equatorYears ago I saw Michael Jordan’s last ever 40 point game. It was when he was with the Wizards. By halfway through the 3rd term it became obvious that no one in the stadium gave a shit about the result of the game.
They were all there for Jordan, and since he was putting on a vintage display, the game just faded away.
I have no idea what the result of the game was. I do remember some of Jordan’s reverse lay ups, some fade aways, and him pick pocketing Jason Kidd. After the game we got back to our Hostel and there were about 40 people with Jordan singlets on.
I can only image that is what people will feel like today. Some people might remember the game, but even with Australia winning this becomes Sachin’s game.
When Sachin caught White off the last ball of the innings, he threw the ball into the ground in a very pissed off manner. He knew India had played pretty ordinary to let Australia score 350.
Sachin wasn’t the only one, Dhoni ran off the ground without his team mates, Yuvraj and Praveen Kumar were still in conversation about a piece of lazy assed fielding. The senior players knew that they had been gifted a weak Australian side and they were in danger of losing.
Sehwag batted as he always does. Gautam City looked in an odd mood. Neither Dhoni or Yuvraj seemed quite on it. Raina had a lot of luck, but eventually went out to an ugly shot. Bhajji never got started. Jadeja kept pusihing the limits of sensible running. Praveen tried his hardest. Ashish and Patel were never going to get it done.
Those were the ten dudes. A collection of shit hot batsmen who were made to look like dribbling fools compared to Sachin.
He scored over half the runs, passed some unimportant milestone, seemed to be dragging Raina and Jadeja by the neck like kittens, and then eventually went out to a shot that wasn’t even thought of when he started playing.
India didn’t deserve to win, but Sachin did. I wanted him to make 200 and win the game, but he came up short and had pretty much no help at all.
I could go on about his innings, but he said it best.
“I was striking the ball pretty well”.
Yes, you were.
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I shed a tear.
And you still do not like him enough to put him in your hall of fame.
Btw Tendulkar is the 3rd most trending topic right now. A lot of Indians are awake filling up the twitter server. It has been that kind of knock- everyone is talking about it.
Umm, so why did he give his wicket to McKay again?
The only one who could have got him out was a bloke he hadn’t played (and probably had never heard of) before. That made sense to me.
“Tendulkar is the 3rd most trending topic right now. A lot of Indians are awake filling up the twitter server.”
so what’s new? What else do Indians ever twit on about?
India lost – that’s all that counts.
I thought the Australians played quite well. What a shame they just can’t ever match those Indians. Ponting should’ve shown the graciousness to gift them the match.
Before a ball was bowled I read this on the cricinfo commentary:
Link here: http://www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2009/engine/current/match/416240.html?innings=1;view=commentary
Nice prediction – but does it count as throwing your wicket away after you’ve single-handedly scored 175 at 7.45 runs an over?
Also why does Ponting doing his best to lose matches with his bowling choices? Specialist batsman Mike Hussey bowled 3 overs? Really? Two ODI wickets in 125 matches to date. Surely Hopes, Hauritz or White were better alternatives..
I seem to recall him doing this in a Test vs India last year as well. Great batsman, but a bit of a muppet sometimes.
Gregg, I love bagging Ponting, but I spose he had a choice between Hauritz, Hussey and Voges. Look at the figures.
One day cricket is shit, I can;t believe we are even talking about this
I normally hate 300+ slogathons but that game was a cracker. I think because it was a bouncy pitch rather than a slow 300+ wicket. Makes for more attractive cricket. And Sachin – wow!
At the risk of stirring up a hornets nest – has Praveen Kumar’s action been tested recently? It seems to be getting worse. It’s possibly when he tries the inswinger that it looks ugliest.
Hewy, you racist.
Well I’m pleased Coventry’s record stands.
This record
Leg Break´s last blog ..Bowling through India, with giveaway
@breakleg – imagine my surprise when i was checking the stats on cricinfo…coventry..wtf? last nite i was just hoping that tendulkar would get past anwar’s 194 but apparently coventry’s is a NO.
Nevermind the bollocks. If you like cricket, this was a great game to watch and a great innings. Had a bit of dust in my eye when he got out. Made me wish I were 6 drinks in so I’d have an excuse.
