Indian cricket has always been full of hype and unmatching reality. To be fair, Indian cricket has had two glories to its credit. Once in the year 1983, when one catch changed the match in the finals. The other in the year 2007, when Misfortune-ul Haq played one of the most unbelievable mis-shots of his life.
Its not that I am not giving India due credit, but I think they really didnt know themselves they could win the tournaments. That to me, is enough reason to not really look at these achievements in the brighter light of things. Its not like I didnt enjoy the second win, I was one of the people jumping up and down in office, when I heard it first. (20/20 win)
A true win should be something which is already believed in the mind, of each team member and the group as a whole and its a matter of executing the right things to get the right result. At this point of time only two teams can do this. One ofcourse is Australia, which I hate to see, and the other West Indies - when they play Zimbabwe.
In this context, the Indian team has in the past few days, being talking a lot about their Oz trip. Interviews by almost most of the who's who in the team - talking about a lot of positiveness and a lot of confidence. Such words are always spoken of when the team is playing a home season and not an away season.
I have - to the best of my ability - not remembered any overseas trip, leave alone an Oz trip, when such brave words have been put forward by the team in as many words. Every key member of the squad from the captain (who normally speaks anyway!!), Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman have come out with statements of positivism.
How does this actually reflect the psyche of the series -behind the walls of the changing room and beyond the reach of the reporters' mike? My own two cents are as follows:
The senior 'band of brothers' in the Indian team are aware that this is their last chance to play in Australia. They have to make the most of it, in terms of attitude and approach. Normally Oz tours start off a couple of weeks earlier with a statement from McGrath or Warne - bowlers who are confident of their game - or from the lateral gang of the Australian wagon like Ian Chappell or Mark Waugh.
This time around, Warne and Chappell are hitting it out at their own goalie... John Buchanan. It sort of reflects, for once, that there is some infighting happening in Cricket Australia's power circles. This can have an impact on the australian players as well. Symonds came out and said that Australia would be aggressive but would not cross the line. After a long time, someone from the core Aussie squad has acknowledged the fact that there does exist a line and that they did cross it very much, atleast in the past.
If the series was totally rained off (hypothetically) and the series was played out in word games, India would win hands down. But cricket being largely a mind game, it wouldnt be suprising if players take this advantage to the gladiatorial arena. Weather permitting, it would all become clear in the first match - Boxing day. The side the needle swings, would be decided in the first few hours. If India manage to win the toss and bat, it would really mean that the first day total would sum up who is going to be on top of the series.
Win the first one and win the series... draw the first game and with a lot of positives and you can still win the series. If India lose the first match, then it would be yet again - heavy words, no action to match it.
Its not just the players who need to prepare for their game. Keen followers like myself also have to prepare mentally for watching it and appreciating it - in the way its played.
Really amazing how the flip of a coin can change the way the series is played. Good that ancient wars didnt have a coin to decide who attacked first. History wouldnt just have been the same!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Sarvam Anityam!
Its been with me for a long part of my life. I have always believed in it. I even think its a feasibility. I am talking about re-incarnation. Life begets life, only to change the physical container when the other decays. This kind of thinking is very much common amongst most South Indians. Its probably something to do with ancient stories about Vishnu and his ten incarnations? ( I dont know! )
If re-incarnation were actually a fact, which science hasnt yet caught up with - how would it actually operate? Is our Karma a part of which body form our souls would take in the coming lives? Will Karma infact dictate how many lives any given soul should have?
The maths behind Karma has to be simple. It has to be:
Sum (All good actions you initiate) = [Sum (Your bad actions) + Sum (All good actions others reciprocate for you)]
This ofcourse is my first cut equation and not necessarily something I am absolutely convinced.
If this were the baseline on which our souls operate, the trick would likely to be in being as close to ZERO as possible.
If we have a higher value on the Left hand side of the equation:
Sum (All good actions you initiate) - then, our souls probably have some part in deciding which body forms it can choose - from a selective list with some pros and cons against each detailed.
If we have a higher value on the Right hand side of the equation:
[Sum (Your bad actions) + Sum (All good actions others reciprocate for you)] - its more than likely that the value would be assessed against the range for each level of body form.
For example - if we have the hierarchy of life forms as follows:
Plants
Non Plant but smaller insects/animals
Medium animals
Advanced animals
Human beings
(Please note that its not the size of the life form which we should relate to here, its the ability of the mind (in the various levels of life forms) to act and to undo actions, as it sees fit.)
If we have a RHS value which is not subscribed to be within the acceptable range for 'human beings' then probably the body forms offered would be from the next lowest level and this would be recursive until a suitable range is found out.
