CSK fixing

There have been news reports on CNN-IBN that 2009 auctions for IPL were fixed. Now foes, then friends N Srinivasan and Lalit Modi fixed Flintoff for CSK. The news reports also suggest that Srini actually tried convincing MI this season not to go for Keiron Pollard but unfortunately Ambanis did not heed to him when the tiebreak was broken (MI tied with CSK for Pollard).

It seems that Srinivasan is a true manipulator besides the screen and no wonder this reports lend some credibility to the earlier report of sacking of Pravin Amre as coach of India A. Now this two things are unrelated to each other, but this for sure indicates how strong CSK owner is.

More dirt comes out of the IPL closet and this also indicates how the corporate relationships are fragile. There have been some email leaks from IBN which indicate Srini saying “you are sweet” to Modi. What does that indicate.

Lalit Modi is tweeting videos exposing Srinivasan in this scenario but is not saying a tweet on his role in fixing Freddie for CSK. He was all powerful man in 2009 edition of IPL and if this fixing happened, it sure had (must have) Modi’s blessings.

Who helps IPL franchisees with player profiling

2009’s highest paid IPL cricketers were flop.

2010’s highest paid IPL cricketers –Keiron Pollard.

Will he be a hit or will he be a flop ?

I am not sure if one or two T20 innings play role in this pricing and bidding.  The reason behind such a huge price is not clear. Not helping the fact is also that I dont know much about Polly.

Who helps the non cricketing owners of the teams in player profiling is a bit of questionable fact.

KP, Duminy and Freddie’s successes are well documented.

Bash India

All this years since Jaggu revolutionized cricket finances the world (read western) dreaded India as evil force and BCCI as masked daemon.

In short “Gangotri” of all evils.

When ICL came and IPL took T20 revolution a step further, the same forces got more vociferous in Indian bashing.

Now that India has won T20 World Cup, been # 1 in ODIs for a while and now are number 1 in Tests, the same forces crib on high runathons, results oriented picthes (2 of 3 Tests in India this year yielded results) and freelancings inspired from cash rich T20 leagues.

Who is the freelancer ? Any Indian ? Nope, the English man. The very English who have been the custodians of the game all this years.

Who is the highest paid cricketer in IPL ? Ten ? Viru  ? MS ? Nope. The same freelancer and his friend whose alter ego costed him the captaincy of the national side and IPL team almost out of the tourney before a desi took over and almost won the IPL.

Any Indian who defected to ICL from international cricket ? Nobody.

Any Indian who cries foul on UDRS ?

Any Indian who pointed fingers to the umps to raise the fingers to win 17th test in row thus killing the spirits of the game ? Nobody.

And yet anything Indian is filth.

PS : Inspired from SP’s post “Growing racism”. Just could not hold back.

Freelancing and BCCI

Few days back in the Tony Greig show on cricinfo I read that he had blamed India for the freelance concept in cricket.

It was quite amusing for me to find India being blamed for this concept. He conviniently forgot that he was one of those who began the exodus to the Packer circus in 70s and then was the board member in the ICL which began in 2007 and which gave rise to the “lucrative” options available to modern day cricketers today.

Andrew Flintoff rejected ECB’s central contract to be able to play in T20 tournaments world wide. For all the injuries and form concerns aside, he along with his friend KP remains IPL’s highest paid cricketers. And its ironical that the concerns on the freelance concept getting popular come from this 2 cricketers.

KP was quoted to have said that the English setup needs a change as players may find the county cricket a bit too exuastive.

The bottom line is that the English cricket season coincides with the start of IPL every year.

English cricket writers and admins easily forget that they began the T20 concept in 2003 and now they are the ones who are suddenly bothered about the life of Test cricket. Perhaps their vision is limited to the Ashes and perhaps for them life begins at the Ashes and ends at Ashes.

Its their own players now who have concerns over their own schedule and the domestic setup. Its very easy for them to go blame BCCI for all the ills in the cricket, but they forget one thing no big player from BCCI’s custody has slipped to go play in ICL or has embraced the concept of freelance cricket.

Its very easy for everybody in the world to blame BCCI for the ills in the world. Be it in the sports minister in India who suggests BCCI to accept WADA proposals or the lesser sportsmen in the country who at many times are benefitted by the grant provided by the BCCI for their expenses. Be it the ex-players who jump the gun to ICL and when the shop is closed they come back asking for favors.

Likes of PCB, Arjuna Ranatunga, Tony Greig, WICB blame BCCI for the ills in their own countries respectively. But little do they forget that the ICC is being funded by the star players and the money from India.

Before pointing out a finger to India for every ill, the respective board or individual should review their own position in the context and then point a finger to anybody else. That is take responsibility for your own actions.

BCCI is no saint, but its certainly not the evil its made out to be. After all it has shown the world that in a country like ours where everything is a creamy job for politicians, the game can still rule the headlines 9 out of 10 times for its performance on the field and has given the country some real valued sportsmen who have kept performing despite every road block and stumbling blocks.