I felt like ripping my guts off and eating them again. It was AGONIZING.
morethanjustagame.wordpress.com
pakistanis have always loved claiming that sachin is no great cuz he can never finish the match. tonight would seem like such an example, but like every generalization it requires a closer look, and you’ve said it best jrod – the other guys were about as useful as a pair of skis in karachi.
my heart breaks for sachin, he’s played as many lone hand losing innings as lara. before, like in chennai in 1999 you thought that well the rest of the team sucked shit. but this line up is the best indian line up i have ever seen, surely they could have put together 176 runs between the 10 of them.
i wonder how ponting feels – lost the ashes with a superior side, winning in india with a vastly inferior side…
just saw the cricinfo list – sachin has 6 of the top 22 highest scores in losing causes in odis… lara has none…
Lara leads the test one I’m sure!
karachi, this is Punter’s unpredictable world now. It looks to me like he enjoys it. I have far more respect for him than I did when he was surrounded by superstars.
Sachin can’t be blamed by fans for this loss. How in the hell could he?
For me, in modern cricket, it was always Lara, Sachin, Ponting.
I think it was those many years when Sachin was troubled by elbow injuries etc, and Lara was piling the runs on.
I’ve changed my mind. It’s definitely Sachin, Lara, Ponting.
@manduwala, if chuckers are a race to themselves, then your description of me is accurate.
hmm..
he tried that shot and succeeded many times and at that time he needs to play that shot. U can’t blame his commitment.
Tendulkar’s innings was all the more remarkable in that it was on a flat, true, non-seaming, non-swinging road against a second rate domestic bowling attack. No way would he have performed so well had he had to face a barrage of premier leather flingers* such as Cockley, Lee, Starc, Clark, Bird, Bracken, Hazlewood, Thornely, Cameron and Casson.
The other ten Indians are the story here – on a pitch that good against an attack that ordinary is an absolute disgrace
*Copyright worlds second worst cricket commentator
in response to Hewy -
Why is it that out of all the cricket playing nations its the Aussies that have problems with bowling action. Muralidharan, Harbhajan, Shoib Akhtar and the list goes on….
Me thinks…… because you cant play them you try to blotch them. Historically Aussies have been the most pompous bunch of cricketers ever and dont even get me started on sportmanship…. check the link out SHIT SCARED underarm bowlers. PERIOD!!
in response to Hewy -
Why is it that out of all the cricket playing nations its the Aussies that have problems with bowling action. Muralidharan, Harbhajan, Shoib Akhtar and the list goes on….
Me thinks…… because you cant play them you try to blotch them. Historically Aussies have been the most pompous bunch of cricketers ever and dont even get me started on sportmanship…. check the link out SHIT SCARED underarm bowlers. PERIOD!!
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/387236/underarm_bowling_in_cricket/
Sachin had no support.
Sachin played well no doubt but more important is team lost if you score 200 and still cant win the match for team then that is meaningless. sachin is not a good game finisher. what is the meaning of making 175 if he cant make last 18 runs when the rate was just abot run a ball.
India has no chance in world cup 2011. same pitches same bowling attack.
poopsie
who’s the worst? I thought Roebuck was bottom of the barrel.
It was a depressing day (or should I say, night) for me at the end of the match. While Australia can look at Sachin and rejoice, the Indians had lessons to learn from the match yesterday.
Regards
Madhu
Sachin deserved to win, his team mates let him down. Barely a complete cricketing brain between them.
The prospect of getting beat at home by what is basically – give or take a few players – an Aussie second team is getting to MS Dhoni and his merry men.
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Tendulkar’s knock put in perspective the quality of the Aussie attack. However, he seemed to be the only one getting to face the ordinary bowling!! Second implosion in two games. A series loss against a C-string Australian side would be a nice kick up Dhoni’s backside for dropping the likes of Irfan Pathan and sticking to the Jadejas.
Jay, a West indian bowler got called (can’t remember which one, Morton or Samuels?) for a dodgy action. No Aussies involved. Johan Botha got called in a domestic game in SA. No Aussies involved. Pakistan players have been called with no Aussies involvement in the match.
This is like the excuse that only Sachin every gets poor decisions against him.
And don’t you think that umpries have minds of their own?
Apart from Rudi that is. Historically he is hopelessly swayed by the crowd.
A man can only do so much. (to all sachins crtics)
As far as Kumars action is concerned it does look dodgy but I think its because he uncocks his wrist as he delivers which appears as if he is chucking. Definitely needs veryfying
If he was chucking it ,I dont see any advantage, it only comes out at 79 – 80 mph (unlike some 100 mph yorkers)
@CM: “Umm, so why did he give his wicket to McKay again?”
