The Heavy Ball
MSD, Phd
The Indian captain's posture and stature have improved after his recent doctorate
R Rajkumar
01-Sep-2011
MS Dhoni's posture was found to have straightened by more than 20 degrees after he was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Leicester recently, according to biomechanics specialists.
"If you compare the curvature of the cervical and thoracic areas of the spine and the musculature of the shoulder area now, to what it was soon after the last Test match he played in, you can easily see a marked difference," said Dr Tony Worsley, holding up some scans to a light and marking out the specific areas in question.
"It's remarkable. I've never seen anything like it," he added. "Well, not since we cleared Muralitharan's action over at the University of Western Australia last decade."
Full postAfridi found editing Wikipedia entry
Former captain corrects misconceptions on popular encyclopaedia site
R Rajkumar
26-Aug-2011
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was found editing the Wikipedia entry on himself yesterday, replacing words and sometimes entire sentences with what he considered were more accurate descriptions of who he is, reports say.
"He immediately minimised the window on his computer screen when I walked into his room last evening," said younger brother Ashfaq. "At first I didn't think anything of it, figuring he was just watching reruns of Dancing With the Stars, but then I noticed the tab on the minimised window said 'Shahid Afridi - Wikipedia'. I backed out of the room slowly and went out to get some more hair conditioners to add to Shahidbhai's collection, which never fails to lift his spirits."
Other sources have opined that Afridi is pulling out all the stops in a bid to make a comeback to the Pakistan team, now that Waqar Younis, with whom Afridi has had a turbulent relationship, has resigned as coach.
Full postSeeing things the Hayden way
ICCBod, a cricket administration insider, on how Haydos is the best thing to have happened to the business side of cricket
Alex Bowden
25-Aug-2011
It's funny how things turn out. There I was, a mid-ranking cricket executive, sent to Brisbane to sit in on a few meetings, only for my world to be turned upside down. I'd expected it to be a fairly low key trip - some note-taking, perhaps a little light administration in the evenings - but what I got was far, far more than that. To put it bluntly, I found my new religion, having come face to face with a spiritual leader of extraordinary charisma.
I pay very little attention to the on-field element of cricket, so I didn't especially notice the bear-like Australian man with the bushy eyebrows and receding hairline when I walked into that first meeting. I was told he had been an opening batsman of some significance, but that meant little to me. However, once he began speaking, I could no longer ignore him. I've never been in a situation where someone's every word rang so true. It was transcendent.
"Big dreams always start with the most basic executions of process," he began, and my heart quickened. Here was a man who spoke a language that I understood.
Full postThe Secret Diary of Rahul Dravid, Aged 29792 Balls
A day in the life of a certain Indian player. Warning: includes screaming, takeaway food, and sit-ups
Alan Tyers
23-Aug-2011
Up early for a bit of private practice on my own. I've got a machine set up to simulate the sort of questions that Ian Ward might be asking me at the end of the day's play. It generates gushing compliments and I work on sidestepping them neatly, back and across, back and across, playing with a straight bat: "Of course, it's nice to do well but the team is what is most important."
After a few hours of that it's time to tidy up the dressing room.
Gave Sreesanth his rusk. Did some fitness training; Virender asked me if I wouldn't mind doing his as well. Said okay. He hurt his shoulder reaching for a particularly well-stuffed, heavy piece of pizza. If somebody has to step into the breach and do his sit-up for him, then I'm happy to do that. It's important to remember that everyone is different.
Full postThe lemon-flavoured joy of being No. 1
Two England players bask in the delight of their new-found status. Or not
Alex Bowden
19-Aug-2011
Andrew Strauss and his butler, Carruthers, are standing in the drawing room.
Strauss: It feels fantastic, doesn't it, Carruthers? I'm seeing the world in a whole new way.
Carruthers: What feels fantastic, sir?
Full postBaseball bats, England? Really?
What, cricket bats are not good enough for the likes of you?
