Category / Sports

Views on sports & sportsmen

by Manmohan Dhar

Cricket Confronts Yet Another Tragedy, Warrants Rebuilt.

In yet another tragic incident, a young cricketer, Bavalan Pathmanathan, died on Sunday after being hit on chest by a ball in Long Ditton, Surrey, UK, on Sunday.

24-year-old was hit by the ball when he was batting for Hersham-based Manipay Parish Sports Club at Long Ditton Recreation Ground during a division three match of the British Tamils Cricket League (BTCL).

Immediately after the incident an ambulance, two cars, along with another air ambulance reached to the scene to assist him.

Pathmanathan was treated at the scene and then taken into Kingston Hospital in a serious condition.

But the cricketer subsequently passed away with the cause of death believed to be heart failure.

well, if this is cricket then I am afraid this is not the name of the game.

A complete overhauling is what is needed the most in this gentleman’s game.

Players’ life is what should be the supreme rule of law in cricket law books.

In fact what is the need of the hour is totally over looked by the authorities governing the game.

A cricket field is like a place of great sanctity atleast for those who worship cricket. So how come, in stead of being cool, sober, friendly and above all sporting, the players engage themselves into a sort of warfare, aggression and hatred. How, do they think, they are doing some kind of service to the game and the game lovers.

In sports, there is no room for hatred. then why is the unwarranted aggression shown by some players on the field, not being viewed with a sense of great concern.

Why do the players, who are bent upon maligning the sanctity of the game, roam scot- free.

Though this, yet another tragic event, may not be the outcome of any sort of aggression, but that doesn’t mean that everything is OK with the game.

Actions speak louder than words, then what is the need to destabilize your opponent by passing ugly and awkward comments while playing.

If a bowler bowls a bouncer, I think it is the out burst of his aggression, and can very easily be avoided. But then it needs rules to be amended, in order to call it a no ball ab initio accompanied by a huge penalty in the shape of fine imposed on the erring player.

They can change rules to make the game more sensational, but they will never frame rules to make the game more safe and player friendly. How ironical.

Discipline is what is slowly and steadily eluding the gentleman’s game. And that is the matter of grave concern for the cricket lovers.

Allowing the players to indulge in show business, advertising and adopting all sorts of means to amass wealth, has brought about a drastic change in the over all mind set and the psyche of the players, making them more arrogant and indisciplined.

All this needs to be checked, that too very fast, so that the game could be saved from any further damage.

Players who indulge in such practices and still give a good show on the field, makes some sense. But consistent flop shows should be dealt with punitive measures.

Last but not the least I would insist that the game of cricket is getting more and more popular the world over, let us take some corrective steps in order to make it much safer and near to being called “A gentleman’s game”.

My deepest condolences to the family of the departed young soul.

May his soul rest in peace.

JAI HIND.

 

by Manmohan Dhar

No Mind Games It Is The Fear

When Australian cricket captain Micheal clarke says in a press conference that Australia will have to put everything together to beat a cricketing giant like India. He speaks a spade a spade.

When he says Dhoni has been exceptional in his captaincy during the world cup. He speaks a spade a spade.

It is not the mind game he is playing, it is his fear psychosis which makes him to appreciate the ultimate beauty of Indian Cricket.

It is ironic to hear the Indian cricket stalwarts say that Australia is playing, what they call it, “the Mind Game”

See how they themselves degrade the standards of a strong cricketing side like India.

They are not ready to accept that India is playing fantastic cricket in this world cup.

I put it the other way round. India is playing exceptional cricket and it is not the “mind game” which will hinder them. it will only and only be, GOD FORBID, their poor performance which will come in their way to conquer the finals.

Please start believing in your team. and stop giving weightage to the fearful statements of the opponents.

Cricket is a game which chases the day, and not the team. It is the particular day when you play to the given circumstances.

Cricket is game of uncertainties and you never know how it progresses under given circumstances.

Clarke’s statement is the outcome of fear and please for god’s sake never call it a “Mind Game”

India is the cricketing giant in the present scenario.

And India will triumph.