For the same reason the Don got out for a duck, needing just 4, to what-was-his-name…the vagaries of cricket, and life.
@poopsie: “Tendulkar’s innings was all the more remarkable in that it was on a flat, true, non-seaming, non-swinging road against a second rate domestic bowling attack.”
No, mate. It was FANTASTIC because other batsman also batted on it – Ponting, Watson, Marsh, Dhoni, Sehwag, Yuvraj, et al – and no one will remember what they did or did not do on the night.
@Rehan Khan: “sachin is not a good game finisher. what is the meaning of making 175 if he cant make last 18 runs when the rate was just abot run a ball.”
The man is still human. To expect him to give a good START (isn’t he an opener) and also to FINISH by hitting the last run in a 350-chase is asking too much of one man…cricket is still a team game with 21 other players who can affect a game! And that’s why Australian units are always highly competitive…all 11 men fight bloody hard!
below link for those who have doubts that sachin is not a good finisher….please refer to the solid facts instead of free statements out of nowhere….
http://www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2009/content/current/story/433228.html
Not only Sachin is great finisher of the game, but he is also a great in winning hearts all around the globe..
Cheers!!
@Gavs: truth to power!
If you blame that sachin didn’t finish…what were other 10 players in the team doing ?. Why play with 11 players for indian side..play just with sachin..
sachin was in the list of 6 out of top 22 losing odis biggest scores…..that proves..the above statement..Lara wont be there..becos he too was out early when everyone got out in their team.
Had any of you achieved what sachin is today..I am sure , your feet wont be in the ground.
Pakis – stay off commenting on Sachin
UR country has nothing worthy of mention in the same breath as that of Sachin
Go join your Mullahs
Bloody hell, one latter-day Bradman and ten other players that looked like Sachin picked them out of the stands on the way in…
Glad I’m not in Dhoni’s shoes atm…
The most succinct and brilliant article about yesterday’s game!!!!
those who are blaming tendulkar for the loss are not only cruel, but do not understand squat about cricket. Leave aside all emotions, when a guy soaks up and beats the pressure of scoring at seven an over for 47 overs while wickets kept tumbling around him, and scores more than half the runs at a better strike rate than required, he should not be asked to do much else. Scoring 19 off 17 balls, unless the batsmen are complete bunnies is an easy task especially in the era of twenty20. Also, the batting order was more to blame. At 53 to win from 48 balls, why send in Harbhajan at no.7. He is known as a hitter and at that point just wasn’t needed. It was better to get a more accomplished batsman in Jadeja. He could have moved the ball around with sachin and brought the rate below six an over. Then even if sachin had gotten out, the lesser batsmen would not have to face the pressure of scoring more than a run a ball. I am pretty sure those who are blaming tendulkar are supporters of Lara and Ponting, and being too petty to give a great man his due. Tendulkar scored 175 off 141, all the other ten had to do was score 176 off 159, does that seem too difficult on a flat track.?
You guys need to stop being petty schoolgirls
Dhoni not even mentioning Sachin’s performance in the post match presentation was downright disrespectful. This team doesn’t even deserve him.
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You are right in your assessment CMIS. But your data is slightly wrong! The ten needed to score only 159 in 162 deliveries (because there were 17 extras and 3 no balls don’t count). That’s less than run a ball on the Uppal pitch! It was great toss to win for Ponting. When we talk about class, Lara is of the same class in batting and does come as a good competitor of Sachin in test cricket. But Sachin is way ahead of Lara and Ponting in ODI version. This cricketer whose centuries don’t win India the game, has only 32 ODI centuries in winning cause! and what’s the next highest number of total centuries by any other individual? 28
Thanks satyajit, I forgot about the extras.
CMIS, Brahmin, kkumar et al
although one of you is a dick, and the others aren’t, i am still posting a collective response. i don’t think anyone here is saying sachin can’t finish. or that he’s not a match winner. the general consensus is that people find it shocking how many times he has been let down by his team mates.
i’ll be honest, post-chennai i felt that under pressure sachin can’t finish games. but haivng seen his team fuck him over several times, i think that in clutch situations every other indian team mate seems to work overtime to fuck things up even more, leaving sachin to clean up the mess. i think he literally takes it to the maximum possible limit for a human to go before he gives up.
having sai that, i don’t get why there has been a deluge of indian commenters picking on people who think sachin isn’t a finisher, especailly since that opinion is not really present on this comments page. why are some of you getting so defensive?