If we actually look at this kind of mathematics behind re-incarnation (actually believing for a moment, that this is a fact) - there are 2 important points to derive:
1) Each and everyone reading this blog, has a soul which has started its journey from a plant and has done various levels of body form swap and passed every required range to move on to the next level in the hierarchy.
2) What comes after 'human beings' in the hierarchy? What next?
There is a general impression amongst us that life is to be lived positively! We therefore try to associate positive behaviour like being happy and being successful as the true fruits of living a good life. Maybe thats one flavor of life.
But probably the main essence is to use our success to induce some good actions for the sake of others?! Thats the only way - to negate the value on the RHS. In today's materialistic world, its so easy to make mistakes and to induce negativity - in thought, action and effect.
Its all a theory at this moment. Maybe thats how it will stay forever!
Sarvam Anityam!
If re-incarnation were actually a fact, which science hasnt yet caught up with - how would it actually operate? Is our Karma a part of which body form our souls would take in the coming lives? Will Karma infact dictate how many lives any given soul should have?
The maths behind Karma has to be simple. It has to be:
Sum (All good actions you initiate) = [Sum (Your bad actions) + Sum (All good actions others reciprocate for you)]
This ofcourse is my first cut equation and not necessarily something I am absolutely convinced.
If this were the baseline on which our souls operate, the trick would likely to be in being as close to ZERO as possible.
If we have a higher value on the Left hand side of the equation:
Sum (All good actions you initiate) - then, our souls probably have some part in deciding which body forms it can choose - from a selective list with some pros and cons against each detailed.
If we have a higher value on the Right hand side of the equation:
[Sum (Your bad actions) + Sum (All good actions others reciprocate for you)] - its more than likely that the value would be assessed against the range for each level of body form.
For example - if we have the hierarchy of life forms as follows:
Plants
Non Plant but smaller insects/animals
Medium animals
Advanced animals
Human beings
(Please note that its not the size of the life form which we should relate to here, its the ability of the mind (in the various levels of life forms) to act and to undo actions, as it sees fit.)
If we have a RHS value which is not subscribed to be within the acceptable range for 'human beings' then probably the body forms offered would be from the next lowest level and this would be recursive until a suitable range is found out.
If we actually look at this kind of mathematics behind re-incarnation (actually believing for a moment, that this is a fact) - there are 2 important points to derive:
1) Each and everyone reading this blog, has a soul which has started its journey from a plant and has done various levels of body form swap and passed every required range to move on to the next level in the hierarchy.
2) What comes after 'human beings' in the hierarchy? What next?
There is a general impression amongst us that life is to be lived positively! We therefore try to associate positive behaviour like being happy and being successful as the true fruits of living a good life. Maybe thats one flavor of life.
But probably the main essence is to use our success to induce some good actions for the sake of others?! Thats the only way - to negate the value on the RHS. In today's materialistic world, its so easy to make mistakes and to induce negativity - in thought, action and effect.
Its all a theory at this moment. Maybe thats how it will stay forever!
Sarvam Anityam!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Christmas Dinner Email - Written on 14/12
FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE
NOR Go-live can be pushed back.......R2.1 testing may be impacted!
NOR Go-live can be pushed back.......R2.1 testing may be impacted!
CHRISTMAS however is still 'on track'!!
First 'order' will be taken by 7:00PM on 17th December. Please 'confirm shipment' in person at:
First 'order' will be taken by 7:00PM on 17th December. Please 'confirm shipment' in person at:
Moti Mahal
45 Great Queen Street
Covent Garden
London WC2B 5AA
No manual step-outs allowed!
Diwali Email - Composed on 8/11
From the Indian sub-continent to the Thames, tomorrow is the day of Celebration.
A reminder of the importance of defeating ignorance that suppresses humanity.
The day is DIWALI also known as the 'Festival of Lights'.
This festival hails the importance of 'light' as a symbol of positivity in our world of experience.
A reminder of the importance of defeating ignorance that suppresses humanity.
The day is DIWALI also known as the 'Festival of Lights'.
This festival hails the importance of 'light' as a symbol of positivity in our world of experience.
Sharing love and happiness amongst friends/family is the core essence of the occasion.
We in GSAP, have always been a close knit family, irrespective of our cultural identities.
Its only fair then to convene on 08/11/07 in and around H5362 1100 hrs sharp....
....for a celebration filled with color, sweets and joy embodied with the Spirit of India.
©2007 SHELL GSAP Solution Build
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Nelson - a name echoed across generations.