JAI BHARAT.

by Manmohan Dhar

Gentleman’s Game suffers yet another jolt

Destiny hits cricket fatally once again. After Raman Lamba, it is Phillip Hughes now.
Raman was 38 when he was hit by a Bangladesh batsman, and Phillip Hughes was just 25, having his birthday on coming Saturday, when he would turn 26.
Misfortune knocked ruthlessly at the door of Australian cricket when Phillip Hughes suffered fatal head injury while negotiating a bouncer ball from Sean Abbott, in a sheffield shield cricket match, and the ill fate as it would be, it turned out to be the, ” last ball ” he played in his life.
What would have been the level of helplessness for his mother and sister who too had come to see their darling in action, and soon realised that this was the last they could see him play.
A sad and dark day for world cricket, in fact for the whole of mankind.
We deeply and with dampened eyes mourn the tragic and unfortunate demise of this promising cricketer and a very humble gentleman.
We should not even ignore the agony and shock that Sean Abbott, will be in, at this point of time.
Cricket lovers need to be beside him counselling and sympathising.
May Almighty God give peace to the departed soul and courage to the family to bear this irreparable loss.
Can cricket be so dangerous a game, so close to fatality, is something the cricketing bodies world over need to give a serious thought to.

by Manmohan Dhar

The Ball Boy Culture; An Opportunity Or Child Labour

Children across the world are being used as “ball boys”,  in most of the sporting events especially in the course of popular games like tennis and cricket.
The teens run across the tennis courts like slaves helping their masters. They collect balls when hit by the cricketers for boundaries ( fours and sixes), despite the fact that the fielder reaches it at the very same moment. And the need for the ball boys gets nullified instantly.
There are laws in all sporting countries which identify the nature and form of child labour. And if seen with a right perspective, then ball boy culture tantamounts to child labour.
But irony of the fact is that the sporting bodies and even the parents think that it is the lifetime opportunity for the child to be in direct touch with the world class players which in the bargain,  polishes his sporting abilities.
Yes, that is absolutely right to be in direct contact with the sporting legends is of course a lifetime opportunity for any budding sportsman aspiring to become the best in the game.
But couldn’t we think of much better and dignified way for these tiny toddlers, to be in a direct contact with their playing icons and ideals.
The answer is yes we could.
We could send special invitations,  on behalf of the management and authorities,  to children on a rotation basis and make them special guests to watch the game with honour and dignity.
Arrange luncheon parties wherein players and budding aspirants could interact and talk on various aspects of the game at length.
Invite playing legends to different sporting academies for training the  teenagers.
Arrange easy visits of young players to different countries to learn the basics of the sport which is the main sporting event of that particular country.
Leave the job of ball boys to the players in the second line of the selection waiting to be inducted in the future team lineup. At least they would be in the later part of their teen age and more close to maturity.
“Catch them young”, can be yet another excuse of some of the sporting bodies and extra aspirant parents and I am in agreement of that. But we can catch them young in all sorts of other more dignified and encouraging ways.
Not as “Ball Boys”.
I think the issue of ball boys needs to be debated and resolved in the right earnest.
* Give children opportunities.
* But with dignity and honour.
* Ball Boy renders his job with utmost interest and involvement, thinking himself of being at the top of world.
* He is tender and innocent.
* We can find ways to put him at a better place more encouraging and  motivating for him.

by Manmohan Dhar

INDIA, CRICKET, RELIGION

When we talk of cricket in India, we normally relate the game to religion.
Well, true to a greater extent in the sense that besides worshipping god, people in India in a way worship the national cricketers as well. And that makes the game akin to religion.
And when the game holds such an important place in the hearts of 1.25 billion people, we expect the authorities, the management, the cricket boards across the country and last but not the least the players to exercise a certain amount of discipline in order to be called as the real cricketing icons worth worshipping.
Once a situpilated amount of responsibility is entrusted on the players, the game is bound to be the national pride and the players the national ambassadors for the rest of the world.
JAI BHARAT

by Manmohan Dhar

Parvez Rasool.A Promising Kashmeeri Cricketer

I feel proud in congratulating Parvez Rasool,a promising cricketer from KASHMEER,for bowling a magnificent spell, resulting in capturing a wicket, that too of none other than jacques kallis of south africa,in his first IPL match while playing for Pune warriors.

Parvez Rasool can be one of those million openings which will lead,one day, to the ultimate brotherhood and amity among the Kashmeeri youth, and that of the rest of India.

Kudos! and blessings for talented Kashmeeri youth.