My Little Log Book

IPL at Vizag I have always loved my cricket, so it was a pleasant surprise when my husband asked me to accompany him to a cricket match at Vizag. I have been unaware of the IPL goings on for the past couple of years. I don't really remember the reason the interest just petered off. Was it when Chennai found itself at the centre of the betting scandal? I guess so. I mean when the Champion team's owner's relative was found out being immersed with unsavoury characters with proven involvement in betting scandals and the same owner owns Indian cricket and the captain of the team also captains the country...the relationship between all of Indian cricket and the betting industry and IPL becomes kind of incestuous. Anyways that's a separate story from my IPL watching yesterday! So, cut off as I was from the game I didn't know what to expect. But to my immense pleasure I found two heroes at the ground at Vizag! And one of them, my all time favorite in cricket, Rahul...

This is the speech with which Sachin Tendulkar ended his last Test Match. All my friends. Settle down let me talk, I will get more and more emotional. My life, between 22 yards for 24 years, it is hard to believe that that wonderful journey has come to an end, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank people who have played an important role in my life. Also, for the first time in my life I am carrying this list, to remember all the names in case I forget someone. I hope you understand. It's getting a little bit difficult to talk but I will manage. The most important person in my life, and I have missed him a lot since 1999 when he passed away, my father. Without his guidance, I don't think I would have been standing here in front of you. He gave me freedom at the age of 11, and told me that chase my dreams, but make sure you do not find shortcuts. The path might be difficult but don't give up, and I have simply followed his instructions. Above...

An Icon Retires - Not In Shtyle??? One can't help wondering about this conversation...BCCI - "Retire before South Africa - your 200th test will be in Mumbai" The build up is like its the final test before apocalypse!!! Some private thoughts...How credible will that final Test be? How far will cricket's premier body and its confederates go to boost its viewership, rating, TRP, earnings? -------------------------------- (Meme by mylittlelogbook.blogspot.com)

Mahi owns 15% stake in a Sports Management Firm. So what? The stake at first glance seems to be just a business investment (which unfortunately has the potential to be a business misadventure.) Let me get this right. The sequence seems thus. Rhiti takes on Dhoni's management for a considerable sum. Meaning it manages Dhoni's career, endorsements, public appearances, off cricket activities, etc. As any successful sports management firm will do - it has also signed on a few other promising cricketers like Suresh Raina, Ojha, R.P. Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, etc. Fine so far. Dhoni - with money to invest - buys a stake in Rhiti. Its a minority stake. Just 15%. It means Dhoni doesnt take decisions. He just shares in the firm's bottomline. The only thing I can see here is Dhoni is backing himself. Make no mistake, any firm which has Dhoni's portfolio is going to be a huge success. So Dhoni backs himself to make the firm successful and buys a stake (I am sure as per the adv...

The Indian cricket fans are going through a nightmare. But just think of those poor men out in the middle. They must be so not enjoying this period. That is when they are awake. It is as if a haze has settled over the Boyzzz in Blue - post World Cup. Oh they have managed a series win  or two - against England /WI in some ODI series at home. But thats something they can do blindfolded - win ODI matches at home against England/WI. So how does this post WC ennui work? When Tendulkar goes out to practise (that is if he does bother, or if the coach dares to bother him) -  dont you think there would be a buzz of WC WC around his head. Plus a more significant and exasperating buzz - 100100...100100. No wonder he looks to be chasing those flies away. What would be happening when the Great Dhoni goes out to practise. No one has let him forget in the last 8 months that he is so perfect and great and humble. The guy must be just so confused too. Its a wonder if he can tell a practise...

Yes IPL 4 is live online free streaming online . So all those facebook addicts, net watchers and internet addicts - you dont have to leave your laptop to catch the IPL live streaming online. And you dont need a shady digital or dubious channel to watch the 20 over cricket. Indiatimes has bought the rights for this ediion of IPL (IPL 4) to webcast all the matches of IPL 4. The site has already had a huge influx of visitors for the first couple of matches. The matches can be caught live ANYWHERE in the world! Meanwhile get the ipl complete schedule and fixture at Espncricinfo/IPL Fixtures Watch the ipl 4 live online at Indiatimes at world.ipl.indiatimes.com/

