Pink gloves, US embargoes, and spies
Pink gloves, the long arm of the American law, a surprise wedding, an offer from Bollywood
George Binoy
24-Dec-2007
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Pretty in pink
During the Boxing Day Test in 2006, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds used pink grips on their bats to raise funds for breast cancer research. Adam Gilchrist will take their step further at this year's Melbourne Test against India by wearing pink wicketkeeping gloves to raise money for the McGrath Foundation. Gilchrist's sponsors have responded spectacularly, by agreeing to donate A$18,000 for each dismissal he makes. Incidentally, Gilchrist has 391 dismissals from 92 Tests and needs five more to break Ian Healy's Australian record. Should he do it in Melbourne, the McGrath foundation will be at least A$90,000 richer.
During the Boxing Day Test in 2006, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds used pink grips on their bats to raise funds for breast cancer research. Adam Gilchrist will take their step further at this year's Melbourne Test against India by wearing pink wicketkeeping gloves to raise money for the McGrath Foundation. Gilchrist's sponsors have responded spectacularly, by agreeing to donate A$18,000 for each dismissal he makes. Incidentally, Gilchrist has 391 dismissals from 92 Tests and needs five more to break Ian Healy's Australian record. Should he do it in Melbourne, the McGrath foundation will be at least A$90,000 richer.
The long arm of the US law
In an attempt to include the whole of the Caribbean in his multi-million dollar tournament, billionaire Allen Stanford had invited Cuba to participate in his Stanford 20/20 in January 2008. However, there was a problem, one with just a little historical baggage. Because Stanford was a citizen of the United States, under the terms of the US embargo against Cuba, he had to apply for permission to have commercial dealings with anything Cuban. That permission was refused, denying Cuba the chance to participate for the US$20 million prize. It might have taken just a pen stroke to reject Cuba but it was a severe blow to the players from the country who had been training intensely for their first official cricketing experience outside their country.
In an attempt to include the whole of the Caribbean in his multi-million dollar tournament, billionaire Allen Stanford had invited Cuba to participate in his Stanford 20/20 in January 2008. However, there was a problem, one with just a little historical baggage. Because Stanford was a citizen of the United States, under the terms of the US embargo against Cuba, he had to apply for permission to have commercial dealings with anything Cuban. That permission was refused, denying Cuba the chance to participate for the US$20 million prize. It might have taken just a pen stroke to reject Cuba but it was a severe blow to the players from the country who had been training intensely for their first official cricketing experience outside their country.
His bow-tie is really a camera
If you're going to the cricket this summer in Australia, watch out for the person sitting next to you. He may look like the average cricket fan, wearing a Boony top and sipping a cold beer, but under that disarming disguise could be a Cricket Australia spy. CA is deploying undercover surveillance officers to mingle with the crowds and catch racists, should there be any, during the Australia-India Test series. The strategy also includes checking for racist slogans on banners, calls for spectators to turn in racist spectators, and a 24-hour hotline for Indian players to report racist abuse. Offenders will be evicted, so beware the slip between the cup and the lip.
If you're going to the cricket this summer in Australia, watch out for the person sitting next to you. He may look like the average cricket fan, wearing a Boony top and sipping a cold beer, but under that disarming disguise could be a Cricket Australia spy. CA is deploying undercover surveillance officers to mingle with the crowds and catch racists, should there be any, during the Australia-India Test series. The strategy also includes checking for racist slogans on banners, calls for spectators to turn in racist spectators, and a 24-hour hotline for Indian players to report racist abuse. Offenders will be evicted, so beware the slip between the cup and the lip.
It's never too late
... for dreams to come true. Ask Nomathathana Tofu, an 88-year-old cricket fan who got to meet her hero, Jacques Kallis, at Makhaya Ntini's benefit match on December 14. The meeting came about thanks to a tourism promoter, Sean Price, who used to take customers to Mama Tofu's business at Nxigolo village, where she presents an overview of the Xhosa culture. When he visited earlier this year, he noticed that Mama Tofu kept disappearing for intervals, and later realised that she was slipping away to catch the World Cup action on her battery-run, black-and-white television. Price got Mama Tofu invited to Ntini's benefit match and the rest, as they say, is history.
