R.S. KRISHNASWAMY writes: Forty years ago in the cricket playing fields of Mysore there was a giant of a batsman called ‘Kolte’ Seena. He appeared on the scene very briefly and used to bat at number 6. He swung at everything and connected 60 per cent of everything. His theory of cricket was that all deliveries there were meant to be hit, and when Seena hit them, they stayed hit.
I had fancied myself as a meaningful offspinner but, in one match I was clouted into the Crawford Hall steps (from the Oval ground), the corridor of the Attara Kacheris and the tennis courts of the Cosmpolitan Club tennis court by Kolte Seena.
This man, our Kolte Seena, would have been a made-to-rder batter for this “BCCI blessed” Twenty20 fiasco.
Cricket is a way of life and is not a carnival. The BCCI had very thoughtfully and decently rejected this version of the game just recently but changed its mind, or rather was rail-roaded to changing its mind, by the ICC who are rather desperate to fill up spectator stands all over the world.
Bowlers win cricket matches and Twenty20 is a death knell for the fine art of bowling which is already under annihilation by the 50 overs business.
Twenty20 is a 75-minute game of 20 slog overs without a breather. A bowler should find his line and length off the first ball. He also has to bowl a quickly decided bouncer, but only four of them in four overs. The bowler, poor fellow, should hurry through his four overs—if he delays even one bit, six runs are added even if the batsman is a rank idiot. A no-ball gets a free hit for the batsman, whatever it may mean.
Thus, the end result will be a batsman running to the middle, swinging at everything and running back. This kind of ridiculous nonsense could bring tears into E.A.S. Prasanna‘s eyes. The great Indian spin quartet of the 1960s and ’70s should collectively advise the BCCI president to drop the whole idea and simply concentrate on his “crops”!
Two people would have loved this form of the cricket. One an American pal of mine, who watched a Test match at my behest and remarked, “Hey, Krish, you mean to say that you need to run when you hit the ball, that’s easy?”
And, of course, Kolte Seena.
Right Sir !!!
The way Cricket is changing, there could be any one of the following possibilities.
1. Since only results matter (as being demonstrated over and again), may be they will flip a coin and decide who won !!!
2. Bowlers could be taken away from the game and the batsmen be asked to toss the ball from their own hands and hit (as it happes during catching practice sessions)
3. Book Cricket (page number thegiyodu, remember the days??) could become an international event.
4. To promote global viewership, a hybrid of cricket and base ball bay be created.
Only problem is we would still accept all this and still love the game we love – CRICKET.
harsha, your item #2 is really funny!
If “Spelling Bee” and “Beach Volleyball” can be branded as sports, then book cricket definitely deserves a place. Hell, Tic-Tac-Toe and “chukki ATa” and “Rangloi” should all be amed international sports. For Heaven’s sake some of the highly prices “SPORTS” channels have “competitions” such as “Girls with Short Shorts” and “Playgirl centerfold search” on TV. if this is not based on viewership, what is. The problem I have is putting them all under the “SPORTS” umbrella. Oh please, hit me.
We will all predict that Twenty20 is going to be a disatster. But as Harsha rightly pointed out, sicne it’s called “Cricket”, I bet we will all fall in love with it some day, very soon.
Hey! Is this Tumbi I used to know in NIE?
LOL…it really depends on which tumbi you are talking of. There are 4 people who have posted before you in this chain ?(including Mr. RSK).
Hey, you name reminds me…the GAS prices in America are sky rocketing ;)
Dear December Stud,
Sorry if I confused you. I meant R.S.Krishnaswamy alias Tumbi.Hope it is clear.
Pardon me as I am a little slow on the uptake- I didn’t get the what you had in mind about the GAS prices in America. Explain?
icc is doing its best to destroy the game.
look at these events,
bangladesh – given test status- more one sided games- world records carry no meaning
20-20 cricket— like a movie , masala ,colour . cricket without substance.
purists will loose interest, kids will take up other sports.
VT (also SOM) headline says Wadiyar gunning for Brijesh? I had spilled the beans some time back in one of the threads in churmuri!! So ‘kolte yuvaraja’ may well bring in 20-20 to KSCA and may usher along with cricket some fashion show between the breaks for entertainment with his Royal Silk and attendant gorgeous Models!! How about that ?
LOL @ Anil, it had to be RSK when you said “Tumbi”. I was just pulling your leg (too much time at hand). Oh and isn’t anila = gas ;)
Dear Dec.Stud,
Thanks for the clarification.The air(anila) is cleared. Incidentally,just curious,what about other months?
Incidentally,just curious,what about other months?
STUD be comes STUPID ;)
Ahhhh Nash…how original ;) Oh, and I love your basketball…it’s just that you run too much too fast !!
yen guru yidhu baree Ogatalli maathadthidheera…Bari Slyaangu