It was a breezy weekend in October 2005. I was in my first few few days in London and was doing some sight-seeing all alone. It was all going on fine, until I stumbled upon China Town and eventually found my way to Trafalgar square. It was around 3 in the afternoon.
There seemed to be a lot of activity in TS at that time of the day. Not having anything else to do and not knowing anyone, I decided to hang on and watch what was happening.
The show was supposed to begin at 6:30 or so. One could see all kinds of army uniforms, navy uniforms, scottish military men in kilts and different stars and badges displayed with pride and honor.
I for one, had no idea of Nelson's historic background nor did I know anything of the battle of Trafalgar. Had a vague idea that it was a sea battle. By around 6:15 ish, it was decided to let everyone enter the square... earlier it was only allowed for ppl with valid invites.
I joined in with the other group of people and it was really going to be an exciting evening. Everyone around was so thrilled!!
It began at 6:30 sharp. There was all kinds of displays, from army men climbing down the walls of the National Gallery, to navy seals attempting a successful rescue mission. Finally it ended with a spectacular laser show. I had never seen such a rich and grand show in my entire life, in person!!
I left home with a great sense of happiness, of being part of something historic.
2 years on. Around October 2007, I was glancing through the book shelf of my local library and chanced upon a book on Nelson. Rekindling my interest in what really made him the hero he was, I took the chance to read it.
Nelson - soon became a character with whom I could relate, who soon became clear to me as someone who was worth appreciating as a hero.
The British never praise anyone to the hilt, unless there is something substantial to praise in him or her. It wasnt like being a sportsman in India, where one century or one victory in a quarter final game and you are heralded as the MAN OF THE DECADE!!!
Nelson - is one of the very few - I think - the British consider as the absolute hero. He is someone who displayed all the grand characteristics of an individual and rose to the occasion, served his country and eventually died in his hour of victory.
That there is a column marking Nelson right in the heart of London and 200 years hence, there is such a spectacular celebration meted out, is a testimony to the man, who died only to become immortal.
Nelson is someone who will remain the epitome of British culture for centuries to come. I am yet to finish this book, from what I have read, I cant really agree more.
(Part 1 ends.)
There seemed to be a lot of activity in TS at that time of the day. Not having anything else to do and not knowing anyone, I decided to hang on and watch what was happening.
The show was supposed to begin at 6:30 or so. One could see all kinds of army uniforms, navy uniforms, scottish military men in kilts and different stars and badges displayed with pride and honor.
I for one, had no idea of Nelson's historic background nor did I know anything of the battle of Trafalgar. Had a vague idea that it was a sea battle. By around 6:15 ish, it was decided to let everyone enter the square... earlier it was only allowed for ppl with valid invites.
I joined in with the other group of people and it was really going to be an exciting evening. Everyone around was so thrilled!!
It began at 6:30 sharp. There was all kinds of displays, from army men climbing down the walls of the National Gallery, to navy seals attempting a successful rescue mission. Finally it ended with a spectacular laser show. I had never seen such a rich and grand show in my entire life, in person!!
I left home with a great sense of happiness, of being part of something historic.
2 years on. Around October 2007, I was glancing through the book shelf of my local library and chanced upon a book on Nelson. Rekindling my interest in what really made him the hero he was, I took the chance to read it.
Nelson - soon became a character with whom I could relate, who soon became clear to me as someone who was worth appreciating as a hero.
The British never praise anyone to the hilt, unless there is something substantial to praise in him or her. It wasnt like being a sportsman in India, where one century or one victory in a quarter final game and you are heralded as the MAN OF THE DECADE!!!
Nelson - is one of the very few - I think - the British consider as the absolute hero. He is someone who displayed all the grand characteristics of an individual and rose to the occasion, served his country and eventually died in his hour of victory.
That there is a column marking Nelson right in the heart of London and 200 years hence, there is such a spectacular celebration meted out, is a testimony to the man, who died only to become immortal.
Nelson is someone who will remain the epitome of British culture for centuries to come. I am yet to finish this book, from what I have read, I cant really agree more.
(Part 1 ends.)
Captain Report - MCCC - Sunday Team 2007.
Sunday Captain Report for the year 2007.
With the introduction of a league team on Saturday, most of the players from the Sunday team of 2006 made a switch, resulting in a vacuum in the core squad. Being a Captain during this transition phase was a challenge and an opportunity.
I have to give due credit to Jim Patel, Steve O’ Neil and Majid and Imran for their support during throughout the season. In the early part of the season, we were trying to get some structure created in the team, batting orders were being revised etc. With all the talent that was housed in the Sunday squad, I was able to try out different strategies, depending on the opposition, the toss and of course the conditions on the day.
