My Little Log Book

The Great Indian Ennui (in Cricket - what else?)

2012-01-15T22:54:00.000-08:00

The Indian cricket fans are going through a nightmare. But just think of those poor men out in the middle. They must be so not enjoying this period. That is when they are awake. It is as if a haze has settled over the Boyzzz in Blue - post World Cup. Oh they have managed a series win - against England in a ODI series at home. But thats something they can do blindfolded - win ODI matches at home against England.

So how does this post WC ennui work? When Tendulkar goes out to practise (that is if he does bother, or if the coach dares to bother him) - dont you think there would be a buzz of WC WC around his head. Plus a more significant and exasperating buzz - 100100...100100. No wonder he looks to be chasing those flies away.

What would be happening when the Great Dhoni goes out to practise. No one has let him forget in the last 8 months that he is so perfect and great and humble. The guy must be just so confused too. Its a wonder if he can tell a practise from a T-20 from a Test from an ODI or for batting from a commercial. Or if he is batting for his country, or his bosses in IPL, or his wifey or for his ads bosses...I dont remember when I last saw a person so busy with the limelight so firmly refusing to waver.

The same haze seems to have enveloped Viru and Gambhir. While individually they are looking like a pair of stuffed puppies - together they seem to be putting on a show called Zombie learns tap-dancing. It doesnt auger well for Gambhir. WC followed by marriage gets to the best of them. Earth to Gambhir - you are not Sehwag - you have not scored 2 Triples - you CANNOT get away with it. Sehwag can get away with anything - maybe even murder - because those "you blink and you miss" inningses of his are so delightful - arent they?

So winning over the Australians has been solely on the shoulders of some great players like Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav - with all of 4 test matches between them before the Perth Test. Zaheer Khan - well he was also part of the WC - the haze, remember? Ishant Shama anyways has been in an alt world since he was picked to be "the player of the future" a few years back. In our country greatness strikes and affects more surely than lightning strikes a field of unearthed metal towers on a plateau.

Frankly speaking, we fans are left speechless by the display. Get these boys down to earth - give them a year, maybe more, off - allow them to shake it off and get back to playing in maybe a couple or dozen or so years - who knows - they may win another World Cup

I have not mentioned Duncan Fletcher. I know the guy takes a salary. But we are hospitable - we dont like foreign coaches to be accountable (same as star players) and give them a long enough rope to tie everyone in knots

Fried Chicken Curry (Dry) - Easy to Cook Recipe

2012-01-08T00:19:00.000-08:00

Dry Chicken (South Indian Style)

This is an easy to cook chicken recipe that I tried today. It turned out really well, much to my surprise. This dried chicken recipe has a tangy peppery taste and should be good to eat with chapatti. We had it with steamed rice though for Sunday lunch.

Ingredients and Preparation

Chicken (500 gm)
Ginger garlic paste (2 tsp)
Chilli powder
Turmeric powder
Curry Powder (Any good one like Gemini, Everest, Ruchi, MTR, etc)) - 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves
Green Chillies - To taste
Mustard paste (ready made or home made) - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 2-3 tbsp
Ground Pepper - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 2 big
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Marinate Chicken (500 g) with ginger garlic paste (2 tsp), turmeric powder, chilli powder, vinegar, green chilli (1-2), half tsp mustard paste (I used the Heinz mustard paste that I keep for hotdogs), freshly ground pepper and 2 tsp curry powder (I used Ruchi's Curry Powder). Try to marinate for at least 30 minutes or so, so that the flavours soak in. It is however ideal to marinate for 3 hours.

Slice 2 big onions and keep aside.

Heat oil in a deep wok (Kadhai). Add the mustard seeds. Add the onions and fry. Add the curry leaves and marinated chicken. Add a sliced green chilli. Add salt to tase. Fry on high heat till the water evaporates. Add a little water. Cover it leave it to simmer on low heat. Stir in between to see that the chicken doesn't stick to the pan.

