It was a dark and stormy night. That’s a lie. It was a mild and unseasonably warm night and I was almost asleep, lulled away by Heidi Klum’s and Niki Taylor’s voiceovers on Bravo.
Then, something insane happened; I received a reality-bending email. But first, some unnecessary prattle back story.
From age 0-3.5, I had a much-adored stuffed bear, like most children my age. Unlike most children, my bear was named Babu, which totally proves that kids born here in the early to mid seventies might as well have been popped out “back home”. Anyway, Babu was wonderful as a confidante, hugging partner and drool-catcher…until we moved to San Francisco. Somewhere between Southern California and Northern, Babu disappeared, never to be seen again.
Last night, dazed and confused by exhaustion, I checked my email one final time…and did a sleepy double-take. There, in my inbox…Babu. The only justification I can offer for thinking what comes next is, um, Benadryl. “My Babu reached out to me from beyond!”, I gasped, and he did so via GMail no less:
Hi Anna,
It’s the biggest story happening in Indian Cricket and you are not covering it….that’s not right 🙂
Feed your cricket hunger with the story. I’m not sure if you are aware of the suspension of an Indian cricket player over racial abuse. This has created a cricket war between India and Australia. and YOU should write about it.
It has high drama, fight for honor, millions of dollars at stake and the big Indian ego Vs Australian. Australian media is supporting India as well 🙂
Link, link, link and link.
Well, I didn’t wanna vote in News tab and wait….hehe.. 😀
~Babu
Babu, after absorbing tears, snot and Lord knows what else, this is the least I can do.
All right people.
The cricket post I have received eleven requests for (not counting the above-pasted, impassioned plea from my bear) is up next.
India’s cricket team stayed in its hotel in protest Monday after one of its players was penalized for allegedly using a racial slur during a match against Australia.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India plans to challenge the “the unfair decision” by the International Cricket Council to suspend Harbhajan Singh for three matches because it said he made racist remarks to Australia’s only black player. The Indian board said it will “suspend its operation until the appeal is disposed of.” [IHT]
What the hell is going on, you might be asking. No? Well, I was asking…this is a lot of story for a blogger of little cricket brain. Apparently Indian cricket player Harbhajan Singh called Australian player Andrew Symonds a monkey. Symonds is black.
Admittedly, “monkey” would not qualify in the top hundred racist insults. Ian Botham used to revel in the nickname “Guy The Gorilla”. When all is said and done, we are all simian primates. But the word “monkey” had form, as everybody knew that Symonds had supposedly suffered such insults last year from Indian crowds. So case proven, the Indian spinner was guilty as charged. The Indian board should stop its posturing, accept what must be a galling reminder that it is the International Cricket Council that still runs the game, and get on with the tour.
Do not delude yourself, though, that in punishing Harbhajan cricket is punishing a sinner. It is punishing a victim. It is punishing a player who, it might be concluded, mentally disintegrated. Remember mental disintegration? It is Australia’s nauseatingly self-congratulatory phrase for sledging. And it worked. It worked so well that Harbhajan cracked and Australia have not stopped bleating about their shoddy little victory ever since. [Guardian]
Sledging is a cricket term for undermining players by talking a lot o’ tatti. Insult someone enough and they crack, not that I would know a damned thing about that.
Match referee Mike Proctor held a four-hour hearing at the Sydney Cricket Ground after Australia’s 122-run victory and ruled that the case against the India spinner was proved.
“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Harbhajan Singh directed that word at Andrew Symonds and also that he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds’ race or ethnic origin,” Proctor said. [IHT]
Beyond a reasonable doubt, eh?
“Unfair allegation of racism against our Indian player is wholly unacceptable,” said board president Sharad Pawar, who is also a senior government minister, in a statement. “The game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honor of India’s cricket team and every Indian.” [IHT]
Warning: cricket neophyte about to type.
The second test match of the tour = drama. Captain Kumble (that’s fun to say!) called the Aussies out on being dirty bastards while his team rolled their eyes the fifth time the umpires made a stupid and unfair decision.