Andy ‘Angry’ Allan was my trump card in the season and he delivered match after match, mostly with his pace and even on rare occasions, with some leg spin. Tush Wadhwa as my vice-captain was of great help on and off the field. Whenever I had a problem, Tush was always there to sort it out. Tush and Andy had great opening spells and would end up destroying the top order of the opposition under 10 overs. This really helped the other bowlers to build an attack and most of the times, we were on top of the game by the 15th over.
Sayeed Imran was the find of the season, for me. He started out as a keeper and worked very hard at his batting. Once he hit some form with the bat, it was literally a golden phase for him with the bat. Khalim had a good season with the bat and the ball. He was always there to spank the early boundaries and get the team score rolling. Ryan Lang came good as a lower order bat and made some very invaluable contributions in a number of games. The Patel bowlers (father and son) were another key contributors to the Sunday team.
Thanks to excellent performances from Steve O’Neil, Majid, Jadid Khan, Steve Herat. Graham Pinkney, the Cummins brothers, Gerry, Vivek, Brian Clifford, Hemant Patel, Raj and the ’20-20’ Craig Harper. Special credit is due to Craig’s six hitting ability.
As a team we always played to win and we won 14 out of the 16 matches. This surely matches the history of the Sunday team. As a skip, I tried my best to give every team member the best possible opportunity to enjoy the game, in their various roles and it gives me great satisfaction to look at their achievements, at the end of it all. Thank you all for the spirit and the passion you had for the game and for giving it your very best, even in very trying circumstances.
As a captain, I am extremely proud of our achievements and the effort each of you put in. Hope the spirit of the Sunday team stays the same in the years to come. Bring it On!
Satish Viswanathan.
With the introduction of a league team on Saturday, most of the players from the Sunday team of 2006 made a switch, resulting in a vacuum in the core squad. Being a Captain during this transition phase was a challenge and an opportunity.
I have to give due credit to Jim Patel, Steve O’ Neil and Majid and Imran for their support during throughout the season. In the early part of the season, we were trying to get some structure created in the team, batting orders were being revised etc. With all the talent that was housed in the Sunday squad, I was able to try out different strategies, depending on the opposition, the toss and of course the conditions on the day.
Andy ‘Angry’ Allan was my trump card in the season and he delivered match after match, mostly with his pace and even on rare occasions, with some leg spin. Tush Wadhwa as my vice-captain was of great help on and off the field. Whenever I had a problem, Tush was always there to sort it out. Tush and Andy had great opening spells and would end up destroying the top order of the opposition under 10 overs. This really helped the other bowlers to build an attack and most of the times, we were on top of the game by the 15th over.
Sayeed Imran was the find of the season, for me. He started out as a keeper and worked very hard at his batting. Once he hit some form with the bat, it was literally a golden phase for him with the bat. Khalim had a good season with the bat and the ball. He was always there to spank the early boundaries and get the team score rolling. Ryan Lang came good as a lower order bat and made some very invaluable contributions in a number of games. The Patel bowlers (father and son) were another key contributors to the Sunday team.
Thanks to excellent performances from Steve O’Neil, Majid, Jadid Khan, Steve Herat. Graham Pinkney, the Cummins brothers, Gerry, Vivek, Brian Clifford, Hemant Patel, Raj and the ’20-20’ Craig Harper. Special credit is due to Craig’s six hitting ability.
As a team we always played to win and we won 14 out of the 16 matches. This surely matches the history of the Sunday team. As a skip, I tried my best to give every team member the best possible opportunity to enjoy the game, in their various roles and it gives me great satisfaction to look at their achievements, at the end of it all. Thank you all for the spirit and the passion you had for the game and for giving it your very best, even in very trying circumstances.
As a captain, I am extremely proud of our achievements and the effort each of you put in. Hope the spirit of the Sunday team stays the same in the years to come. Bring it On!
Satish Viswanathan.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
News in Pictures
A day to remember.
It was just another game. Just another match. Nothing really told me that this was going to be a landmark in my life. But thats the way life goes, I guess. British weather was showing its true colors. No more than 2 overs into the match, when I was batting with Guru, it started raining. And we had to stop. Then when the sun finally showed up, the pitch was drying quickly and the ball was coming on quicker off the wicket over after over. Should have scored a 50. Careless shot I would say. A slight lapse of concentration.
