Mumbai being renamed! Again!!

As per the unconfirmed and unreliable sources, Maharashatra Government has decided to rename the city of Mumbai to Ayodhya. It is said that even the Central Government is backing the State Government in this move and will be providing funds for this to happen by midnight of 1st April 2011.

This is being done to commemorate the Welcoming of the City's own (cricketing) God - Sachin Tendulkar in the City to play the World Cup 2011 final at his home ground. The 2nd Of April henceforth every Year will be celebrated as Diwali while 30th March will be celebrated as Dussera to commemorate victory of Indian Cricket Team over their arch rivals Pakistan Cricket Team.

The spokesperson of the ruling part in the Assembly of Maharashtra will be declaring these motions a specially summoned Assembly session. It has also been learnt all the parties, ruling, supporting and opposition, are united and unanimously in favor of this move.

With this, all the historical and monumental places of the City will now bear name of the new God. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport will no longer exist. New tickets will rather be issued to those headed to Mumbai International Airport with destination written as Sachin God Tendulkar International Airport. Even the Railways have been instructed to print tickets with destination as Sachin God Tendulkar Terminus for those who are headed to the City, with immediate effect.

The stadium where the WC2011 final is to be held will no longer be called Wankhede and even the stands have been renamed to SGT North stand, SGT South stand, SGT East stand, SGT West Stand. The pitch in the stadium will be called "Where SGT stands".

Great furore is expected among the common people of India; however, the Government is confident that the hundredth Century that the God is expected to score in the home ground will silence all the critics of this motion. When questioned about the provision of funds, the Government Of India said that they will be requesting funds from the World Bank (as always) and be humbly indebted (as always).

The United States of America is expected to get a lot of business out of this move as the Government is expecting to outsource the security arrangements (to control possible upheveal) to the States. The President of the US has recalled all its troops from across the World and asked them to gather in the Arabian Sea to be pounce on this opportunity.

China is also expected to benefit from this move. While the rebels will import the posters and banners from China, the Government is getting all the new labels and boards made from China.

While we gear up our machinery to confirm this unconfirmed news, do kindly tell us what do are your views to this move?

- - Reporting for Future Tak, this is Suchhe with NobodyChhe - -

P.S.: E&OE. With due respect to every religion and their followers, every Government and their people; this is purely pun intended.

Funny Cricket Incident: Howzz... Huh !... Where's the Umpire?

Prologue: India went to play a 5 ODI series against West Indies down under in 2006. The first match was held at Sabrina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. India had one the first ODI and had a lead of 1-0 going into second and were all charged up. The second ODI was also off to a electric start. Windies had lost both openers to Indian seamers and scoreboard read 1 run for loss of 2 wickets in 3 overs. Lara and Sarwan were trying to get things going for Windies who were are 16/2 at end of 8 overs.

The Incident: Pathan bowled first ball of 9th over to Sarwan who placed the ball sheepishly close to the pitch. Raina who was close-in fielder in mid-wicket region, ran like a hare to quickly grab the ball and throw at stumps. Lara seemed to have just made his ground, as the ball knocked of the bails. Ecstatic Indians turned toward where the leg-umpire should have been. But where was the umpire !! He was missing from the game !!!

Of all the people in the game, the square leg umpire for the over Billy Doctrove, had gone down to the ropes with some instructions for the fieldsmen for side boards at the square leg boundary
and before he could come back to take his position, the first umpire Asad Rauf had already resumed the play after change of over. The fielders had finished appealing by the time umpire stepped back inside the boundary.

Epilogue: The ball was called a dead-ball and played again. Windies went on to score 198 where Sarwan scored 98 of them. India fell short of the Windies score by 1 run when Bravo got Yuvraj at personal score of 93 runs with two balls to go. India had once again managed to steal defeat from the jaws of Victory

Bob Christo the big baddie of Indian Cinema

Amrish Puri was the Indian God of Villains in Indian Cinema, Bob Christo was the "foreigner" God of Villains.

Though lately he didnt not act much, I do still remember him as the big stratured baldie who spoke crooked Hindi (Indian language). He hardly had any hair on the top hemisphere of the globe above his neck (considering the invisible line around his face at ear level to be the equator); he mostly sported a frech beard that constituted whatever little hair that could be seen on him.