... for dreams to come true. Ask Nomathathana Tofu, an 88-year-old cricket fan who got to meet her hero, Jacques Kallis, at Makhaya Ntini's benefit match on December 14. The meeting came about thanks to a tourism promoter, Sean Price, who used to take customers to Mama Tofu's business at Nxigolo village, where she presents an overview of the Xhosa culture. When he visited earlier this year, he noticed that Mama Tofu kept disappearing for intervals, and later realised that she was slipping away to catch the World Cup action on her battery-run, black-and-white television. Price got Mama Tofu invited to Ntini's benefit match and the rest, as they say, is history.
One hitched, one ditched
It happens much too frequently on celluloid but, if you make the effort, as Middlesex's David Nash proved, it can happen in real life too. His master plan began with proposing to his girlfriend, Julia, a day before they left for Sri Lanka on his benefit tour. She agreed, and once they got there, Nash popped another question at dinner. "How about we get married here, just on the beach, no fuss?" She agreed to that too.
It happens much too frequently on celluloid but, if you make the effort, as Middlesex's David Nash proved, it can happen in real life too. His master plan began with proposing to his girlfriend, Julia, a day before they left for Sri Lanka on his benefit tour. She agreed, and once they got there, Nash popped another question at dinner. "How about we get married here, just on the beach, no fuss?" She agreed to that too.
The fuss, however, was just about to begin, for when Julia came down to breakfast the next morning, she found her parents and sister waiting for her in the dining room. More details of Nash's plan soon emerged: a priest, dancers, a five-course dinner on the beach, fireworks, a white dress, bridesmaids, and since they were in Sri Lanka, an elephant, had all been arranged for.
The same week this happy event was taking place, New Zealand allrounder Jacob Oram and his fiancée postponed their wedding because the US$200,000 dollar offer for Oram to play in the Indian Premier League in April was too good to pass up.
Consolation prize
Delhi allrounder Abhinav Bali had been adjudged the best Under-22 cricketer in the country by the BCCI and was going to be the recipient of Rs 50,000 and the MA Chidambaram Trophy. However, the Delhi Cricket Association had not informed the BCCI of a trivial matter: that Bali had joined the Indian Cricket League and played for the Delhi Jets. No sooner did the board learn of this than they stripped him of the award and handed it to Bengal's Manoj Tiwari, disregarding the talent and performances which led them to recognise Bali in the first place. "I am happy that at least they thought I was worthy of this," Bali told PTI. "I have no complaints against BCCI, but they should ask themselves why a budding player like me had to join the ICL."
Delhi allrounder Abhinav Bali had been adjudged the best Under-22 cricketer in the country by the BCCI and was going to be the recipient of Rs 50,000 and the MA Chidambaram Trophy. However, the Delhi Cricket Association had not informed the BCCI of a trivial matter: that Bali had joined the Indian Cricket League and played for the Delhi Jets. No sooner did the board learn of this than they stripped him of the award and handed it to Bengal's Manoj Tiwari, disregarding the talent and performances which led them to recognise Bali in the first place. "I am happy that at least they thought I was worthy of this," Bali told PTI. "I have no complaints against BCCI, but they should ask themselves why a budding player like me had to join the ICL."
It's not just Shoaib
Gautam Gambhir has been offered a role in a Hindi movie by a "leading producer". Loosely, the plot of the film revolves around a non-resident Indian who comes to India and is bullied because he can't play cricket, and his subsequent struggle to become a successful Indian cricketer. Gambhir, however, chose to play it safe and said that nothing, not even a possible blockbuster, would deter him from his cricket.
Quotehanger
"Is someone going to tell me that if my daughter had coached Australia, would the results have been any different? I am here to tell you the results wouldn't have been any different at all. In fact, they might have been better without him there." Ian Chappell joins in the John Buchanan-bashing
"Is someone going to tell me that if my daughter had coached Australia, would the results have been any different? I am here to tell you the results wouldn't have been any different at all. In fact, they might have been better without him there." Ian Chappell joins in the John Buchanan-bashing
George Binoy is an editorial assistant at Cricinfo