Racial Sydney Cricket

Racial Sydney Cricket

Disputes of the suspended Indian cricket tour to Australia are going to prove as much as higher dispute as were the shadows of match fixing or the rebel tournament in the Australia and it might even result in the division of cricketing world. Whatever may happen to be the end results of the dispute but surely economic crises are waiting there. If ICC doesn’t come forward and BCCI, the board / country generating about 70% of cricketing revenue, comes forward with threatened action of calling back Indian team and abundant the tour, Cricket Australia will have to fight a long fight for getting the economic compensation, not only this but telecasting companies will face a huge revenue loss by loosing the advertisers, BCCI not only will pay to players but will also not get the guaranty money for Australia tour. The only favorable thing for the economics of the cricket is that with real huge population and cricket being the national passion in India, BCCI can over come these huge losses estimated to 100 carore with some what comfort because if BCCI appeals surely Indians will come forward because the issue is no more a cricketing issue but become related to pride and honor of the country and even a buck from every one will prove sufficient to meet the losses of BCCI.

All this was started with a so called racial comment “Big Monkey” by Indian spinner Harbhajan to Andrew Symonds while the spinner was bating. The dispute went on further as surprisingly ICC match referee Proctor went on to pose a three match ban on Indian spinner. The decision of match referee created clouds of suspects because 1. There were no audio / video evidence supporting the charge. 2. Ground umpires were not supporting the charge. 3. Sachin, one of the most trusted personality of cricketing word, who was with Harbhajan all the times during the exchange of words with Andrew on the ground, was witnessing in favor of Indian spinner. 4. Among from the duo of Haden and Clarck who witnessed in favor of charge, Clarck was never in the frame of TV coverage of exchange of words between the disputed players. In these situations the only probable reason of such non rational behavior by the match referee, comes to mind that as per the cricketing calendar India and South Africa have to clash after the Indian tour to Australia and might the South African referee be intended to shield the South African bating from the attack of this Indian spinner but when we consider the ground realities this seems a remote possibility.

One sided umpiring decisions, against India during all the five days of Sydney test and ban on Harbhajan cross the limits of Indian tolerance and naturally a wave of anger flashed through out the country. Every corner of the country started to sound with protesting voices of this unjustified and unfair decision and demands of calling back touring Indian cricket team. I am wondering how the “Big Monkey” becomes a racial comment because to my knowledge scientific world believes that human beings are the developed version of monkey like ancestors. I will also blame the zero tolerance shown by the Indian team from the day one of landing on the Australia for the current tour. It was sure to see a unpleasant end of Sydney test, if might the Sourav had been the captain of Indian team, when the Rahul Dravid was ruled out in the second inning but as our present gentleman captain Anil Kumbale preferred to go with zero tolerance hence India not only forced to loose the test match but also facing the charges of racial comments.

If we go with the Australian press, majority section is with Indians. Even the most famous Australian cricket writer Rebock went on to blame captain Pointing for turning the bunch of talented Australian cricket players into squad of wild hunting dogs.

At present it seems that play in the series will resume only if the ICC agree to Indian demand of withdrawing charge against the Harbhajan and insure no further participation of disputed umpires in the series.

In my own views the ideal solution over the dead lock is coming forward by the Andrew Symonds and other Australian players for withdrawing their, complain against the Indian spinner. It will not only take the on going series back to smooth tracks but will also indicate that Australians too have a big heart and sportsmanship in true sense. The cricketing world will be saved from the division and no cricketing board or ICC will have to face economic crises.

Suicidal Spots of Sydney Cricket

Suicidal Spots of Sydney Cricket

It is unfortunate in the true sense that frequent users of technological excellence forget that the same technological excellence is taking their actions to drawing rooms of the world families. Just look at how the Indian fall pray to what should be called only as the undignified and as per the will behavior of the umpires on and off the fields at Sydney during the second test of Indian tour to Australia.

Day [1]

1. Ricky Ponting was caught behind by Dhoni, when he was on 17 was given not out by umpire Benson after the batsman went on to score 55 runs though it was unfortunate that Pointing was forced to leave the ground when he should be given the advantage of doubts but by this time he had succeeded in preventing the collapse of Australian bating order to great extant.
2. Field Indian team when under the horrible experience when every body at ground hears the sound of Andrew Symonds snatching Sharma’s ball which rested in the hands of wicketkeeper Dhoni but strangely umpire Bakner was not able to listen or see this. This might not was sufficient hence the third umpire even after a clear TV reply refused to with hold the stumping appeal against the same batsman and rule him not out.
This was the first turning point of the game because after this the team which was struggling for survival at 134 for 6 went on to end the day with a 400 plus score.

