Crazy Trip to Mussoorie

Ahh! Its so good to be back home! Especially when you have had a harrowing experience travelling on short notice and getting stuck in bad weather.

I had to launch myself for a surprise trip to Uttarakhand on Thursday. It was an official trip for my mom, and she asked me to give her company during the two day trip.(no one else was ready to go, so I was the easy option left,grr) In a way, I was hoping to evade the crazy Delhi weather, and was thinking that the area where we were going would be bright and sunny(as it should be at this time of the year). Plus I have a weakness for mountains and Tibetan soups(yeah I’ll tell ya ahead), so I couldn’t resist.

So, when we reached the place on Friday, a school in a sleepy cluster settlement near Mussoorie, it looked alright, but soon enough all my thoughts were washed away, as rain came pouring down in the evening. We had planned that we would go Mussoorie that evening, and have a bowl full of exotic Tibetan treat- Thukpa, at a small Tibetan eating place(yeah I cant even call it a restaurant). This place is located near the LBS academy for civil servant’s training (my life’s goal, I want to be there, training for my job in a year or two). This Tibetan guy’s place has been there for years. When my mom became a civil servant, she also went for training at the same academy, and many a times she used to order her meals from this Tibetan place. She was the one who took me to this place initially, and I fell in love with the food. Its small shabby looking place, with ancient looking furniture, not much space to sit. There are only two guys working in that place, one is the owner and the cook and the other is the helper( so if ya expect the food to arrive point blank in 5 minutes, then you rather go off to another place). This is a place where you are not supposed to be in a hurry at all. The meals are cooked in the traditional way, and take time, as there’s only one cook. Even the noodles are made from an ancient looking noodle making machine, from fresh dough. So it’s all worth the wait.

They have THE best wonton soup that I have tasted in the world, along with the Thukpa, garlic chilly noodles, hot and sour soup, and tomato egg drop soup. Wonton is my favourite, so I never leave that one out when I go there to eat. Absolutely lip smacking stuff! And its priced so modestly, I often feel as though I’m back in time.(aap ke zamane mein baap ke zamane ke daam!)

Yeah so due to the rain, we couldn’t go that evening. We went to Mussoorie the next day at noon. I had made sure that my stomach was absolutely empty for the lunch time meal(YUMMY!). I had Thukpa(half shared with my grandpa) and wonton soup(my staple), mom had hot and sour(her fave) and others had a bit of everything, chilly garlic noodles with sweet and sour sauce, etc.

It was a cloudy day, and clouds were kissing the hills of Mussoorie. We spent the rest of the trip to the city roaming here and there around the city,doing a bit of window shopping.

the famous Mussoorie Library

a busy street with clouds, Mussoorie

bhuttaa! corn on the cob

a guy selling local berries, Mussoorie market

Initially we had planned to return to Delhi on Saturday itself, but then we postponed it to Sunday evening, as we couldn’t get a proper reservation and mom also wasn’t feeling too good(she developed some kinda throat infection). The next day we were all set to go, all the packing had been done, and we were supposed to leave for Dehradun at 3pm(we had to catch the train from there).

1pm-we ate our lunch, and I called up my sis to tell her we were on time and mom was feeling much better.

2pm-all the left over packing done, I was still talking to my sis on the phone, discussing random things like the last IPL match and such stuff(mostly the shyt related to cricket)

2.05pm-suddenly, I shivered, there was a sudden drop in the temperatures, the wind was picking up, I looked back at the window and found a rising cloud entering into my room. I wasn’t bothered at first, because it was a usual scenario that that place, clouds usually climbed up to the mountain, and we were located at the slope of that mountain only.

2.15-the windows started clanking because of the growing wind speed, I was still on the phone(yeah its so damn unusual for me to talk so much on the phone). My mom came into the room, and tried to pull the curtains over the windows, but they were flying like a wild horse! At that moment suddenly the sky started darkening. Within a minute the wind was howling and our windows were crashing into each other, I knew I had to hang up now. I reached for the windows and tried to close them, but they were not coming within my reach. I and mom, both were struggling with the windows, the winds were so strong that we literally had to put in all our strength to close them shut.

It was clear by now, we were in trouble. I went to the phone again, to call up my sis again and tell her that we might not be able to leave for Dehradun on time. We were in the middle of a mini cyclone again!!

It had turned so dark at that time that I couldn’t see the numbers buttons on the phone! I dialled like a blind guy. Thankfully I dialled the right number, told my sis about the storm, actually I had to shout to get my voice across. The wind was screaming!

The winds were so strong that at one point we thought the roof of that resthouse would blow off. Sheer gale force winds! There was hail, sleet, and pouring rain. It was absolute nightmare. We knew if we dared to drive through this storm, it was certain that we would be blown off the road and thrown into the steep valley. So we had to wait for the storm to sober down. The people working at the school told us that they hadn’t seen anything like this ever in all of their tenure working at that place. We have brilliant luck you see!