Cooking time - Approx 20-30 Min depending on the quality of poultry.

Something Good

2012-01-06T03:36:00.000-08:00

Ah a New Year... I know something good is wating for me round the corner, just hoping the corner shows up faster!

Analyse Your Dreams

2011-07-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

I just came across a very interesting website. The site www.dreamforth.com is a free online dreams analysis website. How does it work?

Dream Dictionary - The site has a dream dictionary where you find different terms and objects alphabetically and you can find what it means to dream of them.

Otherwise enter your dream and click interpret to find out what it implies.

Suppose you have dreamed of the sea. Find out what it means here at Dreamforth.com

http://www.dreamforth.com/search.php?query=sea&type=dreams&page=1

Don't know if it works or not or how much of the subconscious one gets to understand from the interpretation. Often one wakes up from a ridiculous dream and wonders what it could really mean. This dictionary might help! In my opinion, its quite a lot of fun - if you dont take it seriously!

My dreams are mostly long and protracted - nothing as simple as, for eg, a rose or the sea or goats - how does one interpret them? Maybe there are other sites out there.

Top 5 Reasons to Watch Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

2011-07-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Zingdagi Na Miliegi Dobara is Zoya Akhtar revisiting Dil Chahta Hai – though in an entirely different setting. If a tribute to Dil Chahta Hai was to be shot – ZNMD would fit the bill.

1 – Farhan Akhtar does an amazing job as the down to earth, irreverent, don’t give a damn guy. He is one of the main reasons the movie was so likeable. He excels in dancing and singing too as a huge bonus!

2 - The bonding between the characters – a lot has been said about this bonding. The times the trio spent on the set as “friends” comes across in the movie. None of the scenes seemed forced – even the emotionally heavy scenes come out naturally. Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay complement each other perfectly. Hrithik doesn’t get the heavy star treatment – and that makes all the difference. Katrina Kaif’s presence doesn’t let it be a tedious all-male show!

3 - The Spain road scene – Just traveling through a foreign locale, not just along the tulip route, adds a separate dimension. The movie travels through the narrow winding roads of small Spanish towns, from the beach to the mountains. It covers the colorful tomatina festival too with a “Bollywoodish” song!

4 - The Music – Whether it is the tomatina song “Ik Junoon”, Dil Dhadakne Do or the “Senorita” sung by Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay – the songs vibe with youthful energy. Shankar Ehsaan Loy with lyricist Papa Javed Akthar have ensured that the album will not soon be forgotten.

5. The entire package – Director Zoya Akhtar must be credited with making a sensible fast paced, lovable movie that is not just a soppy romance. The various nuances and layers to the funny dialogues add an extra dimension to this road movie. There are some straight adrenaline pumping scenes like a free fall from an aircraft, deep sea diving or a terrifying running with the bulls at the climax. However the fun and adventure is inter weaved into an emotional roller coaster as the trio face their fears and find out what they want from life while getting in touch with themselves. All as they negotiate the narrow roads of Spain.

Verdict – Must watch

A Shopping Trip to Mid Valley Mega Mall

2011-07-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

There’s a trite phrase for it. Retail therapy. It is not just a therapy, it is a lifeline – it is addictive, drains the wallet, submerges the wardrobe and gives me pleasant dreams for weeks. As the long summer holidays drew to a close - I badly needed the distractions of a mall to get away from CN and Nick at home. Mid Valley Megamall called out to me for an extended trip!

I was almost out of a few toiletery items and there was a good sale on at Guardian – that was the trigger for the trip.

As I crossed the optical store at Mid Valley, I realized there was a huge sale in frames and lenses. Now, for the past 1.5 years I have been thinking of having my eye checked and getting new frames. Somehow sitting at home – hasn’t made this as imminent as it would have been otherwise. I dropped in and soon found my eyes getting thoroughly checked by a London trained Optician. Of course to no surprise, there was a small power change with an increase in astigmatism. I don’t know how, but I soon found myself choosing a nice new titanium frame and making a small deposit on it. I had over over exceeded my budget before I had even really entered the mall!

