tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86415392011-08-01T17:06:47.689-07:00Watering Hole <strike> for Sports Fans!</strike>Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.comBlogger2691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-84486664788343403952009-09-04T12:33:00.000-07:002009-09-04T12:43:37.603-07:00

While I would take reports such as this with a pot of salt, if there is truth in any one of these cases, all involved should be given the Darwin award posthumously, even if that may considered to be in bad taste. One aspect of YSR's shock death that has been ignored by media at large (at least outside Andhra) is that life came to a virtual standstill in the state (not, one suspects, because the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-68669566049614698982009-08-12T07:48:00.000-07:002009-08-12T07:55:03.109-07:00

Thank god for things like Mac the Ripper... who wants to be at the mercy of judges like this and the MPAA (or the RIAA)? Isn't it mysterious how the big lobbies can get 'justice on demand' when it affects their bottom lines? Although I must admit I'm no fan of RealNetworks.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-90298098282742808022009-08-12T03:43:00.000-07:002009-08-12T03:58:57.167-07:00

You have to give it to these American think-tank types. And this New Republic magazine is supposed to be - don't hold your breath - liberal. I am tempted to look up some interesting quotes about the differences between liberals and conservatives in the American context. For the rest of the world, these differences are non-existent, except in case of certified crazies like Bush Jr. Apart from

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-17066701852765917542009-08-10T08:18:00.000-07:002009-08-10T08:25:08.764-07:00

So now Justing Langer is worried about dressing room barbs he might have to endure when he returns to England to do what Aussie cricketers do best - act all matey, make a decent packet and go home chuckling to themselves as to how pathetic the English are. Damn the leak!!! Methinks, despite the temporary blushes, Langer is pretty sure he'll be quite alright. He is no pussy after all.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-9442717751199478842009-07-28T12:47:00.000-07:002009-07-28T13:05:10.546-07:00

Watching The International (now I didn't have great expectations, the exclamations on the VCD cover not withstanding) left me with the same old feeling that is quite effectively described by 'KLPD'. Now it wasn't bad, in fact it was downright good in parts and Clive Owen was quite convincing and looked like he took the part seriously (Naomi Watts, otoh, didn't have much to do anyway). But

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-30565641624484310522009-07-28T12:28:00.000-07:002009-07-28T12:45:18.932-07:00

With not a lot going on right now (am 'between jobs'), I decided to drown myself in some good cinema (and some passable fare too, for timepass). Dev D was on my must see list, mostly because I watched Oye Lucky... a while ago and it was an orgasmic experience considering the usual stuff Bollywood trots out. There is something about watching a taut, well directed and well-acted movie in an Indian

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-10801777900718171482009-07-14T23:11:00.000-07:002009-07-14T23:29:14.299-07:00

I often wonder if Philip K Dick didn't lose out on an immense amount of material by being an American, as opposed to being Indian. Because India is, contemporary India at any rate, grotesquely surreal if nothing else. The best thing is, one doesn't even have to rely on mind altering substances to 'bring out' the weirdness - it is right there, in your face, all the time. Exhibit Z: Thanks to Amit

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-82773675666156903952009-07-14T11:49:00.000-07:002009-07-14T22:46:34.798-07:00

There was a time, not long ago, when I did follow the Formula One circuit. Not that I ever really understood what it was about. And I couldn't ever sit through a complete race on TV either, but there was nevertheless a sense of awe about cars zipping around at blinding speeds (boys and their toys, huh?). The whole daredevil aspect of the sport obviously contributed to the aura. And then there

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-12296084152005170382009-07-13T12:42:00.000-07:002009-07-13T12:54:18.388-07:00

Why on earth is the Indian Express carrying opinion pieces from the arch imperialist / Atlanticist mouthpiece, The Economist? I read a predictable Russia/Putin bashing piece from an Economist hack a week or so ago and then noticed the banner. Wherein the said worthy repeated ad nauseam how belligerent Russia invaded South Ossetia / Georgia. Obviously, the 'Allies' couldn't have expected Russia to

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-82832866430401216682009-07-01T04:47:00.000-07:002009-07-14T22:55:40.675-07:00

Once upon a time, Alan Wilkins used to be a humorous, lovable and engaging anchor, who was so much better than umpteen other pretenders on various sports channels. However,listen to him of late and you know instantly that he has lost it. Totally. I hope its a passing bad phase and he can rediscover himself soon. Because we would like to see him get back to his old avatar where he was a

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-85278461433808101892009-06-26T02:52:00.000-07:002009-07-14T22:56:27.810-07:00

Wimbledon 2009 looks more open than any of the earlier years.Whatever the experts might be saying about this year's men's open being a two horse race, I believe there are more contenders than that. And they are not the usual suspects.I am backing Tommy Haas to cause a few upsets at Wimbledon this year. He has been in tremendous form and it just requires him to translate that and his quiet

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-69737367204952963192009-06-23T03:45:00.001-07:002009-07-14T23:08:53.604-07:00

Yesterday's Times of India carried a profile of Saina Nehwal. Starting from what she eats during the day - and what she doesn't (ice cream etc.) - they chronicled her sacrifices as a teenager, her sleeping habits and her punishing schedule. For Saina's sake, I hope these guys stay off her. Why does the media make a big deal about these? Every one of the things that they portrayed as a "sacrifice"

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-59238271038356880552009-06-21T21:12:00.001-07:002009-06-21T21:48:14.397-07:00

