More whining from the Empire
The Guardian now comments on the increasingly ridiculous arrangements for their tour to India. This is a sample (sorry, I couldn't locate original article in the Guardian).
So, calling an Indian state impoverished is obviously OK. Perhaps, the Queen's men didnt get a chance to spread their influence in those parts, hence the backwardness? What about playing our world cup matches (1999) in non-descript places such as Taunton and Bristol? And now, they want the ICC to get involved. How about we get the curators from Lords to prepare the pitches at Chennai too? This is a matter well discussed by Worma and Prem, so nothing more to add. Except that they have gone to levels that I thought even they were incapable of.
Update: Here is the original Guardian article, thanks to Oracle Guy.
"Agartala, the capital of the impoverished north-eastern state of Tripura might delight the occasional intrepid backpacker with hills on three sides, several lakes and temples and the Bangladesh plains rolling before it, but its main ground has never staged a first class match and the entire state lacks a hotel of even modest quality.
India's apparent disrespect, possibly designed to sap English spirits by keeping them permanently upcountry, should be enough for the England and Wales Cricket Board to abandon its failed policy of polite engagement and if necessary ask the ICC to intervene"
So, calling an Indian state impoverished is obviously OK. Perhaps, the Queen's men didnt get a chance to spread their influence in those parts, hence the backwardness? What about playing our world cup matches (1999) in non-descript places such as Taunton and Bristol? And now, they want the ICC to get involved. How about we get the curators from Lords to prepare the pitches at Chennai too? This is a matter well discussed by Worma and Prem, so nothing more to add. Except that they have gone to levels that I thought even they were incapable of.
Update: Here is the original Guardian article, thanks to Oracle Guy.
posted by Toney at
3:27 PM
19 Comments:
jd,
The thing is, nobody in UK really thinks that this is not the ECB's statement. Public opinion can be easily swayed by repeatedly drilling such ideas, however ridiculous they sound. I think they are giving the BCCI way too much credit by saying, this was a planned attack
By
Toney, at 15:48
team, responded to your post in the other thread already :)
Maher, why should we? We dont need them to ratify that we have among the best hotels in the world (and probably the most economical too, in spite of their luxury).
By
Toney, at 16:02
u mean to say they shdnt say so officially:-)
but calling it in private is okee..
If the English are stupid enough in the first place to assume that we are insulting them...why are you making the same mistake..:-)
There is no need to react to whatever they say. The BCCI is going to release the dates and venues after the board meeting..and if the ECB has any concerns, it will be adressed...not necessarily accepted.
The matter ends there..
let them keep harping till then on whatever they want..
you want to play in Pak..Go play...
Pak is not gonna welcome them with open arms...and there is going to be charge for that..
Even if after all this, they go ahead and do it..there are a thousand ways to annoy them..
Itz the same case as not annoying the waiter at a restaurant ...lest (u knw what happens then;-)dont u)
Delaying their flight between games, non arrival of their gear..
refusing training facilities at the venue before the game..
or net bowlers..
big deal...:-)
after all this, if the tail doesnt get wedged firmly between their legs..just cut it off..:-)
By
Ginkgo, at 16:09
Prem,
Here is the link to the original article published in the Guardian :-
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/englandinpakistan/story/0,16791,1647069,00.html
Indian tour itinerary reaches new levels of absurdity
By
The Random Rambler, at 16:36
Toney - Sorry, I thought Prem had posted the story and hence I addressed my post to 'Prem'.
Anyways, You should pat yourself since I couldn't distinguish between yours and Prem's writting. ;)
By
The Random Rambler, at 16:48
oracle,
Sure, you made my day :) Long time no see.
By
Toney, at 16:51
Well, with 2 kids under 2 , I have been keeping very busy lately. I do hang around and read posts/opinions during matches though..Dont post much as whatever I want to say is normally already said by wiser people and in a much better way. ;)
By
The Random Rambler, at 17:21
I think the prob is with the indian media too..
2 options to do with such crap
1) Ignore - Best
2) Counter .. If you dont want to ignore their BS.. then how about trying to prove them wrong by posting some stats .. like our friends in this blog..
this thing is boring.. I think we should develope our domestic cricket like US sports where we can be self-reliant.
damn it!.. with such a HUGE audience and HUGE money around, a white country would have played bigger role in the administration of the sport in whole..
I would definetely like BCCI to just ignore this.. :)
and I would really like Eng team to play warm up games in Pak after getting thrashed in the Pak series there ;)
By
Boom, at 17:52
boom,
Eng want the warm up matches in Pak after raising security concerns there!! And I hope Pak doesnt oblige that request. Jaggu will exert a little pressure, if need be.
By
Toney, at 17:54
toney, I mean if they dont want to have practice matches in India, it should be fine with us i guess and if they prefer warming up in Pak.. better!
By
Boom, at 18:10
guys the HL for PAK-Eng currently on on SS. 6969 incase you know the other details. Aalu drama over awaiting Afridi Hardwork
By
Pankaj Tripathi, at 18:59
JD.. The WC highlights is an incredible link .. thanks
By
Pankaj Tripathi, at 21:24
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Hawkeye, at 21:47
why all this attack on the ecb before getting our own house in order ? The BCCI has no sense of scheduling whatsoever
By
Gaurav, at 01:40
Another one from jhas. oops.. jackass. If you have plenty of time to kill. He is really funny.
http://www.cricketnext.com/features1/sanjayjha/sanjayjha184.htm
By
Balamurali, at 01:56
bala murali
cud u copy paste that article plz ?
