August 12, and it is almost 3 am. I have been awake for nearly 90 minutes. I have done my stretches. It is going to be a long Thursday. I am up early, patiently waiting for India to take on England in the second match of the five-Test series. (What is Test Cricket?) They are … Continue reading Gone in 60 minutes
With the New York Yankees being a $210 million disappointment this summer, I have shifted my gaze to that other ball-and-stick game: cricket. I have been watching The Hundred, a new tournament created to push the newest format of cricket invented by the English Cricket Board (ECB.) Most of my readers are American, so they … Continue reading
I miss baseball. And I miss T20 cricket, especially the IPL. And because of that, I have been busy having a lot of random conversations with friends about these two sports that involve a bat and ball. Given that many of my readers don’t know much about cricket, I will try and use the baseball … Continue reading Dhoni’s Chaku
Sports media is often about big stars, big tournaments, and big moments. And the big media often ignores those who toil in anonymity. And perhaps that is why I get great joy in seeing someone who plays a game for the love of the game and then get recognized for it. I absolutely loved reading the story of a G. Periyaswamy, a part-time welder/weaver from a village in Southern India, who lit up the Tamil Nadu T20 cricket league on fire with his fast bowling (pitching for my American friends) and never-say-die spirit. He was half-blinded by smallpox as a child. He was stricken with typhoid. He had knee problems. And his family didn’t have money. And yet here he is – knocking on the door of the big time. Yes, that is why we love sports, because it is about beating the long odds. [ESPN Cricinfo]
Let’s celebrate the onset of August, or, as we San Franciscans like to call it, Fogust! I love the month of August, because it means moody photos and waking up to the foghorn instead of the alarm clock. It is also the month we see the return of the traditional cricket — test matches between Australia … Continue reading Fogust is for Yankees and Cricket
The Permian Basin in Texas is booming again: What does this mean for the local economy? I absolutely love reading these boom-bust-boom-again stories, especially about oil and Texas. In England, cricket is dying: England and Wales are hosting the World Cup of Cricket, but the sport — baseball’s elegant cousin — is losing its preeminence … Continue reading What’s Worth Reading
Around this time tomorrow, the World Cup of Cricket, a once in four-year extravaganza will be underway. England, the hosts, will be squaring off against South Africa. To a majority of the residents of the planet, cricket means nothing. To about a billion-and-a-half people, however, it is life and death. I grew up as one of those cricket crazy fans.
These days, I reserve my sporting enthusiasm for the vagaries of baseball, another game of bat and ball. The 162-game long season, the injuries, the disappointments, the last minute victories, the home runs, and the unlikely heroes — baseball is a sport that has nuance and drama. It also allows me to indulge my love of data and participate in fantasy baseball leagues. Continue reading “World Cup (of Cricket) 2019”