At the "Space Circle", in an auditorium teeming with 35 teams, the best informed sports lovers fought tooth and nail for top honours in "Game, Set, Match"; a sports quiz presented by "Adverb" and sponsored by "JP Realty", "Space Circle" and "Sugandha Garments". In their new avatar as quizmasters were Mr. Ashok Sanyal and Mr. Somnath Chanda; otherwise team-mates in the prominent quiz outfit "

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-37270226688217336432009-06-21T20:31:00.000-07:002009-06-21T21:11:56.176-07:00

Actually Both! Indian cricket fans are a bunch of know-it-alls and more importantly, poor losers. Admitted - no group of supporters or perhaps a few react kindly to defeat. However, most sleep over it and let it pass, instead of trying to pull down individuals and strategies over a million reams, reels and forums (the new age tool). Unsuccessful cricketers turned commentators - with either a

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-10614795623560312952009-06-02T10:37:00.000-07:002009-06-02T11:24:53.233-07:00

Trust the Indian mind to reach conclusions based on 'hunches', aka pop-psychology of the Indian variety. Throw in mild esteem issues or just pure defensiveness some cases, and the conclusions and implications are plain absurd and downright reprehensible. TOI / IANS, in their infinite wisdom, bring up, even though it's utterly irrelevant, the issue of 'proper behaviour' among some Indian students.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-59349272987830548252009-05-27T09:19:00.000-07:002009-05-27T09:24:07.643-07:00

I feel so blessed at times. Imagine - the Pussycat Dolls, with Lady Gaga thrown in as a bonus! Truly bountiful times these.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-80787752132587361012009-05-27T08:07:00.000-07:002009-05-27T09:31:39.000-07:00

The only time I have turned to that 'hopeless little screen' - as Leonard Cohen called it - in recent times was to tune into the IPL. It was of course no coincidence I was in India at the time. It is impossible to get away from cricket in India - or so it seems at any rate when you are 'on vacation'. The 'IPL experience' was better than what I expected of T20 in purely cricketing terms. There

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-59308267856320379242009-05-21T06:39:00.000-07:002009-05-21T07:08:35.118-07:00

Gideon Haigh got it absolutely spot on with his comments on Chris Gayle's controversial (yawn!) comments about Test cricket. He is right when he laments the absence of characters, which is hardly unique to cricket these days; he is also right when he rips the hypocrisy of cricket administrators in the matter. To be fair, the BCCI has not been bashful about where their priorities have lain in the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-55639881802013856662009-05-14T08:31:00.000-07:002009-05-14T08:50:02.997-07:00

Haven't been into sport much lately, so I've hatched up a clever little plan, if only to practice writing complete coherent sentences outside of work e-mails - the shackles have been broken. Any unsuspecting readers will henceforth have to contend with general verbal diarrhoea. I'm barely keeping up with Wimbledon these days, let alone the mundane. So everything under the sun is now fair game.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-75637414188281251312009-03-17T06:16:00.000-07:002009-03-17T06:45:03.949-07:00

1. Whom did Boris Becker defeat to enter the finals of Wimbledon 1985 (He went on to beat Kevin Curren in the finals)? 2. Which bowler did Sandeep Patil get hit by, following which he came back to score 174 against Australia, eventually his highest test score? 3. Which NBA player (hall of famer) was nicknamed "The Glove" because of his ability to guard opponents as tightly as a glove fits on a

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-40009048728580761282009-03-17T06:14:00.000-07:002009-03-17T06:16:04.364-07:00

On 29th March, Sunday at the "Spring Club" (on EM Byepass near ITC Sonar Bangla), Kolkata- Adverb presents Love All (The Sports quiz) from 11AM to 2PM and Showbiz (The Movie Quiz) from 5PM to 8PM. No Entry Fees. Three member teams. Open to all. Cash Prizes at Stake. Registration starts at 10 AM for Love All and at 4PM for Showbiz Quizmaster:Biswabijoy Sen For more information call 98311 27130

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-36961612107191791382008-04-21T21:45:00.000-07:002008-04-21T22:03:54.006-07:00

There is of course more to the olympic torch relay farce than meets the eye. Such as the amusing sight of self-appointed champions of human rights who dare not go too far in their criticism of Beijing. There is nothing new in this - self-interest is the name of the great game. In any case, the olympic games have been a farce for as long as I can remember, a fact I only realised once the decked up

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-24179477889724459562008-04-16T03:33:00.000-07:002008-04-16T04:37:00.662-07:00

Regardless of whether the IPL will be a mega money spinner for all concerned or a super flop (which I rather hope it is), BULLSHIT is exactly what I think 20-20 cricket is. That's not to say any idiot can go out there and do well, but it is the format itself and what it means for the game (or fans of the game) if it's as big a success as Lalit Modi hopes. I see 20-20 as nothing but a dumbed down

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-57087552473041311272008-03-25T07:19:00.000-07:002008-03-25T07:42:31.754-07:00

Just for an instant, I thought, "Good riddance!" when I saw a Cricinfo report about Stephen Fleming's last test innings. There was something about Stephen Fleming that put me off a little bit :-) I'm sure it is entirely irrational and entirely undeserved, may be has something to do with some comments Fleming may have made on India's last tour (he spoke too much truth for the Indian team's comfort

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-78282241926604616922007-10-11T19:09:00.000-07:002007-10-11T20:20:08.859-07:00

