Last night, most of the news channels that I saw were showing just one news - BCCI has decided against sending a team to the Asian Games later this year in November at Guangzhou, China.
What amused me was the fact that this news has generated a lot of ire against the BCCI. While the media being against the BCCI is not a new occurence, but the reasons given certainly left me puzzled.
Why is BCCI not sending a team to the Asian Games? What is the BCCI's take on it?
As per the Future Tours Program, India is supposed to host New Zealand for a Test and ODI bilateral series during that period. Considering that India will also be hosting Australia for 7 ODIs (it may change to include Tests as well) just before the New Zealand tour and will tour South Africa immediately after the New Zealand tour, there is just no space to reschedule the tour.
What are the allegations against the BCCI made by the media?
The first allegation that is being made is that BCCI is a money-thirsty animal, and sees no profit in sending the team to China for the Asian Games. The news channels have gone to the extent of saying that BCCI feels no pride in sending an Indian team and just wants more of IPL and the money.
Loads of blasphemy! I guess that BCCI bashing has become an obsession with the Indian media. There may be no money in sending a team to the Asian Games... but then there isn't a lot of money in hosting New Zealand either. Infact, considering that the Asian Games would have meant more of Twenty20, it might just have generated more money than Tests and ODIs with New Zealand.
And even against New Zealand, we will see an Indian outfit... not an IPL club. They will still be playing for the pride of representing India, whether its against New Zealand or whether its in China. So the media men should get a hold of themselves while alleging that there is no pride left in representing India.
And what pride will be earned by beating Oman, Afghanistan, UAE and China to earn an Asian Games medal? Wouldn't the national pride be better served by beating New Zealand in Tests and ODIs... try and retain the No. 1 ranking in Tests and get to the No. 1 in ODIs?
Sorry, this one will not include any cricket. It's all about tennis.
At 7.45 p.m. on Tuesday, 1st June 2010... Robin Soderling from Sweden served out the 10th game of the 4th set in his Men's Singles Quarterfinal match against the Top Seed, World No. 1 and Defending Champion Roger Federer from Switzerland to mark one of the biggest wins of his career.
Soderling defeated Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 to enter the Semifinals at Roland Garros. In the process, he snapped a Federer world record streak... This will be the first time since French Open (again) 2004 that Roger Federer will not feature in a Grand Slam semi-final... that means a record of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-final appearances from Federer has come to an end. This was also Soderling's first win over Federer in 13 meetings now.
Soderling has ousted a defending champion at the French Open for the 2nd consecutive year now... and with the 15th seed Tomas Berdych as his opponent for the semi-finals, he must be fancing his chances to featuring in his second consecutive Roland Garros final.
I would love to see a final between the King of Clay Rafael Nadal and the Swede Robin Soderling. It would be a chance for Rafa to seek revenge over Soderling, who broke his 31-match winning streak on the Parisan clay last year in the 4th round. It would also be a chance for Soderling to show that his win over Nadal last year was no fluke... and a chance to cap off a brilliant last 12 months commencing at this very venue - the Phillipe Chartrier Court at Roland Garros, Paris.
With 3 of the top 5 seeds still in the draw, it makes for an exciting few days (weather permitting) to the French Open 2010 final.
For some reason, I used to like this ad a lot. Now when I come to think of it, I just don't understand why. But it was fun to catch up with this ad once again!
It's raining in Pune, India... the place I stay! It's raining in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe... the place where Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe competed in a shortened ODI! And it's raining in Paris, France... disrupting the Men's Quarter Final match at the French Open 2010 between top seed and World No. 1 Swiss Roger Federer and the No. 5 seed Swede Robin Soderling in a repeat of last year's final!
Thankfully, tennis matches are suspended till the rain stops and are resume when the conditions permit unlike in cricket, where we apply the extraordinary brainwork of a certain Mr. Frank Duckworth and a certain Mr. Tony Lewis!
All I can say now is... rain rain go away, come again another day!
