Game Day

India vs. Pakistan
Day 1

After all the hype, the game started at around 11.45pm EST, there was no Pitch report or Toss etc, Dish Network took us directly to the game. I am sure they would blame the other end. On the other end there came the poor picture quality. The clarity, color, contrast were substandard. I tried adjusting my TV, but “if only food in pot, you get in the xxl-spoon”, that was turn off for me right away. So much “Gaga” over mediocre coverage.

Dravid lost the toss and was put in, since no pitch report was shown, I had to guess the nature. There were many speculations in the media about this - Green & Grassy & Bouncy etc. First it cannot be a bouncy track, Why? because Pakistan chose to bat. It just took few overs for me to guess the nature with pin point accuracy.
My pitch report: The pitch more or less resembled a temporary parking space created during state fairs. Bowlers are in for a roller coaster ride. Bad bowlers are in for slaughter

Irfan sent the first over with some level of accuracy however too dry.
Ajith “the All-Rounder” Agarkar had reserved tickets for a morning show at Local Lahore Malik theater, but was forcibly selected in the team and adding to his agony he was asked to bowl by the captain. How dare!, displaying his frustration over missing a good movie, he sent down tons of Donkey, Monkey [few were at KingKong's size] Mule, Dinosaur, Penguin droppings and called it bowling. Agarkar will be a good candidate for “Bogi” celebrations today. How he gets selected in the team in spite of continues mediocre performances? Only “Balaji” knows it, I am referring to the “Balaji” standing in Thirupathi.

Pakistani Batsmen were all set to score big with ***** comfort [I meant 5 star]. None of the Indian bowlers troubled them. My trouble multiplied thanks to the commentary team, Dean Jones, Rameez Raja, L. Siva Oh! Lord Please protect my Ear Drum-Bucket-Mug! I already started to feel the effect of Friday the 13th.

When everything was going well for Pakistan, Salam Butt decided that he should gift something to the visiting team, he overshot his follow through on the north Striker end. Yuvraj Singh who had recently acquired few acres of Mango orchards threw a direct hit and Butt along with rest of his parts failed to make the line. He was out. Younis Khan escaped a close LBW call from the umpire. From this moment on nothing worth while happened for the Indians. They went on donating runs.

Anil Kumble did nothing and went back to his good old Donkey Droplets technique. While Harbajan bowled well but for some reason Dravid had a very defensive field for him.I like to mention that Gangully also bowled and infact bowled well when compared to others. Ganguly also hit the stumps directly once and tried a run out. They showed some pictures of Gangully arguing or speaking with Dravid while Chappel was watching them clueless, it looked like "Srikanth" [me] when watching a Hindi TV Serial.

Bottom line, India does not have good bowling attack. Let us get it loud and clear. Pathan tries hard. While Agakar had tickets to KingKong and was upset about missing the movie. Kumble’s attack looked like the Red Skins offence, while Harbajan tried but Dravid did not give him a good field.

The play was unofficially called off at 5.00am - yes by me - I went to bed, and then learnt from rewinding the DVR that game was also called off little later due to bad light. What ever, Pakistan will score about 700. Frankly with such poor Indian bowling line up and a Parking lot turned Pitch - 700 seems to be a low score.


Wish you a happy bOgi, pongal , Matu Pongal, Kannum pongal, veN pongal, sarkarai pongal, semiya Pongal pongalo pongal “Indian Team” pongalo pongalo Pongal .