Just read a report on Cricinfo suggesting Andrew Symonds may have been at the receiving end of racial abuse from a section of the Baroda crowd. The sick irony of Indians indulging in racism is obviously not lost on any thoughtful Indian but then you cannot accuse a lot of 'fans' of having a sense of decency or history. I read a column in The Australian a couple of days ago (one Paul Lalor I think

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-88972634200497488922007-09-27T10:46:00.000-07:002007-09-27T20:01:46.187-07:00

As I entered a 35 year old Air India aircraft headed for Kolkata, it felt like stepping back into the 18th century. All other things excluded, I soon realized that without that modern and very essential amenity;the personal TV Panel;it was going to be a big challenge for an inflight-insomniac like me to spend all of 9 hrs aboard that pre-historic ship. Thanks to Chris Bowers' book, things turned

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-24921983283001601852007-09-20T01:29:00.000-07:002007-09-20T02:52:21.617-07:00

I was pondering upon a friendly argument I once had with a couple of my colleagues during our 40 minute drive from Cardiff to the Welsh Water office in Nelson. The moot point of the discussion was that the Indian sports media was throwing the entire limelight upon the game of cricket and giving a cold shoulder to all the other sporting disciplines. While each of the ten million one-dayers that

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-80457727192277859232007-09-18T04:05:00.000-07:002007-09-18T04:15:32.403-07:00

About a week ago, Rahul Dravid, much to everybody's surprise, quietly stepped down from the Indian captaincy. Going by precedent, the Indian media should have been having a field time by now; gorging on whatever the rumour mill provided them with. Fortunately (and thankfully), things are different this time. So much so that it borders on the uncomfortable! I mean I would rate Dravid's resignation

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-81912640222130368922007-09-17T23:25:00.000-07:002007-09-17T23:28:55.515-07:00

It is with a degree of amusement that I took in comments from the mandarins representing the ICL which they presented as a genuine alternative to the oppressive BCCI umbrella that takes practically every Indian cricketer under its wing whether one likes it or not. Now we have the IPL - I haven't quite been tuned in and so I'm not sure if this was a response to ICL or if it's been on the drawing

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-11097182609130214592007-09-10T02:45:00.001-07:002007-09-10T06:53:09.519-07:00

Roger Federer was not the only one to win 7 back-to-back matches during the last fortnight. Indian men did the same in winning the Asia Cup Hockey tournament; beating South Korea 7-2 in the final. Although - as is obvious from the name of the tournament - the top hockey teams were not competing and Pakistan had sent an experimental second string side, it is definitely a positive for Indian hockey

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-11841418442414728322007-09-06T02:55:00.001-07:002007-09-06T05:13:12.263-07:00

This is what I expect to hear from Andy Roddick in the next few days; after he ruminates over his most recent loss to Roger Federer. If he doesn't, he seriously needs some perspective. Roddick's game yesterday - though highly praised by the American (and maybe other) media - was a huge disappontment. I mean, how do I differentiate this supposedly marquee match-up with the ones that Roger played

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-3987832993811179252007-09-05T05:42:00.000-07:002007-09-05T06:02:37.499-07:00

Its the same story again. Minus the Hype. Federer vs. Roddick. US Open Quarter Finals, 2007. Patrick McEnroe commented that this time "Andy has a shot!". I can excuse him for trying to pep up his Davis Cup spearhead.However he has to be really naive to start thinking "upset" or anything remotely close to that. All my reasons for predicting a Roger Federer win remain the same (as I wrote in my

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-26550922006944306642007-09-05T05:38:00.001-07:002007-09-05T06:47:44.538-07:00

To anyone who solves this mystery... Agarkars figures in this series: 1st One day – 0/65 off 10 2nd one day – 1/67 off 9 4th One day – 4/60 off 10 5th one day – 2/58 off 7 6th one day – 0/63 off 8 so far A frontline bowler with an economy rate of 7.11. Why is he in the team? I am pretty sure I wont lose my money on this one! -BBS

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-21012963150880146682007-02-17T06:04:00.000-08:002007-02-17T06:20:56.786-08:00

Roger Federer was definitely the story of the Australian Open, but it was disappointing that the rest of the field did not seem to be as motivated as the Swiss artist. Given Federer's tendency to elevate himself to tennis godhood in the majors, they had to be hungrier. And Marat Safin's was the most disappointing failure of all. In my opinion, Safin is the one guy on the planet who can stand toe

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-66140329279150220952007-01-25T19:50:00.000-08:002007-01-25T19:56:21.730-08:00

I am not eating my words. I am devouring a McChicken with Fries instead; and thinking which one of those overused clichés to use. I could say - Roddick was blown off court. OR Roddick did not show up. OR Roddick did not know what hit him. I could go on and on. But none of that would convey the reality of yesterday's "marquee" match-up. Like I predicted, it was Federer in 3. However, to be honest,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-15652866487753179702007-01-24T15:09:00.000-08:002007-01-25T04:03:28.619-08:00

I am writing this piece on the eve (Australia time) of the much hyped Australian Open Semifinal between Rogerer Federer and Andy Roddick. In recent times, but for a couple of Federel-Nadal epics, tennis has been awfully short of rivalries. So, even a mild sniff of one gets the attention it perhaps does not deserve. Federer and Roddick on opposite sides of the net promised to be a great match-up -

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-60892915397871919212007-01-18T13:05:00.000-08:002007-01-24T15:43:11.752-08:00

