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IPL - Cricke-taint-ment
Posted by Onward
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Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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And so firecrackers lit up the Chennai skyline, Shivamani’s drumming echoed long into the night and a multitude of Mumbaikars in blue were left singing the blues. The Chennai Super Kings had humbled the Mumbai Indians and IPL 3 had come to a glorious end. The franchises rolled in the moolah, the big wigs at Set Max danced long into the night and the fallen genius Lalit Modi while fending off question after question coined the term “IPL = Cricketaintment”.
And that’s exactly what the IPL was. ‘Cricke- taint-ment’. The astronomical viewership quotient or the billions of dollars that filled the BCCI coffers could not hide the fact that as the umpires whipped off the bails and Mahendra Singh Dhoni stood triumphant amidst a sea of yellow, what once used to be an engaging battle between the Kookaburra and the English willow had been left much the poorer.
The tournament as a whole reeked of commercialism. The drinks breaks became strategic time outs. But the question beckoned – strategic for whom? Pepsi ensured that it in 2.5 minutes it wowed its Youngistan and Maxx Mobile rode on the Mahi wave. The legendary Richie Benaud must have endured sleepless nights as DLF Maximums, Karbonn Kamaal catches and Citi moments of success became part and parcel of the commentary jargon. And as the action on the field heated up, the camera zoomed onto the night sky and locked in on – no not a bird or a plane but the MRF blimp and a regular anecdote on Dennis Lillee and the pace foundation followed. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the coup de grace – Navjot Singh Sidhu and his Sidhuisms!
The action on the field fared no better. Catches went down in heaps and misfields became the norm but somehow clueless batsmen still managed to run themselves out. The inadequacies of the Indian domestic talent against the short ball came to the forefront while for some of the golden oldies IPL 3 seemed like a season too many. Adam Gilchrist averaged 10 balls a game, Matthew Hayden didn’t fare any better while Sanath Jayasuriya’s election campaign made more sense than his batting. And the icing on the cake - the scourge of matchfixing once again reared its ugly head while question marks were raised over the authenticity of a number of franchises and the once untouchable Lalit Modi became public enemy No1.
As the IPL circus rolled down its curtains, Money had been made, coffers had been filled and unbridled success had been attained. But the question remains – in what state has it left the world game? For now fans the world over will engulf the various coliseums to witness bowling attacks get massacred, more young un’s ll learn the slog sweep and the switch hit before the forward defence and the straight drive, and more and more prodigies will decide to drop the poisoned chalice of bowling in fear of the brutality it eventually falls victim to.
This beautiful game of cricket is changing, IPL is the new tasty recipe and for now its lip smacking good. But one day, this soup too shall taste stale. What then Lalit Modi? 5 overs a side?
IPL - Cricketing Genocide.
Posted by Onward
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Friday, March 5, 2010
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7 days to another instalment of World Cricket’s definitive budding present and unfortunate future. A week to another extravagant display of well proportioned cheerleaders, oodles of SRK sightings, the smiling toothy grin of Lalit Modi and an odd game of T20 cricket. The date March 12. The event – IPL 2010.
Ever since its inception 2 seasons ago, the IPL has stood for a fast paced, innovative, star studded version of the bat and ball game. By principle, its still 11 vs 2 and 9 to follow but when one filters in the shorter boundaries, the flatter pitches, bats the size of oak tree trunks, and add to it a small matter of a mere 20 overs, the dynamics as a whole change. The classical forward defences are no more, a well judged leave of the swinging ball – a thing of the past and a slash over third man to begin proceedings – customary.
For a lover of the classical such as myself, the IPL is to Test cricket what a batch of shake shake fries are to normal salted French fries. It sets the cash registers ringing, and keeps one coming back for more but at the end of the day, the lack of substance becomes quite evident. A true joust between the kookaburra and the willow is something T20 will always lack. Most bowlers are mere minor accessories in what is an absolute batsmens power game. Flat bed tracks, lightning quick outfields, free hits and a gagging order on the bouncer implies a speedy death sentence for the man with the ball in his hand.
Where Modi’s brainchild does score is in the multitude of overseas talent that has been brought into this money making circus. Dazzling show ponies such as the Pietersens and the Steyns of this world combined with the local desi street talent makes for good improved viewership. And the return of the legendary Olympian Gods – Warne, Hayden and co takes it up a notch. Throw in a pinch of Bangla Ganguly arrogance and Dravidian perfection and the concoction is complete. It is absolute. Success guaranteed.
But how much of this success is for the betterment of the game? T20 is the golden goose. But the IPL is well and truly driving T20 cricket into overkill mode. There is a limit to the level of excitement sadistic constant bowler bashing can provide. For now fans the world over engulf the various coliseums to witness these killings, more young un’s perfect the slog sweep and the switch hit before the forward defence and the straight drive even comes into the picture, more and more prodigies drop the poisoned chalice of bowling in fear of the brutality it eventually falls victim to.
This term again Shane Warne will entertain, Sachin will mesmerize and Dravid will hold fort while all around him fall. Fireworks will set the skies alight and Priety Zinta’s smile will send hearts souring. And Lalit Modi will walk to the bank a happy man.
But this beautiful game of cricket is changing, T20 is the new tasty recipe and for now its lip smacking good. But one day, this soup too shall taste stale. What then Mr Modi? 5 overs a side?
The Beginning...
Posted by Onward
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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"Follow your dreams, for as you dream you shall become"
Dreams are divine. Our dreams are the making of us. Its why one wakes up in the morning. Its that what makes one strive for more. To never stop, coz there is always another dream to realize. And it is one such unfulfilled dream that this blog is a result of.
Sport has always been my biggest passion in life. Ever since i bore witness to Shane Warne stun the living daylights out of one bewildered Mike Gatting, Cricket had me hooked. Add to it the poetry in motion that is a Ryan Giggs run down the left flank culminating in an Ole Gunner Solskjaer deft finish and the burly power of a Shaq Attack on the opposition hoop with the lung busting 5 set games which were the trade mark of one long forgotten Michael Chang, one can say the connection was inevitable.
And that inevitability and that desire to be one with sports has brought us to this moment. The birth of 22 Feat 90. Whilst i cant spin it like Shane or bend it like Beckham, this lesser being can write. 22 feat 90 is my mark of respect to my biggest passion. My take on every minuscule event in the sporting world. My tribute to the likes of Peter Roebuck and Harsha Bhogle - One the greatest sports writer of our times and the other a hero to emulate.
To emulate, one has to first begin. So this is the beginning...
Hello Sports Fans...welcome to 22 Feat 90.