By
Gaurav, at 02:01
go england ... i hope these 2 take it beyond 300
By
Gaurav, at 02:04
gk,
Here is that idiot's article.
OF CANCER, A CYCLIST AND GANGULY
STATUTORY WARNING: If you love Ganguly, please read this column.
If you hate him, don't miss it!
Sourav Ganguly is a pariah today. I write this article fully aware that I am not just in a small minority, but perhaps in a diminished lot of just a sundry few (a handful at most) who believe in the former skipper. TV commentators are ideal examples of Ganguly's third cousin-twice removed status in Indian cricket today. These revered gentlemen (poor little miserable cowards) did not even have the courage to utter his name once during the entire series, as they cautiously avoided the man's reference in any connection whatsoever. If this does not make us Indian cricket lovers the biggest turn-coats, ever, what does?
These days since Ganguly-bashing is India's latest obsession, it hardly came as a surprise to me when I heard a respectable gentleman utter in raging sadistic glee his great joy in seeing Sourav get a pair of ducks against the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy final. In all honesty, it is a tragic manifestation of the way we are as a country when it comes to lionizing our superstars one day, and dumping them unceremoniously the next. As India celebrates a phenomenal 6-1 victory over Sri Lanka, the majority of Indians callously forget those who have brought their cricket forward these last few years. These are the same knowledgeable sort who not so long ago were writing epitaphs on Sachin Tendulkar when he was recuperating from his elbow injury. And should India get defeated by South Africa tomorrow, will want Dravid's head for dinner and Chappell's guts over some toast and tea. Seriously, how pitiably selfish and downright callous are we!
I believe that at this critical phase of his long career, Sourav needs to just look at a cyclist for inspiration, as his own country-men boo him and celebrate his downfall! A man who battled testicular cancer at the age of 24, and yet went on to win a grueling 2290 mile bicycle race over three weeks in Tour de France. This year, as he won once again (for the seventh time), the French sports authorities in a repugnant effort to humiliate him, accused him of performance-enhancing drugs, a charge which is ludicrous, prejudiced and far-fetched, and clearly motivated by some strange parochial agendas. But nothing will faze Lance Armstrong, a paragon of inspiration and a model of outstanding courage for an entire generation and beyond.
LESSONS FROM ARMSTRONG FOR GANGULY:
1) "GO BACK TO WORK"Armstrong overrides superstitions, and believes that there is no substitute to solid hard work. Irrespective of the results, Sourav has been man enough to go out in the middle, lead the East Zone, and play his heart out. And isn't it ironical that he was twice consumed by Zaheer Khan for a duck, to whom he has played a senior mentor?
As with Lance, Sourav should work on his return and future career in a cut and dried hard numbers game with sheer mechanical performance of his bat being the justification for his inclusion. After all, no one can keep a good man out for long, no matter what the provocation, no matter what the supposed fallibilities! Be at the nets, Sourav, and play as much cricket as possible!
2) "NEVER QUIT"
Once when Armstrong was given just a 50% chance for survival, he fought it by remembering what his mother once told him---Don't quit! The cancer-affected man fought small battles, setting himself blood count targets as his body fought back the carcinogenic invasion, even as he risked a brain surgery.
Sourav must remember that he may not be in the team today, but no one and nobody can take away his captaincy record, his batting heroics, his numerous partnerships, catches taken and all his other contributions to Indian cricket. His skills, temperament and technique are his own and no one can strip him of those.
It is time for net practice! To don the gloves, put on those pads, settle the helmet and lift the ball in the air.
Armstrong stood 111th amongst 111 in his first race, and the Spanish crowd jeered him, cracked jokes on the last joker crossing the line! But Armstrong did not quit. And the rest is history!
3) "MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK"
Armstrong's motto is, make you own luck. When he chose cycling as a professional career, many of his friends were cynical enough to tell him that he would be a total failure as a competitive cyclist. As they were to discover, he not only succeeded in his passionate endeavors but has gone to be a living legend, such as Michael Jordan, Pete Sampras, Tiger Woods and Ian Thorpe.
There are several who are literally scripting Ganguly's retirement script today, but they may be well advised to take a pregnant pause. Sourav must forget the past misfortunes, some circumstantial events, bad luck and on occasion, his own errors of judgement. It is time for him to do his own screenplay, and create the twist in the tale. Finally, he must write his own destiny.
Armstrong believed in the power of positive thinking, and transformed his life, believing in the power of his self-beliefs and the freedom of his wings in high altitude.
"Cancer is the best thing that perhaps happened to me. It changed my life permanently forever, teaching me lessons which would make my future such a dream", said Lance Armstrong.
For Sourav Ganguly, being dropped from the captaincy and the team, playing in front of empty stadiums without a cameraman or journalist giving him a hot chase, hardly an autograph to sign, returning lonely to the dressing room, and scoring two consecutive ducks could be the best thing yet to happen to his career. The comeback of the man who brought a refreshing aggression to the Indian team and broke through the shackles of an inherent inferiority complex of over decades, may have just begun.
SANJAY JHA
Managing Editor
By
Balamurali, at 02:04
murali
oh yeah i had read that some time back, it is not as idiotic as some of his others
By
Gaurav, at 02:15
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