The most blatant was an appeal that would have put Symonds out after just 30 runs in the first innings.
Symonds has freely admitted he should have been out. He went on to score 162 runs not out and was later named man of the match. [IHT]
We’re not alone in our hot tub of displeasure:
Several Australian newspapers agreed Monday that India should have won the second test, and criticized the behavior of Australian players during the test. [IHT]
I think what is pissing so many people off is the double-standard which is so evident in this unfortunate situation, the hypocrisy.
The problem is that Australia’s dividing line is not a reliable division between the morally upstanding and the indefensible. Australia’s dividing line is repugnant, enabling the condemnation of the likes of Harbhajan whilst legitimising obnoxious behaviour that cricket should have had the bravery to root out a generation ago.
Racism cannot be countenanced. But it is a rum old world that bans a man for three Tests for calling someone a monkey, yet allows the sort of boorish behaviour that allows first slip to drone to a batsman that he is shagging his wife, or that convinces any fast bowler with half a brain that personal insults every time a batsman plays and misses are essential for any cricketer of spirit. As long as you are careful not to refer to the colour of his skin.
It needs to be remembered that Harbhajan’s assault did not come without provocation. Before he was abused as a monkey, Symonds had been indulging in a phrase or two out of the corner of his mouth. Australia and Harbhajan have been at each other for years. But Australia have been obsessed with “reverse racism” ever since Darren Lehmann, their batsman, became the first international player to be banned for the racial abuse of Sri Lankan players five years ago. They have been intent upon revenge and now they have gained it. [Guardian]
What I found interesting is how Harbhajan Singh’s outburst might have been overlooked (vs. becoming the subject of 5,000 blog posts and news articles) had Aussie captain Ponting not whined about it to the umpires, thus drawing attention to it. That’s classy.
Well, Ponting may have won this pathetic, wee, jeer-worthy (no! sledging-worthy) battle but after everything I’ve read online, he has lost far more, most notably respect and credibility because of it. Well-played. Idiot (note: must be pronounced the way Naseeruddin Shah did in Monsoon Wedding, kthx bai).
I guess I was wrong about how the game will pan out but I was expecting a faster pitch. Maybe Australia will set another record and chase 450 in the last innings.
This match is turning out to be a good one. I hope sports fans who are not convinced about cricket and this 5-day version are able to enjoy this drama.
Indian bowlers did really well and the counter attack by Aussies was pretty awesome to watch. Symonds was dropped by Tendulkar when he was on just 3, Indians could have bundled aussies within 200.
FYI: One can scrounge around on the net to get a link to watch the game on line.
to save this one, they’ll need Bucknor AND BC Cooray circa 2001.
Sulabh, yeah I’m sure there is, but it’s a bit tricky when they track you at work 🙂 Heading down to the pub this evening. May India hold it together…
yes. no matter how much off field hysteria and on field sledging exists, it remains that india australia matches are often excellent advertisements for test matches. not as much for one dayers, but tests, oh yeah.
i don’t get why they wont start 1/2 hour early. they would make up for part of the 15 overs we are behind.
and if one did that, what would one find? just asking. 🙂
Hours of pleasant diversion and productivity decrease. I hope Sehwag roars back into form – this really seems like his kind of pitch, he just needs to be dropped on 20, 40, 60, and so on.
i know, but watching what link?
Search for streaming, peer to peer, and the illustrious game we are all talking about, and use the fourth link.
Is it conducive to one’s health to be vociferously
anti-Australianpro-Indian in a setting with abundant Toohey’s?In response:
(1) Ahem. This is Victoria. CUB only, thank you, none of that Toohey’s rubbish. (2) Only if you go to the Birmingham Hotel on Brunswick St? (3) No. There’ll probably be a lot of anglo-aussies cheering along.
People, we are not propitiating the right gods….Dravid has gone.
no longer. i am back on cricinfo with the correct browser, sitting in the right chair (and facing the right direction), with the correct beer in hand. fret not my friends. all will be well.
Look, ok, I won’t go to the pub. I won’t watch. Tendulkar can get his century, all will be well if I don’t watch.
Have just realised can watch cricket on my mobile. Duh.