3.22pm-the winds had mellowed down a bit, the sky was becoming clearer. Dehradun was visible again from our window. The rain had turned into a drizzle. It looked like it was coming to an end after all.

3.30pm-we take a slight risk, and head off to the highway, in a bid to reach Dehradun in time to catch our train.

3.50pm-We had covered only a third of the distance to the station, when we got halted on our way because of a massive traffic lock jam. The line of cars could be seen going down the spiralling road to kilometres stretch. We were in trouble again…………..

News was that a massive tree had fallen on the highway during the storm(not the only one to fall, we saw many on the way). Therefore the traffic was stuck due to the road block. The tree was removed quickly, but we still couldn’t move on, as many reckless people had stuck their cars in a double line along the road, and thus the cars coming from the other side didn’t have any way to go ahead. It took us 40 minutes to get going from that point ahead.

4.30pm- our driver was trying desperately to move fast, so that we would reach in time, but the traffic was too slow and chaotic. It was a losing battle against time as the train’s departure time was 5pm sharp, and we not even reached the outskirts of Dehradun.

4.55pm-still on the roads on Dehradun city, the driver even took to the by-lanes of the city to avoid traffic and lights, so that we can reach on time. But it looked like a never ending journey towards the station. We were now hoping that they delay the departure somehow, but alas it was too much to ask.

5.07pm- we finally reach the station, only to find that we missed the train by just 2 minutes. DAMN!

We were tired and broken from all the tension of trying to reach in time. And now we were heart broken as well. We wanted to reach Delhi that day desperately, as mom wasn’t too well and she had her fast on Monday as well.

Then someone from her staff suggested that we do a JabWeMet scenario, i.e. we further travel by road to Saharanpur station, as the train goes from Dehradun to Saharanpur via Haridwar in about 2 hrs, we could go to Saharanpur straight away from a shorter road route.

Suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel!

So we travelled to Saharanpur via Rajaji National Park(famous for elephants and other wild animals), it was surreal, with stands of huge trees on both sides of the road, so green and so jungly!! Lol

We caught our train from Saharanpur( no JabWeMet missing the train again). I have missed very few in my life, and that too not due to my own erring. Thankyou Babajee, for keeping my record!

At that point I almost felt like screaming-I WANNA GO HOME!!

Finally now I’m safely back in Delhi, in my comfy abode. PHEW!!! What a trip! Craziness personified…………

The Birds are flying away into Oblivion!

The latest IUCN red list, 2008 represents a grim image of the avian fauna around the world-
BONN, Germany, May 20, 2008 (ENS) - One in eight of the world's bird species are at risk of extinction, and climate change is accelerating many of the factors that puts these birds at risk, according to the newly published 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species of birds.

The list was presented Monday as a United Nations conference on biological diversity opened in Bonn.

Long-term drought and sudden extreme weather events are putting additional stress on the pockets of habitat that are important to many threatened bird species, the report shows. This, coupled with extensive and expanding habitat destruction, has led to an increase in the rate of extinction on continents and away from islands, where most historical extinction has occurred, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN.

The listing of the Spoon-billed sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, has been changed from Endangered to Critically Endangered. Fewer than 100 breeding pairs remain. (Photo by Chris Kelly courtesy BirdLife International)

The 2008 Red List shows there are 1,226 species of bird now threatened, and eight species newly listed as Critically Endangered, the highest threat category.

"This latest update of the IUCN Red List shows that birds are under enormous pressure from climate change," says Jane Smart, head of IUCN's Species Programme.

"The IUCN Red List is the global standard when it comes to measuring species loss so we urge governments to take the information contained in it seriously and do their level best to protect the world's birds," she said.

"Species are being hit by the double whammy of habitat loss and climate change," said Dr. Stuart Butchart of BirdLife International. "As populations become fragmented the effect of climate change can have an even greater impact, leading to an increased risk of local extinctions."

Of the 26 species that changed category owing to changes in population size, rate of decline or range size, 24 were listed to a higher level of threat.

Yet there is some good news in the report. Two species whose situations have improved are the Marquesan Imperial pigeon, Ducula galeata, and the little spotted kiwi, Apteryx owenii, both the beneficiaries of conservation.

Actions plans have resulted in the downlisting of both species to lower threat categories.

"This goes to show not only that conservation action works but that it is vital if we are to prevent the extinction of these and other species," says Dr. Butchart, BirdLife's global research and indicators coordinator.

Climate change is likely to figure more prominently in future Red List updates, says the IUCN.

For instance, the listing of the spoon-billed sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, has been changed from Endangered to Critically Endangered, owing to degradation of the tidal flats the species depends on in its migratory and wintering ranges.

The spoon-billed sandpiper has a naturally limited breeding range on the Chukotsk peninsula and southwards along the Kamchatka peninsula, in northeastern Russia. It migrates down the western Pacific coast to its main wintering grounds in India and southeast Asia.

