Sports Reviews
Putt with Robert Rock
After all, we love cricket – Vow Virat !
What a match man! What to say? All through the last two months the team saved me from my valuable TV time with display on fiield and off. Honestly, I have never been a big fan of you for your four lettered usages, but today, just take time to salute you man.
“When you are winning you can stay on tour for five months. You won’t mind a single day, but when you are not doing well as a team it is really difficult to hold yourself together mentally”. That was his post match comment. Sidharth Monga wrote it rightly at cricinfo “There is something dangerous about those who have lost it all.”
We, as mad cricket fans, have lot to look forward if you play like this. Well done, but as usual, we all put ourselves and love to be in situations to be at the mercy of others, or their deeds to move ahead. I am not different and my national cricket team too. No choice other than to wait till Australia play Sri Lanka and hopefully win over them in the next match.
Volvo Ocean Race 2011 – 2012 – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing wins Leg 3 First Stage and also clinches Etihad Airways In-Port race
News source: www.volvooceanrace.com
Wish they were cricketers! India Seniors Volleyball team at Abu Dhbi airport
Mind Speaks – Arrival of Kochi Rajas – 2011 IPL T20
Mind Speaks – Arrival of Kochi Rajas – 2011 IPL T20
Well. Well. Well. A few weeks ago, I was writing against the domination of cricket and the prominence its players were getting when compared to other sports. Now, I am changing side. I haven’t got any bribe from the cricketing gods. It’s just because of the starting of the domination by some – individuals – underdogs like Paul Valthaty, Ravindra Jadeja, and – team – Kochi Tuskers Kerala playing in the 4th edition of IPL 2011.
A few days ago, everyone got carried away when Sachin Tendulkar got a 100 although getting out twice on his way to it. That day, while coming in to field, the whole of Mumbai Indian supporters including him and his team never believed the impossible to happen. They silently let loose a winning combination to perform and a team in its teething stages enjoy learning the “Will to Win”. With their bold decision to leave Muralidharan and Sreesanth out of the playnig eleven, Kochi Tuskers Kerala showed that the choice of playing good cricket is in the players hands. Wickets were falling at regular intervals and till the time Ravindra Jadeja hit those two powerful sixes, Mumbai Indians never really accepted that enemy have arrived in their front door, in fact already entered inside. I think it was an experience that would have taught Mumbai Indians to “never underestimate anyone” and today Chennai Super Kings too got a taste of this time proven mantra.
Every one might have thought that it was a one off display until the match that finished a few moments ago at Cochin with Chennai Super Kings. M S Dhoni and his team were unable to digest the fact that a team comprising of no big names when compared to theirs offering winning shake hands. Slow motion TV replays showed many of the players in yellow were unable to look at the face of Ravindra Jadeja. Its true, they just can’t believe or digest it. That was the effect of his sixes in this match that it could be termed the most outrageous act of recent cricket. It was as if he was proving a point or two to many.
Yes, this seasons T20 is proving out to be a commoners sports. Imagine any game that the village boys play with conviction and courage. It reminds me of my own younger days, when we used to play matches between village teams. Having left with limited cricket gears many times we go out to bat with one pad and one glows. We used to have a courageous young boy, Justin, amongst us, who worked part time as a taxi driver for his living. He was our trump card while playing bigger teams. He practiced with focus whenever he could get a chance that he was so accurate to hit the knee cap or toe end at any given opportunity to ball. He was thus lethal. When given the bat, the opposition had to always keep extra balls as his hits were outrageously huge to go far beyond our playground and reach the temple pond. Batters like Paul Valthaty and Ravindra Jadeja and our own RV Gomez with the ball brought back his memories. Its just a matter of will to win and winning ways.
Of course the rain gods kindness yesterday and the winning toss meant that it saved KTK from any further helicopter attack by MSD and company during the end overs.
For KTK batters like Brenden McCullum, Mahela Jayawardane, Parthiv Patil and Ravindra Jadeja have all stood up to the challenge they were thrown in. With no gimmicks or paints around, bowlers like RP Sing, R Vinay Kumar and Raphi Gomez comes in a bowl according to captains plans. We could see fielders throw in and “do all little little things right to get the final thing perfect”. I am sure these winning ways and cool approach by Mahela Jayawardane will give sufficient learning opportunities, self control techniques and winning ways to some of our temperamental players. This is a long series and if they re-learn those tricks fast, they too can join the party from within the ground.