It is about time that the Phoenix Suns deliver. On the face of it, they have had two consecutive 60-win seasons, which would make most franchises more than happy. They are shining bright this year too, with the longest winning streak in franchise history (and the NBA's longest of the season so far) . But is that good enough for Steve Nash and his colleagues? I am guessing, the answer is no.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1164463326389761412006-11-25T05:19:00.000-08:002006-11-25T06:02:06.406-08:00

I say this without having seen much of Monty Panesar, and Ashley Giles was refreshingly positive in the first innings at the Gabba. It does seem England missed the last trick they had, especially given the woefully out of form Steve Harmison. The shock departure of Trescothick following the ill-fated rehabilitation attempts of Michael Vaughan and Simon Jones had set the tone for the Ashes well

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1162368897327050632006-10-31T23:49:00.000-08:002006-11-01T00:18:03.096-08:00

It was a refreshing change to see Dilip Vengsarkar and his colleagues in the BCCI selection committee field media inquiries about the selections somewhat transparently (from what I gather from the Cricinfo article). Vengsarkar certainly did have a few headaches following India's Champions Trophy debacle, but did not think it necessary to change too much. A couple of old campaigners are back, and

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1162366512162114782006-10-31T22:59:00.000-08:002006-10-31T23:39:40.326-08:00

This has been a real rollercoaster tournament so far and, as many commentators have noted, has been rather exciting given that the ball has had an upper hand for most of it. Low scores aren't necessarily entertaining, but it is still a refreshing change from the mindless carnages we have got used to lately. Some former players have observed that the current crop of batsmen have all too often

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1162363963958428362006-10-31T22:46:00.000-08:002006-10-31T22:53:21.836-08:00

This is a post I wrote about a month ago but didn't actually post so it may not be relevant to the current context. Two events, in my mind, contributed heavily to change the geo-politics of world cricket forever. The first was when, against supposed odds, India and Pakistan managed to lure the cricket World Cup away from England, having recognised the potential of the game as a money spinner.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1156783053194220162006-08-28T09:36:00.000-07:002006-08-28T09:37:33.213-07:00

Waqar Younis is one of my favourite cricketers, a practitioner of a rare skill, and yet unbridled in his aggression with the ball in his hands. Unlike the archetypal demon fast bowler, Waqar didn't get bagfuls with wicked bouncers. It was all about swing, and then some reverse swing to top it off. Indeed, the reverse swing was a key weapon that helped unlock more than a handful of internationals.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1156781773992580732006-08-28T08:51:00.000-07:002006-08-28T09:16:14.010-07:00

Ball tampering is the ugliest skeleton in cricket's closet. It's hardly a scandal to the well trained cynical eye. Yet the game plods on, its honchos paying lip service to the supposed lofty ideals that the game stands for. Ball tampering has happened in the past, several culprits having dissected some of the finer techniques involved in the fine art of reverse swing. To be honest, the thing I

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1156083954708812162006-08-20T07:04:00.000-07:002006-08-20T07:29:14.910-07:00

I haven't been tuned in at all into cricket in the last six months or so (or at least after India's debacle at Mumbai against England), but I do browse Cricinfo now and then, and amidst all the Monty Panesar stories, there are a few here and there that make me want to click. This interview of Sandip Patil, for example. The interview is a routine one, but it is so easy to forget people like

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1155653156229429092006-08-15T07:43:00.000-07:002006-08-15T07:45:56.246-07:00

I missed out on reading a couple of his "Odd Men In" columns on Cricinfo, so this gem about Ajit Wadekar makes up for that.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1154950674428536722006-08-07T04:01:00.000-07:002006-08-07T04:37:54.503-07:00

The politicisation of Indian cricket is hardly news these days, but one can safely say it has reached new a high (or low) with the usually pragmatic Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee jumping into the cesspool. We have already had worthy gentlemen like Sharad Pawar, Manohar Joshi, Kirti Azad (admittedly an ex-cricketer) and of course, Laloo Yadav himself doing the rounds of the corridors of power in the one

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1151582794969747552006-06-29T04:53:00.000-07:002006-06-29T05:06:35.043-07:00

One of the websites that I frequent is Cricinfo, and that's not just for the live scores. Cricinfo, after the merger with Wisden, also has the best content of any cricket website that I can think of. The look and feel of the site is excellent, the content is generally edited very well and most of the articles are of a high standard. Which is why I was shocked to see an irresponsible comment such

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1150726910913914172006-06-19T07:06:00.000-07:002006-06-19T07:21:50.970-07:00

Watching Switzerland play Togo, one cannot help feeling how different these two sides are. The Swiss are dour, well organised, methodical - the typical average European side sans the skill or technique of top sides like Spain or France (at their peak). Togo, on the other hand, are creative and play a boisterous brand of football that is so common to African sides. There is a deft touch here, a

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1150380303776185602006-06-15T06:48:00.000-07:002006-06-15T07:05:03.853-07:00

Brian Lara had to choose this Test, of all those he's played against India, to get a hundred (I reckon this was only his second against India). And rain had to play spoil sport too. It was as if it was all a cruel cosmic joke, such were the turn of events after the third day at St Lucia. But in the end, it was the inability to get the West Indian side out in an entire day, for the second time

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1150379280179118772006-06-15T05:57:00.000-07:002006-06-15T06:48:00.246-07:00