But are we ready to accept this achievement of BCCI or is it going to be always eggs and pichkaris thrown at BCCI’s face…

Get Freddied

Freddie Flintoff now is the inspiration of all evil practices in cricket.

Oval Test, Day 1

England are 8/307 at the end of 1st day of overhyped Ashes finale. Flintoff has one more Test inning to go and he just made 7 on the most hyped final test of any player in recent memory. For that matter Ganguly and Kumble were far ahead than Freddie in greatness, but they dint have that hyped farewell. Ditto for McGrath, Gilchrist and Langer. All big and great than Freddie.

None from England managed to stick to the wicket and play a long innings to bat Australia out of the game. Bell was at 3, Trott was at 5. Finally after lot of mulling and thought process hardly any change was made in the England team. Much ado about anything. Thats like khoda pahad nikla chuha.

Siddle has been an unsung hero for australia and his 4 wkts got Australia back into the contest at 2/176.

The Ashes has been low on quality, more on the hype. Both sides have failed to create the spark of 2005, or even 2006 – 07.

In the end I shall stick to my scoreline of 2-1 for Australia. 340 would be the par score for Australia to bundle out England and then bat the way they have done in the past to get an edge over England for rest of the series.

2001 and 2007 Australia – India series were far better than this contest…..

Boring headlines

Flintoff injured….

Faction in Pakistan team after Galle loss and Sara collapse, claims Inzy Aloo Haq.

Ricky Ponting questions England tactics….

Buchanan slams Indian greats……

This headlines make no difference to the readers. They are default and keep coming once in a while. I guess they shouldnt even be published in the newspapers or sites. Flintoff is always injured, Pakistan is always riddled with factions and ex-players always slam current players. Aussie coaches reel Indians and Ricky Ponting talks of moral high…..

Are they joking us?

Ashes day 1

Its been a Australia’s day till now. England have lost their key and best batsmen. Flintoff and Prior are the last recognized pair on the crease. KP crossed 1000 runs against Aussies in just 11th Test, but he would also know that 69 would not be the score England look from him.

Strauss, Cook, Bopara didnt score high and got carried away in hype and hoopla. Fell to cheap dismissals.

Hilfy and Johnson have been the bowlers for the Australia who have bowled quite well. Somehow Australia right now lack a genuine pace bowler like Lee who could run down the opposition in a torrid spell.

Not so long ago Clark was their best bowler, but he is not in the side today. Hauritz hasnt bowled that bad so far. Right now Ponting is trying to run through the 80 overs to may be get the new ball. 17 more balls to go right now.

Australia would be happy to restrict England below 335 or 340. All in all a good Test match cricket on day 1 of Ashes.

Session wise scoreline :

Session 1 : Australia
Session 2 : England
Session 3 : Australia so far.

Freddie out of IPL

Its a breaking news on Aaj Tak that Freddie is out of IPL for the rest of the duration he was supposed to be with CSK. The reason they cite is the knee injury. Cricinfo confirms that he would undergo knee surgery and that would mean he would be just in time for Ashes. Poms need him for Ashes more than ever. Thats a major blow to struggling Chennai Super Kings team……

CSK Vs BRC

Chennai are batting against Royal Challengers. Parthiv Patel and Hayden are the openers. For a change Anil is the leading wicket taker and Rahul is leading run scorer. Formats dont matter, greatness always excels. I think MS will need to come up the order may be at 3 or 4. # 5 is too down the order for him to get the freedom to play hiss shots. Steyn will need to get the wickets. And seeing Hayden he would be reminded of Aussies, so he would get that motivation. He has troubled Aussies entire summer.

With Albie Morkel back in the team, Amy would be very happy to see him :).

And Laxman Shivramkrishnan is back in the commentary box to torture all of us. Why in the world we need to listen him and Arun Lal. Praveen Kumar is a let down. He doesnt relish non swinging conditions. I am sure Rahul Dravid would hate Port Elizabeth. In 2007 New year test India had a first innings lead and they squandered the chance to win the series by treating Paul Harris as Shane Warne, slowed down the proceedings and ultimately lost the test and the series.

Kallis is being leaking runs. 3 in over so far. 20 runs off the over.

CSK cruising along. 104 in 10th over. Hayden on fire. Australia are missing him. Tactical time out to follow something which has been criticised by Sachin Tendulkar too. Ranjit Fernando is back too.

So the tactical break worked for bowling team once again. 2 quick wickets. Hayden and Patel gone. Thanks to dumbass Raina, well set hayden was run out. Run flow seems to have stopped for time being. KP bowlin gdecently. Damn Steyn drops Raina…Dhoni gone and that gives chance for showdown of KP vs Freddie. Raina is useless. CSK is not getting to that stage as it was planning to be at start. 180 is the expected score…

Expectedly BRC are chasing 180 and who opened ? Praveen Kumar. That is INSANE. He has opened. Whose idea was that ? He made a total ass of himself. Kallis is the new man and he is off the mark with a 4. Super batting by Kallis…And Fernando is sucking. Somebody make him quiet.