Indian Premier League For Cricket

Stephen Fleming is interested in being a player-coach for the Chennai Super Kings. He has indicated his interest to the management to this effect. Stephen Fleming is credited with a super cricketing brain. He has taken his team to two semifinals in two world cups. He is a master strategist and is known to exploit the weaknesses of opposing teams.

India

Rajasthan Royals
Chennai Super Kings

South Africa

Pretoria Titans
KwaZulu Natal Dolphins

Australia

Western Australian Warriors
Victoria Bush Rangers

UK

Middlesex

Pakistan

Sialkot Stallions

Chennai Super King star and Australian batsman recent statement attributing his teams slow over rate against India to the “usual third world problems” had Wasim Akram of Pakistan fuming.

Akram said  “India is a superpower now; it is a hundred years ahead of Australia, which is no more than a village, as compared to India. You don’t blame sightscreens for poor over rates. Even Allan Border was critical of Australian tactics on the pitch.”

Well, well, well.

After suffering a stinging 2-0 loss, skipper Ricky Ponting was gracious in defeat accepting the blame and giving full credit to India for being the better side, but others who didn’t so well in series are offering the usual excuses and worst so far has come from Mathew Hayden.

He has blamed the slow over rate that plagued Australia at Nagpur

- on the frequent movement behind and in front of the side screens,

- Indian batsman taking a lot of time to face-up

The usual problems that happen in third world countries - He said.

It’s the qualifying statement that has riled BCCI and many Indians.

I don’t think any India,  basking in the after glow of defeating the mighty Australians (even if they are not so mighty right now) 2-0 in a Test Series and more recently having successfully sent a Moon satellite - the Chandrayaan  - would be very feeling third worldish right now.

We feel right on top of the world Mr. Hayden. We are among the handful of countries that has achieved rare honor of sending a Lunar Probe, yeah that’s right. Our scientists are right on top of the game as far as space technology goes.

To all Indians. Please don’t start thumping your chests and start dragging Hayden through the mud for his comments.  Like all first worlder’s he can’t see beyond his own nose. Even if his comments are in bad taste he has a point.

It is fact that a large proportion of our citizens don’t have access to the basic necessities in life. Our literacy is low and poverty levels are high. Our people don’t have access to clean drinking water and electricity. Many of our children don’t go to school, instead they work often in dangerous conditions. We still are a third world country even if the chips chomping, cola-guzzling, sofa-lounging, cricket-watching BPO and software guys and the middle classes don’t feel so. Let’s accept it.

But I don’t see how our poverty, our illiteracy, our poor, our lack of electricity and water and all our third world problems has affected Mathew Hayden and co. in bowling lesser number of overs than they are supposed to. I just fail to see the connection between their slow over-rate and third world conditions.

Maybe Mr. Hayden can provide the answers. Maybe, seeing the grinding poverty of our citizenry has temporarily paralyzed Mathew and co from bowling their quota of overs.

I know we are third world Mr. Mathew Hayden. We do face major problems. We know it. That’s what make our victories all the more sweet. Knowing that in spite of our many problems we can still send a lunar probe to Moon.  Knowing that grinding poverty and lack of basic facilities are not reason enough to wallow in misery but to rise above them and achieve the greater goals that we know we are capable of.

Mr. Hayden you may be right in calling us Third World but all I can say about you Sir, is that you are a sore loser. Better luck next, time.

P.S. : I know what Australia is all about, I lived there for a year.  But, I am too polite to tell you.

Shaun Pollock has had enough of cricket. He wants to bid farewell to all forms of cricket including IPL. Though he signed up with IPL his contract is only for a year and now he doesn’t think he will ever want to come back. Mumbai Indians are in a tizzy though. They want him back desperately and are trying to convince the South African all rounder to reconsider his decision.  Let’s wait and watch what Shaun has to say about this.