I cannot recall a team beginning on such a note in recent World Cups as Spain did against Ukraine last night. They basically killed Ukraine, even if the final nail was hammered by the Swiss referee when he handed out a red card in addition to a penalty for what was a routine challenge. There was not much evidence to suggest that Ukraine might have fared better without the setback, but all the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1150103332283335862006-06-12T01:45:00.000-07:002006-06-12T02:08:52.366-07:00

Qualifying for the World Cup is no mean achievement for Australia, a country that doesn't quite have a great football tradition or culture, except among the many immigrant communities primarily around Sydney and to a lesser extent, Melbourne (admittedly, my expertise in the area is limited). The Socceroos did take the right step in hiring the vastly experienced and successful Guus Hiddink, no

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1150101750783831322006-06-12T01:21:00.000-07:002006-06-12T01:42:32.240-07:00

How India managed to not win the first Test in the Caribbean is beyond me. Many, including one Sunny Gavaskar said it was perhaps the right result considering India was down in the dumps after the the first two days of the game. I agree in the context of the situation, but one has to look at the big picture - this is a team that has been repeatedly humiliated by most test nations except the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1150021683917217352006-06-11T03:26:00.000-07:002006-06-11T03:28:03.930-07:00

By some coincidence, I managed to miss the opening World Cup game from 1990 thru 2002. I had to settle for witnessing the shock that Senegal handed France on a computer monitor in a Chennai cybercafe and I thought I'll do better this time. As it turned out, I was blissfully unaware of the exact date of the opening game and couldn't even catch the highlights of the Germany-Costa Rica game except

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1148994327278341272006-05-30T05:28:00.000-07:002006-05-30T06:05:27.370-07:00

I could be accused of being wise in hindsight here, but let me say honestly that I expected India to struggle in the West Indies. Don't ask me why, but I just had a gut feeling that the team was not going to live up to expectations or rankings. Something about the side doesn't seem right. I'm being very vague here, but that sums up how I felt at the onset of the one-day series. Of course I did

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1148186622519670602006-05-20T20:45:00.000-07:002006-05-20T21:49:41.036-07:00

That Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen have had a large part to play in England's resurgence as a cricket force is stating the obvious. They have brought not only their array of skills, especially the supremely gifted Flintoff, to the cricket field, but also enlivened proceedings with their energy, enthusiasm and a seeming love of life. Other contemporary cricketers of whom the same could be

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1147502630905873822006-05-12T23:06:00.000-07:002006-05-12T23:43:50.990-07:00

Reading "Fever Pitch" has been one of the most pleasurable experiences I have had. Anyone who's read the book knows it is not your average sports book. It captures the entire life of Nick Hornby with football and Arsenal just being the perfectly weird backdrop. In the end, however, I had to ask myself if I could ever be an obsessed fan of a team or a club the same way Hornby was before he found

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1147011133845710292006-05-07T06:37:00.000-07:002006-05-07T07:12:13.930-07:00

It's unusually cold for this time of the year in Melbourne tonight, and somehow I was reminded of India's loss to New Zealand in the 1992 World Cup. That game was played in the southern most cricket ground in the world, the Carisbrook Park in Dunedin, and was a miserably cold day. Compounding matters was the dismal Indian top order throughout the tournament, but it was when we bowled that the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1147008700672723362006-05-07T06:01:00.000-07:002006-05-07T06:31:40.813-07:00

We all know the old Indian fable about something becoming the truth by repeated assertion. This phenomenon seems to have manifested itself subtly in the NBA, where regardless of whatever he does, Kobe Bryant remains a grudgingly admired superstar. Someone with skills that even the most elite of players in the league can only envy, and have to acknowledge that they're just a gift that only he has,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1146321978074027182006-04-29T07:22:00.000-07:002006-04-29T07:46:18.243-07:00

May be it's just one of those nights where I'm a little in touch with my feminine side (not quite the David Beckham way, it must be said though), I write this as I listen to the softer sound of Simon and Garfunkel :) Jenny Thompson's interview with Clare Connor, the Ashes winning captain of the English women's side, may have had something to do with it. Connor's retirement is no waltz into the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1145548245126558802006-04-20T08:16:00.000-07:002006-04-20T08:50:45.213-07:00

It is extremely rare that an essay/article by Gideon Haigh disappoints me (in fact, I cannot recall one). Increasingly, I'm veering round to the view that he is by far the best cricket writer alive. Of course, as such opinions go, it is subject to personal likes and dislikes, so that is what it is - just an opinion. One has to make a clear distinction between journalists and writers and as much

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1145545878585091552006-04-20T08:06:00.000-07:002006-04-20T08:11:18.596-07:00

Came across this on Prem Panicker's blog - Salim Malik has been left out of a Pakistan veterans' side, while Mohammed Azharuddin will proudly step into the field as the skipper of the visiting Indian side! A side that also features, as Panicker notes, Manoj Prabhakar, no less. Oh well, I guess everything is hunky dory once again, all forgotten and forgiven in the Easter spirit. Pigs can fly.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1144155782654962972006-04-04T06:01:00.000-07:002006-04-04T06:03:02.670-07:00

I recently read (in The Pioneer, via India Uncut), with mild amusement, opposing viewpoints as to whether Greg Chappell should continue to be the coach of the Indian team. Without going into the details of the two sides of the argument, let me just say that it is quite preposterous to reconsider Chappell's appointment at this stage. More than anything, the debate is a consequence of our national

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1143170332607512092006-03-23T19:16:00.000-08:002006-03-23T19:18:52.623-08:00

I imagine there's no point, and no thrill, in flogging a dead horse, but I'll do it anyway. For ridiculous situations call for ridiculous reactions. In losing to a second string English team, most of whose members were alien to the conditions they were playing in, the Indian cricket team thoroughly disgraced itself. I do not, for a minute, intend to take away any credit from Andrew Flintoff and

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1142330697588989822006-03-14T01:53:00.000-08:002006-03-14T02:04:57.636-08:00

There are times when you feel like waxing eloquent about something of grand proportions. At other times, like on this occasion, there's no bloody words that can describe what transpired. Unreal. Surreal. Greatest...oh, bugger it. Sorry, but that's the only way - using all the oaths I can muster - that I can convey my sense of what happened during the carnage at the Wanderers on Sunday night.