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I cant understand what the fuss is. Saching played well but India LOST. End of story. Yet again. as long as Sachin cant finish matches all such performances just benefit his statistics and not the team. And the less said about the rest of the team the better especially the assinine Jadeja..its time to dump him for good. Seems like every time the Indian tail is left the task to finish a match they play like chickens with their heads cut.
I think some credit is due to McKay for that clever slower ball.Sachin was tired, and I think he just wanted an easy boundary or 2 runs with that scoop.He will be the first one to admit that he should have played a proper cricketing shot, or used more power in that scoop. The simple reason he did not do that, was that he was tired and did not read the slower one well. It happens.He is human.
What is inexcusable: Jadeja’s run out, Bhajji’s lazy poke, and PK not diving for that risky second.
Dhoni’s blooper was in sending Bhajji above Jadeja.
Assuming Sachin got out after his 45th ton, the margin would have been much higher.Sachin’s knock is making us all believe that India competed well to come close.
Lesson learnt: Unless a miracle happens, we Indians should be happy if we even reach the Semis of the 2011 world cup. Let us all thank IPL for effing up the priorities of the young players. It will be a very long time before we see the next Dravid or VVS come up for India, leave alone Sachin.
Steve – worst commentator is Tony Grieg
Gavs – Along with most of worldwide cricket fans, you are caught up in Sachin hysteria. It doesn’t matter what other players do, everyone always remembers what Sachin did or did not do in every game he plays. For example when you ask people about the 2003 World Cup final, it is not Ponting’s match winning innings that is remembered, but Tendulkar’s failure. For sure it was a great innings the other day, but when a bozo like Watson makes 90 odd, takes 3 for and is probably most responsible for winning the game – he is only remembered by The Skiver and Lee Furlong. And both of these for vastly different reasons
@poopsie..
Watson made 93 runs out of 350. He took only 3 wickets out of 10. Then how can india lose only on his performance. If he is a match winner then what should i say abt sachin. Marsh,white, mckay, watson, ponting, hussy , bolinger all have part in that win. This is a team game. Sachin did really well more than a normal cricketer can do. Stop blaming sachin and mind ur own business. Who are the bloody hell to ask his commitment. Can u show me the other cricketer who won the team that many times?
Its A Genius Playing A Genius inning…..I Think No on have the rite to blame him saying he did not finish the match…..come on man….think like humans…he has fielded for 50 overs( did u luk at the last ball of the aus innings..after 49.5 overs)..and came in to bat….batted for 47 overs…he is phenomenon… u know wat’s his age 36….o my god….the match will be remeberd for his outstanding effected..i will not be surprised…if any one says that its the halite of the entire series… did u listen to the roar after he reached 17000 runs…did u see the people tension when he was in 16999… i started watching cricket for the past 15 to 16 years and i have never listed to a roar like this…..i was there in the stadium watch it….boy….i was not able to listen to anything for 10 to 15 min…after the roar was completed…..
and about the tactics……
i thought his move of delaying the powerplay ’til the 45th over (or thereabouts) was brilliant. Not only did it allow a youngster like Jadeja the opportunity to play some big shots under favorable field restrictions, but it also ensured that India’s pitiful tailenders could win the game in the event of a collapse. That’s the kind of tactical thinking you can’t capture with stats….
he is amazing….
i left the ground after he was out….
look fact of the matter is we fucking lost and we fucking lack balls. It was as much sachin’s fault as it was the fault of the other 10 high priced douchebags. He had all the shots in the world and he got out to that fucking shot.
I dont give a fuck about his 175, what is he gonna do abt it, lick his bat ? we lost and the series is at 3-2 (well done aussies). I have a new found respect for you assholes. As a hardcore Indian fan, I loved any Indian team even the Md. Azhar team of the 90’s which was the most pathetic depressing team ever. The love was hardcore and the hate is gonna be even worse. great job Indian team for putting off a well-meaning, over the top supporter who was there for you even in the darkest hours.
I dont wanna hear any Indian cricketer or Indian supporter saying “oh but we tried”…seriously that is the most insipid, weak argument. our players looks like helpless strippers in front of this white motherfucking alpha males.