R Rajkumar
18-Aug-2011
As a shocked nation struggles to come to terms with the unfortunate events in England last week, it is no small thing that we can still turn to the welcome distraction sport provides to lift, if only momentarily, our heads from the gloom.
While it has of late been a time of intense introspection and soul-searching for society in general, it would appear that it has been just as difficult, if not more so, for cricket administrators and equipment manufacturers.
"What a sad, difficult week it has been," agreed the visibly shaken ECB chairman, Giles Clarke. "I mean, you have to ask yourself what kind of a society we're living in when ordinary law-abiding citizens have to resort to such measures as buying a baseball bat to protect their homes.
Full postWaugh games
An excerpt from the early diaries of the man we would all eventually come to know and love as Tugga
Alan Tyers
16-Aug-2011
Steve Waugh
Aged 10 ¾Sydney, March 12th 1976
I looked around my classmates with disbelief. Where was their passion, their strength of character, their desire to be the best Year Five Australian History Class we could possibly be?
I looked around my classmates with disbelief. Where was their passion, their strength of character, their desire to be the best Year Five Australian History Class we could possibly be?
Their happy faces were like a knife to my heart punching me in the gut.
Full postDuncan asks Gary why
There has been a betrayal of trust between India's current coach and one of its former ones, which even Tyra Banks can't resolve
R Rajkumar
11-Aug-2011
It's been barely over a couple of months into Duncan Fletcher's tenure as India coach, but it would appear that the stress fractures are already showing, on the evidence of the following leaked email from the new India coach to Gary Kirsten, the man who recommended Fletcher for the post he abdicated.
From: Duncan Fletcher (tyrafan@hotseatmail.com)
To: Gary Kirsten (gotitmade@whooyeahmail.com)
Subject: Why?
To: Gary Kirsten (gotitmade@whooyeahmail.com)
Subject: Why?
Dear Gary,
Full postIntroducing the Tendulkar-Mumbai method (and its potential pitfalls)
If every issue in cricket was decided on the basis of what would happen if the same had happened to Tendulkar in Mumbai, there would be chaos
Sidin Vadukut
09-Aug-2011
Just when you thought the world had finally settled down to play some good old-fashioned Test cricket to stadiums packed with seats, controversy has struck the game again.
The India-England tour started spectacularly, with a pulsating first Test at Lord's, the "Previous Home of Cricket", attended by several Indian and English cricketing greats, and Sharad Pawar, the "Current Home of Cricket".
Despite being saddled with adverse factors such as numerous injuries, exhaustion, a cramped schedule, lack of pace-bowling culture, adverse English weather, Matt Prior, the unstable US economy, strengthening Swiss franc, endemic corruption, and N Srinivasan, the Indians managed to put up a valiant fight before succumbing to the relentless onslaught of English commentary.
Full postYour delete-as-appropriate England/India news
A DIY story you can use regardless of who you support
Alan Tyers
08-Aug-2011
The England v India Test series is being contested in a good spirit on the pitch, but in the media and blogosphere it seems that relentless animosity is the order of the day, with fans of the two nations seemingly unable to agree on even the simplest points. To save time, all news articles about the series will here on be delivered with two separate angles, one to be read by English supporters and the other by Indian. Thus:
India's tour of England suffered a further setback yesterday when [key bowler / unfit shambles] Zaheer Khan was sent home. Zaheer's injury had been merely the first piece of [rotten bad luck / evidence of shoddy preparation] on the tour and leaves the [world's No. 1 Test team / soon-to-be-former world No. 1 Test team] in ever-deeper crisis.
With England's [collection of decent fast-medium bowlers who can only perform at home / pack of interchangeable pace bowling aces the like of which the world has not seen since the glory days of the West Indies] lining up for Edgbaston and [liability / gun] offspinner Graeme Swann likely to get [carted around the park again / back amongst the wickets], an unassailable 3-0 series lead is [the pipe dream of a madman / an inevitability].
Full post