Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Marathi chat

(If you do not understand marathi, please don't read this. I am sorry, but kindly adjust).

tushar_save (11:57:52 AM): ya saheb ya...
viv1512 (11:58:05 AM): arre alabhya laabh, aaj apan ekdam prakat kase zalat?
tushar_save (11:58:11 AM): apale ya kolishtakachya mayajalat swagat aso
viv1512 (11:58:25 AM): dhanyawaad
viv1512 (11:58:40 AM): sagle kahi kshemakushal?
tushar_save (11:59:28 AM): Arthat swami...tumhi-amhi astana desh dev an dharma kshemakushal asalach pahije
viv1512 (12:00:06 PM): kay re... bebandashaahi baghun ala ki kay
tushar_save (12:00:35 PM): nahi mitra nahi
viv1512 (12:00:51 PM): ani kay mhantos
viv1512 (12:01:05 PM): ikde yenyacha chance ahe ka?
tushar_save (12:01:09 PM): Marathi , hindi and engraji madhe apan bolat ahat. aple bhashadhnyaan prachanda ahe.
tushar_save (12:01:38 PM): Time time ki baat hai pyare...ek chance tera ek mera
viv1512 (12:01:40 PM): good joke
tushar_save (12:01:47 PM): but bad PJ
viv1512 (12:02:06 PM): so aajkal kay navin mohim?
tushar_save (12:02:50 PM): Jeevan ek sangharsh aahe ani toch mala navya navya mohime var pathavto..
viv1512 (12:03:10 PM): bas bas bas.. mansaat ye.
tushar_save (12:03:26 PM): evadhyat?
viv1512 (12:03:56 PM): arre ikde sakal ahe. he sagla vachlyavar sakalchi pahilya dhaarechi ghetlyasarkhi vatte
tushar_save (12:04:47 PM): shant gada dhari bheem shant..aaj ek tar shukravaar aahe ani tu pahilya dharechi vaigare bolun mann vichalit karu nakos...
viv1512 (12:06:22 PM): mann kara re prasanna sarva siddhi che karan....
tushar_save (12:06:24 PM): peeun daru hoil sarv jag hey prasanna
tushar_save (12:07:24 PM): mitra aahes ka?? ki tula MURCCHA yevun to behosh jhalas?
viv1512 (12:07:56 PM): brb
tushar_save (12:08:16 PM): 'brb' mhanje kay re bhau?
viv1512 (12:12:29 PM): be right back
tushar_save (12:12:55 PM): ok ok .. i will also start using that..
viv1512 (12:13:10 PM): see.. u learnt something today from me
tushar_save (12:13:53 PM): dhanyawad mitra..jeevan ek shala aahe ani apun tyatil vidyarthi.
viv1512 (12:14:48 PM): yes, shalaa co-ed ahe, tyat mule ani muli pan astat. te jara soyiche padel
tushar_save (12:17:23 PM): aso aso..baki bol...
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Monday, September 20, 2004

World of cricket

Cricket..... One word, one sport...and so many sweet memories associated with it. There are people who hate cricket or who don’t follow it... but there are cricket lovers who love this sport more than anything else. Cricket surely has its own charisma. You love cricket or you hate it, you cannot ignore it.

Cricket is not all about technique (otherwise Manjrekar, Artherton, and Boycott would have been gods of cricket). Crickets is not all about grace and style either... (Otherwise Mark Waugh, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and David Gower would have ruled the cricket world). What makes cricket more interesting is the application of technique, absolute determination and grace to achieve something more than normally expected from a cricketer (that’s why Steven Waugh, Lara, Tendulkar, Dravid, Hyden are great... because they are so determined and focused at their play that they cannot go wrong). Very few cricketers are abundantly talented (a few examples... Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, Akram, Kallis and more recently Andrew Flintoff. I had almost included Ajit Agarkar.... but he himself doesn't know how to utilize his talent. He wasted so many opportunities.. I feel sorry for him)...

Still... cricket is a treat to watch. It’s been a while since I have seen a cricket match, and I miss that dearly. Last time I saw one was the India-Australia test series in December 2003. After the fourth test... I was a big big fan of the artistry of VVS Laxman... he was very very special in that series indeed. I was thinking about that series a few nights back... and thought... these memories; and not a few individuals; make cricket a truly great sport... there are so many of them, and if you are an avid fan of cricket... you would also recollect the thrill associated with such moments. A few instantly came to my mind were:

* Anil Kumble coming out of pavilion with a broken jaw... with bandage all over his face, to bowl to Brian Lara: It was one of the most unforgettable moments for me... India-West Indies test series... Indians were loosing the grip on the game... and Brian Lara was slowly getting in his own mood. His wicket would have given India a victory, but sadly no bowler was looking dangerous. And all of a sudden this guy comes out, when no one expected him to... he had a big fracture in his jaws. He came... he bowled... one can imagine how much pain he would have suffered.. And all that for one wicket... of Brian Lara and for India. Hats off to Kumble.

* Tendulkar hitting Shoaib Akhtar's first ball for a six over covers in 2003 world cup: India-Pakistan match in a world cup.... whoever wins goes to next round... whoever looses goes back home. Akram, Waquar playing their last world cup... out there to prove that they still are the best...Akhtar wanted to bowl the fastest ball...and India needs more than 275 to win the battle. It doesn’t get better than this. Does it??. Indian batting had performed poorly in all the previous games... their supporters back home were furious.. Some of them event attempted to attack players' homes. It was indeed do or die for Indians. A pressure cooker situation.. Akhtar comes running like a horse... and bowls (or throws) to Sachin... I can never forget the way crowd erupted at that moment. India won that match there itself. Memories of Miandad's sixer were erased from our minds. Akhtar has never been at his best against us after that.