(Some portions of the article originally published at Xomba.com - http://tinyurl.com/3ep62c4 )   Is Tendulkar the greatest of them all? His teammates think so. They chaired him around the grounds and acknowledged his contribution to Indian cricket in public. I am sure no accolade in sports is greater than the one given by teammates - with whom one has toiled and sweated for years. It would have been pretty unfair if the 38 year old were to retire without THE Chalice in his hand! This article is however just my first hand experience of watching India win the Cup - not on Tendulkar. I was not savouring the win from a box seat with the celebrities at Mumbai Wankhede Stadium - but the view and emotions from my sofa seat at home, watching with friends was just amazing. India won the Cricket World Cup after 28 long years. We have grown up remembering the moment when a smiling Kapil Dev with Mohinder Amarnath beside lifted the trophy 28 years back on 25th June, 1983 - while firecr...

Many of the Pics are initial shots from TV from my iPhone. Sorry for the awful quality!

India Win ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 - See Photos! This has been an amazing Indian win in the Cricket world Cup! For me the moments of the World Cup that stand out are Dhoni coming out to bat at No 4 in the Finals after a torrid time throughout the World Cup and taking the team to a Wow win! Kohli and Gambhir 80 odd runs partnerships after the glam openers were out Zaheer Khan containing the dangerous Lankan openers Yuvraj getting Sangakkara's wicket and more moments from the month long World Cup Yuvraj's fifties and gritty century before getting his fluency back against the Aussies Yuvraj and Raina's partnership against Australia in the Quarter Finals Zaheer Khan's bowling Tendulkar batting throughout the Competition Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra's astonishing bowling spells against Pakistan in the Semi finals Sehwag's 175 against Bangladesh Sehwag and Tendulkar blitzkrieg against South Africa Well done India!

Is India sure of a last 8 berth in the ICC World Cup 2011? Contrary to belief it is possible for India to miss a Quarter Finals berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011! India just lost to SA by 3 wickets in a Group B match. The Group B table stands like this Group B Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR India 5 3 1 1 0 7 +0.768 West Indies 4 3 1 0 0 6 +2.206 South Africa 4 3 1 0 0 6 +1.352 England 5 2 2 1 0 5 +0.013 Bangladesh 4 2 2 0 0 4 -1.241 Ireland 4 1 3 0 0 2 -0.444 Netherlands 4 0 4 0 0 0 -2.728 This is how India can NOT go to the Quarter Finals. * Bangladesh Beats Netherlands on 14th March * SA beats Ireland on 15th March * England beats WI on 17th March * SA loses to Bangladesh on 19th March * India loses to WI on 20th March The points table will look like this Group B Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts ...

Greatest Cricket World Cup Upsets - Who Will Provide the Upset in 2011 Cricket World Cup? (This article was initially published at www.xomba.com) Who will provide the customary upset in this Cricket World Cup 2011? The ICC Cricket World Cup is from February 19 - 2nd April 2011. No Cricket World Cup in recent times has escaped a major upset. Some of them have been really really shocking - like the one Ireland gave Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup. The teams causing the upsets have been Zimbabwe, Kenya, Bangladesh and even Ireland! Here are some major World Cup upsets in the last three editions of the World Cup. 2007 World Cup Upsets Ireland shocked Pakistan and shell shocked the nation with a win in the preliminary rounds. Set a target of just 132 - Ireland reached the target much to the horror of Pakistan fans. This horror ended in tragedy with the death of high profile Pakistan Coach Bob Woolmer (a death first speculated to be homicide by media - but later confirmed to be from...

What does India vs Bangladesh have in store? A very exciting match I am sure! Cant wait for the ICC World Cup to start. Watch India Vs Bangladesh Live Score Online on 19 Feb 2011 - ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

India Vs South Africa - 3rd Test Preview 2011 With India's historic win at Durban - the final contest moves to Cape Town. England and Australia might say that the Ashes is the contest of the season - but real cricket fans know better. After all the World No. 1 team is touring to the World No. 2! Everyone knows that when you travel - your Test Cricket ranking doesn't really matter. Except the West Indies of the early eighties and the Australian team of the nineties - every cricket team has been a poor traveller. So the contest at South Africa is all about who is really the Best Cricketing Test team in the world. After the first innings debacle at Centurion - India scored 459 runs in the second innings. That innings showed the merit of the side. There was no folding over - after a humiliating first innings batting performance. However South Africa had done enough in the first innings to win by an innings and 25 runs See India vs South Africa 1st Test Centurion Scorecard -...