Climate change and associated habitat shifts are expected to harm this species and others dependent on tundra habitat for breeding. Only an estimated 50 to 249 birds remain, and modeling indicates that 57 percent of the spoon-billed sandpiper's breeding habitat could be lost to climate change by 2070.

Mallee emuwren, Stipiturus mallee (Photo by Tony Crittenden)

In Australia, the Mallee emuwren, Stipiturus mallee, is undergoing a very rapid population decline, and its habitat is now so fragmented that a single bushfire could be catastrophic.

Years of drought, particularly in the southern and western parts of the species' range, have affected the health of the vegetation on which it relies and has almost led to the emuwren's extinction in South Australia, where the last significant population includes just 100 birds confined to 100 square kilometers.

In Papua New Guinea, deforestation caused by a rising demand for land for the cultivation of palm oil has led to species such as New Britain goshawk, Accipiter princeps, being uplisted to a higher threat category.

To combat the ever increasing threat of extinction to so many species, BirdLife has launched the Preventing Extinctions Programme, which targets all 190 Critically Endangered birds on the 2008 IUCN Red List. BirdLife finds "Species Champions" who will fund the work of nominated "Species Guardians" for each bird - organizations and people best placed to carry out the conservation work necessary to prevent the loss of these species.

The Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity that opened Monday in Bonn is the last formal international gathering where meaningful progress toward the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target can be made, says the IUCN.

"We need to act now to stop the destruction of life on this planet," says Sebastian Winkler, head of IUCN's Countdown 2010. "Although governments have promised to save biodiversity by 2010, they will not achieve this target on their own."

The 2010 biodiversity target was first adopted by European heads of state at the EU Summit in Gothenburg in June 2001. They decided that "biodiversity decline should be halted with the aim of reaching this objective by 2010."

The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg confirmed the 2010 biodiversity target and called for "the achievement by 2010 of a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biological diversity."

"The problem of climate change and biodiversity loss requires precise and decisive action from delegates in Bonn," says IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre. "We need sophisticated and uncompromised strategies to address these issues - the world expects nothing less."

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Science and nature reporter, BBC News

Marquesan imperial-pigeon is a success story

Climate change is "significantly amplifying" the threats facing the world's bird populations, a global assessment has concluded.

The 2008 IUCN Bird Red List warns that long-term droughts and extreme weather puts additional stress on key habitats.

The assessment lists 1,226 species as threatened with extinction - one-in-eight of all bird species.

The list, reviewed every four years, is compiled by conservation charity BirdLife International.

"It is very hard to precisely attribute particular changes in specific species to climate change," said Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's global research and indicators co-ordinator.

"But there is now a whole suite of species that are clearly becoming threatened by extreme weather events and droughts."

In the revised Red List, eight species have been added to the "critically endangered" category.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED - NEW ADDITIONS Tristan albatross Spoon-billed sandpiper Tachira antpitta Reunion cuckooshrike Mariana crow Floreana mockingbird Akekee Gough bunting (Source: Bird Red List 2008 update)

One of these was the Floreana mockingbird (Nesomimus trifasciatus), which is confined to two islets in the Galapagos Islands.

From an estimated maximum of 150 in the mid-1960s, the population has fallen to fewer than 60.

Conservationists listed the mockingbird as Critically Endangered because it experienced a high rate of adult mortality during dry years that have been linked to La Nina events.

Dry years have become more frequent in recent years, and have been blamed as the main driver of the current decline.

"Another threat for small island species, such as the Floreana mockingbird, is the threat from invasive species, in particular mammals and plants," Dr Butchart told BBC News.

"They are having a devastating effect on habitats. For example, goats and donkeys on Floreana are changing the ecological structure.

"Eliminating or controlling invasive species is a very tractable conservation action that can help these birds hang on in the face of these additional pressures from climate change.

Floreana mockingbird now numbers fewer than 100 birds

"The key actions that are needed to prevent a species like this from going extinct are the very broad-scale climate-change mitigation measures - such as reducing our carbon emissions, limiting the global average temperature rise to no more than 2C (3.6F), and changing society's values and lifestyles."

Dr Butchart said another example of a species being affected by shifts in the climate was the akekee (Loxops caeruleirostris), a Hawaiian honey-creeper.

"Not only is it being negatively impacted by prolonged heavy rain causing nesting failures, but they are extremely threatened by introduced diseases, which are carried by invasive mosquitoes.

"The mosquitoes have been restricted to lower altitudes, so the birds do best at heights above which the mosquitoes can go and pass on avian malaria.

"But because of climate change, the temperature zones are shifting. It is getting warmer at higher altitudes, so the mosquitoes can now move higher.

"This is eliminating the mosquito-free zone that the birds used to occupy."

More continental species, such as the Eurasian curlew, are struggling

As a result, Dr Butchart explained, this bird was also being uplisted to the status of Critically Endangered.

Despite the latest assessment showing a continuing downward trend in the world's bird populations, he said that conservationists were still optimistic that many species could be saved.

"It is undoubtedly true that we are facing an unprecedented conservation crisis but we do have conservation success stories that give us hope that not all threatened species are doomed.

