Belfast trip for the India-SA match

It was all worth it: getting up at 4.30, running after a bus as tubes don’t start early on Sunday, waiting for the bus in gloomy conditions at Belfast Airport, waiting 3.5 hours for the match to start after continuous inspections: a great 31-over a side match, and one that India won by showing one thing they have not shown often in the past: character.

Yuvraj and Dravid engineered a perfect victory: in two very distinct phases. After losing 3 early wickets, the partnership almost decided that runs are immaterial. However frustrating that was as a spectator, the cricketing minds in them said that the required run-rate was not too high anyway; so taking 5-7 overs off the pedal won’t ruin things. I mean they hardly scored a run every 10 balls in this phase – and this was a rain-reduced shorter match. But the conditions were really tough as was shown during the SA innings earlier. And when they decided they were well-set, what an exhibition of cricketing shots: the exquisite straight drive from yuvi, the 3 fours in an over from Dravid showing aggression and most of all the effortless straight six by Yuvi off Steyn. Had to leave the last 4 overs as would have missed the flight otherwise, but man such matches are rare

Btw, am on TV now: the courtside Wimbledon seats last Friday got coverage, and at least BBC has me showing in the highlights

Just submitted my last MBA assignment – the longest time taking by far – such an outlier that its not even funny – did a dynamic model of a social networking service market leader – how it grows explosively and what factors will slow that growth  – phew

 

Current and Future Cricket

West Indies lost again (to England), and quite meekly at that. The match only lasted 3 1/2 days (I know, I know, those who don’t follow cricket will say – only!!) and the Windies just never got into the game. One of my English classmates just remarked right now “Bring on the Indians”. I think when India visits soon, we will be much better competition, for sure. However, I do doubt that we will be able to win. Don’t get me wrong, I will be very very happy if we did. Just that any seaming/bouncy track and we have every chance of getting out twice. While our bowling is good,  I don’t know if it’s that good.

I really wanna play cricket myself, but doesn’t look like I am in the organizer’s good books these days. So decided to go to Belfast to see India vs South Africa on 1st July; that’s gonna be great fun day.

 

Insightful quote, but a day day surrounding it

My flat mate and cricket skipper, Vijay, to me when I ask him if he objects to my putting on a light blue sweater on the field as it was cold “Between life and cricket, chose life. Between MBA and cricket, chose cricket” !!!

And then he gets all angry on me when he thought my decision to give him out was all wrong. Anyway, dropped catch and bad fielding at  deep square leg boundary, only couple of runs as opener and then 2 bad decisions – a bad day at work you have to say

Thank God India won the Bangladesh match (gosh, what will it come to next!!)

 

Print Media and TV viewing

    When people talk about how the Internet is killing off other traditional media forms, I  don’t accept it .  I don’t deny that  the Internet is giving these guys a stiff competition, but hey you are living in a (mostly) capitalist world. My second year project was for The National Magazine Company (the publisher of Cosmo, if you haven’t heard of them) and while doing my academic report I found this fact on the most credible UK consumer research company Mintel report: Women’s magazines have grown 25% since 2001 in retail sales. Further, some of the sub-segments like upper-class glossies and older-age targeted magazines are growing strongly. Yes, you might say that the growth could have been much more earlier; but 25% growth in 5 years for an entire segment is not really called being killed off. I think if you do it right, the traditional channels still have a lot left in them. And this, coming from an obsessive Internet supporter for delivery channels.

I am watching my TV today after ages: CSI, Grey’s Anatomy and county cricket. (One of my flatmates and I got in a TV and took the Sky subscription back in October 2006 just for cricket, and especially the world cup. We all know how much cricket the Indians watched in this world cup!) I like the long previews Sky gives for channels, especially the Hindi-ones. I don’t think a 5-minute preview in a small box on the screen would convince me to subscribe for a channel, as it is done elsewhere in the world.