When I was bowling in this match, the oppo batsmen were really on top of things. One bat especially was hitting a lot of boundaries and sixes. I got my first wicket in my second over. I was thinking why I am not able to take a 5-fer and started working hard on that target. Every bowler had a quota of 6 overs to bowl and by the time I was into my fifth, I had taken 4 wickets. 6 balls and 1 wicket to get a good and hard earned 5-fer. Hardly worth believing but it was the last ball which got me the prized 5th wicket. Roy from point dived forward to take a very good catch, inches off the ground.
All in all a great day to remember. When I brought this printout to my home, all were pleasantly suprised. I sent some copies to my dad. I am sure he must have been the proudest father then. It was his dream to play cricket in a big stage - he couldnt make it - inspite of being a very good batsman. In a very small way, I had achieved something. :)
It was just another game. Just another match. Nothing really told me that this was going to be a landmark in my life. But thats the way life goes, I guess. British weather was showing its true colors. No more than 2 overs into the match, when I was batting with Guru, it started raining. And we had to stop. Then when the sun finally showed up, the pitch was drying quickly and the ball was coming on quicker off the wicket over after over. Should have scored a 50. Careless shot I would say. A slight lapse of concentration.
When I was bowling in this match, the oppo batsmen were really on top of things. One bat especially was hitting a lot of boundaries and sixes. I got my first wicket in my second over. I was thinking why I am not able to take a 5-fer and started working hard on that target. Every bowler had a quota of 6 overs to bowl and by the time I was into my fifth, I had taken 4 wickets. 6 balls and 1 wicket to get a good and hard earned 5-fer. Hardly worth believing but it was the last ball which got me the prized 5th wicket. Roy from point dived forward to take a very good catch, inches off the ground.
All in all a great day to remember. When I brought this printout to my home, all were pleasantly suprised. I sent some copies to my dad. I am sure he must have been the proudest father then. It was his dream to play cricket in a big stage - he couldnt make it - inspite of being a very good batsman. In a very small way, I had achieved something. :)
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Summarizing it all.
I know I have been very lazy and havent got blogging as high as my prio list as I should have. I hope all that is going to change. I hope seriously it does.
Lots of things to update of whats happening around me. Firstly, the cricket season ended late September. It was a bit disappointing not to go to Seychelles as planned. I would have liked to go on that trip - just so you know, the trip fell through the crack - because of inconsistent planning.
This year I had played for two clubs, KCCC and MCCC. I decided to go the dual way, its quite rare actually. People around me mostly play for one club and stick to it.
Given that I have very few years to spend playing cricket in London, its not going to be that easy for me to stick to a given set of challenges every year. I have to reach out and try different things. Thats the way I am inbuilt. MCCC - the club I had played in 06 as well - I was the Sunday Team captain. (This was to tune my already decently polished captaining skills from the HP Bangalore experience)
KCCC - the club I joined in April, after a lot of googling, was to keep me challenged as a player. Simply that. I did do some justice for both clubs I should say. Saturday was to be KCCC's turn and Sunday MCCC's turn to keep me engaged and challenged. In total I scored around 600+ runs this season (both clubs combined) ( 1 century and 8 fifties) - Also took some wickets - including one 5 fer for KCCC.
The captaincy was really the tricky part. I was literally rebuilding a new squad and the fixtures werent really that easy. The Sunday fixtures were the most difficult of all MCCC's fixtures. I had a lot of support from my team mates. They really backed me and took me seriously on the field ( I made sure I told them what I wanted out of them:) )
It was also like working on the different cricketing mindsets. Back in the Indian subcontinent, the mindsets are slightly different from how a SouthAfrican cricketer or a KIWI one would approach a situation in the game, leave alone an Australian. We are not talking about the game at the international level, but trust me, the geographic traits can be seen even at the club level. I learnt a lot from these different characters and vice versa. Overall, we won 14 of the 16 games this season. A season which was totally a dream come true for the team. 87.5% success is a total captain's delight and it bettered last year's success rate of 85%. Fairly enough, the annual meeting had some polite words of appreciation for my efforts from the Chairman and the Fixture Secretary. I consider that as one of my 'Oscar' moments in life. There were a lot of requests for me to carry on as the Sunday skipper, but I couldnt take it on board.
As much as I was being successful on the cricket field, life off it wasnt as rosy as it should have been. I was missing out on the family front, unable to manage my time with Suja and Shloka. Suja was at her graceful best, in supporting me wherever she could. I wanted to make sure that from next year onwards, I dont play two days every weekend, unless it comes to that.
This was the reason I put down the captaincy at MCCC - not that I put it this way, while detailing my decision to them. I think it was a good decision I took. My family is important to me as well and I have to take them into account in the way I spend my time.