Are you facing East? Remember to face the rising sun!
Oh, look, it’s self-destruct time again.
And we can’t even blame Bucknor this time.
Is this the end, my friend?
Stuff this, I’m going back to my cells.
Right so ALL the stellar batsmen are nearly gone, but Pathan is still. Makes total sense.
Don’t worry, Dravid will bowl us to a victory.
survived till lunch somehow.
this match will kill me.
Classic.
Just got back, I see a gain of about thirty runs and Ganguly gone. Even the remotest chance of introspection after this test?
Sorry, did not complete that correctly…remotest chance that there will be some introspection on India’s apparent inability to hold a second innings?
“survived till lunch somehow.
this match will kill me.”
but it wouldn’t be normal if that wasn’t the case during an india match:) wonder how india’s bowlers are feeling, seeing the batsmen let them down like that? aussies are coming out of their post-sydney confused haze of contrition and becoming chirpier. one comfort – discovered that star sports coverage can be had on an alternate channel on willow.tv. at least won’t have to listen to that triple aussie accent threat of ian healy, michael slater and mark taylor. thank god for tony greig, who can respond to some of the more partisan commentary (which isn’t that bad except for when australia are fighting back and then healy loses it a bit).
Hmm…I’d disagree with your assessment of Slats and Taylor, but Heals has his moments. Benaud is the worst though, totally biased and totally senile. Bill Lawry is worth it just to hear his excitement when a wicket falls.
flygirl, i was commenting more on their accents – those three have the strongest ones of the Channel 9 commentary team. but you’re right, slater (but who can forget him screaming at dravid when he was still playing) and taylor aren’t as partisan (but in general i find this lot much more partisan than most of the indian commentators when their team is in the driving seat.). benaud i actually don’t mind too much, except when he goes on too much with anecdotes from the past. sometimes they’re interesting, but sometimes it’s like listening to an old aunt/uncle reminisce about everyone and everything from years past. just hope laxman/pathan can continue with some sort of sizeable partnership after the lunch break.
“when their team is in the driving seat.”
sorry, meant when their team falls from the driving seat and then again when they regain it.
WGiiA, right-o :-). I always wondered how desis who arrive here for the first time cope with the accent.
Have you heard him go on about Shane Warne?
And as I write, Pathan falls.
Benaud isn’t senile, he seems to have quite a detailed and remarkable recollection of every random bit of trivia from his playing days, which of course he gladly shares unasked and at great length.
The Indians seem to want to field without further delay, the only thing to stop them is that batting rock, Kumble. Oops, wrong thread.
No, please, carry on…
I had a dream last night; Viru cracking a hundred. Well, I just woke up and I see this! May be I should go back to sleep.
Laxman and Dhoni have slowed to a crawl, it must be the effect of all that chaaval and dal.
At least let them both answer our prayer, if by the end of the say they’re still there.
at least a 300+ lead.
what do you know, a SIX 😀
That’s what I’m talking about!
Oops, wrong thread 🙂
Dhoni seems to respond to mockery, no sooner I say this than he unfurls a boundary.
shit, laxman almost run out. what nonsense! ridiculous!!
*day, not say, you know what I mean.
Dhoni responds, he hits up a six, sending the ball all the way to the Styx
[please feel free to groan]
200.
be still, my runaway pulse.
The double at last!
Laxman has lots of heart, but, plenty of bottom too; he’s bound to be slow.
Laxman, mate, I’m begging ya, please stay there…I four samples to count and I’ll be back and you can hit where you please….please…
the record for the second innings chase is 339, by australia themselves. we need well over 400 to be safe.
flygirl’s tied down by that goddamned yeast, but try telling that to the Australian beast.
Could anyone watching this Live please confirm if Dhoni “shimmied” down the track twice as mentioned in Cricinfo?
i am not watching live. too many wickets fell that way.
but hahahaha—SIX :))))))))))))))
Well, I’m going to the clubhouse to watch it Live over a cup of coffee. Hopefully, I won’t jinx it;)
this one, ubermetromallu is to blame for. dhoni gone.