I like the aussies now, they are big, tough, and fight like pitbulls on crack. Am I gonna support them ? NO, since I made a life pact of only supporting my team. But after yesterday, I am losing interest in cricket altogether.
fuck you motherfuckers, I vow to never ever watch a live game, involving India anyways.
SACHIN, Dhoni, Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvray, Bhajji, praveen, Ashish, I hope someone rapes your mothers to death. Raina is still my boy.
Nothing wrong with the pakistani supporter pointing out that Sachin never quite finishes…he has all the rights to say whatever the fuck he wants. He is actually right. Its like a great session in bed and finally no fucking orgasm…..what was the fucking point in the marathon foreplay session.
I have had too much of the Indian team affecting my libido, I suppose if I dont watch them, I can maintain my rod.
on the side note, any girls on this motherfucker ?
I am pretty sure “Saurav Ganguly” (the one in this blog, not the famous one) will be infront of the TV come tomo morning 9 AM
He cares so much about watching the game and Ind that it makes him swear online and makes him come back to a cricket site and post his opinion after almost two days. BTW, you know what he was doing last 1.5 days? mourning India’s loss… This is a typical die hard Indian cricket fan unable to take the loss. Grow up my dear, after all this is a game of cricket…
@Bansi brahmin: As a fellow Indian, I take strong exception to your vitriolic response to Pakistani cricket buffs. There are idiots in every country who speak rubbish, but surely you don’t need to insult the entire nation for it. Especially when there are others like “karachikhatmal” who make some interesting points. And frankly, if in the 21st century we sportsfans can’t rise above jingoism, then how pathetic is the modern man???
@poopsie: No mate, all Indians are not hysterical SRT fans. Most of us are very much capable of appreciating quality, regardless of national origin (which is why the Don used to receive tons of fanmail from India, and why there are die-hard fans of Lara, Gilly, Steve Waugh too). And equally capable of criticizing SRT…though sometimes unfairly, which is perhaps why many Indians cite his failure in the 2003 WC final, rather than Ponting’s excellent knock while reminiscing. But mate, I stand by my point that THIS match will be remembered in the future for Sachin’s thrilling solo, and for what 1 great player almost achieved against the fighting Aussies! And it is not to wilfully undermine the fine efforts of Watson, Marsh, et al…it is just to acknowledge what riveted us to this match.
listen up motherfucking Satyajit, first of all dont call me “dear”, seriously that is GAY.
and I am a typical average Indian cricket fan with my mind and heart only in one direction – INDIA. I have no shame admitting that my life revolves around cricket. you know why you are so passive abt it ?
bcoz u cant play cricket, have never played cricket and are genrally apathetic and non passionate abt anything in general.
where are your balls DEAR ?
MR. WEBMASTER: Is it possible to get rid of this dipshit hiding behind “Sourav Ganguly’s” name? Hey dipshit…if you are so diehard about INDIA, stop humiliating your country with your psycho verbiage.
“Saurav Ganguly”, is that made up name or a real one? bcoz you unwittingly turnish the good name of a very dear cricketer (not you). I don’t get offended as you are immature and stupid (just like a 3 year old kid picking up a swear word from an elder person and telling you that doen’t matter much). And yes, you need to grow up, just like Ravindra Jadeja who got himself runout in the stupidest manner 2nd time in the series (out of 3 times he got batting maybe). The kid has talent, but he lacks temperament. Coming back to you, I know you don’t have any sort of talent, and your temperament is showing up…
@Satyajit: Many thanks mate, on behalf of sane fellow Indians!
not had your old balls fondled lately Satyajit ?
seriously passiveness brings u to the line, but u dont cross it. (good on ya aussies, I say)
I bet you also suffer from a massice case of “what ifs…” I bet your sex drive is less than the middle Jonas kid. stop being preachy and face the fact. dont sugarcoat and try to look for throwdowns, that is just annoying.
listen to “you dont know me like that” by Ludacris, I cant be bothered arguing with old hacks like you.
@Saurav (the one in this blog), ok I cann’t go down to your level. Neither would my upbringing would allow me to do so. But lets see if you are really man enough, just live up to your words: “I vow to never ever watch a live game, involving India anyways.” Deal?
who the fuck are you for me to even make a deal with you. I will not watch it for a lifetime or even watch it after a week.
I wrote a blog and notice how you are the only under-confident ass to reply. notice how the other folks took a glance and walked away dismissing it as a piece of crap blog that is it.
Mind your own business and you will actually get laid someday, there I have disclosed the secret of life.
now off you go.