"We have the solutions but what we need are the resources and political will."

BirdLife International has recently launched its Preventing Extinctions Programme, which targets the 190 species listed as Critically Endangered.

Its goal is to find a "species champion" for each bird, who will fund the on-the-ground conservation work of "species guardians".

"Success stories provide us with the great hope that this can be achieved, provided that we act soon enough."

Hawaii's Maui parrotbill is another clinging on to existence

One bird that has been downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered in the latest assessment is the Marquesan imperial-pigeon (Ducula galeata).

The main threat facing the bird came from rats, an invasive species.

In order to protect the population of the slow-breeding birds, conservationists moved 10 adults to a neighbouring rat-free island between 2000 and 2003.

The new community of pigeons is now established on the island, and conservationists are hopeful that the population will reach 50 by 2010.

"This has greatly reduced the extinction risk because the bird is now spread over a couple of islands," observed Dr Butchart.

"This goes to show not only that conservation works but that it is vital if we are to prevent the extinction of these and other species."

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Ominous news for India as well, as 88 species are under threat in India-

— Photo: John O’Sullivan/RSPB

In danger: A Spoon-billed Sandpiper chick.

HYDERABAD: Presenting a depressing scenario of avian wealth, the much-awaited IUCN Red List 2008 released on Monday night features India prominently among the ten countries in the world having the largest number of threatened species of birds.

Brazil tops the list with 141 while India is ranked seventh with 88, reports the BirdLife International, the Cambridge based global alliance of conservation organisations and an authority for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Of the 88 threatened species in India that includes migratory, 13 are categorised as Critically Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild), 10 as Endangered (facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild) and the remaining as Vulnerable (facing high risk of extinction in the wild). Two of the species, Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri) and Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus), have been uplisted, from Vulnerable to Endangered and from Endangered to Critically Endangered respectively.

The decline of the Pochard’s population was traced to wetland destruction while that of charismatic Sandpiper’s to habitat loss in its breeding, passage and wintering grounds and effects of climate change. The other Critically Endangered species include Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa), Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea), White- bellied heron (Ardea insignis), Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus), Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus) and four species of vultures.

Elsewhere, the 2008 Red List makes grim reading with 1,226 species of bird in the world now threatened and eight species newly uplisted to Critically Endangered, the highest threat category. Of the 26 species that changed category owing to changes in their population size, rate of decline or range size, 24 were uplisted to a higher level of threat. These include continental species like Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) and Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata), both previously of Least Concern, and now regarded as Near Threatened in a global context.

BirdLife International says climate change has become firmly established as an accelerant to many of the factors which have put one in eight of the world’s birds at risk of extinction. Long- term drought and sudden extreme weather are putting additional stress on the pockets of habitat that many threatened species depend on.

In Australia, Malleee Emuwren (Stipiturus mallee) is undergoing a very rapid population decline (100 birds confined to 100 km stretch) and its habitat is now so fragmented that a single bushfire could be catastrophic.

In Galapagos Islands, Floreana Mockingbird (Nesomimus trifasciatus) is confined to two islets off Floreana. Its population has declined from an estimated maximum of 150 individuals in 1966 to fewer than 60.

Yet there is some good news. Two species whose situation has improved are Marquesan Imperial- pigeon (Ducula galeata) and Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii), both beneficiaries of conservation. Action plans put in place have resulted in the downlisting to lower threat categories. “This goes to show not only that conservation action works but that it is vital if we are to prevent the extinction of these and other species,” said Dr. Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Global Research and Indicators Coordinator. “Species are being hit by the double whammy of habitat loss and climate change. As populations become fragmented the effect of climate change can have even greater impact, leading to an increased risk of local extinctions,” he added.

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Climate change is becoming a serious threat now. No matter how much we usually want to play down this phenomenon, the fact is that it is actually happening. We can't bury our heads in the ground like an Ostrich. Its all happening right infront of us.

Today only, my father told me "you know what? I have not seen so much rain in the month of May in Delhi in my entire lifetime!", needless to say, my concerns about this untimely rainy weather were not unfounded.

My father is above 50 y/o. Isn't that alarming enough? This piece of personal information is proof enough for the fact that climate is going berserk. Temperatures in Delhi dropped to 20 deg C! I suffered a headache as my body could not understand the sudden fall in temperatures. The rain still hasn't stopped, and with the consistency it has rained, it hardly looks like a result of squally weather. Its way past the squall now, it IS looking like monsoon rainfall, that slow and steady drizzle, increasing in volume sometimes, with blanket like nimbus clouds covering the sky. Monsoon-like weather in the month of May?!!

This is disturbing me now. I usually love rainy weather, i enjoy the sound of thunder and rain. But right now my is reacting to it. I cant take this change in the weather system, my body was ready for the heat, but suddenly it went cold! This not good at all. So many questions are cropping up in my mind now- has the monsoon changed it's timing? then what about winter? will it come sooner too? what about the crops which were due to harvest at this time round? how will the growing food demand be met if the crop gets destroyed by these freak rains?

