Bolt Away

9.58

That’s the new world record over 100 metres. By a gentleman by name of Usain Bolt.

There is a biomechanical harmony in the way Bolt runs – there does not seem to be a single iota of tension or stress on any of his muscles or body. He seems to be simply flowing like water over a natural course. In comparision, one can see the other runs stretching away with the pain of the effort writ large on their faces.

From 2.89 in the first 20 metres to 9.58 in 100 metres, the acceleration is at another level. To give another perspective, Bolt was 0.03 seconds ahead of Gay at the 20 metre mark. At the finish, he is 0.17 ahead.

The timeline of 100 metre world records (from The Guardian) says that in the last 15 months, Bolt has shaved 0.14 seconds (from 9.72 to 9.58). From 9.86 to 9.72, it took seventeen years.

There’s more to come. He is talking of 9.4.

And he hasn’t ruled out running at the Delhi Commonwealth Games next year.

Ganguly quits all forms of cricket

Ganguly played one final time for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy helping them get promoted into the Elite Division. Vijay Lokapally of The Hindu does an interview with Ganguly. The usual stuff about how he changed captaincy, cricket, backing players, etc.

Lokapally writes that while the Ranji match was on at Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi, Ganguly was more interested in what was happening in Mohali.

When Rahul Dravid reached his fifty, Ganguly was relieved; and mighty delighted when Dravid scaled the century mark. A captain was reliving his past, only this time he was not around to pat his “dear friend” in the dressing room.

As the article continues, various questions on many things from the past.

On Virender Sehwag,

I backed Viru for that South Africa tour (2001). There were important people who actually said Sehwag had no clue about fast bowling. They (fast bowlers) would clean him up. The selectors said Viru should be sent to Hong Kong Sixes. Look where Sehwag is today.

On captains having a say in team selection,

It was said he had a clout that no India captain ever had. “That’s a fallacy,” he asserts. “Complete fallacy. I stood firm with certain players because I was the one to see them the closest — at nets, ground, dressing room, hotel room. I did put my foot down. Like taking Anil (Kumble) to Australia (2003-04) when the selectors preferred a left-arm spinner (Murali Kartik). A captain may not have a vote in selection but he certainly should have a say.”

On India’s increased success, especially overseas -

“Well, we won when I wasn’t the captain. The difference was we started winning overseas more consistently and that was because of the quality of players we had. We had players like Sachin (Tendulkar), Dravid, Kumble, Sehwag, Laxman, myself playing at their peak. We were almost the same age and keen to change the impression that India was soft when playing overseas. We played with aggression and it came with the foreign coach (John Wright). He played a big role, a very big role.”

On captaining India and Dhoni,

I had decided early not to worry about what people say. I had to do what I thought and not what others thought. To be a good captain in India, you have to be thick-skinned. That is why (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni is a good captain.”

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Thank you, Anilbhai

“He does not know what ‘give up’ means” – Rahul Dravid

On his “turning the ball skills”, he once said to Prem Panicker, “The difference between the middle of the bat and the edge is one inch.” Only an engineer, and a good one at that, would know the significance of one inch.

But the great injustice to this gentleman is summed up by the Great Bong

It is said that people recognize the worth of their teeth after they are gone.

Maybe we as a nation will do the same with respect to Kumble.

Over the 18 years, I have many memories, I will mention one

Antigua, May 2002 – Those were the days when I would be attached to the TV start to finish, even if it was a boring test match draw. Tea time on Day 3 of the 4th test in the series. India time, it was way past the Cinderella Hour. One was groggy with sleep while trying to find some hint of excitement in a dead match. I don’t remember the cricket commentary, so I am using Cricinfo’s archived ball-by-ball to recreate the moment.

 

There is some bad news for the Indians, Anil Kumble’s West Indies tour is over. The X-rays have confirmed the fracture to his lower jaw, he will need a surgery to fix it, this is going to keep him out of cricket for a while.

…

End of over 45 (2 runs) West Indies 123/2 (trail by 390 runs)
J Srinath 15-4-35-0 (2nb) – Pavilion End
BC Lara 1* (4b) RR Sarwan 21* (64b 2×4)

…

This is amazing – Anil Kumble braving a fractured jaw has come out to bowl. Straight away – Kumble to bowl.

45.1 Kumble to Lara, no run, pushes it through, beats the bat first up – outside the off.
45.2 Kumble to Lara, no run, gives the ball a little more air, defended.
45.3 Kumble to Lara, one run, driven down the ground to deep mid-off. Kumble has his jaw all strapped up – doesn’t look good.
45.4 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, forward in defence.
45.5 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, quicker through the air, forward in defence.
45.6 Kumble to Sarwan, FOUR, long hop, outside the off, Sarwan shows no mercy, powerful square cut for four.