@Saurav, it’s nincompoops like you who make sane people like me preachy. It’s the typical non-commitment for anything from young indians like you that makes us weak. Look at the Aussies. The whole team is so committed regardless of their age/experience. They are covering up their ability with the commitment they have. While the other 10 dudes are far better than people like you but still they suffer from short bursts of commitment phobia.
P.S: you are nobody to tell me whether I post in this blog or not
SPOT ON!!
The ONLY reason Lara,Ponting etc are even in the same FRAME as Tendulkar is because of the period from 2003-07, when Tendulkar suffered from continous injuries, while ALL (repeat ALL ) batsmen were scoring OBSCENE runs in the easiest batting conditions in history.In fact, we have probably missed out on the BEST of Tendulkar (from age 30-34) incredible tho this may seem!!!
Till 2003, Tendulkar was miles above the pack. Even, now from 07/08 onwards,-aching body and all- he is still the KING!!
Who cares abt winning or losing ?I was crying for sachin only
he inspired me to do hard work
i salute him
i love u sachin
enjoyed reading.
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fabulous responses by all and thanks to the blog for bringing it out.
as a sachin fan i have been over zealous at times in praise and vice versa but very objectively speaking, i think i have come to the distinction between someone who is a finisher and someone who sets up a match.
there was an interesting article the other day on players who have scored the max proportion of runs for their team and sachin had something like 19% and the next closest was ganguly with 16 odd the aussies had three people on that list – hayden gilly and ponting..
its no secret ODIs are batsmen dominated and the fact that the 3 ozzies are there tells a lot about their success over the past decade.
i think this debate would not have existed if he had made 80 odd and india had fizzled out for 240 odd.
the irony is that he made the mistake of giving us hope. if thats a crime, then thats just not being a sport or loving a particular sport with equanimity.
the fact is modern day cricket matches (even odis or tests) will be won by the team that has better fielders and better bowlers.
i think there is no doubt about which team of the two has those.
@karachikhatmal : I hear you. However, you have to to take into account, Sachin is an opener. Its awfully unfair to expect him to open the innings and finish the game on his own. If the others are “brain fucked” for their lives, it isnt his fault.
P.S : Which chennai test???? I am sorry that does not ring a bell……:)
Aussies will never understand why Indians feel this way for Tendulkar. You guys have never been in a position to cheer a side where only a couple of guys are actually trying to make a differance. The 1990s was not a great period for Indian fans considering the way the Indian players were humiliated and fucked overseas…except for one (not counting Dravid and Dada since they matured and started kicking ass in the early 2000s). When Tendulkar played, we dreamed of the Indian side competing with the best as equals. When he got out, it was back to being kicked on the nuts. Hence the extra pressure and love for him.
Him being called a bad finisher makes me laugh. A team game like cricket needs everyone to chip. Yesterday, apart from Raina and Sehwag, who chipped in? Great “finishers” like Bevan always had company at the other end (eg: Andy Bichel in WC 2003 against England). Tendulkar rarely had it. When he did have it, he did finish it (eg: with Yuvraj against England – Test match 1 in 2008).
Another Observer, this blog comments are accepted on free speech on the basis that if you let an idiot talk he will make more of an ass of himself, and because i can’t be bothered deleting comments.
What a game !!
Would have been great if we had won .. but yeah, as you said, such play makes results just a footnote.
The day Tendlya retires would be the end of the world.
jrod…point taken. And excellent piece man!
@RT: “the irony is that he made the mistake of giving us hope. if thats a crime, then thats just not being a sport or loving a particular sport with equanimity.”
Really well said!
The other thing that folks don’t seem to realize when they say “he got 175, but India lost by 3 runs…so what’s the big deal?” is the INSPIRATION VALUE of such magnificent efforts. The next time an Indian team is set 350, they will invoke this chase and believe it is possible. In fact, just the way Sunny Gavaskar’s feats are a source of inspiration and self-belief to Tendulkar’s generation of batsmen, SRT has already inspired a Sehwag, besides countless kids all over India…and we’ve now heard of a 12-yr old from Mumbai (Sarfaraz Khan) who just surpassed Sachin’s interschool batting effort and calls Sachin his ‘Guru.’
That is the BIG PICTURE IMPACT of giants like Sachin and Lara…far beyond winning or losing an individual game.