Struggle for Semi Final spot intensifies

IPL 2008 Points Table

Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR Rajasthan Royals 11 9 2 0 0 18 +0.950 Kings XI Punjab 11 8 3 0 0 16 +0.436 Chennai 12 7 5 0 0 14 -0.209 Mumbai Indians 11 6 5 0 0 12 +0.663 Delhi Daredevils 12 6 6 0 0 12 +0.350 Kolkata 12 5 7 0 0 10 -0.167 Bangalore 12 3 9 0 0 6 -1.317 Deccan Chargers 11 2 9 0 0 4 -0.463

In the race for the semis, RR is currently leading the pack with 18 points. So their place is well secured in the semis.

Then there’s KXI- with 16 points, more or less into the semis now.

Now for the 3^rd and 4^th spot, serious competition is taking place between team- DD, MI, and CSK. KKR are more or less out of the tourney, after their losses to CSK(on 18^th may) and RR(on 20^th may), they are at 10 points. The other teams in competition will have to lose all of their matches, for KKR to qualify- tall order.

The equation is getting more and more complicated, as MI lost to KXI yesterday in one of closest matches of the IPL, leaving them alongside DD at 12 points. While Sachin played a very controlled and stable innings of 65, the other batsmen failed to score around him. other than perhaps Nayar and Jayasuriya, everyone looked out of sorts. as a result, MI, who looked to be sailing through to yet another win, choked miserably in the end. I must add here, that Robin Uthappa has dissappointed me gravely over the past few months. He has failed to deliver with the bat, and his fielding has only been average so far(only a few good catches here and there, nothing consistent), i'm afraid to say, his inclusiion in the national side should also be questioned now. But, coming back to leader board, MI have one extra match left to play, they have played only 11 matches, while DD have played 12. DD take on KKR today, at Delhi only, but this match is looking like a washout as rains haven’t stopped since last week. So in that scenario, each team will be given 1-1 point, which will take DD to 13 points and KKR to 11 points. Now in the next game, DD have to play MI, so this is looking like a scrip well written for total nail biting thriller. You never know what happens next. MI will play RR and play RC in their last match, the results of those matches will also be crucial. If MI happen to win both of those games, then its curtains for DD, but if they manage only one win, then DD might qualify- all this depends on the result of the DD vs MI match. Whoever wins that one, has a safer bet. And run rate shall also play a major role in deciding the proceedings.

As for CSK, they are under a bit of heat now. They lost to RC last night, pulling them back in the leader board, and bringing them nearer to MI and DD in terms of score, with only 14 points. This means only a difference of one win against those two. One more loss, and they shall find themselves in the whirlwind of jostling for the semis with DD and MI. They had the match well within their reach, but thanks to some really brash and utterly brainless shot selection by the CSK batsmen, they couldn't even reach a small total of 127. Their loss to RC has opened up the points table. They play RR and DC in their last two matches. While DC looks like easy picking right now(but never underestimate, they have lost to DC in their previous meeting, so it aint that simple), winning over RR will be crucial. If they lose both, then I guess DD and MI will go into the semis.

PHEW!!

So much speculation!

RC and DC have assumed the role of party spoilers for now, as RC have already done it against CSK, DC can do it too. So lets see what transpires, who qualifies and who bites the dust. Its cliff hanger time!!

Its raining hat-tricks!

Its amazing how T20 format is turning out. At first notion it was considered as a batman’s glory game, and a bowler’s guillotine. But looking at the number of hat-tricks being taken just in the inaugural tourney of IPL, it doesn’t that ominous from a bowler’s point of view. First it was Balaji(CSK), then Mishra(DD) and the latest is Ntini(CSK). So it can’t be bad for bowlers eh?

As to why its raining hat-tricks, there is one simple logical answer to this question – Pressure

If one notices the timing of all these hat-tricks, it’s evident that these wickets were taken at a time when batsmen were under immense pressure of jumping required run rates and diminishing number of balls, more popularly known as death. So given such a situation, a bowler doesn’t need to try any form of rocket science stuff to get wickets, just keeping it simple can do the trick. Bowling stump to stump, keeping a good length, with an occasional variation of pace is more than enough. The moment the batsman mis-times the shot, you get the opportunity to take a wicket. And that is exactly what the likes of Balaji,Mishra and Ntini did.

Balaji is back, with a bang! The guy had a long time off cricket due to stress fractures in his back. He deserves much credit for his immaculate performance against KXIPunjab. He has this ability to vary his pace, that makes him dangerous. That subtle variation of pace is the key, Fooling the batsman and leading him to mistime his shot. But I personally give him more points for get his first two scalps in that match(Marsh and Sarwan),than for the hat trick. They were the most crucial wickets in my opinion, to win the match. But anyway, I’m happy that he’s back now,and I hope to see him back in the Indian squad sooner than later.(yeah I know the obvious question- so who shall be kicked out? Million dollar question it is. Good competition is the best thing for a team)

Mishra was a bit of a surprise package. I have yet to see him in action more often, so for now my views are reserved. But atleast I hope his presence is enough to restrain Viru from trying to bowl again.