…

 

Here is a man who is to fly home and go on the surgeon’s table to fix the broken jaw. Is he really being brave?
…

51.3 Kumble to Lara, OUT: Kumble strikes! Lara shuffles across, rapped on the pads, loud shout for lbw, Shepherd nods and then puts up his finger!
…
61.5 Kumble to Hooper, no run, straighter delivery pitched in line with the stumps, Hooper moves forward to play, the ball hits the pads in line with the off stump, huge appeal for LBW turned down!
…
63.4 Kumble to Hooper, (noball) no run, great delivery, on the middle, Hooper leans forward to defend, the ball hits the golves and goes straight into the hands of Das at forward short leg
…
The final over of the day.
71.1 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, outside the off, defended.
71.2 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, forward in defence.
71.3 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, bowling around the stumps, well tossed up, defended.
71.4 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, slow turn from outside the leg, played down easily.
71.5 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, angling in from outside the leg, defended.
71.6 Kumble to Sarwan, no run, well tossed up, played back down the track.
…

Kumble’s figures read: 14-5-29-1

Harsha Bhogle was the TV commentator and the only thing I still remember is him talking about how bizarre it was and that it was simply difficult to commentate because everyone’s throat simply choked up.

Moving On

The present team really came into place in 2000-01 after the match fixing scandal ripped apart the Indian cricket establishment. Since then, we have won test matches in all the test playing countries, except New Zealand. We have won series in England, West Indies and Pakistan, we have leveled series in England and Australia. There are frontiers yet to be won – winning a series in Australia, in Sri Lanka, in South Africa. 

From the way it is going, these frontiers will have to be breached by the next generation under Dhoni. Maybe Sachin will be there, but looks like he will be a lonely man. And I hope the young guns like Rohit Sharma and S Badrinath grow up to their potential and help him out. If not, we will be going back to the ’90s when the Indian cricket team seemed to revolve around Sachin. 

So thank you Anil Bhai. Thank you Dada (see my earlier post).

Dada to drive home

After 16 years of fighting everyone – from Australians to Indian cricket pundits, Dada has finally decided to drive away from the test cricket pitch. It is a sad day indeed and would be obviously sadder when the actual day finally lands – possibly the fifth day of the Nagpur test in November.

His esteemed rival, Steve Waugh brought the entire SCG crowd to tears overshadowing what had been an engrossing series in 2003-4. What would be the farewell for Dada? Usha Uthup singing an elegy? Sachin saying a few words? Harbhajan Singh doing a bhangra? Flintoff taking his shirt out and swirling it around? We have to simply wait and see?

India’s loss is Shahrukh’s gain – he now gets Dada to completely focus on the Kolkata Knight Riders and justifying his multi-crore salary.

For me, Dada can be remembered for five things (both positive and negative)

Note: This is a random order

1. Dropping out of the Nagpur test match in 2004 – on getting a green top, Ganguly claimed back injury and dropped out, apparently peeved with the nature of the pitch and the lack of response from the groundsmen. As a captain (and given his immense stature), this was not done.

2. Fostering a new generation – Taking over the captaincy from Sachin Tendulkar in 2000, his tenure began with the match fixing bomb – senior players banned, many Ranji Trophy regulars under doubt, general credibility of Indian cricket shattered. Investing in new, untested players and backing them to the hilt required a boldness and belief of a different order – Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag gave him and India great ROI (and continue to do so). Like all investors, there were some which did not sustain – Mohammad Kaif, Parthiv Patel, Dinesh Mongia, S Ramesh, Shiv Sunder Das to name a few. 

3. His off side play – Enough has been said about his off side. One still remembers the look on Jacques Kallis’ face (South Africa series 2001-2 in South Africa – the Mark Denness series) as he peppered a 7-2 off side field with square cuts and square drives

4. Intentionality –  There are many things he does / did / does not / did not that will anger or annoy the cricket coach, purists and the pundits – be it his work rate, fitness regimen, attitude, etc. However, whenever he pulled himself and focused on something, it just magically would work for him – the century at Lord’s (after being written off by Sunil Gavaskar as a quota selection and not fit to be in the team; he got in at the expense of Sanjay Manjrekar or Vinod Kambli if I remember right, a Mumbai player anyway); the 144 in Brisbane (2003-4); the 87* against Kings XI Punjab; the comeback into team after the Greg Chappell enforced vacation in 2005-2006; 

5. Straight lofted six off Muralitharan – He may been dismissed by Murali many times but when he hits Murali for six, it is a sight to behold – Jumping down the pitch and timing to perfection. Even in the recent lousy series against Sri Lanka, one got to see one such six. A pity, he could not do more of them.

Anyway, as far as Indian cricket is concerned, it’s one down, five to go. Any guesses when is Tendulkar’s turn?

Nadal wins

This is what Nadal wrote on his blog the day before the final

Hi everyone,

This is my last blog post from Wimbledon. I have to be realistic and I don’t think I will be able to do it tomorrow. On Monday I am flying early in the morning to Stuttgart and tomorrow win or lose it will be impossible to do it. If I win (please, please) I will be going to the winners party/dinner that the club organizes and logically I won’t have time. If I lose then I will be packing everything (got a lot of luggage, as always) and I will be together with my family. In any case I have an early flight on Monday morning.