@Gavs, spot on! Sports (and life in general) is not just about winning or losing. I don’t see how the value of the 175 goes down even if India lost. Similarly Chennai 136 (also Gavaskar’s 96 in a losing cause) are all innings of the highest quality and you are priviledged if you see such an innings live! If good news is only thing people care about, then some of the tragedies won’t be considered among greatest pieces of literature. Interestingly I had sort of premonition (or probably just a wish as all these premonitions don’t work all the time
), and I thought Sachin will make 175 in 145 balls. And I also thought Ind will win due to this. He did slightly better (175 in 141) but Ind lost. Apart from that fabulous innings, what really made me feel proud being a fellow country man was what he said during the prize ceremony (he initially looked reluctant to come to the stage). He said “I have passion for the game and I care for my country. I feel priviledged to play for my country for 20 years”. This is what separates him from the rest…
@gavs,fantastic man!!!
Gavs, Vinod and the rest, thank you for illustrating my point so perfectly. Passion and romance is all well and good, but it does not seem to help with winning any silverware. Perhaps the rest of the squad will realise that soon
All that inspiration value doesn’t seem to have much effect on motivating his team – 7/79 at the 30th over.
I hope these weak mofo’s get beaten by 10 wickets, shame and disgrace, please end it soon , someone, anyone.
it will be interesting to see how dhoni will get out of this bitch at the conference ?
surely there is only so many polite diplomatic words u can use to distract attention from such an absurdity.
@ satyajit: I rest my case, these players dont have balls. oh I see, thats why you get along with them.
LOL.Joke of the century.Can you tell me how many matches Lara has finished? One? LOL.
get your head out of your ass…read this article on the net “Tendulkars final onslaught”
AND WHY DONT THE PAKIS GET THE F… OUT OF HERE.
JEALOUS ASSES!!
AND THEY ALL USE PSEUDO NAMES TOO!! THINK WE CANT SEE THROUGHT THEIR CHILDISH JEALOUS BULLSHIT
“Ron” must be Indian – who else could be so charming?
Awesome article… Its true that the match was like any match India played in 90’s… It was Sachin all the way… n Truly he is the best and will always remain my real hero… The day he retires Cricket becomes a distant sport to me..
Why do people have to be so blinking rude? Just because you can hide behind the anonymity of a web alias, it doesn’t make you sound any clever to start with the abuse. It’s just cowardly.
Anyway, what a shock that the Aussies have won the series. I never expected that.
I’m going to keep the chucking thread going just for the hell of it, but I’ll give some biomechanical background on throwing…
Pace bowlers generally start with their two fingers on top of the ball and thumb underneath.
At some point in your action, you actually have to rotate your wrist so that the thumb is on top and the fingers are below – otherwise your arm can’t rotate properly.
Bowlers who bowl with a straight arm do this wrist rotation on or before the arm swings past the hip. If you do it any later than that then you will tend to throw the ball.
Feel free to try this at home, kids – it’s a very simple exercise.
Now Kumar tends to rotate his wrist when he arm is way past the hip – just watch him whenever they show a side shot of him bowling. This means that his arm definitely moves some amount during delivery. This may be <15 degrees in which case, keep doing what you're doing Kumar. If not, then he needs to change it.
http://cricket.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/nov/10/slide-show-1-deepika-padukone-dhoni-sports-awards.htm
and you would think these motherfuckers would be on the ground training like crazy, to redeem themselves, to win it for the country, heck! to win it for themselves. naah, not a chance, lets just go to an award ceremony and have the balls to actually pick up an award.
your coolness, dettachment is misdirected Mr. Dhoni.
Its not that we dont even see that the scoreline is 4-2. Unlike in the past, when your aloofness assured us, it is just downright stupid and fake, irritating too.
Hyderabad was a watershed in Indian cricket history.
read this article: http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/nov/10/india-australia-rain-could-play-spoilsport-in-seventh-odi.htm
I am not the only passionate fan to think enough is enough.
To all the fans in Mumbai, spread awarness and boycott going for the live game. let those douches see empty stadium and realize what deep shit they are in.
Go on Aussies, win it for us. win it for cricket.
Steve & poopsie, congrats on the series win. Australia, on recent form, remain the best ODI team. And kudos too to the Aussie cricket system for incredible depth of competitive players.
And Steve, don’t worry mate…the title of the ‘most charming people in the world’ remains with you Aussies! Such a long and impressive track record can’t be surpassed so easily by a few Indian upstarts!