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1142329055659460052006-03-14T01:33:00.000-08:002006-03-14T01:40:59.496-08:00

The ticket prices for the opening ceremony at the Commonwealth Games here in Melbourne are steep, to put it midly - in the AUD $420-590 range. The games kick off on Wednesday in the hallowed precints of MCG, and if the hype in the city is anything to go by, the price may well be worth paying for. To give credit where it's due, Melbourne has prepared (or so it seemed to my beery eyes) pretty well

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1142073916947396252006-03-11T02:42:00.000-08:002006-03-14T01:39:53.753-08:00

On at least a couple of occasions, I have made no secret of the fact that I am an admirer of Lakshmipathy Balaji. In addition to his crafty fast-medium stuff, now there's another reason - admittedly Balaji is of Telugu descent who now lives in Tamil Nadu. I jest, of course. Anyhow, that's one of a few aspects of Balaji the person I came across when I had the opportunity to meet the swing and

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1141773728692781812006-03-07T15:21:00.000-08:002006-03-07T15:22:08.693-08:00

After all the hoo-ha, all the cave-ins and compromises, it is amusing to see Kiran More take the high moral ground. When he was pressurised to pick Sourav Ganguly in the test side, first for the series against Sri Lanka and then, after much hand wringing on all sides , for the Pakistan tour, More took it all in his stride. One suspects the job was too important for him, and that all the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1141773649112400362006-03-07T15:20:00.000-08:002006-03-07T15:20:49.113-08:00

By the end of the fourth day of the first test, I had a distinct feeling of deja vu. The English team that visited India in 1984-85 (that last to win here) was called the weakest ever to land on our shores. And promptly handed a humiliating defeat to the home team, the then world champions. India were also thumped in the one-day series 4-1, quite a stunning result for a team that went to win the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1141773598501248242006-03-07T15:19:00.000-08:002006-03-07T15:19:58.526-08:00

It's been a while since I posted anything anywhere. It was one of those times when you have a few things to take care of, and coincidentally manage to find ready excuses not to make the effort. Like not having a broadband connection at home, as if that has ever stopped anyone from blogging (in the office). One of those times when you are more content reading more than posting. God knows there are

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1139502863433353562006-02-09T08:29:00.000-08:002006-02-09T08:40:21.346-08:00

Here I am, watching Jimmy White and Steve Davis battle it out in Premier League (gasp!) Snooker. If you're thinking I've lost my mind a little bit, worry not. I don't sit down in front of TV every evening to watch grown men attempting to pot polished little balls as if their life depended on it. But such is sport, isn't it? It can be so trivial, almost absurd, yet require some sublime skills at

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1139501200426796002006-02-09T07:57:00.000-08:002006-02-09T08:28:59.286-08:00

When I read about the Allan Border medal night coming up, I was instantly reminded of Gideon Haigh's view of it as a rather tepid, over orchestrated show not worth the hype. Having watched, with some bemusement, a good part of last year's show, I could readily relate to Haigh's sentiments. But then, this is the age of the 'awards' shows, so the Allan Border medal night is just another speck on

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138809824185694452006-02-01T07:51:00.000-08:002006-02-01T08:03:44.270-08:00

First, the good news - Superbowl is LIVE on SBS. Hooray! Now the bad news - Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons are nowhere to be seen. I'm kidding...I know they didn't even make the play-offs, but after last season's run, I was expecting the Falcons to get better. Getting back to the bad news, the real bad news, I mean - is that the telecast is at 10am. What is it with Superbowl and me? Last

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138806999370340932006-02-01T06:53:00.000-08:002006-02-01T07:28:27.876-08:00

Hey, you asked for a good wicket, you got it! Now, take this 341-run defeat. Well, didn't really bargain for that part of the deal, did we? Irfan Pathan isn't the first man to finish on the losing side despite taking a hat-trick, but one cannot but feel he was let down by his teammates. What more could he have done in the first innings? Watching Pathan bowl in the series against Sri Lanka and

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138725444899283512006-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:002006-01-31T09:08:24.953-08:00

As I may have mentioned in these pages, I was quite upset at not being able to secure any Australian Open tickets. The closest I got to the action was being on the same pavement/sidewalk as Max Mirnyi on Collins Street, the night before his clash against Roger Federer. However, that didn't stop me from actually following and more importantly, enjoying it to the hilt. I have never been to the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138165914065077252006-01-24T20:45:00.000-08:002006-01-24T21:11:54.143-08:00

After back-to-back series that strengthened the case for test cricket as the most engrossing form of the game, now we have what is essentially a throwback to the dreary 1980s. That was when India and Pakistan were more interested in not losing, rather than winning - or so the lore went. You can't blame these contemporary sides for not wanting to win. They're after all, creatures of an age where

