Players like MoYo never retire. They are banned, ostracized. Often ignored, not picked from the team hotel for the game, but in spite of that, their thick skin endures them to life’s ruthless ways. When life settles, it unsettles them.
A captaincy can provoke such unsettlement in the extreme. Poor MoYo, he was all shook up by the captaincy. As I have said before, it is not easy captaining from third man, especially if you know you’re a third rate captain.
Also, as I have said before, he, like his co-conspirators, those spineless seniors, who collectively spat at the No. 3 position…but if it’s been said before, then why say it again?
Sunday afternoon, siesta time, to hell with MoYo. Let’s sleep on it. MoYo’s not going anywhere. He’ll be back with a new hairstyle.
On Bored: The many lives and times of MoYo
Showing posts with label retirement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retirement. Show all posts
March 28, 2010
December 24, 2009
Bond was born in the wrong time zone.
A few hours west, and imagine where Bond might have been – Sydney. Playing for New South Wales, McGrath as mentor. Instead, one went Delhi Daredevils, the other Delhi Giants. Does anyone know who the Delhi Giants were? They were Bond’s ICL, for loss of a better word, squad.
Shane was born with a grimace. He bowled with a grimace, even celebrated his wickets with a grimace. Each delivery was an effort ball. The eyes would squint, as if the sun hurt; he was meant for pyjama cricket.
That he returned to test cricket was a gentle reminder of our loss, what could have been – on his day, and they were few and far between, I have seen him rip through India’s heart, surgeonlike. Most days though, it was Bond who was under the surgeon’s knife.
Abrupt yes, but I’ll stop now. This is for Shane Bond after all.
On Bored: Loads on Shane Bond
Shane was born with a grimace. He bowled with a grimace, even celebrated his wickets with a grimace. Each delivery was an effort ball. The eyes would squint, as if the sun hurt; he was meant for pyjama cricket.
That he returned to test cricket was a gentle reminder of our loss, what could have been – on his day, and they were few and far between, I have seen him rip through India’s heart, surgeonlike. Most days though, it was Bond who was under the surgeon’s knife.
Abrupt yes, but I’ll stop now. This is for Shane Bond after all.
On Bored: Loads on Shane Bond
July 26, 2009
The long and short of Chaminda Vaas.
Vaas, much like the pitch he bowled on, both packed up after an uneventful 5 days. If Vaas’ return was a surprise, then his retirement was anything but that. Why, all along I thought he had already retired. But as is the case with Jayasuriya, you can never tell who’s in, who’s out – at times I have trouble telling what format Sanath plays, ODIs, IPL, right –no tests for him too? And then, if Lanka has trouble fixing the hole on top, no surprises if they bring back the opener for all seasons.
But let’s stay with Vaas, the boy with the long name and a short ball. At some point in the late 1990s-early 2000s, he unearthed the short ball, and sussed out Saurav Ganguly. Vaas had figured out what made Saurav hop, skip, jump – short, and just around middle and off – and Saurav was anything but God on the offside, the ball ballooned to point or some little helper at hand.
It’s not important how many times Vaas prised out Saurav, what’s significant is how he had him by the short and…from then on, at least for me, Saurav was a marked man. The word got around, Saurav didn’t – and I almost expected Vaas to always knock Saurav out.
In short, that’s Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas for me.
But let’s stay with Vaas, the boy with the long name and a short ball. At some point in the late 1990s-early 2000s, he unearthed the short ball, and sussed out Saurav Ganguly. Vaas had figured out what made Saurav hop, skip, jump – short, and just around middle and off – and Saurav was anything but God on the offside, the ball ballooned to point or some little helper at hand.
It’s not important how many times Vaas prised out Saurav, what’s significant is how he had him by the short and…from then on, at least for me, Saurav was a marked man. The word got around, Saurav didn’t – and I almost expected Vaas to always knock Saurav out.
In short, that’s Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas for me.
July 15, 2009
The Andrew Flintoff, Shoaib Akhtar and Michael Jackson Musical Tribute: Break Dance!
MJ: OWWWW that hurts!
SA: XGJ&$:)**& YAAA!
AF: I could break Yuvraj’s Ba**s!
MJ: What have you broken guys OWWW!
Chorus:
There’s nothing you cannot mend
If you’re playing cricket with a friend
Just send me all your broken bros
Send me all your broken bros
SA: IHitMaLaagWithMaBaat %#@$$
AF: Gawn out drinkin when I fell over and somethin snapped
MJ: It’s marvellous - to be with you bro, share your worries and your broken hearts
Hold you close, close to my heart, far away from those dirty tarts!
