Cricket: one billion Indians can't be wrong!

[axver]

I remember I once made a remark that the quickest way to kill interest in a blog entry is to mention International Relations theory in the opening sentence. I have no doubt that "Australia achieve 122-run victory in a thrilling Test as India lose their last three wickets in five balls" would actually be more effective. Especially if you're like

Comments

Australians are Cheaters!!

[anonymous]

In view of the farse in the second test match and ugly cricket played by the austrialians, Indian board should pull back their team from australia and severe all cricketing realtionships with theam. Australians must be banned from playing cricket for next two years in all international level by ICC. Austrilians should not be allowed to bring the glorious game of cricke to any more disrepute. They must be taught moral lessons and righteousness and asked to do public service like public toilet cleaning. Cheaters are punished under law. And if you are cheating in the full view of 100 crore people we can't allow it. They are Australian crickets are criminals in the view of hundred crore Indians. If they go out of the stadium they could be arrested for con'ing the Indian team and the whole world.

Also umpires should be criminally procecuted and later publically executed.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[liamtreasure]

Farce*, Australians*, relationships*, cricket*, conning*, prosecuted*

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

I'm genuinely surprised you didn't post "quoted for truth".

Also, can you figure out what 'crore' means?

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[liamtreasure]

Crore means ten million.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

Ah, I misread one sentence. I thought one mention of "100 crore" was referring to the crowd at the SCG.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

As wildly extreme as that is, cricket games involving Australia have been so routinely boring the last few years that I can't say I'd shed a tear if they were banned for two years. Though, that said, New Zealand thumped them 3-0 in a series back in February! Australia aren't as invincible as they'd like to think.

And India have to shoulder some blame too. Batting for a draw when your target is 333 and you have over 70 overs to play is simply ridiculous and reveals a lack of batting ability. I have no doubt that if a team like South Africa had been in India's position, they would have won the game. But Jaffer is a hopeless opener, Dravid scores far too slowly, and once you get past Laxman, Tendulkar, and Ganguly, the game might as well be over.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[ladyphoenixia]

Mind you, we can't forget that Australia didn't send their top team down for the Chappel-Hadlee series... but that was good to watch, Australia needs to be reminded occasionally that, best cricket nation in the world aside, they're not unbeatable.

I watched more of the first test, kept losing track of this one. But luckily I caught Clarke's final over, which was just amazing. To think, he'd never gained a test wicket in Australia before, and then he gets three to win the game. Fantastic.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

True point about not sending the top team, but that series put paid to the much hyped "massive Australian cricket depth". Their cricket depth cannot compare to the Kiwi rugby depth (though the Aussie cricket coaching certainly knows what it's doing a hell of a lot more than the Kiwi rugby coaching does).

Clarke must be feeling pretty awesome right about now. And the best part is that he's one of the Aussie cricketers I don't yet hate!

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[ladyphoenixia]

Ah yes, Kiwi rugby... why must we be such chokers? It's most depressing.

And yes, he doesn't seem a bad sort, yet. But then, compared to the majority of Australian sportsmen... I have to say, that whole thing with Harbhajan's allegedly racist comments seems a bit suss to me, particularly considering how renowned Australia is for poor sportsmanship and sledging.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

I'd never actually bought or even thought much about the choker tag. I certainly would not call New Zealand chokers at rugby - cricket's another matter. I lay blame for last year's disaster at the feet of the Kiwi selectors and whoever thought it was a good idea to let Wayne Barnes referee that match. Why the hell would you put a refereeing "n00b" in charge of the most important game of the tournament at that point?

I have to wonder just how much of that Harbhajan thing is being manufactured by Ponting because he's an immature little twit and can't stand all the hype about being Harbhajan's bunny. Oh, it was so sweet to see Harbhajan get him first ball in the second innings - can't believe I forgot to mention that in my post, actually.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[ladyphoenixia]

You wouldn't? And yet, somehow, we haven't managed to win a rugby world cup since 1987. Which is pretty bad for the best rugby nation in the world.

And, well, it does rather work in Ponting's favour to get rid of Harbhajan. And I definitely wouldn't put it beyond him to manufacture this for the sole purpose of assisting himself.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

Well, I don't think failing to win the Cup is a good measure of choking. Failing to win the Cup when we should've won it is better. 1991? We were shit and didn't deserve to win. 1995? We should've won but that was the fault of a dubious refereeing decision in extra time and hardly constitutes choking. 1999? Maybe a case there. 2003? Nope, Australia stole the initiative in that semifinal and outplayed us. 2007? The team didn't choke; the selectors were braindead. And the World Cup is just one tournament; we've been owning pretty much everything else and been #1 in the world for the vast majority of the time the world rankings have existed.

I wouldn't put anything past Ponting. I swear, every time I see him on the screen, I want to kick him in the face. Right in that arrogant, smarmy, cocky grin. And hopefully the kick will have enough momentum to hit Hussey too. Mr Cricket my arse. You know you're Australian when you're arrogant enough to call someone Mr Cricket before he's retired and had time for a legacy to be

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[ladyphoenixia]

You make a fair point.

I have yet to develop a hatred for Hussey, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. And that does sound a bit ridiculous. I fully support all Ponting-injuring endeavours, however.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

I don't really dislike Hussey personally; rather, it's the obnoxious celebration of everything he does. I'm just waiting for a CD to be released of the man sleeping. "Listen as Hussey's breathing resembles the fluid motion of his batting and his occasional snores recall the sound of willow on leather."

Also, am I the only person thoroughly sick of those VB ads for "win an afternoon with Warney"? Geez, that's the last thing I'd want to do. Would he teach you some of his text messaging powers or something?

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[ladyphoenixia]

I tend not to watch much TV, and what I do watch tends to be torrented, so I've been spared those ads so far. But they do sound irritating, you'd meet your hero and within an afternoon end up hating him. Good outcome.

Re: Australians are Cheaters!!

[axver]

It still amazes me that after his never-ending run of controversies, Shane Warne still has any fans at all. I wonder what it says about Australia, I really do.

Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori are both far better spinners anyway.