Some other unforgettables:

* Warne's first Ashes ball to Gatting: Ball of the century.
* The entire 2001 India-Aus test series: Harbhajan's hat-trick and 32 wickets, VVS Laxman's epic 281 at Eden Gardens, and his partnership with 'the wall' Dravid. India didn't loose a single wicket on 4th day of the match. Isn't that amazing?
* Jawagal Srinath's 6-21 against South Africa in 1996 at Ahmedabad. It was indeed a master-move by Tendulkar to bring Srinath on, on a dead-as a dodo-pitch.
* India-Pakistan series in 1999: India should have won Chennai test. It remains one of the worst failures of Tendulkar's career. It was a shameless act by Mongia, too. And of course 10 wickets for Anil Kumble at Feroz Shah Kotla. It was Sunday.. And Kumble-Harbhajan pair was really giving a lot of trouble to strong Pakistani batting. Last wicket was Wasim Akram :c Laxman b Kumble 37. Laxman caught that bat-pad catch, umpire Jaiprakash rsaised his finger, and thats it!!! No one can forget the celebrations after that. It was a great achievement from a man who can't turn a ball for nuts and still calls himself a spinner and takes all 10 Pakistani wickets.
* If you have seen 'cricket classics' on ESPN-star sports, you can't forget first India-Pak match held at Sharjah: India won it by 38 runs after scoring 125. Full marks to Sunil Gavaskar, for his captaincy and some amazing catches he took in slips.
* And of course 1983 world cup win
* Speaking of catches.... Do you remember Ajay Jadeja taking Border's catch in 1992 world cup?... and a Ganguly's catch taken by James Kirtley in 2002 Natwest series?... it takes a miracle to do something like that.
* One more catch I clearly remember was in 99 world cup: Lance Klusner to Robert Croft.. croft hits a full blooded shot... jonty rhodes leaps in the air, stops the ball in the air, and takes an unbelievable catch...and his feet are still in air. I clearly remember... Bill Lawry was the commentator. He said just 3 words, "He is special". It says all.

There are so many more... these memories make me love this game of bat and ball.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Yell-Wo-See

Yesterday, the great Ramaswami was having a look at the cultural map of India that we were planning to use for the publicity of 'Day with India'. That map also included Pakistan and Bangladesh, as we all share same culture. This is how the conversation took place.

Ramaswami: This map is wrong!!! We should change it.
Vivek: Why?
Ramaswami: This is for 'Day with India' and not for 'Day with Asia'.
Vivek: But this is a cultural map, not a political one.
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Ramaswami: And what is this?? What IS this!!!
Vivek: ??
Ramaswami: There is a dark black line in this map!!! change the map. (looks at it again)... Oh, actually this is LOC (he pronounced as Yel-Wo-See)
Vivek: Yellow Sea????..... Are you mad?.... how can you have Yellow Sea in Kashmir??
Ramaswami: You are a fool. Where else will you find Yell-Wo-See in India??
Vivek: you are a %^$#@&^!@#

Now whos fault was it?

Monday, September 13, 2004

Finally...scored some runs!!!!!

Being from Bombay, India; cricket is in my blood. Cricket is a passion for me. I have even seen Bangladesh Vs. Zimbabwe game (No.. I didn't completely see the Holland Vs. UAE game.. that was too boring, I slept mid-match).

I started playing gully cricket since I was 5 (earlier I used to hold the bat in wrong manner... with left hand at the bottom, and right hand on top :D... I am a rightee) and I guess I was good at it.

One of the most enjoyable things I did after coming to Clemson is playing cricket. The "South India Vs North India" matches were really played with the passion and instincts that we have for the India-Pak matches.

I happened to be the opener for our team (that was largely because, A: we were short of players and there was noone to open, B: I potrayed myself as a professional opener... sometimes I blaber anything , especially when I am under the influence of... you know what). My scores were 0, 0, and 0. Balls faced.... 1,2,and 2. First time... caught behind: ball swung too much and the bowler was good. Second time: it was a very good yorker and I didnt have a good grip on my shoes. I fell down. Third time: ball hit a wrong spot on the pitch and.... I was bowled.

It was very shameful. For a next few days, I had tough time to openly roam around in Clemson. I used to come home very late to avoid people directly laughing at my face... you can imagine the situation. It was like falling on face. Cmon, I was not THAT bad a batsman... trust me. I wanted to prove that. And was looking for a nice opportunity to prove that I can do it.

We play cricket on Friday evenings ( means... they play regularly, I go sometimes). Last week, I went after a long time. We played 3-9 overs matches. And I have decided that I will not open again in my life. First match: went in with a score of 4 in 5 overs... we scored 39... and I had a decent contribution. Second match: We had 69 to chase... I scored a duck again!!!... Cmon I was under the pressure of scoring runs and ball was swinging and some old habits take long time to go. We lost both the matches.

It was the third game.... We had to make 47 to win in 9 overs to win... and when I went in we had made only 17 in first 6. Srinivas Cherukpalli was at the other end. 30 runs in 3 overs... Srinivas and I hit a four each and it was 20 in 2 overs. And guess what... we did it... with 3 balsl to spare.... My contribution was a six and 2 more boundaries.... It was indeed a great feeling for me... Felt as if I also can do something in life. Even I can score runs.

And now no-one can call me a choker.

Finally I am happy.