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138162416400381062006-01-24T19:59:00.000-08:002006-01-25T20:01:41.456-08:00

All of us tennis fans who're used to periodically bemoaning the lack of characters in the game, well, we can breathe easy now. I know John McEnroe is coming back for a bit of doubles, but that's not what I have in mind. I'm talking about Marcos Baghdatis. Funky hair, funky clothes, sense of humour, sense of theatre - well, the guy has a bit of all that. Oh, by the way, he can play tennis too -

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138096555689729162006-01-24T01:32:00.000-08:002006-01-24T01:55:55.786-08:00

Roger Federer and Martina Hingis couldn't have had it more different the last three years, and here they are on familiar terrain, in the quarterfinals of a grand slam. Well, sort of familiar for Hingis. I'm sure she's still just taking it as it comes, and not setting herself any unreasonable goals. In fact, not even she herself would have envisioned making it this far. As someone mentioned (Jon

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1138095069114030412006-01-24T01:14:00.000-08:002006-01-24T01:31:09.180-08:00

Not just metaphorically at the Australian Open this year. Consider that three consecutive days (or was it four?) the tournament officials thought it best to play under the safety of Salem steel. They better did that, because there was a very real chance that on Sunday a player or two could have collapsed on court. Even at 7pm it was oppressively hot, although very dry (thankfully), and it was

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1137660202319715862006-01-19T00:10:00.000-08:002006-01-19T00:46:01.076-08:00

Some of the BCCI's recent moves sound suspiciously like they are part of the undoing of the Dalmiya legacy. I hope they are more than just that, and are well thought out long term policy decisions. As long term as they could be, given the BCCI's constitution. Securing the mega endorsement deals with Sahara Airlines and Nike is obviously beneficial to the team and the board (and by implication,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1137658198648078792006-01-18T23:42:00.000-08:002006-01-19T00:09:58.716-08:00

I was looking at Sania Mirza's draw, saw the potential second round opponent - Michaela Krajicek - and thought, there's danger! And lo and behold - Sania is out of the Australian Open. I was hoping to get to watch Sania, but the match was played during the working hours here Down Under. Darn! The Krajicek girl has been in fine form recently, and did very well in the Hopman Cup as well, playing a

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1137262287837501382006-01-14T09:21:00.000-08:002006-01-17T13:34:51.006-08:00

Cricket commentators often talk about the game being a great leveller - add airline baggage services to the list. How else could I end up in the same queue as Mary Carillo? If that name doesn't ring a bell, well, suffice to say that Mary Carillo is one of the most recognisable voices in tennis, this side of Bud Collins. In the event, I reined myself in and saved Ms.Carillo the irritation of a

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1136900001065042152006-01-10T04:57:00.000-08:002006-01-10T05:33:21.136-08:00

Mukul Kesavan always manages to get the point, and then puts it oh-so-well. Check out this piece from Cricinfo Magazine, where he tears apart the myths surrounding the sub-continental teams' home records. Ted Dexter's cries of 'it was the smog' still have a jarring echo to this day, ignoring of course the fact that his team were in fact a bunch of pussies who couldn't beat a club team. And then

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1136652566297429232006-01-07T08:14:00.000-08:002006-01-07T09:10:20.146-08:00

Graeme Smith's bold declaration has been, predictably so, hailed as courageous and as a positive step for South African cricket and the game in general. Justifiably so too, in my view. Though one suspects the same pundits, particularly Aussie writers/reporters/former players would have had a chuckle about the backfiring over a beer. Some newspapers went ahead and expressed their glee in fact,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1136650292543199802006-01-07T07:19:00.000-08:002006-01-07T08:11:32.700-08:00

I was expecting to be in Melbourne for the traditional Boxing Day Test this season, but it wasn't to be. I got here the day the Sydney test started off, so my Boxing Day Test pictures will have to wait another year. The rate at which 2005 disappeared from the sight, thanks to a lot of work (and VB and good Belgian beer, may be) indicates that may not seem a long time. But then, after almost three

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1136240286225432812006-01-02T13:56:00.000-08:002006-01-02T14:18:06.266-08:00

When I read in the papers (actually, it was Cricinfo, I think) what Scott Styris had to say about batting technique, my first and overwhelming reaction was that of relief. Finally, someone had the courage to go ahead and say what a lot of us may have thought in private. No doubt some of the experts would have too, but they were always a little cagey about it, not wanting to be seen as

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1135716674463289892005-12-27T12:48:00.000-08:002005-12-27T12:51:14.466-08:00

Tributes are pouring in for the man who was instrumental (that's underplaying his role) in changing cricket forever, and richly deserved encomiums are being lavished upon the intrepid entrepreneur who was known to be a somewhat inveterate gambler, in more ways than one. Thinking about the changes that World Series Cricket wrought in the cricketing world, directly or indirectly, one thing that

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1135716395993135832005-12-27T12:43:00.000-08:002005-12-27T12:46:36.010-08:00

Will he, won't he? Heck, so what if he does, and what if he doesn't? Surely, heavens are not going to fall, any which way. In the end Ganguly made the team. Bengal was saved; and by the longest stretch of imagination possible, so was the nation. Thank heavens for that! Now we can all play cricket. The Kaifs of the world be damned. But will Ganguly make the final eleven? Not to worry. If he

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1135175333167959602005-12-21T05:53:00.000-08:002005-12-21T06:28:53.246-08:00

