LINUS FERNANDES

I have been an IT professional with over 12 years professional experience. I'm a B.Sc. in Statistics, M.Sc in Computer Science (University of Mumbai) and an MBA from the Cyprus International Institute of Management. I have completed levels I and II of the CFA course. Blogging is a part-time vocation. I am also the author of four books, Those Glory Days: Cricket World Cup 2011, IPL Vignettes, Poems: An Anthology, and It's a Petting Sport---all available on Amazon Worldwide.
LINUS FERNANDES has written 1458 posts for Make Time For Sports.

Australian Open 2011: Not quite giant-killers but no fly-swatters either


Daniela Hantuchova forehand.

Daniela Hantuchova: Image via Wikipedia

It’s always difficult coming into the first Grand Slam of the year. It is as though one has to shake off the excesses of the Christmas festivities ,shed the trappings of the successes in the previous year and get down to business on a clean slate. Yet, one has to act as though one were never away from the hurly-burly of the action on court.

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Australian Open 2011: Headlining The Rafael Nadal/ Roger Federer Rivalry


merged from four Wikipedia Commons images orig...

Image via Wikipedia

Today—the 16th of January—is the eve of the 2011 Australian Open.

History will be made at the Asia-Pacific Grand Slam if Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal clinch the men’s title.

It will be Roger Federer’s 17th major. It will be a Star Trek landmark—going where no man has been before. If Nadal wins, it will be the culmination of the Rafa Slam—an event much anticipated by players and fans.

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IPL: Lalit Modi, the know-it all, really knows it all (Satire)


Yashwant Sinha India's former Finance Minister.

Image via Wikipedia

Wikileaks—the pro-transparency website— has released transcripts of the Parliamentary Standing Committee hearing into the finances of the IPL.

The BCCI officials summoned include president Shashank Manohar, secretary N Srinivasan and IPL commissioner Chirayu Amin. The panel is headed by BJP MP  Yashwant Sinha, the former finance minister.

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League of Champions: Out of the Indian Premier League (Satire)


Brian Lara Cricket '99

Image via Wikipedia

The dust has settled on the IPL auctions.The players have been bought (or not).The teams have been formed (or not). The franchises are happy (or not).

The rumour mills ,however, have been overactive.

Among the numerous reports floating around, these are the more salient ones:

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Bolshoi The Boxer forms the Indian Doggy League (IDL) (Satire)


My dog, Bolshoi The Boxer, said to me this morning: “Botox and I are going to form our own super sports league.”

“Hmm…. That’s interesting.” I reply, sipping my ante meridiem cuppa tea.

“If the Indian cricketers can have the ICL and IPL, the hockey players, the IHL and the tennis players, the ITL, then us canines should have a league of our own.”

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Tennis Bytes:Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi triumph in Chennai and other stories


Leander Paes (the lauda) and his former double...

Image via Wikipedia

Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes have done it again.

The Indian Express triumphed at the 2011 Aircel Chennai Open subduing the Dutch-American pair of Robin Hasse and David Martin 6-2, 6-7 (3), 10-7.

The Chennai tourney has Indian champions once more. This is the first time since 2002 that an Indian pair have inscribed their names on the trophy. It was the duo of Bhupathi and Paes who claimed it then as well.

Somdev Devvarman came close in 2009, losing to Marin Cilic in the final.

It was fitting that the duo came together in the sweltering environs of the South Indian city that boasts the best-known tennis families in India—the Krishnans and the Amritrajs, to clinch their first title this year.

Sceptics felt  that the two would find it difficult to reprise their form of the late 90s and early oo’s, given their aging bodies and slower reflexes.

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Jacques Kallis, South Africa’s gentle giant: finest cricketer of the modern generation


Jacques Kallis at a training session at the Ad...

Image via Wikipedia

Jacques Kallis is the finest all-rounder and best cricketer of the modern generation.

Yet, he has failed to capture the imagination;he is not spoken of in the same breath as SachinTendulkar, Virender Sehwag, or Ricky Ponting.

Why is that? Is it because he is unpretentious? Is it because he is unflashy? Is it because that he is not a dasher?

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India versus South Africa: Series ends tied one all


Jacques Kallis at a training session at the Ad...

Image via Wikipedia

I must admit that I am relieved that the twin Test series in South Africa and Australia have ended. The cricket has been exhilarating, the battle has seesawed between the sides and there has been no respite from the all-encompassing media hype.

I hope to catch a break from all forms of cricket until the World Cup. I have seriously overdosed.

India finish tied 1-1 on the Last Frontier in the Rainbow Nation. This will be a result they will cherish , but they will also regret that they could not make it a more memorable tour.

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Poms dispatch the Ashes post-haste to England: Aussies go down 1-3


Alastair Cook, bowling at Adelaide Oval cricke...

Image via Wikipedia

It has been an exhilarating month-and-a-half for cricket aficionados. The two Test series in the antipodes, Australia and South Africa, witnessed enchanting, entertaining cricket from four sides.

The Ashes, whose history goes back over a hundred years, and the Sumo tie between the Goliaths of modern day cricket, India and South Africa, were a treat for the eyes. The Ashes more so for the excellent Hot Spot camera views. No complaints about umpiring decisions there.

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Bolshoi The Boxer Discovers The Ego (Satire): Kevin Pietersen, Brylcreem Hero


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My dog, Bolshoi The Boxer, asked me this morning: “Am I egoistic? Do I have a large ego?”

“What makes you think that? Has someone said something to you? Have you had another fight with Botox?”

Botox, the Pekingese, is Bolshoi’s girlfriend; Bolshoi, however, takes umbrage at being termed her boyfriend.

Yuvraj Singh batting at Adelaide Oval

Image via Wikipedia

“I have been reading an article about Yuvraj Singh ranked among the top ten egos in sport this year by the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph.

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