With the advent of winter, it was going to be tough to sit it out at the weekends, doing nothing. I have always had a task in front of me, something which has kept me going and I needed something difficult to overcome. Whats next was the million rupee question.
After a lot of thiking, I arrived at 'learning how to play the piano'. Not that it is difficult, I used to consider this impossible when I was young - me getting to learn a musical instrument - but this time around, I decided I was ready for it.
In came a 20 pound Acoustic Solutions basic model Piano. Did some reading on the net on the basics of the keyboard. Western notations were quite simple. Chords are slightly tricky - they need you to be ambidextrous - thats something which I have to work on.
I can now play a small list of songs. - kal ho na ho; kuch kuch hota hai; uyirin uyire; snehidhane; chinna chinna aasai; thee thee from thiruda thiruda; swasame amongst other attempts. I have to go through formal training to ensure that I learn it well. I want to learn it, but need the conviction of time to think likewise.
Workwise, life has been quite interesting. Literally, every day had its own set of situations and some of them were quite dramatic. But I am learning to go through them, take the positives and the negatives in my stride and go on. Its not going to be a very easy month - December 2007 - I hope it goes on fine.
Finally, I have learnt a lot of things about how to prioritise time between family, friends and work. In the past month or so, I did a lot of introspection, thanks to some good advice, and trust me I have really re-aligned my parameters of importance -my circle of concern.
And the recent news of my boss suffering a health condition, has also been difficult to digest. She is undergoing a surgery this week and my prayers are with her. I wish her a quick recovery and hope she comes back to work soon.
Life, is not what it really is. Its what we think it to be. Mostly, we are wrong in our thinking. Such situations help us realise our mistakes and make corrective actions. Actions which can enhance the value of our breathing system.
Why we breathe is only important as long as 'When we breathe'.
Lets see what the future holds from now on.
Satish.
Lots of things to update of whats happening around me. Firstly, the cricket season ended late September. It was a bit disappointing not to go to Seychelles as planned. I would have liked to go on that trip - just so you know, the trip fell through the crack - because of inconsistent planning.
This year I had played for two clubs, KCCC and MCCC. I decided to go the dual way, its quite rare actually. People around me mostly play for one club and stick to it.
Given that I have very few years to spend playing cricket in London, its not going to be that easy for me to stick to a given set of challenges every year. I have to reach out and try different things. Thats the way I am inbuilt. MCCC - the club I had played in 06 as well - I was the Sunday Team captain. (This was to tune my already decently polished captaining skills from the HP Bangalore experience)
KCCC - the club I joined in April, after a lot of googling, was to keep me challenged as a player. Simply that. I did do some justice for both clubs I should say. Saturday was to be KCCC's turn and Sunday MCCC's turn to keep me engaged and challenged. In total I scored around 600+ runs this season (both clubs combined) ( 1 century and 8 fifties) - Also took some wickets - including one 5 fer for KCCC.
The captaincy was really the tricky part. I was literally rebuilding a new squad and the fixtures werent really that easy. The Sunday fixtures were the most difficult of all MCCC's fixtures. I had a lot of support from my team mates. They really backed me and took me seriously on the field ( I made sure I told them what I wanted out of them:) )
It was also like working on the different cricketing mindsets. Back in the Indian subcontinent, the mindsets are slightly different from how a SouthAfrican cricketer or a KIWI one would approach a situation in the game, leave alone an Australian. We are not talking about the game at the international level, but trust me, the geographic traits can be seen even at the club level. I learnt a lot from these different characters and vice versa. Overall, we won 14 of the 16 games this season. A season which was totally a dream come true for the team. 87.5% success is a total captain's delight and it bettered last year's success rate of 85%. Fairly enough, the annual meeting had some polite words of appreciation for my efforts from the Chairman and the Fixture Secretary. I consider that as one of my 'Oscar' moments in life. There were a lot of requests for me to carry on as the Sunday skipper, but I couldnt take it on board.
As much as I was being successful on the cricket field, life off it wasnt as rosy as it should have been. I was missing out on the family front, unable to manage my time with Suja and Shloka. Suja was at her graceful best, in supporting me wherever she could. I wanted to make sure that from next year onwards, I dont play two days every weekend, unless it comes to that.
This was the reason I put down the captaincy at MCCC - not that I put it this way, while detailing my decision to them. I think it was a good decision I took. My family is important to me as well and I have to take them into account in the way I spend my time.
With the advent of winter, it was going to be tough to sit it out at the weekends, doing nothing. I have always had a task in front of me, something which has kept me going and I needed something difficult to overcome. Whats next was the million rupee question.