As for Ntini, the guy didn’t even know he had taken a hat-trick! He only realised it when his team mates told him so. The comedy of that moment was that Ntini’s first victim of hat-trick was trapped on the last ball of his over. After this he went off and came to bowl his next spell about an hour later. So, by that time the memory of that last ball wicket had faded into the floodlights. He took two consecutive wickets in his returning spell. Hat-trick completed! along with it KKR faced yet another defeat, with rain gods not favouring them at all.

Now how many more to go, we can’t say yet. Lets wait n watch………………….

PS-DD won their match against RC yesterday, which is a relief. for now atleast they are some how getting a hang of their winning ways again. But the MI threat looms large on now, and semis birth looks a little out of reach. yet, its too early to say anything, they might just scamper in. But their middle order batting woes continued in the last match also. Thats one area DD are extremely vulnerable. They desperately need someone solid and dependable down there. Or else shall i say they dont even have a slightest chance to win a semi final(even if they do manage to qualify).

Weather Gods not happy with IPL?

The weather in northern India is going crazy again. At first we didn’t mind it much, dismissing it as just another squall of the season, and it looked obvious that it wont last beyond one-two days.

But the way things are going, it looks as if its already pre-monsoon showers knocking at our doors, or shall I say banging at our doors! The winds were recorded to be around 100kmp a few days ago when the first bout hit the city of Delhi. There was dust, dust and even more dust flying around. I remember, I went scampering here and there, trying close the doors and windows of my house before a sand is created inside. I had to call my domestic help from the back to help me out. Yet, doing so looked almost like a mission impossible, as I found myself in a whirlwind of sand and dust. Dust in my eyes, dust in my hair, my mouth, my clothes covered in dust…………EEEEEEEEEEEkkky!

We somehow managed to close all the windows, without any glass shattering, but by that time I was under a heap of dust, and having a coughing fit. It was an awful experience.

But I consider myself lucky, not much damage suffered other than inconvenience. Others suffered a lot more than me I guess.

So, such a weather is obviously ominous new for any form of cricket. The weather didn’t change much for the DD vs KXIpunjab match. In the beginning itself, we could hear the thunder above the stadium(which is not very far from my home, so it was live thunder action cast for me). DD batsmen knew that it may well come down pouring, so they picked up the run rate as much as could, till the rain burst finally happened. The match was delayed(no surprises at all). Then it was the cat and mouse game the rain played with us. It stopped for a while, and it looked as though play would resume, but then it started drizzling again, then stopped, then drizzled..

---stop---drizzle---stop---drizzle---

Finally when the play resumed amid fears of yet another break in play, DD had just above 2 overs left to complete their innings (overs cut to 11 per side). Needless to say, a set Sehwag had lost the touch, and the new ones didn’t have enough time to settle, so the score didn’t really fly off in those 2 overs. Target of 123 in 11 overs was set for KXI. (this D/L mumbojumbo is amazing!)

As happens with any rain delayed match, controversy was lurking right behind the umpires. The rain gods got pissed once again and the play was stopped at a very faithful time indeed. In the last over bowled, last ball was crucial- if dot,then DD win, if runs scored, then KXI win.(all this would not have been there had Sehwag not bowled that expensive over where 22 runs were scored. Ahh what was he thinking? He had his strike bowlers’ overs intact! Where was the need? Anyway, he possibly hasn’t got his act together yet). So yeah, Jayawardene slammed a six off the last bowl of that over and the game tilted to KXI’s favour. And after that over the umpires went into deep consultation and thought, as to whether its okay to continue with the game or not(with ony 3 more overs left-not more than 6-7 mins needed for it to be over). The discussion went on and on for about 10 mins. Does anyone else see the light here? The rain was not that strong,just a light drizzle at that time, and we have seen matches being continued in that situation. Then what happened to the umpires? Got scared of rain and thunder eh?(kindly add your choice of profanity here, for I felt very kindly to abuse them. ARGH!)

The umpires, they never seize to amaze me and annoy me at the same time.

DD lost the match to the umpires, and KXI got a breather( because they weren’t in as much of a winning situation at that time). DD’s loss is going to hurt them in the race for the semi final birth, for which 2 other teams are also battling-KKR and MI. MI is looking good, as they have not lost their key matches, but KKR got the same treatment as DD got from the rain gods.

The Delhi mini cyclone reached Kolkata when KKR were playing CSK yesterday. The winds were too much for the ground staff, as the covers were flying all over the place, let alone covering the pitch. KKR lost to CSK by D/L method.

And thus this puts MI ahead of DD and KKR in the race for semi spot. So far the rain gods have spared MI, but you never know. If MI lose, its back to square one. Then run rate shall decide who goes into the semi. Lets see what happens………..