Despite the most fervent prayers from Man United fans, Chelsea remain firmly in control of the Premier League - for once some ManU fans may have egged on Arsenal, given that Arsenal were realistically out of contention even before the game last Sunday. Arsenal have had a poor record away from Highbury and they looked downright dreadful when Henry was out injured. Their defence still looks brittle

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1134833359508892102005-12-17T07:11:00.000-08:002005-12-17T07:32:15.100-08:00

I think most followers of Indian cricket would agree that the way Sourav Ganguly has been left out for the last test against Sri Lanka is bizarre. Various opinions have been proffered to as to the motives of the selectors, in particular the committee chairman Kiran More, as well as those of the coach. Some have even alluded to Rahul Dravid's involvement in a conspiracy (reminds me of Hillary

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1134733955490260242005-12-16T03:28:00.000-08:002005-12-16T03:52:35.536-08:00

In the end, Kiran More and the selection committee didn't fool anyone. Their actions in the past few weeks have been as bizzarre as any in the annals of Indian cricket, even by our often-inglorious standards. First, Sourav Ganguly wasn't good enough to be in the one-day team. Fair enough, his personal form wasn't exactly great and the team had slipped badly in the past year. Then, miraculously,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1134707254550053262005-12-15T20:24:00.000-08:002005-12-18T09:00:20.556-08:00

The Fortnightly Sports Quiz 1. Easy one to start with! Likely to be remembered more for his tantrums than his game; he reportedly once said “In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life”. During his tenure with Los Angeles Aztecs, he scored 14 goals in 37 matches. He also played for Ford Open Prison team, when he was behind the bars during 1984 Christmas. Who am I

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1134572694373906722005-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:002005-12-14T07:04:54.440-08:00

When Michael Vick led the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC Championship last season, he delighted not just die-hard Falcons fans, but even casual NFL fans like me (my knowledge of the game is slightly better than the average American's knowledge of cricket). Vick is a supreme athlete if nothing else, and his presence on the field is enough to pack the Georgia Dome or any other NFL arena. One of his

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1134397243205184762005-12-12T05:49:00.000-08:002005-12-12T06:20:43.256-08:00

One of the reasons I was quite uninterested in the one-day series that India played against Sri Lanka and South Africa was that the whole thing was covered by our venerable own Doordarshan (assuming any non-Indians read this blog, that is the name of our state owned TV channel). The folks at DD sure know how to make money, and one suspects that is all they know, for the viewing experience is

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1134189347264840382005-12-09T20:32:00.000-08:002005-12-10T08:57:43.146-08:00

The Fortnightly Sports Quiz 1. Easy one to start with! Likely to be remembered more for his tantrums than his game; he reportedly once said “In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life”. During his tenure with Los Angeles Aztecs, he scored 14 goals in 37 matches. He also played for Ford Open Prison team, when he was behind the bars during 1984 Christmas. Who am I

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1133878970632746352005-12-06T06:08:00.000-08:002005-12-06T06:27:27.640-08:00

Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts finally exorcised the ghost of New England this season, and it seems it was no coincidence. Even considering New England lost the services of some stellar performers this season, it was the one challenge that the Colts would have wanted to overcome, such has been the Patriots' domination of their AFC rivals. Last season's playoff loss seemed to be the

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1133877996164847812005-12-06T05:51:00.000-08:002005-12-06T06:06:36.196-08:00

My first reaction to the news of the arrest of the East Bengal coach Subhash Bhowmick was one of befuddlement - it took a while to sink in. I wasn't listening to the news too keenly, so I thought it was bribe offered by a player desperate to make the side. And that led to some (wishful, as I was to discover later) lateral thinking - if players could afford bribes to the tune of Rs.150,000,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1133450937906529822005-12-01T07:11:00.000-08:002005-12-01T07:28:57.923-08:00

It was in the quarter-final clash against England in the last world cup that I realized how good Ronaldinho was. He was then the young pretender, much talked and written about, but the world had not yet seen him in all his splendour. After several seasons showcasing his potential for PSG, Ronaldinho finally became the irresistible force he was expected to, last season. Entirely coincidentally,

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1133243354457202112005-11-28T21:37:00.000-08:002005-11-28T21:49:14.466-08:00

I was reminded this morning of a wickedly funny Roald Dahl short story where a couple of guys hit upon the idea of taking out hits on mediamen who publish slanderous/scandalous stories about the rich and famous. Now, I don't advocate violence, and I definitely believe in freedom of speech, but I don't think I'll be very distressed if someone decides to land a punch or two on The Telegraph's

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1132825389256163902005-11-24T01:20:00.000-08:002005-11-24T01:45:49.020-08:00

Such is the din created by the seemingly endless Sourav Ganguly saga, it has drowned out any other potential selection questions. I was watching a DVD of that historic series win in Pakistan in early 2004, and once again, it left me wondering why all of a sudden Lakshmipathy Balaji is out of the Indian squad and may be, even out of the reckoning. Not one commentator or media outlet has given much

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641539.post-1132667349408070512005-11-22T05:27:00.000-08:002005-11-22T05:49:09.486-08:00

My friend and fellow blogmember Biswa missed the Masters final and was shocked to know Roger Federer was beaten, for it was but a foregone conclusion following all the withdrawals the tournament had to endure. Not that it would have made any difference to the odds, but at least there would have been some prospect of a serious challenge. Ironically, the only current pro with a positive

Queasy Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292745300990615404noreply@blogger.com1