After a lot of thiking, I arrived at 'learning how to play the piano'. Not that it is difficult, I used to consider this impossible when I was young - me getting to learn a musical instrument - but this time around, I decided I was ready for it.
In came a 20 pound Acoustic Solutions basic model Piano. Did some reading on the net on the basics of the keyboard. Western notations were quite simple. Chords are slightly tricky - they need you to be ambidextrous - thats something which I have to work on.
I can now play a small list of songs. - kal ho na ho; kuch kuch hota hai; uyirin uyire; snehidhane; chinna chinna aasai; thee thee from thiruda thiruda; swasame amongst other attempts. I have to go through formal training to ensure that I learn it well. I want to learn it, but need the conviction of time to think likewise.
Workwise, life has been quite interesting. Literally, every day had its own set of situations and some of them were quite dramatic. But I am learning to go through them, take the positives and the negatives in my stride and go on. Its not going to be a very easy month - December 2007 - I hope it goes on fine.
Finally, I have learnt a lot of things about how to prioritise time between family, friends and work. In the past month or so, I did a lot of introspection, thanks to some good advice, and trust me I have really re-aligned my parameters of importance -my circle of concern.
And the recent news of my boss suffering a health condition, has also been difficult to digest. She is undergoing a surgery this week and my prayers are with her. I wish her a quick recovery and hope she comes back to work soon.
Life, is not what it really is. Its what we think it to be. Mostly, we are wrong in our thinking. Such situations help us realise our mistakes and make corrective actions. Actions which can enhance the value of our breathing system.
Why we breathe is only important as long as 'When we breathe'.
Lets see what the future holds from now on.
Satish.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Durham Trip
The whole point of playing for Kensington and Chelsea cricket club was to focus on challenging myself. This trip organised to Newcastle/Durham was a very good opportunity for me to get myself challenged to the next level.
One game was played against Berwick Cricket Club on a Sunday. Berwick, for your info, is a ground just on the beach. You have the cricket ground and to the left you have the beach.
The ball was swinging a good deal because there was a lot of breeze around.
We batted first, and yeah, the wicket wasnt the best and it kept low a lot. Ultimately KCCC skitted for a decent score of 137 in 30 overs. It wasnt our best performance, but considering the itinerary we had, most players were a bit tired.
What happened next is something I will relish for quite some time. In came the Berwick batsmen. Both of them were from the 1st XI and were supposed to be very good. Rony and Kash started the bowling and it was going on well for the first couple of overs, but then we were giving a boundary every over. This coupled with the fact that the batsmen were patient, meant that we had to change things quick and had to be effective at it. I really saw Arun emerge as a great captain that day. He was really involved in the game, on top of every fielding position, every ball, every over.
Arun came in first change and I was second change. Initially, it had to be said, Arun was bowling a magic spell, and I was not getting it right. I gave 10 runs in the first over. Considering that it was low scoring game, this was nothing short of a cardinal crime. There was some wind cutting across from my right to my left and I was finding it difficult to get the line right. In between overs, I told this to Arun. He was encouraging me to bowl well - with all my experience behind me.
The next five overs, I really had to get it back on target. The first two balls of the second over went for boundaries. Come on Satish, get it right, I was thinking. Finally I trapped the opening bat LBW third ball. The umpire gave the correct decision, and it was very encouraging. From then on, the next 29 balls, I gave around 9 runs. I bowled with a good deal of accuracy, deceiving the wind cutting me and the batsmen trying to score off my spell.
I could have got a couple more wickets but then some catches were spilled and it was just one guy who was going for it. In the end, with one ball to spare, Berwick managed 140. It was such a valiant effort by everyone on the field, with Arun captaining very well.
In the dressing room, when I sat down with all the guys, I realised how much I was focussing on winning and how close we came to get it done. Yeah, it was a great day's game but then, in such narrow margins, when you end up losing, its as good a feeling as dying.
Anyway, I looked around and didnt see too many ppl as dejected as me. They were all cheering up and applauding the good effort put in the game. We left Berwick for home - a tedious drive - I have to say, I made a lot of friends on the way back - as we talked about different cultures - Kiwi - British - Saffer - Indian, our club indeed has a very good variety in it. I like it!
One game was played against Berwick Cricket Club on a Sunday. Berwick, for your info, is a ground just on the beach. You have the cricket ground and to the left you have the beach.
The ball was swinging a good deal because there was a lot of breeze around.
We batted first, and yeah, the wicket wasnt the best and it kept low a lot. Ultimately KCCC skitted for a decent score of 137 in 30 overs. It wasnt our best performance, but considering the itinerary we had, most players were a bit tired.