Annihilation of Knight Riders

So its MI all the way. First they beat RR,the mystery success of the IPL. Then they go on and beat others too, including the big guns CSK and DD. And now it was SRK's KKR.
DADA Vs SACHIN
A contest of contests. It was supposed to be one cracker of a match, a clash of the TITANS!
well a clash of the most animated n not so well behaved city crowds as well.

BUT, that being that, it turned out to be one the biggest duds of this tourney. TOTAL ANNIHILATION is what i'll call. KKR was mauled by MI. The match was over by 10:15pm!
It was a record breaker of sorts. KKR registered the lowest total in the IPL, while i think MI finished things of in record time.
The Mumbai crowd went absolutely mad. Chanting of sachin! sachin! and the latest entry- surya! surya! were reaching highest possible decibel level. But the most interesting and not so pretty thing was the booing. When Saurav Ganguly came to speak at the presentation ceremony, the booing was resounding in the stadium. Ganguly should probably get used to this behaviour, as Kolkata is also not above such brashness.
Anyway, rowdy crowds are becoming something of a major problem for the organisers. Earlier in DD vs DC match, the Delhi crowd went berserk, certain boorish sorts were found throwing stones at the DD captain Sehwag that evening. It sure wiped out the smile from Mr.SmileySehwag's face. I was shocked, to say the least. Being a Delhi dweller myself, i have watched the crowd in cricket matches live, this was something i had never seen happening anywhere around me. Delhi crowd used to be pretty controlled n on the funnier side of things,shall i say, rather than on the violent one.
I guess i am making a few conclusions now, as to what effect and repercussions IPL is having on India and its cricketana.

PS-it was priceless to see SRK sitting pensively in the KKR dugout, only managing a wry smile now and then when the camera was panning on him. Blowing his trademark kisses as usual, which obviously looked pretty artificial. lol!
for once i could afford not seeing him bouncing around in the stands. I must add, as much as i love the guy, his antics in the stands during the KKR matches have started bothering me now.

Slap-gate and Polly's new nightmare

So lets cut it short,and keep it sweet. Huh?

After Preity’s KXI Punjab won against Mumbai Indians(im calling them MI now, that sounds better, way better!)

Sree(to Bhajji): hardluck man

Bhajji: **SLAP**

Now I don’t know what transpired between the two crackheads of Indian cricket earlier, but this was the resonant ending to it. Or the beginning?

So everything looked normal after Preity’s XI had won, but something seemed strange about it, why the hell was Sree crying after postmatch ceremony? Was the question that was floating in every viewer’s mind at that mo.

Everybody drew own conclusions to it- Sree forgot to take his doze of calming pills; Preity didn’t hug Sree; Sree was so damn happy after winning this man,that tears trickled down his cheeks!

But the fact was stranger than fiction (as usual).

So, we all know this slap hurt Sree,and his fans and indian cricket’s fans, etc etc. but more than that, it opened a whole Pandora's box of controversies which had been buried earlier. who can forget about the Bhajji-Symo tiff? The ausies got the chance to open their mouths again. Well i guess, at least now its all out in the open. But Bhajji seriously needs to get his act together.

He has been fined and banned from a certain number of matches, and Sree has been given a warning(a much needed one. the guy goes psychotic on the field).

The slapgate hurt Mumbai Indians greatly, who were already minus Sachin,their usual captain. So after stand in captain Bhajji got banned, Polly took over as captain. The team was literally in tatters. they were losing, their players were getting into unnecessary controversies, and their main player was injured. What could Polly do in such a hellish situation?

What Polly did was exceptional. He not only picked up the pieces, he glued them together again, and guided the team to its winning ways. I think given the tremendous pressure of handling the most expensive team of the IPL was, it was a job well done by Polly. I think he gave some very uselful tips to the likes of Nehra(remember him? yeah the same guy who went into oblivion after performing brilliantly for India at the World Cup 2007) and Kulkarni. Their bowling attack was suddenly looking threatening. They ended DD's winning streak at their home ground, and started their own from that point onwards. So i guess it was a sweet turn around to a horrid tale.

As for Sree, i may sound like a sadist, but i was quite amused with his sobbing and weeping on the ground after he got the slappy treatment from Bhajji. Oh the irony, when compared with the furious, animated and aggressive Sree we usually get to see on the field, hurling a myriad of abuses at the batsmen(even his own team india teammates werent spared).

After this slap, he has appeared to be tame. So i guess the slap wasnt that bad afterall? It did do something beneficial for the game- It shut him(Sree) up. And i hope it's effects last for a long time.

Jaipur jolted!

The Pink city, Jaipur was greeted by a rude shock on 13 may. it was shocking and numbing for me at the same time, to see the news about this incident.
I have a deep romantic relationship this city. Spent a lot of time there, due to some personal engagements a in my Grad years(which is like 3 years back). All the locations where the bombs went had been the focal points of my visits and stay in Jaipur. We always used to hang around those very areas. It was very disturbing to see the same locations, in a totally different light. It all looked so different, it was not the Jaipur i knew..........
I am still not back to normal. There are many things going of in my mind at the mo............ A man dies while praying in a famous temple-----------is that guy i used to buy my clothes from still alive?------will i ever see the same Jaipur i knew again?......................

the RR IPL team members from foreign countries wanted to leave in the middle of the tourney because the blasts. They are rightfully worried. But they are staying for now, after having been assured by the organisers of prime security. Boy this is heavy.............

