From: sanjiva@ecrc.de (Sanjiva Prasad)
Subject: Impressions
Reply-To: sanjiva@ecrc.de (Sanjiva Prasad)
Organization: European Computer-Industry Research Centre, Munich
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 17:30:29 GMT

I sepnt three weeks in India, during which I got to see a few hours of
cricket on TV (whenever at my parent's place -- my wife and in-laws are
definitely not into cricket), and listen a bit to the radio.  Not exactly
a fan's dream but better than nothing.

In the last few years my mother, who was quite anti-cricket when we were
growing up (fear of broken windows and noses and that noisy commentary
disturbing her much-needed afternoon nap, I suppose) has become more than 
an avid fan.  TV coverage of one-days and her "Kappu beta" have done the
trick!  She's surprisingly knowledgable now, and very excitable.  It was
hard to keep her from jumping up and down (she's recuperating from multiple 
fractures in her arm and leg) when Kapil blitzed away in the 3rd test.

I got to chat a bit with two oldies very up on the game. MK Dharmaraja,
who used to be an AIR commentator, is a neighbour of my parents and a 
frequent visitor.  He regaled us with all his recollections of various
players and matches.  He had also served as tour arrangements manager for
various teams -- he spoke warmly of Graham MacKenzie and some others. 
And then with the former diplomat G Parthasarathi (who's what 75 or 80
now).  In his youth he played first-class cricket (his grandson carries
on the tradition -- he's a decent bat, and was doing quite well in one 
of the leagues in UK last summer), and follows the game with a passion
-- more interested in the latest score than in whether darshan of Ram 
Lalla was being allowed or not!   Anyway, GP talked of Kumble and how
he was somewhat in the same mould as himself -- a fastish wrist spinner.
Except that Kumble's stock ball is the topspinner whereas he relied on
the leg-break. And after the Kapil-Kumble partnership, he mentioned that
he was once in a 60 run partnership once with someone famous (I think he 
said Lord Learie Constantine), where he scored 1 and the other scored 59.
I couldn't get to chat with another friend of my parents, an avid follower
of the game who in '78-79 told us to watch for a talented young boy called
WV Raman.

Watching cricket on TV after so long was quite exciting.  Donald was
fast in the third test.  And Jonty Rhodes and MacMillan exhilirating
on the field.  Matthews and Cronje usually bowled intelligently too.
The RSA attitude was great.  And the Rhodes-Cullinan partnership was great
batting. 

The contrast with the Indians couldn't have been greater.  There were
exceptions though.   Jadeja is pure enthusiam on the field, but poor
guy had a rough tour.  Kumble bowled well, had the batsmen guessing
and was quite unlucky that the fielders didn't snap up more chances.
He is much improved, and England ought not to take him lightly. Kapil
and Prabhakar usually bowled intelligently. But we need more penetration.

I disagree however with Shamim Naqvi's contention that it's because of the
poor bowling that the opposition always gets 350+ against them which
then puts a lot of pressure on the batsman.  India's batting has failed
batting first or second, in limited overs or tests.  No one seems to want to
tough it out.  I missed seeing Raman's century (and only followed Kapil's
on the radio).  But Azhar's knock of 60, though chancy, was full of 
delightful strokes.  The openers sucked.  And Manjarekar -- enough of this
"technically sound" business.  Is swishing at things wide outside the off
stump "classic technique"?  The guy is also such a terrible runner that he's
worse than embarassing.  I also think Gooch is going to have something to
say about substitutes frequently fielding for him.  Amre is gutsy, and
the second limited over match that India won (after  getting lost along the
way) revealed that he was quite resourceful at keeping the scoreboard moving.
But the revelation was Yadav.  Very composed and confident, he played without
a helmet to Donald and company, and played a couple of bold and yet
sensible shots.  

Fielding was generally poor.  Azhar's fielding was a disappointment.  Why
the hell is he fielding in the slips and not in the covers?  He also looked
puffy in the face and distinctly fatter than he was when I saw him on TV in 
England in '90.  And beleagured and unimaginative. And the snide attacks by 
Gavaskar and  Pataudi made things worse.  But the absolute stinker was a
rumour, circulated by *some* Hindutva proponents, that Azhar being a Muslim
was deliberately tanking these matches.  Ridiculous though it may sound,
I heard a few people quite earnestly stating and believing this (and calling 
him foul names).

About the commentary.  Aargh! Won't someone go out and silence Suresh Saraiya.
He's definitely the all-time worst commentator.  I know you guys are grumbling
about Bhogle, but he was a relief after Saraiya.  Every time the ball went
to Shastri, we hear "Ravishankar J___ Shastri", and it wasn't "Jonty" but
"Jonathon", pronounced in the most impossible way.  And the batsmen either "uar
uarking it away uith dee tyed to beckward of dip skwear laeg fur uan run,
the batsmen hurrying through for an eezy single" or "offering a defensive
bat to a ball spidding and shutting off dee pichch, and demanding full
rispayct from the batsman who must delve dip into his reserves to come up
with a sootayble anser, and there is no possibility indeeeed of ay run as
Jo-naathun Rhodes is in from ayxtra cover wary quickly".  Jasdev Singh
was as ever, and Sunny Gavaskar was quite the smart aleck but entertaining
and enlightening.

Domestic cricket saw Delhi struggle against Punjab, and I was delighted to
read that my old classmate Gurusharan "Pappi" Singh hit form.  Another
schoolmate, Maninder, also did quite well.  I wonder if Bantoo Singh is 
the same Bantoo, son of Coach Gurcharan Singh.

Enough said.  Cheers,
Sanjiva
--
Sanjiva Prasad,  Guest Magus				E-mail: sanjiva@ecrc.de
European Computer Industry Research Centre		Off: +49 89 92 69 91 58
Arabellastrasse 17					Fax: +49 89 92 69 91 70
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