You can read the full post on his Wimbledon blog

Vijay Armritraj whose knowledge of the game is quite immense made a point of how, for Federer, Nadal, an enigma on clay had become a complete puzzle on grass. Noting the three consecutive finals – French and Wimbledon in the last three years – on all the French Open finals, it has been a one-sided game. In Wimbledon, the first year, 2006, Nadal was beaten in three sets. Next year, he took it to five sets. This year, he was two sets up before Federer’s revival. But unlike last year, Nadal held on to win. The “closure” is what Nadal has gained. Federer is yet to even open the door on clay.

Next year, it could well be Nadal v Djoikovic. Hopefully, Federer will be there.

Sam Bahadur

Our good friend Gulshan Singh’s birthday, June 27, became a big day in Indian history with the passing of Sam Bahadur. The page on Sam Manekshaw on Wikipedia while quite detailed does not write anything on his association with the Gurkhas.

The Bharat Rakshak website has more details

Lt. Gen (Retd) Depinder Singh, his former military assistant, writes this story in his memoirs

He was officiating as Army Chief in 1967 when the Chinese had their first clash with the Indian Army since 1962. This occurred at the 14,000 foot high pass, Natu La, in Sikkim where the Chinese learnt to their cost that the Indian Army of 1967 was a different kettle of fish from that of 1962. He was summoned to a meeting of the Cabinet where, as he recalled later, everyone present at the meeting was vying with the others to present to the Prime Minister his grasp of the situation and offering one suggestion after another as to what should be done. After hearing most of the speakers, the Prime Minister enquired whether the officiating army chief, until then a silent spectator, had something to say. “I am afraid they are enacting Hamlet without the Prince,” he said. “I will now tell you exactly what has happened, and how I intend to deal with the situation.” He then proceeded to do so.

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw MC

Apr 3, 1914 – June 27, 2008

Albert Hofmann, Father of LSD, dies at 102

A beautiful and objective obituary in the Economist

“Desire to laugh” – that’s what Hofmann managed to scrawl on his lab notebook even as he collapsed from his first self-injected dose of LSD.

He saw it as “the antidote to the ennui caused by consumerism, industrialisation and the vanishing of the divine from human life.“

Of course, Timothy Leary changed all that, much to Hofmann’s despair.

His advice to would-be trippers, therefore, was simple. “Go to the meadow, go to the garden, go to the woods. Open your eyes!”

December 8, 1980

Remembering John Lennon

The greatest Rolling Stone cover of all time – a photograph of John Lennon and Yoko Ono taken one day before
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9729637/

The airport at Liverpool was renamed as Liverpool John Lennon Airport with the motto “Above Us, Only Sky”

Luciano Pavarotti 1935 – 2007

Only two tenors left in the world

“Pavarotti is the biggest superstar of all” said critics

Presenting lyrics of Miss Sarajevo
Is there a time for keeping a distance
A time to turn your eyes away
Is there a time for keeping your head down
For getting on with your day

Is there a time for kohl and lipstick
A time for cutting hair
Is there a time for high street shopping
To find the right dress to wear

Here she comes
Heads turn around
Here she comes
To take her crown

Is there a time to walk for cover
A time for kiss and tell
Is there a time for different colors
Different names you find it hard to spell

Is there a time for first communion
A time for east 17
Is there a time to turn the mecca
Is there a time to be a beauty queen

Here she comes
Beauty plays the crown
Here she comes
Surreal in her crown

[Pavarotti]
Dici che il fiume
trova la via al mare
E come il fiume
giungerai a me
Oltre i confini
e le terre assetate
Dici che come fiume
come fiume
L’amore giunger
L’amore
E non so pi pregare
E nell’amore non so pi sperare
E quell’amore non so pi aspettare

[English translation:]

You say that the river
finds the way to the sea
And as the river
you’ll come to me
Beyond the borders
and the thirsty lands
You say that as river
As river
Love will come
Love
And I cannot pray anymore
And I cannot hope in love anymore
And I cannot wait for love anymore

[Bono]
Is there a time for tying ribbons
A time for Christmas trees
Is there a time for laying tables
When the night is set to freeze

View the video of U2 performing with Pavaotti at the Pavarotti & Friends concert at Modena http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX6c5als1lk

Source:
The Australian, News from Australia’s National Newspaper

Brahma Shrines – One in Mahabalipuram and One in Bangkok

According to Wikipedia, there are only three temples in India dedicated to Brahma with the one at Pushkar claiming to be the “Only One in the world“

In one of the rock-cut temples in Mahabalipuram, the one called Trimurti, there was a relief of Brahma. I don’t know whether it is counted among these three temples.

I came across one in Bangkok called Erawan Shrine. It is in the same compound as the Erawan Hyatt and was built in the fifties to ward off bad spirits that plagued the building and development of the hotel (Erawan Hotel). You can check the history in Wikipedia (Erawan Shrine)

For those backpacking to Bangkok, a 5 minute detour is well worth it for its neat structural and historical value, irrespective of your religious practices.

Incidentally, the name Erawan is actually Airavat, the elephant of Indra, King of the Gods.