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What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t: Geoffrey Boycott


What he said:

“We made some appalling selections in India and our team did not look like they could win an egg cup let alone the World Cup.”

Geoffrey Boycott making it clear that England needs to take a hard, bold look at their approach in the shorter format of the game.

What he really meant:

“The English team at the World Cup were pathetically inconsistent. I threw in that egg cup bit to bolster my point.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’ll coach this team into winning at croquet and lacrosse.As a bonus, I’ll teach them to putt into an egg cup from six yards.”

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Anjum Chopra appointed coach of Indian T20 team (Satire)


Anjum Chopra of India - ICC Women's Cricket Wo...

Taking a cue from the English Cricket Board (ECB), the Board For Cricket Control in India (BCCI) appointed Anjum Chopra coach of the Indian T20 men’s team.

“The English have been very innovative lately. They stole a march on us by appointing three different captains. We had to do something.This is how we regain the initiative.” said Mr. Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI head of operations.

“It also makes for good PR to have a woman coach at the highest level.” added Mr. Shashank Manohar, BCCI President.

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What she said, meant, and definitely didn’t: Dona Ganguly


What she said:

“”Yes,but his role in the management and in the IPL team are two very different things.”

Dona Ganguly defending her husband Saurav representing the Pune Warriors franchise owned by Sahara Adventure Sports in which he is on the board of  directors.

What she meant:

“He (Saurav) can’t play cricket in board meetings, can he?”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Do you think Subrata Roy can play cricket as well as Saurav?”

“No, I don’t think Dada would have been chosen had he been an outsider.”

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What he said, meant and definitely didn’t: Gautam Gambhir


What he said:

“I always believed that there were never great captains and there will be no great captains. There are only great teams. No captain can win you the game. It is the team that wins the game.”

Gautam Gambhir on his captaincy stint with Kolkatta Knight Riders.

What he meant:

“The team makes me.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I bet you a hundred bucks that Ganguly would win with this team.”

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Cricket Diary : Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Hashan Tillakaratne and ‘Dada’ Saurav Ganguly


2nd May, 2011

Shivnarine Chanderpaul continues to raise a ruckus about his axing from the West Indian side.

In a second letter to West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Ernest Hilaire, the batsman questions his dropping for the Pakistan tour of West Indies.

Hilaire had squarely blamed the West Indies Player Association (WIPA) for Chanderpaul’s outburst in his response to his earlier missive.

The Guyanese was quick to respond saying:

“I may not be Dr. Chanderpaul, but I have been a top-ranked international batsman and we have to be able to think critically under the most intense and stressful situations.

It is therefore distressing that you blame WIPA by implication, if not overtly, for my letter saying that WIPA was offering me "ill advice". You may not be aware but I have faced the best bowlers in the world in my career and I know how to counter-attack. Furthermore, I am my own man and would ask that you respect that!"

The West Indian bat raised issues on the mishandling of injuries by the administrative body.

Coming on the back of a controversial decision by Chris Gayle to play the IPL rather than represent the band of nations that is the West Indies, the episode paints a sorry picture of the state of Caribbean  cricket.

Chanderpaul may no longer  be a sprightly young man but he should be allowed to decided when to quit the game.

Chanderpaul rarely courted scandal in his distinguished career but the lackadaisical attitude of the powers-that-be raised his hackles.

This man will not go quietly into the night. 

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Ricky Ponting’s the next Scott Draper (Humour)


Ricky Ponting at a training session at the Ade... 

Ricky Ponting has decided to take up professional golf.

Seriously.

It’s that damned fool Gary Player who’s been filling his head with these ideas.

Player did not even know who Ricky was when he first met him. But can he recognise a fine swing or what?

What next?

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From the English to the Lankans, ‘Come as you are’ (Humour)


David Lloyd, in the Independent, remarked thus: “England’s first series since the Ashes euphoria of four months ago may feel more like a ‘come as you are’ street party than a suited-and-booted city pageant.”

The comment was directed at the up-coming tour of England by Sri Lanka.

Bumble was, of course, referring to the current state of unrest in Sri Lankan cricket; a change of captain and vice-captain, the resignation of the selection committee, the retirement of Lasith Malinga from Test cricket and the lure of the IPL putting paid to plans of a training camp before the team embarked on the series.

The English team would be well-advised to welcome the tourists with this Nirvana song, penned by Kurt Cobain.

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Weekend Cricket Diary: Chanderpaul,Pataudi and the IPL


Flag of the West Indies Cricket Board

29th April, 2011:

WICB chief Ernest Hilaire’s comments about the West Indian team hit a raw nerve—Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s.

When he termed the West Indian cricketers of the past 15 years as lacking application and discipline, he overlooked the chip on Chanderpaul’s shoulder.

The Guyanese bat of Indian origin who uncomplainingly carried Windies hopes, oft receiving less than his share of glory—overshadowed first by Brian Lara and later Chris Gayle—, came out strongly in a letter addressed to Hilaire .

Questioning the use of ‘we’ in his interview, the Guyanese asked him, “Are you speaking for yourself, albeit as CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board or are you speaking for and on behalf of the West Indies Cricket Board itself?”

Chanderpaul threatened to take whatever action necessary to safeguard his reputation.

The boot is truly on the other foot.

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What he said, meant and definitely didn’t : David Lloyd


What he said:

“England’s first series since the Ashes euphoria of four months ago may feel more like a ‘come as you are’ street party than a suited-and-booted city pageant.”

David Lloyd aka Bumble on the up-coming tour of England by Sri Lanka.

What he meant:

“The Lankans will hardly have any time to slip out of their IPL pyjamas for the Tests.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Why not play the Tests in pyjamas? And at night? Lalit Modi’s here, let’s ask him to help out.”

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Michael Holding, the ‘doosra’ is here to stay


Harbhajan Singh at Adelaide Oval

Fast bowling legend, Michael Holding, set the cat among the pigeons with his comments regarding the legality of the ‘doosra’ during the second ODI between Pakistan and West Indies at St. Lucia.

It is not the first time that old-timers have questioned the legality of the delivery.It will not be the last.

India’s Bishan Singh Bedi is another rabid critic of the off-spinner’s googly.

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