idiotic comments are still likely to be a problem but hopefully the other problems can be solved by dedicating the blog to relatively mundane events rather than the exciting world of cricket statistics!
Now, after reading quite a few interesting blogs, my interest has been rekindled and I am curious as to how some of my friends will perceive my writings - will they consider it to be trivial, useless, downright pathetic or heaven forbid, actually interesting? This is the prime motivation for this blog...granted, I do not expect frank feedback from many people about my blogging skills (or lack thereof). I hope at least some close friends and my family will tell me the truth.
The other purpose of the blog is also to keep a virtual record of the places that my wife and I plan to visit and our experiences. We have promised each other that the first few years of our marriage will involve visiting new places, particularly in and around Sydney. As of now, it appears that the promises will be kept but it is anyone's guess as to whether it will continue to be translated into reality!
I really should be getting back to work now...more later. Watched American Gangster last night so maybe shall write something about that in the next blog!
-- Aravind.
1. The emergence of cricinfo and superior statisticians with access to a huge database.
2. The lack of interest that my blogs generated
3. The time required to come up with meaningful analyses and the fact that I was desperately struggling to juggle full-time work and at least 20 hours of study per week.
4. The annoying, pointless drivel that people posted as comments or reactions to my "findings".
Clearly, idiotic comments are still likely to be a problem but hopefully the other problems can be solved by dedicating the blog to relatively mundane events rather than the exciting world of cricket statistics!
Now, after reading quite a few interesting blogs, my interest has been rekindled and I am curious as to how some of my friends will perceive my writings - will they consider it to be trivial, useless, downright pathetic or heaven forbid, actually interesting? This is the prime motivation for this blog...granted, I do not expect frank feedback from many people about my blogging skills (or lack thereof). I hope at least some close friends and my family will tell me the truth.
The other purpose of the blog is also to keep a virtual record of the places that my wife and I plan to visit and our experiences. We have promised each other that the first few years of our marriage will involve visiting new places, particularly in and around Sydney. As of now, it appears that the promises will be kept but it is anyone's guess as to whether it will continue to be translated into reality!
I really should be getting back to work now...more later. Watched American Gangster last night so maybe shall write something about that in the next blog!
-- Aravind.
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