Fantasmo Gentlemen's Game

Sunday being Sunday, it was surprising that i woke up early and then was not disappointed when I was turned down by courier agency while i badly needed to send a package. Not sure was it intuition that there was huge fun to come by. And what an entertaining fun session it was.
It started at about 1330 IST while i was slurping through heavy lunch. Kangaroos were going to bat first at Wanderers and i just remembered murder of Indian bowlers in 2003 World Cup Finals at the same ground. Wanderers ground nick named as Bullring, famous for crowd trouble but there was no sign of Aussies being intimidated while the whole work was done by Gilchrist,Ponting and rest Aussie punters. Only intimidated ones throughout the match were a species called bowlers, who seemed to go extinct with only endangered versions being absent in form of McGrath and Pollock.

The ease with which aussies shaped the blitzkrieg made it difficult to shuffle channel to watch the Formula One as that was an entertaining prospect as well. With Ferrari horse power back in reckoning but here it was a totally different horse power at play. The smiling face of Smith as aussies crossed 420 mark as well, or the thousands of smiles across the Wanderers, told that a strange sense of relax and watch aussies breaking more records had prevailed. Little did anyone believe what saga would unfurl after the break! Aussies had complied an incredible 434 runs in 50 overs. Talks of a 200 run defeat were commonly mentioned even by cricket pundits sitting as commentators.

Dippenar departed quickly and i had a sense of relief as it could only do good as it no more sheet anchor role required here. In comes Gibbs in the ring with fight heavily against him and his teammate were supposed on the ropes.

I went out at 1900 IST as Smith and Gibbs completed their 50s and run rate touching 8 but still 350+ runs required. THat msut have been startled both as how much they were hitting and task was still huge.

At 1950 IST while in a shopping mall, i got a call saying Gibbs is on 150. If it took 100 runs for Gibbs' next hundred, contest was on. Was Gibbs onto something, were proteas going for it reallyyyyyyyyyy.
Anyway i could not resist and made my way out and was stopped by a small crowd of about 10-12 people standing outside a shop catching the live action coming through a TV playing in the shop. Me and my friend added ourselves to the crowd.

Crowd was always growing very different from what van der Wath was doing. He took it from 77 off 42 required to 35 from 24.

Proteas please don't lose from here.

2 incidents happened as we came to last over.
Scene I - Situation - On Residency Road 15-20 people including me and friend watching the match through a TV placed inside a shop and proteas needing 32 from 24 or so balls.

A couple comes from right and guy says "ek ball dekhne do" bandi... holding his hand and drags him forward while saying no no no... chalo chupchaap.

Mere aur friend ki aankhein mili aur muh se nikla ek kantap do... aisi bandi mili to usi time kantap khaayegi aur muh se nikalega KAT LO. (How come you be so insane to ignore sport and an event like this.)

Scene II - Situation - Same venue with 50odd ppl now craning their necks as proteas have lost 9th wicket and with 3balls to go and 2 runs needed for win.

A car comes by and stops and guy on wheel asks for score and when he gets the score... WATTTTTTTTT only 2 runs from 3 balls and one wicket.. woooooooooo. He told her bandi (wife or girlfriend) the situation and said dekhte hain yaar. pops out of the door and stands tall while bandi tries to stand on the car door but can't see, so comes on the pavement with car standing on the road (as if to heck with traffic, watch the match..) then they see the historic win and go away.
Now me and friend say... nahin scope hai.

The record that had stood for 10 years was broken two times in 4 hours.

Gibbs washed away the sin for catch of Gilchrist he dropped earlier in the match, but I’m sure he would be feeling free of guilt of dropping the World Cup and the whole squad would feel the difference of winning whenever the euphoria sinks in after few days.
Tag of chokers has been swept away in same fashion as Gibbs swept fastest bowler Lee 20 rows back from the fence, though the pundits and whole world watched them struggle and signs of choking making appearances like advertisements in between the movies.

Salute to you 22 people fighting inside the ropes of Bullring, what a high you provided. This was true masterpiece as even creators can't believe the art craft they have chiseled.

sania mania

yesterday i watched the whole match of Sania for first time as she stormed her way in kind of arrogant way to 4th round and to match Maria Sharapova. but it might be due to few minutes i spent outside as i just could not watch her struggle at 5-6 in first set and making a customary error, putting a simple volley in to the net and score on her serve was 0-15 and then she served right in the net and i simply could not watch her making a double. and then a phone call from friend told me that she won the set 7-6. This was amazing.
Now coming to her game, one unique observation which is clearly seen is that she lost just two points in whole match, where she hit more than 2 forehands. she was simply in arrogantly good form as she played best tennis in US Open so far, taking her game far above the level she played in first two rounds. She would definitely pose a few problems for the world number One in next match, but she could be lethal if she improves on her service game and control herself from over hitting and thereby lessening the count of 40+ unforced errors.

But her forehand complimented her two+ forehand theory very well and it would be definitely interesting to watch her play the World Number Uno. Sania vs Maria, truly a different Mania.

The Emperor

From the far side closer to VIP arena came the first serve,right in the corner of service court box and flies away more and a little more to the right, getting more away from the challenger,who is, by now a mute witness to the tunes played by the master, the champion. 15-0.
Just then second serve, again challenger i unable to use his stroke. 30-0. The champion, now just two points away from the third consecutive title. This was an ace on second serve, moving away from Roddick - the challenger, now a silent look says it all.
Next serve return from Roddick hits close to baseline and the champion makes a casual - arrogant backhand shot which dipped on the tape and falls back in his own court. So casual, the crowd sighs as the ball falls back after hitting the court. 30-15.
"Can i do something here". "No" says the champion as next masterful serve is returned and put away with a volley to make it to the championship point. 40-15, in less than 2 hours.
So then, how would the end be?
Serve right on the line and Roddick takes a step left, backhand in action, reaches the ball, totally bent on his left and only barely able to reach.. touch it as the yellow green ball glistened in rarely out sun, takes one dip then another one before it hits the net and the master, after gracefully mesmerizing the whole arena with his impeccable art, drops to his knees, palms holded together and racquet in between as hands go on to the head up in ecstasy, unable to control emotions, as he did on last two occasions.
Falls on his knees, feet also folded, goes on his back,still holding the racquet, getting back on his knees, and then looking straight into eyes of Tony Roche, artist of old times, and girl friend Barbaranek, gets up, unable to control the tears. Gets up finally and walks towards Roddick as they get in a friendly embrace, a total sportsmanship, Roddick saluting the master.
Score - 6-2, 7-6, 6-4, looks totally one sided, but it was more a difference of artistery, level above all themaster is the king. King with tears and as Roddick said - "he has got better in last two years". The throne looks permanent as The Champion - Roger Federer, is in control, putting all the rhymes in beautiful tones, better than anyon else has done it before.