Day [2]
3. Steev Bakner refused the stumping appeal of stumping once again against the Adrew without referring to TV umpire though reply were with evidence that might the third umpire be forced to decided otherwise.
4. Wasim Jaffer was given out on the No ball bowled by Lee.
Day [4]

5. Umpire Benson refused the LBW appeal of Kumbale against the Michel Hussy, when batsman was at just 22.
6. Benson repeated the mistake when Hussy was 45 and touched the ball of R.P. Singh and Dhoni took a clear and clean catch. Hussy was allowed to score 145 runs in the second inning.
7. Symonds was LBW on the hetrric ball of Kumable after the dismissal of Hussy and Clarck on the previous two successive balls but Bakner allowed to the batsman to score 61 runs.

Day [5]

This might be the worst day not only for the Indians but for the entire cricketing world. It was seemed like that pre scripted drama of Australian won was at the climax. Dhoni was ruled out on a ball which might go anywhere just for not offering the shot but look at two shocking decision of the umpires earlier in the day.
8. Rahul Dravid was ruled caught behind by umpire Bakner when Symond’s ball was miles away from the bat.
9. All the limits of justice were crossed when umpire Benson instead of asking to third umpire discussed with Ricky Pointing about the catch of Sourav Ganguli and put his finger up only after the Pointing, with a witty smile indicated Sourav out by holding is finger up.

Black Cricketing Sunday at Sydney

Black Cricketing Sunday at Sydney

This is not a game this is a war and everything is fair in the war, history will not discuses the way of your victory but will remember you for your victory, might be the mind of Ricky Pointing was being dominated by this thought when umpire asked him about the catch of Sourav Ganguli and even not being so sure he hold his finger up. A mistake or thoughtful action we can say because it results in what will take Pointing’s name in the record books of the game. All this had turned the game of Gentlemen into game of shame.

You might believe it are not but the fact is that while my discussion with my son over the issue of Harbhajan and Andrew, I told him that match referee will go on to punish Harbhajan with a ban. “How will they can do when there are no evidence against Bhazi?” was the question of my son, and my response was “I don’t know but surely this will happen, for keeping the compromising ground ready, for the facing the emotion storm of Indians, as there are very strong waves of anger and protest among the cricket lovers through out the country, as in this match neither India had last the match nor Australians have won but match has been allotted to Australia by the umpires. The anger is very much high because if the umpires had not favored Australia at the various crucial moments of the game surely India was going to win and make the series at levels. All this will force BCCI to take some strong action and punishment of Harbhajan can be taken as compromising factor”.

In few hours time my speculation proved correct and Harbhjan singh was punished for a three match ban for calling “Big Monkey” to Andrew Symonds, though there were no evidence just two other players were saying that they heard Harbhajan pronouncing this word, but even if we take it that Harbhajan has pronounced so called word than firstly I wonder the how the Ricky Pointing and Australian team forget that they have been guilty of almost pushing the BCCI president Sharad Power from the Dias in a prize ceremony at Mumbai were escaped from the punishment just because BCCI President and Indians have taken their action in sporting way and had not complained. It seems that all this was planned only for Pointing who was finding this Indian spinner almost unplayable. This verdict recalled me a scene from the Maharashtra, when Yudhastra last him self, brothers and wife Dropadi. Duryodhan asked Dushasan to take all the cloths of Dropadi and make her naked, at that time Dropadi asked Bhisham Pitamah, “O! Grand father you have fame of being the expert and knowing the true meaning of religion, does this action of Kouravs is standing with the religious norms and tradition of civilized society?” Bhisham Pitamah replied “Dropadi don’t ask me the minute details of religion, what I can say that whatever the winner or powerful says that is the truth, religion and mark of civilization.”

After the episode of “Murali” once again Australians had proved that at least in the cricketing world they are powerful and winner, but they are forgetting one thing that it is quite possible that in the future all the star Indian players, like the Murali might refuse to tour Australia.

