All is lost

So, they all lost. The teams that I was rooting for exploded at the end. As a cricket lover, I must learn to accept defeat. But it still hurts.

And it hurts more, when you lose to Pakistan and that too in a final, and more so, when you are the better team. It brought back the horrible memories of 90’s when Pakistan took India for caning everytime they clashed. India had done the same to Pakistan in the last few years, but it seems, still a lot is left to be done. Dhoni’s side is young and full of promise. So, let it play with fervour. Hopefully it can bring much-needed near-perfection in its game with time.

NZ were hapless in the last test. They had their moments initially but could not squeeze on the pressure. They allowed England to get to a more than decent total, and then imploded themselves when batting. I wonder how come their batsmen not score even 200 on a docile pitch. They need to get better batsmen; their bowling is OK.

West Indies were the best when it came to surpassing their own expectations. They played valiantly in the last innings but it was too late and monumental to carve out a victory. If only they had batted well in the first innings, after skittling out Aus for a small total. It is good that they are fighting better now, but promise can be measured only for a small time. The real count comes with victories only. They have more than a good chance to score some in the coming one-dayers.

Where does this leave me now? Definitely off from cricket for some time. I want to blend with ongoing Euro. But it has been some time since I followed soccer. May be I can garner enough energy to watch the business end which promises to be interesting.

C'mon, square it up

It was very pleasing to see Windies earn a draw against the Aussies. I always support an underdog, except anyone playing against India, against the proverbial bull, but more often than not, I have to suffer disappointment. But that is understandable, underdogs are meant to spring surprises only once in a while.

Windies could have won the first test in Jamaica, if they would have wrapped the Aussies second innings under 100, or even 50, however monstrous a task it sounds. Remember they had Australia reeling at 17 for 5. Then they allowed Symonds and Co. to set up a score which was always going to be beyond their reach in the 4th innings. They lost valiantly though, and did bring some succour to their supporters. The 2nd test in Antigua seemed to be another losing prospect for Windies after the Kangaroos had notched up a big first innings score. But thanks to rain and gritty batting displays by Sarwan and Chanderpaul, they were able to salvage a respectable draw. I say more than respectable, even though Vaneisa Baksh completely disagrees with me.

I cannot say with the same respectabilty about the Kiwis show in England. They had a wonderful chance to win the 2nd Test at Old Trafford, but they muffed it up badly. They had done a similar losing exercise versus the same opponent during their home series in the early part of this year. Sometimes the prospect of winning doesn’t sit too well on the teams who don’t win too often. These losses are actually more demoralising than the big ones.

Anyway, my teams, perk yourselves up. Bring down the Goliaths in the 3rd Test. Even a squared series will do a world of good to you, and ultimately cricket. I will be supporting you as I will be supporting my team, India, which too will resume service on International Cricket very soon.

Brilliant !!! Rajasthan Royals

Kudos to Rajasthan Royals! They were the deserving winners of the first edition of IPL. Even though I was supporting Chennai Super Kings during the final, I have to admit now that the better team won. And they were better throughout the whole tournament.

But the biggest victory was not achieved by them, but by the age-old sports aphorism of a sincere team, even though unrated, being capable of achieveing even the unthinkable. Everyone, including me, had not given them a smidgeon of chance to go all the distance, but the victory is now for everyone to see.

Somebody had said, a sport doesn’t make a character but reveal it. Such characters when revealed become the soul-inspirers for all self-doubters. IPL’s winning team story will definitely be told and retold in many sporting pep talks.

A share of that awe and adulation should also go for the the tournament, IPL, itself. No topic other than that debating the league’s success and impact has garnered as much limelight. After 44 days of extravaganza, eveyone would agree though, that it has been an unqualified success. Problems still are many: the long schedule, inadeqaute foreign representation, inconcomitant hysteria outside India, the overlapping international calendar etc just to name a few. But nobody should fight an idea whose time has come. Leave aside the ‘Doubting Thomases’, and bring in the ‘Charmed Romanticists’.