IPL tamasha

For all the things gold, I never expected IPL to do so well. We witnessed a total package here. From big hits to hat tricks to slaps to cheerleaders n their oomphy wardrobes!

I admit, even my exams could not keep me away from this sporting extravaganza. I managed to squeeze in 3 hours for cricket bonanza. hehe

So first up it was McCullum from Kolkata Knight Riders, who went ballistic in the first match of the IPL itself. 158 individual score. Man that was phenomenal. Anything that came remotely close to his bat was flying for the boundary! He had everything going his way that day. So much so that he should have bought a few lottery tickets aswell. I doubt if he can do a repeat of this innings ever again. It was once in a lifetime sort of innings from that guy. And it surely helped the cause of the tourney. Kolkata went crazy that day.

And it was quite funny to watch SRK bouncing in the stands like that. Nevertheless, the opposition-Royal Challengers were annihilated. This match marked a sad beginning for the Mallya team, which went on to lose more and more matches down the line.

That RC wont perform was not something you could get from a psychic reading. The day I saw the line up of that team, I wasn’t too thrilled with it.

Personally I don’t even want to go into the ‘what was Dravid thinking?’ discussion. All I can say is that Dravid must retire now,before he loses all his rep in the cricketana.

So if Mccullum was rolling, Michael Hussey wasn’t far behind. The ausie, playing for Chennai Super Kings also made a ton, giving his team a headstart in the tourney against Preity Zinta’s Kings XI Punjab( yeah I know YS is the captain, but even writing his name again n again gives me hives)

So where was my city team, Delhi Daredevils?

Well they made a promising start against Rajasthan Royals, winning by a margin, and that too comfortably. Openers Gauti n Viru (yeah that’s what they have on their shirts, sounds like filmy chutzpah) gave a solid performance. While the bowling machine Pidge (yeah,don’t ask) did what he does best, bowling like a dream. I mean the guy can bowl the same line n length even in sleep. No wonder he bowled the first maiden over in IPL. Any surprises? Nah!

But im afraid, DD have failed to take advantage of the Pidge's brilliance. There is too much dependence on top order for runs, and middle is not finding its feet at all. If this goes on, then i am afraid they dont even deserve to be in the semifinals. They need to get their act together,and quickly too, before they also get kicked in the rear,out from the tourney. Poor form of both keeper bats is not helping either.

(okay, I know I used to be not so great admirer of Pidge earlier, but I guess city cheering helped! Plus he’s a great guy, I think I took those infamous abuses of his a little too seriously.)

As for other teams-

Mumbai Indians got off to a horrid start, with Sachin injured in the beginning only, the skipper cap went to Bhajji, who did every possible bit to leave the Indian nation red faced, and his team in shambles by slapping Sreesanth.(this episode needs a separate space altogether, to be discussed later on). Yeah so Mumbai Indians(I think that’s the most retarded IPL team name ever, in my opinion) went from bad to worse to ugly. Poor polly(Pollock) had his job cut out.

He literally put all the pieces of a scattered team together, and led them to win against major contenders like Jaipur. All i can say is that, whatever success Sachin gets from this side now, he should give 90% of its credit to Polly.

It pains me to write about the Deccan Chargers. Loss after loss, an illusive win here or there, this team,which looked so damn unbeatable on paper,turned dud in the actual competition.(even this story needs a separate space, man do I feel the pain!)

Rajasthan Royals, did well after initial losses, I guess Warne was more than keen to captain a cricket side for years. His latent urges to play skippy had been heard finally. Being both the coach and the captain for RR, I must say I admire and respect the way he has gelled the young team and trained them so well. I mean, it was the cheapest team of the IPL, yet they are at the top of the score ladder now. Hmmmm, if only warney had used his proper head earlier!

That’s about it, I hope I didn’t forget any of the teams (yeah Preity’s team has been mentioned once, that’s enough already)

Its good to be back, and here comes China again

Huh!

Okay, so I have been pretty busy with my exams to pay attention to this space. Its been ages since I wrote something.

Many things went by my thought process all this while. Many things have excited me, yet many have perturbed me. I may write about it all in trickles.

First up, its China again.

Massive earthquake hit China a few days ago. At first, China wasn’t very keen on admitting that it made any ripple on their brows. But slowly the news is escaping the iron grid of Chinese secretive attitude. Now China is admitting that atleast 50,000 people had died. Now that’s an estimate mind ya. And if china is admitting to this number, then it means that a part of it is still under wraps.

My prayers to the souls who left this planet that grim day. But I’m afraid it will be forgotten too easily too soon.