Well done KOCHI TUSKERS KERALA. MY COLOR IS ORANGE AND PURPLE from now on. Good luck to all of you in the future games. For viewers these T20 matches gives a few management techniques along with sheer joy of power cricket within the shortest time. No two minds – this game is going to stay longer and its players with more money.
Ramesh Menon
19.04.2011
Mind Speaks – Looking forward to ICC 2011 World Cup India – Pakistan Semi Finals / Sreesanth should be given a chance
Mind Speaks – Looking forward to ICC 2011 World Cup India – Pakistan Semi Finals / Sreesanth should be given a chance.
Ramesh Menon
PS: I know it is an extremely dangerous act to write a commentary supporting Sreesanth. God willing if given a chance and he gets on to the playing eleven, my prayers are he keeps his cool and take wickets, a bag full. My Short Take Published in Gulf Today of 26th March is thus dedicated to him.
Call for punishment and control of Piyush Chawla and other Indian Bowlers from using foul language on field
Call for punishment and control of Piyush Chawla and other Indian Bowlers from using foul language on field
The 2011 World Cup match between India and England played at Banglore was made exciting by an absolutely poor bowling performance by the Indian bowlers. Barring, Zaheer Khan’s lucky spell in the later part of the game, England won the game convincingly. Even the last partnership proved that ours is a toothless attack hitting them for sixes at will. Indian Captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni has been riding on his luck for quite some time and looks like this is the borderline match that will drift his lucky ride down to a different level.
What made me more disgusting was the onfield conduct of the Piyush Chawla after getting hit and taking the wicket of Bresnan in the penultimate over. He was using an swearing publicly at the player and using the most unwarranted language (Ba*** Ch**th) to be exhibited to millions of public especially youngsters watching the game at the stadium and live on TV worldwide. It added more insult and opportunity of public display as all the TV channels showing expert commentary showed the particular over which was one of the turning point for the match.
As an ardent cricket lover and of Indian Cricket Team, I feel extremely ashamed by his conduct and display which is devaluing our culture and hospitality. In addition, conduct of such types seen by youths may be an unwanted example to emulate.
Piyush Chawla by his conduct therefore have done an offense (No. 2.1.4) according to the ICC Code of Conduct and I humbly request ICC and BCCI to act strongly against him by imposing suitable fine and/or even banning from one match.
All Indian players, in particular bowlers should also be warned against using abusive language in Hindi or any other language when on field.
I wonder where are the Shiv Sena, Rama Sena and the women rights wing members, when players freely exhibit such unwarranted public display against of emotions about our motherhood and culture. Wake up and act against them.
Not to forget one of the recent YouTube videos of a match played (not world cup) where the stump mike picked Mahendra Singh Dhoni commenting on Sreesanth fielding at the boundary line not to watch girls and request MSD to control what is happening just under his nose being done by some of his favorites. In that way, looking at Sreesanth’s aggresion and the punishment he has received were mostly biased when considering these type of abusive expressions happening on the field.
Cricket is a game involving huge money and television audience. Thus, code of conduct by players have great value.
Ramesh Menon
28.02.2011
Mind Speaks – When the tail just can’t tell On India/South Africa One day Series 2011
Mind Speaks – When the tail just can’t tell On India/South Africa One day Series 2011
Hope we come out good in our own home conditions. There is light at the end of the tunnel. We have a long batting line up on paper, if not the bowling attack. And yes, we do have singh of spin who bat golden runs for the team in every type of this game. It’s true. Gone are the days where Indian spinners are those who can’t bat. But, we expect more. What if our tail just can’t tell the tricks of the opposition team, when our frontline batters fail often. Not much time left for M S Dhoni and company to sort it out.
Ramesh Menon
24.01.2011
My Letters – Khaleej Times – dT. 01.11.2010 – Pakistan SA Cricket
My Letters – Khaleej Times – dT. 01.11.2010 – Pakistan SA Cricket
The T-20 series between Pakistan and South Africa finished with South African winning on a 2-0 margin. The series moved on to one-day matches and as cricket lovers we all expected a come back attitude from Pakistan. It looks like the Pakistan team has taken this South African team and its members very lightly.
To read this in original, please visit Khaleej Times online.
My letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 26.10.2010 – Give them attention
My letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 26.10.2010 – Give them attention
Give them attention
From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online.
ClicksandWrites 
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