Anand Nataraj

Archive for the ‘Cricket’ Category

I remember it was 1994 (I was 14 years then)and i went to visit my uncle in Trichy. Since my uncle was busy he left me in one of our family friends house & asked his friends son to take me for a game of cricket with him. That new friend of mine told me they will play cricket only by evening and he said we can watch India vs Sri Lanka test match.

Those days Sri Lanka were underdogs & I was not interested to watch the match because it was a test match and second it is a Indo Sri Lanka Match. But had to watch it as I didn’t have a choice. That is when i came to know through that new friend that there was a lone Tamalian in the team and that was Muralidharan. That is when i came to know this legendary guy. I didn’t know then that this guy is going to create records in his career. Though I supported India & admired Sachin I was happy to watch this guy bowl when this guy bowls.

Then whenever I see Sri Lankan scorecard (they use to loose most of the matches then) I see for Murali’s bowling figures only. But this team went on to become a great success during 1996 world cup and contribution of Murali in bowling was phenomenal along with Vaas & Wikramasinghe and batting was taken care by Jeya Surya, Ranatunga, Aravinda De Silva, Mahanama & Tillakratne. He was one of the core member of the best team Sri Lanka has ever produced till date.

From then the guy whom i admired has become the guy I mostly hated as Sri Lanka started winning matches & Murali would be one of the striking force for the victory. But I think India in the one of the team which has hammered him a lot. But his 100 wickets haul can show he was a success against India. Many times i supported the decision of banning him for chucking not because of logic but because I wanted to get rid off matches against India.

Second thing I got upset was him getting married to Madhu Malar daughter of Malar hospitals and I felt like i lost a fortune & a beauty . Still i envy him for that.

Today again he is one of the reason for India’s loss. But we must accept that this guy is a genius cricketer. It is not a joke for someone to be leading wicket taker in both ODI & in Test matches.

When I saw his farewell I instantly remembered the day when I first came to know about him & how he has changed the fortunes of a small island nation & his own image.

At this moment I would Thank him for entertaining us for all these years…

This is certainly a moment of pride for Chennaites. CSK Rocks!!!

When Chennai was in loosing spree at Indian Premier League 3 (IPL3) I was getting rich as I bet against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and won all the monies. It is not that I’m against CSK and infact I’m great fan of CSK and I want CSK to win. But being in Chennai no one wants to bet against Chennai.

Not to loose the fun part I bet on the opposite team. In either case I’m the winner because if Chennai wins my heart is loaded with happiness and if it looses my wallet is loaded with bucksJ.

Today I called my friend (R#%B@N) who introduced me to betting and made me a addict walked away fearing he might loose. That was because opposition was Mumbai Indians and they are leading the points table. Then I had to go for a bet with another friend and he eventually won. Though I lost 500 bucks I’m ready to loose more if CSK ends up winning.

My best wishes for CSK to win title this time.

There are several significant dates in Indian cricket history. Take June 25 for instance. A later generation would easily remember it as the day that India won the World Cup in England in 1983, while deeper followers of the game will identify it as the date India began her international journey at Lord’s in 1932.

August 24 is another historic date which Indian cricket fans will recall with relish – the day India finally won a Test and a series in England for the first time by winning the match at the Oval in 1971. It should also be easy to remember February 10 – the day India won her first Test match at Chepauk in 1952.

March 10 has to be one of the most significant dates in Indian cricket, for on this day 14 years apart two great triumphs were notched up. In 1971, India scored their maiden Test victory over West Indies and that was enough to give them the series played in the Caribbean. In 1985, India beat back successive challenges from Pakistan, England, Australia and New Zealand and won the World Championship of Cricket one day tournament in Melbourne with another victory over Pakistan in the title clash. Both triumphs were also notable because they were unexpected. When the Indians toured the Caribbean islands in 1971 they were rated as no-hopers.

In 23 Tests between the two countries dating back to 1948, India had never taken even the first innings lead. They had lost 12 matches and drawn eleven. And yet in the first Test at Kingston India not only took the first innings lead but also enforced the follow on before West Indies managed to save the Test.

However, the home team could not escape defeat in the second Test at Port of Spain. India dominated the match literally from the first ball when Abid Ali bowled Roy Fredericks and finally on March 10, registered a seven-wicket victory with a day to spare – their first victory over the West Indies in 25 Tests. Interestingly, the Test also marked the debut of Gavaskar.

Fourteen years later, Gavaskar was at the helm when the Indians took off for Australia. The Test series and the one-day series against England at home had just been lost and the atmosphere was anything but congenial. India were the reigning World Cup champions alright but since that memorable June day in 1983, their record had taken a beating. They had been outclassed 0-5 by the West Indies in 1983-84 and also went down to Australia at the start of the following season.

The WCC was going to be particularly tough assignment for all the seven Test playing nations were taking part. India were placed in group A along with Australia, England and Pakistan, while group B comprised New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka.

On current form, India were rated rank outsiders and given little chance of making the semifinals. But once the tournament began there was a transformation. The diffidence of the England series was a thing of the past and the Indians played confidently, even aggressively.

One amazing win followed another as the bowlers picked up the wickets at regular intervals and the batsmen got the runs at a brisk pace. Pakistan were beaten, then England and then Australia and India had made it to the semifinals. With another emphatic win over New Zealand, India unexpectedly made it to the title clash against Pakistan who had shocked West Indies in the other semifinal.

By now, however, the Indians were playing like a well oiled  machine that was purring along. They were simply unstoppable and an eight-wicket victory over Imran Khan and his men was the perfect manner in which to end a tournament where they had a dream run.

The picture of the Indian team taking a victory lap at the MCG in the Audi car that was presented to Man of the Series Ravi Shastri remains one of the most memorable in Indian cricket history.

And, in a poll conducted a few years ago, the WCC triumph was rated even higher than the World Cup victory.

For one thing the opposition was stronger and the victories were all emphatic in nature. Also, this was an all-win record whereas during the World Cup campaign two years before the Indians won six matches but lost two.

The 25th anniversary of the WCC triumph is as good a time as any to recall a very significant date in Indian cricket. Oh yes, March 10, whether 1971 or 1985, is one of the dates remembered with relish by Indian cricket fans.

Today must be an enjoyable day for lot many reasons like; 

• It is birthday of my icon Rajini Kanth.
• Had a lot of productive meeting in office.
• Visited CEO LifeStyle’09 in Chennai Trade Centre & enjoyed it very much.
• India won T20 against Sri Lanka & squared the series. 

So what more a person can get in a day? Being born from a Cricket crazy country and also to watch your country wining a match is a pleasant feel for any Indian. That too when it happens at the close of a happy day there is nothing more to say. 

I must say kudos Yuvraj Singh. What a treat he has given to all Indian during his Birthday. Great bowling, Spectacular batting & finally winning the match for India. 

I wish Yuvi a Many More Happy returns of the day and thank you for making the day so special.

Itz been 20 years of international career and still going strong and we are talking about none other than our cricketing wizard Sachin Tendulkar… The day still reminds in my eyes as ever… I was studying in my Grade 5 and my uncle said this is the youngest player in the world and I was unable to pronounce his name… For some time was calling him as TENDOS…

From that moment I’ve been following each and every birthday of him and he has come a long way in his life and career… What a man and his contributions to game and country is unquestionable… There are lots of sites that were offering statistics of him… But I want to know how many days in this 20 years he has played professional cricket… Here is the stat;

He has spent one third of his career in playing competitive cricket which comes to six years and eight months…

Let me take this opportunity to wish this legend a Happy Birthday and wish he plays for the country for atleast next 2 years…