Note: Friends as at my other blog My Article World , I have started a long series articles "India: 60 Years: 60 Words" and don't wish either to interrupt that series or start a fresh blog for the rest of my writings hence my writings other than ongoing series will publish here on this blog of Travel India

13th Australian Cricketer at Sydney

13th Australian Cricketer at Sydney

India is on the tour of so called mighty and frequent world champions of the cricket. The kingdom of undisputed kings of the game was under the threat from the first foot landing of India on land of kangarros.


Over the years it was the tendency and part of game plan that Australian players and press start a campaign against the touring team and show the unnecessary aggression on the ground. Australians players have an attitude of opting and going for anything for the victory. Unfortunately over the years their, this attitude was not challenged by any other team and they keep on winning tournament after tournament, this run of successive victories made the Australian players rude. They even started to think about self bigger than the game.

The scenario went under the change since the Twenty-20 world cup in the South Africa last year, when M. S Dhoni was leading the Indian squad and Indians started to tackle the Australians with the game plan which they were used to implement against the opponents since so many years. It was the success of Indians that Australia could not make the final of this inaugural tournament. This was the first time that Australians not only meet with the opponent equipped with the same weapons but went to taste the defeat. Even the Australian tour to India after T-20 championship doesn’t prove wound healing for Australians as they were again beaten by Indians in the solo T-20 match of the tour, not only this but they also got a reciprocal answer for their activities involving other than game skills not only by the Indian players on the ground but also from the common Indians who were present there on the ground for watching the game.

Now it was turn of India to tour the Australia and players were eager to tackle the opponents in every activity on or off the ground, but things are seems to be taking a different turn on SGC during the second Test Match. It seems that Australians might become aware of the fact that their normal on and off the ground skills might not going to prove sufficient for the series won hence they decided to take the grounds with 13 player [11 team members plus two umpires] at Sydney. The things started to reflect from the day one when Australians were finding hard to face their bating collapse umpire Steev Bankar run into help them by giving Andrew not out twice and Australia went on to pile a 400 plus total in the first inning. The Things doesn’t stopped here Indian first inning ended as the victim of bad umpiring. The series of mistake went on against the India and this time Rahul and Sourav were the victims.

All this happening is prompting me to write that if I might be the president of BCCI, by this time the match might be over [still a ten over game is left and India is trying to come out from the shadows of defeat] as I might have asked the Indian Captain to declare Indian second inning on the umpire's action of giving out sourav after getting confirmation from the player who doesn’t walk out of ground even after knowing that he has touched the ball and fielder had taken the catch.

Surely this is the proper time for the game authorities to steep in the happenings and come forward with action of writing off this test match from the record book as the fate of the game has been decided by the series of mistakes by the umpires. If the BCCI is not going to come forward to protest this surely this will be going to work as the demoralising factor for the Indian players and all the remaining match will not remain attractive for the lovers of the game over the world as Indian players for the rest of match will go into ground with the pre known fact that they are playing for defeat.

Note: Friends as at my other blog My Article World , I have started a long series articles "India: 60 Years: 60 Words" and don't wish either to interrupt that series or start a fresh blog for the rest of my writings hence my writings other than ongoing series will publish here on this blog of Travel India.

Kolhapur – Next I. T. and Industrial Hub of Maharashtra

Kolhapur – Next I. T. and Industrial Hub of Maharashtra

Since last decade or so Kolhapur city and district is looked up as the potential of being the next I. T. and industrial hub of Maharashtra state. The only hurdle was a little bit lack of infrastructural facilities here and there. Electric supply for the industry was one among the prominent infrastructural short coming, which is now being addressed with the “Power Grid Station” of one thousand Mega watts capacity, to be erected on the land expanded into 250 Acres of area at the Kalmbe Turf Thane near the city. Surely this is going to prove the much awaited boost for the enrichment of industrial growth in the area.

In the past also Kolhapur was considered for the “Sub Station” by the Power Grid Corporation but at that time political pressures shifted the project to Solapur. Now according to official sources as reported in local news papers, land for the project already has been acquired and plant erection work will start from January 2008. It will involve investment of Rs. 700 carores and will take almost three years to make the plant functional.

The project will not only solve the problem of industrial electricity supply but will effect in multiple ways. It will result in enrichment of industrial atmosphere of district in the direct dimensions; while in the indirect way will increase chances of regular air travel facility, though at present there is Air port at Kolhapur but without regular flights. It will also attract a boost for real estate sector, especially in the area near the plant. The proposed plant will distribute, electricity generated at atomic plants in Karanataka, through out the Maharashtra state.