Saturday, February 27, 2010

Yeah yeah I was there when Mr. Tendulkar hit 200

Yeah yeah, me my uncle , my mother and everyone else's chacha were there when Sir Tendlya, the boss of cricket scored a 200. We were all there when the following events also happened.

100 - Headingley 1990 England - Test drawn
114 - Perth - 1991 Australia - India lost.
155 - Chennai - 1998 Australia - India won.
136 - Chennai - 1999 Pakistan - India lost.
98 - Centurion - 2003 Pakistan - India won.
241 - Sydney - 2003 Australia - India won.
Last over - Calcutta - 1994 South Africa - India Won. (The Hero cup semi-final)
5-36 - Kochi - 1998 Australia - India won.
143 - Sharjah - 1998 Australia - India won.
117 - Sydney ? - 2008 Australia - India won. (Finals of the CB Series)
175 - Hyderabad - 2009 Australia - India lost.
163 - Chennai - 2008 - England - India won.


And like most Indians we cheered loud and clear. Reading about it on websites left one slightly disgruntled at planning regulations. The BCCI's speed at removing highlights videos from youtube for copyright claims left one wondering about efficiencies. Finally finding an opportunity to watch it now leaves one contented after a long week's work and getting the chance to visualize certain comments.

The beautiful flick of the wrists that got a boundary from outside off stump to the midwicket boundary. The non-chalant flick from outside off stump to the midwicket boundary to move from 162 to 168. The double to go past a certain Mr. Anwar who got 194 with a runner in Madras on a humid day in 1997.

But on this day - all ijj well, the cold disappears ever so slightly , the sun appears to stay out longer (only till 5:45 p.m.) - the best batsman in the world has 200 off 147 balls. However the wife, who's typically agnostic to cricket forwarded me an analysis possibly also seen by millions others.

If only we were so demanding of the road contractors after the monsoons in Pune...

It certainly does look like this man is on a mission - a mission to win the 2011 world cup. All ye cricket fans plan your vacations in advance, there is only one place to be in 2011.

P.S. It sounds as though cricinfo has ordered some Tendulkar servers ...

Monday, February 15, 2010

Serendipity

Sunday - Valentine's day - what does one do to earn brownie points ? The easiest thing to do was to take the fast train to London, cruise about the Temz and explore parts of London by foot with the wife. Rumours had reached our ears about the existence of an area in London called East Ham and the presence of Saravana Bhavan, Vasanta Bhavan in the general area. This was supposed to be where a Tamilian would find the worth of his salt in the existence of Tayir Saadham (a.k.a Curd Rice, with a seasoning of Curry Leaves, Mustard seeds, salt , green chillies ) ! and the presence of a large number of Cash and Carry stores. Entering one of the cash and carry stores for grocery shopping resulted in a substantial transformation of a swipe into weight for the hands !

Saravana Bhavan is one chain of hotels that prides itself on the taste of its' food being the same across *all* it's kitchens. It was time to verify if this was the case even with the East Ham branch and needless to say that after sampling the necessary items including a full South Indian meal (Full meals Saar!) , an Onion Uthappa , 2 Ghee Pongals the conclusion was reached in the affirmative even if the kitchens are the proverbial 7 seas apart ! There was a consideration to order a Bisibela Bhat or a Ghee Roast but then we've left this for the next time. Advice for others attempting this stunt - please go only after fasting for a day or two !

However as a part of this process, one was asked to sacrifice the Semiya Paayaasam ( a.k.a Kheer, a sweet made with milk and Vermicelli) and after due consideration (which was half a pico second) promptly refused ! Bad Move !

Still searching for the brownie points :(



Books list.

The BBC in a survey in 2003 said that folks only read 6 out of this list of 100 . I've read 36 - the wife's read 36. Is it just the amount of reading that has reduced. What will be the result 5 years hence when the ipad and the Bookstore are all pervasive ? The mind boggles.


P.S. The old adage goes on something about marriages being made in heaven and all that...

Sunday, February 14, 2010

An ode to the German Bakery.

Reading about the cowardly attack on the German Bakery today was quite a scary proposition. The German Bakery holds special value for a lot of folks - foreigners and locals alike. The lethargic ambience, the cup of tea and the wonderful pastries was one of the reasons for it to be a popular hang out joint in Koregaon Park. Having spent many a moon near that area and passing it on the way to work on a daily basis it was quite sad to note the blasts in the area. Immediate thoughts went to friends and family who would usually hang out in that area for a quiet meal or whatever. If one had remained in Pune, it wouldn't have been uncommon to have been having a meal at one of the many great restaurants on North Main Road or transit that road en-route to other restaurants. Saturday evening = Dinner around North Main Road, movie at Ad-Labs.

I hope folks injured by this blast recover quickly and may the souls of those who died rest in peace.