He would often be portrayed as the final road-block to the successful and happy ending of the story for the hero in the Bollywood. He found his unique place among the great villains of his time that included Amrish Puri, Pran, Ajit (the Lion), Anupam Kher, and Amjad Khan. (With due respect to other great names I may have forgotten to mention here).

He would often act as a baddie from America or Europe; however, in reality he was from Australia. It had to be his luck to be part of the Great Indian Cinema that he came over to meet Parveen Babi (what a crazy fan) while waiting for work permit of Muscat. And that was when Sanjay Khan introduced him to his would be Indian fans in movie Abdullah.

Not to forget he was always the first choice for being a British Officer in Bollywood historicals.

Now that he is no more, Indian cinema lost another great villain; may he be remembered as brightly as his shining bald head.

Dekh Bhai Dekh's Balraj Diwan! Bye Bye!!

Kishore Kumar voiced the lovely song "Raat Kali Ek Khwaab Mein Aayee". But the on screen actor who sang the lovely song to the actress, died on 19th March. He may not have been a hot-shot of the Indian Cinema, but a little known fact is that the star who was younger than the legendary Amitabh Bachchan was a better known hero well before the angry young man became a household name. He even starred hero in one of the movies where AB played a villain.

Before AB could romance with heart-throb Rekha on screen, it was Navin who did it successfully in "Sawan Bhado"; it was debut film for both the actors (rekha and Navin) and had numbers like "Kaan mein jhumka, chaal mein thumka". Navin Nischol acted in other hits like Buddha mil gaya (with numbers like Raat Kali Ek Khwaab Mein and Bhali Bhali Si Ek Soorat) and Dhundh (a suspense drama) and Victoria 302. While he could not do great amidst other established and other establishing actors of that time, he would be remembered as the forgetful Balraj Diwan of Dekh Bhai Dekh.

His recent outing on the big screen was Break Ke Baad and Khosla Ka Ghosla.

World Cup Incidents: Incident # 5: Kapil defies Lloyd

In one of my blogs earlier, I have described how Clive Lloyd managed to win a match inspite of dropping catch.

In this incident, Kapil defies Lloyd's rule to take a remarkable catch that ensured that the World Cup was pocketed with that catch.

Prologue:

Earlier in the World Cup the over confident Windies had lost a match to India in league match. They were aware of what Indian underdogs were capable of. So in the second round of league matches, they were well prepared and had thrashed India; with Viv Richards scoring a century.

The teams remained unchanged (as it used to be the case in those days) and Windies faced India for one more time in the finals in World Cup 1983.

It all seemed once sided affair until the end of first innings where Windies let Indians make only 183 runs, not allowing them to bat all of their 60 overs. The task was cut clear for Windies. Blavinder Singh Sandhu managed to get the opener Greenidge cheaply for 1 run when scoreboard read the score of 5. It was a good start for India, but Viv Richards who followed in at no 3 was wrecking havoc having scored 33 off 26 odd balls including 7 fours. the game was quickly running away towards Windies' hat-trick of championships.

The Incident:

But fate had a different say and Viv Richards mistimed a pull off Madan Lal. It would have landed safely but for Kapil Dev who ran 20 yards backwards away from wicket, keeping his eyes on the ball till the end and pouching it just in time. He had not only caught Viv Richards, he had caught the World Cup. This catch is still deemed one of the best catches and most definitely the important catches in cricketing history.

Epilogue:

None of the batsmen to follow could manage to score at the required pace and/or stay long at crease. Eventually, they were bowled out in 52 overs at a paltry score of 142. The Indian Lions had risen. They made their mark all across the World for next 4 years.

World Cup Incidents: Incident # 4: Batsman no 6 at ball no 6 of game

Not too often in a cricket match has happened that a no 6 batsman (generally termed the middle-order batman) has to come in to bat in first over; the batsman would expect to see himself facing middle overs. But that was not the case for Alok Kapali of Bangladesh during that World Cup match.