You don’t need no WAGS
You don’t need no shags
If it’s broken, it will mend
It it’s broken, it will mend
Doing the break, doing the break,
Doing the break dance dude
SA: CRAAAZY! Hhaha! NeverSeenAnythingLikeThat MJ! YouROCKMJ!
AF: I’m hungover #@>>>>>>>>> Aspirin anybody?
MJ: You need a rub, I’ll call my masseur
He’ll play the Casio
While we dance out in the patio
Just the three of us, what a ratio
Doing the break, doing the break
Doing the break dance dude.
SA: Naastie maan, youMJ!
AF: Bollocks!
MJ: You’re tough to please
Is your career on lease?
Do they call you pretty boy, wata tease
Have you made enough to pay Doctor’s fees?
I might not always be with you
But I’ll always be with you
Doing the break, doing the break
Doing the break dance dude!
SA: ………
AF: ………
And that’s where we take a Break.
SA: XGJ&$:)**& YAAA!
AF: I could break Yuvraj’s Ba**s!
MJ: What have you broken guys OWWW!
Chorus:
There’s nothing you cannot mend
If you’re playing cricket with a friend
Just send me all your broken bros
Send me all your broken bros
SA: IHitMaLaagWithMaBaat %#@$$
AF: Gawn out drinkin when I fell over and somethin snapped
MJ: It’s marvellous - to be with you bro, share your worries and your broken hearts
Hold you close, close to my heart, far away from those dirty tarts!
You don’t need no WAGS
You don’t need no shags
If it’s broken, it will mend
It it’s broken, it will mend
Doing the break, doing the break,
Doing the break dance dude
SA: CRAAAZY! Hhaha! NeverSeenAnythingLikeThat MJ! YouROCKMJ!
AF: I’m hungover #@>>>>>>>>> Aspirin anybody?
MJ: You need a rub, I’ll call my masseur
He’ll play the Casio
While we dance out in the patio
Just the three of us, what a ratio
Doing the break, doing the break
Doing the break dance dude.
SA: Naastie maan, youMJ!
AF: Bollocks!
MJ: You’re tough to please
Is your career on lease?
Do they call you pretty boy, wata tease
Have you made enough to pay Doctor’s fees?
I might not always be with you
But I’ll always be with you
Doing the break, doing the break
Doing the break dance dude!
SA: ………
AF: ………
And that’s where we take a Break.
November 02, 2008
Servant of the game
He was not what you call a master
He was not what you call a blaster
He was just a servant
Servant of the game
He was bespectacled, thick rimmed
Young and nerdy engineer type
Averse to any kind of hype
But eager like any beaver you ever saw
Nobody could read him
Nor batsman nor layman
He was the object of our ridicule
He was no less than a molecule
He was the reason we ragged in colleges
Any kid that that refused to fit in
He was the reason for our losses
He was the reason for our defeats
He was the reason we couldn’t fare better
As a nation, as a people, as a team
He was last choice captain
He was last man standing
He was broken in bandage
He was awoken in carnage
He was the very object of our scorn
Aren’t we happy now he’s gone?
He was the very object of our con
Aren't we happy now he's gone?
He was not Sachin, he was just Anil
He was not what you call a master
He was not what you call a blaster
He was just a servant
Servant of the game
He served in Antigua
He served in Sydney
He served in Delhi
He served in Perth
He served in Bangalore
He just didn’t serve in lore
He was just a servant
Servant of the game
The glasses have long gone
And so the man
(to be performed by Neil Young+Roger Waters, ideally)
He was not what you call a blaster
He was just a servant
Servant of the game
He was bespectacled, thick rimmed
Young and nerdy engineer type
Averse to any kind of hype
But eager like any beaver you ever saw
Nobody could read him
Nor batsman nor layman
He was the object of our ridicule
He was no less than a molecule
He was the reason we ragged in colleges
Any kid that that refused to fit in
He was the reason for our losses
He was the reason for our defeats
He was the reason we couldn’t fare better
As a nation, as a people, as a team
He was last choice captain
He was last man standing
He was broken in bandage
He was awoken in carnage
He was the very object of our scorn
Aren’t we happy now he’s gone?
He was the very object of our con
Aren't we happy now he's gone?
He was not Sachin, he was just Anil
He was not what you call a master
He was not what you call a blaster
He was just a servant
Servant of the game
He served in Antigua
He served in Sydney
He served in Delhi
He served in Perth
He served in Bangalore
He just didn’t serve in lore
He was just a servant
Servant of the game
The glasses have long gone
And so the man
(to be performed by Neil Young+Roger Waters, ideally)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