What happened next is something I will relish for quite some time. In came the Berwick batsmen. Both of them were from the 1st XI and were supposed to be very good. Rony and Kash started the bowling and it was going on well for the first couple of overs, but then we were giving a boundary every over. This coupled with the fact that the batsmen were patient, meant that we had to change things quick and had to be effective at it. I really saw Arun emerge as a great captain that day. He was really involved in the game, on top of every fielding position, every ball, every over.
Arun came in first change and I was second change. Initially, it had to be said, Arun was bowling a magic spell, and I was not getting it right. I gave 10 runs in the first over. Considering that it was low scoring game, this was nothing short of a cardinal crime. There was some wind cutting across from my right to my left and I was finding it difficult to get the line right. In between overs, I told this to Arun. He was encouraging me to bowl well - with all my experience behind me.
The next five overs, I really had to get it back on target. The first two balls of the second over went for boundaries. Come on Satish, get it right, I was thinking. Finally I trapped the opening bat LBW third ball. The umpire gave the correct decision, and it was very encouraging. From then on, the next 29 balls, I gave around 9 runs. I bowled with a good deal of accuracy, deceiving the wind cutting me and the batsmen trying to score off my spell.
I could have got a couple more wickets but then some catches were spilled and it was just one guy who was going for it. In the end, with one ball to spare, Berwick managed 140. It was such a valiant effort by everyone on the field, with Arun captaining very well.
In the dressing room, when I sat down with all the guys, I realised how much I was focussing on winning and how close we came to get it done. Yeah, it was a great day's game but then, in such narrow margins, when you end up losing, its as good a feeling as dying.
Anyway, I looked around and didnt see too many ppl as dejected as me. They were all cheering up and applauding the good effort put in the game. We left Berwick for home - a tedious drive - I have to say, I made a lot of friends on the way back - as we talked about different cultures - Kiwi - British - Saffer - Indian, our club indeed has a very good variety in it. I like it!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Back to the blogging cycle.
When Nature comes round in one energy cycle, it does indeed go through the same pains and troubles again.
Looks like, in some sense, I have come some way round again.
poongaatru thirumbumaa en paatta virumbumaa
thaalaatta madiyil vechchup paaraatta
enakkoru thaay madi kedaikkumaa
raasaavae varuththamaa aagaayam surungumaa
aengaadhae adha olagam thaangaadhae
adukkumaa sooriyan karukkumaa
enna solluvaen ennullam thaangala
meththa vaanginaen thookkaththa vaangala
indha vaedhana yaarukkuththaan illa
onna meeravae oorukkul aalilla
aedhoa enbaattukku naan paattup paadi
sollaadha soagaththa sonnaenadi
soga raga soagandhaanae (2)
yaaradhu poaradhu
kuyil paadalaam than mugam kaattumaa
-
Life in its purest sense isnt bad. Its all about how we make it out.
Sometimes we all make mistakes and it becomes very challenging to get things sorted out without anyone whining or complaining.
-
Its simply easier said. All the ideal things are good on paper. When it comes to translating that into embodiments of energy, thats where the crux of being a human is well reminded to one and all.
I just hope that this phase moves on. Its really a challenge and the sooner it moves on, the better.
Life, some joker said, is not a joke. Thats quite funny and true.
Looks like, in some sense, I have come some way round again.
poongaatru thirumbumaa en paatta virumbumaa
thaalaatta madiyil vechchup paaraatta
enakkoru thaay madi kedaikkumaa
raasaavae varuththamaa aagaayam surungumaa
aengaadhae adha olagam thaangaadhae
adukkumaa sooriyan karukkumaa
enna solluvaen ennullam thaangala
meththa vaanginaen thookkaththa vaangala
indha vaedhana yaarukkuththaan illa
onna meeravae oorukkul aalilla
aedhoa enbaattukku naan paattup paadi
sollaadha soagaththa sonnaenadi
soga raga soagandhaanae (2)
yaaradhu poaradhu
kuyil paadalaam than mugam kaattumaa
-
Life in its purest sense isnt bad. Its all about how we make it out.
Sometimes we all make mistakes and it becomes very challenging to get things sorted out without anyone whining or complaining.
-
Its simply easier said. All the ideal things are good on paper. When it comes to translating that into embodiments of energy, thats where the crux of being a human is well reminded to one and all.
I just hope that this phase moves on. Its really a challenge and the sooner it moves on, the better.
Life, some joker said, is not a joke. Thats quite funny and true.
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