Prologue:
World Cup 03, South Africa, City Oval ground of Pietermaritzburg. On a mildly damp pitch on the Summer morning on Feb 14 a Valentine's Day's love affair was seen between the ball and the bowler. The bowler's back was sore, but his spirits were not. Even the luck favored and Sri Lanka won the toss putting Bangladesh to bat first.

Incident:
Usually great cricket matches are won in last over, this one was won in first.

Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushanta Joseph Chaminda Vaas held the ball. As long as his name is, so was his wicket streak in the over. Hannan Sarkar faced the first ball only to see the wood work behind him shattered. Mohammad Ashraful didnt know what to do with next delivery, and returned the ball straight to Vaas who gladly accepted the return catch. Ehsanul Haq kissed the next ball to give catching practice to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

Three balls, three wickets. First ever hat-trick in first three balls of a game in any form of cricket.

This was not the end of records for Vaas. Sanwar Hossain, no 5 found himself facing 4th delivery of the game. He hit that for a four. But that was not the end of Bangladesh's agony. After getting a run off the wide delivery, Sanwar faced the sixth (5th legitimate) delivery of the innings and was out LBW.

Alok Kapali the sixth batsman of the team came in to face the sixth delivery of the inning. This too was a World record of its kind.

Epilogue: Bangladesh never managed to recover the early losses. Though Vaas had done lots of damage in the first over, he went on to get the other opener (who had not managed to face single ball until next over) and another tail-ender. On score card, the top five batsman were devoured (that would be correct term) by Vaas.

Sri Lanka completed the formalities of scoring 124 runs without losing a wicket in 21 overs.

World Cup Incidents : Incident # 3 : Hit a Sixer, but "Out"

Prelude:
Have you ever wondered, how can one get Out in a cricket match, on a ball that has been cleared out of the ground for a Sixer? For sure the batsman cant be declared "caught". Neither is he bowled nor declared lbw (the ball is out of the ground off a clean hit). Nor is the batsman retired hurt (the statement say "Out"). He cant be run-out, because the batsman has hit the ball out of boundary and is not running.

This incident happened in the 1975 World Cup in England on the day of Summer (Northern Hemisphere) Solstice (June 21). The favorites West Indies had begun their innings on the sunny day at the Lord's, however, there was some moisture on pitch that early morning.

The Incident:
Dennis Lillee, the fiery Aussie bowler fired a short ball and left handed Roy Fredericks who was facing him, hooked it in fine leg region. The ball was hit so hard that it probably sailed out of the stadium. However, while the ball was on its way across the boundary, Roy Fredericks, still swirling around as follow through of the hook shot, slipped at the crease and hit the stumps with this legs knocking off the bails. While the spectators were watching the ball disappearing from the ground, the unfortunate Roy was already on his way back to the pavilion.

World Cup Incidents: Incident # 2: Drop catch to win match

Incident:
In the final of the second World Cup in 1979, Clive Lloyd dropped what would have been a regulation catch off Geoffrey Boycott. In spite of the dropped catch, West Indies went on the win the match and the second World Cup. He managed to defy the rule that "catches win matches". Though Clive Lloyd himself has put speculations to end by admitting that it was a genuine drop, people till date find it hard to digest as Clive Lloyd has always been an outstanding fielder. Englishmen were 70 for 0 off 25 overs and had taken a tea break shortly before.


Prologue:
At the times when there were no field restrictions (fielders could be set on boundaries from ball 1 of the game), and the matches used to last 60 overs; West Indies and Englad faced each other
in the second World Cup final. Batting first West Indies made a (that time) healthy 286 at nearly 4 and three quarter runs an over.

Englishmen who were keen to prove that they were the pioneers of the sport, wanted to win the World Cup badly and did everything correct to reach finals. The strategy they adopted for finals was that the openers should see off the new ball (from the firing squad consisting of Holding, Garner, Craft and Roberts). In this quest they were batting quite slower than required.

Epilogue:
Englishmen were so slow in scoring that Geoffrey Boycott reached double figures in 17th over of the match. The opening pair added 129 only in 39th over when first wicket fell. The asking run rate was already beyond 7 by then which was beyond reach for batsmen to follow. West Indies won comfortably.

(data pulled from Cricinfo.com).