I got my stuff at the Guardian with what I considered great savings. Those nice new knee braces which I was waiting to get at a sale came at a 40% discount for just Rm 14 – when I purchased items worth Rm 100. Pleased with myself, I got some grocery and other items, drooled over the MNG and Zara stuff and returned home.

The next day I had to go again to pick up my new glasses. I remembered about an upcoming Birthday and also got a toy at Toys R Us at a nice discount. That was when I saw the British India Sale. British India is one brand that I love. A bit pricey, so I have been eyeing their annual sale for some time. I had missed it last year – and I found I was at the fag end of their clearance this time too. How could I miss it?

I soon found myself trying out their stuff. I hit upon one – that seemed to have been left just for me. A nice lovely purple skirt at a hefty discount. It was just one size bigger – but almost neatly fitted me. I took it – I hardly ever lose weight and the skirt (at its price) was too good to be true. It looked a dream. As I picked it up – the saleswoman asked whether I wouldn’t like a top with it? So I looked and found a nice one at – again – 70% discount! The tunic was just a size short though. Well, all my efforts to slim down will soon bear fruits, I thought, as I bought it just before I was about to get out....

So went my retail therapy...

(Originally published at Xomba.com at http://www.xomba.com/shopping-trip-mid-valley. Mid Valley Megamall is one of the biggest shopping malls at Kuala Lumpur - and in my opinion the most diverse)

Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon - My Review

2011-06-30T02:57:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to watch a premiere show of Transformers 3 two days back. Not having done my homework (in fact I was confusing this movie with Schwarzeneggar's Terminator - till we hit the theatre) - I was initially at a loss about the movie.

Here's my take on the show!

Of all the irrelevant things in the movie - the worst is the title. Dark of the Moon has very little relevance to the actual movie. Return of the Cybertron or something lke that would have made more sense.

What was the movie about?

How can an entire planet (Cybertron) be transported back to earth? Wont they clash? Come on - we are scared stiff and predict wholescale destruction when a tiny meteor comes close. An entire planet....puhleeze!

Shia LeBeouf in Transformers 3

What exactly was Shia LeBeouf's role in this edition of Transformers? Other than providing some cute moments and running from pillar to post for no apparent reason - he could have been written out of the script - and the movie would have remained the same!

Can Autobots be Killed?

How exactly were the Autobots or the Decepticons killed? They seemed to reform themselves at their will and no one seemed to have a clue how to deal with them - till the last few scenes when the snipers are instructed to go for the eyes!

The Final Mission

Now what was that last mission? I thought it was to take a hit at the "pillars" that were to teleport the Cybertron with the single shot left. However that seemed to be forgotten and everyone just seemed to be fighting each other, the NSA, the Seals, the Bots - till Shia LeBeouf remembers about the pillars!

What a Looonnnng Climax!

The climax was way way too long! Clip it off by 20 mins - movie would be fine. i mean one can only so much spfx of autobots and decepticons fight with humans caught and mangled in between and still manage to come out of it in one fine piece.

Having got out of the way my grouse against the movie - I must admit I enjoyed major portions of it. I am not really a bot and sci-fi and action movie fan. But I have had to adjust my tastes to watch movies with the children. So last week I had to watch Green Lantern - and now Transformers. And Transformers 3 was way way better of course.

Here are some reasons why.

Rosey Huntington - Whiteley

She was fun, sexy and a slightly toned down version of Cameron Diaz.

She was the perfect antidote to the tedium of men and machines. Having not watched the other two prequels to Transformers - I cant compare her to Megan Fox. I have a feeling she will be a great hit. I especially liked the part where her Mercedez (gifted by her boss) turns into a Dr. Ock kind Decepticon, to her shock!

Bumblebee and the Bots

The loyal Bumblebee and Optimus Prime really stole the show as the good guys leaving the men far behind. Even though it is a mystery to me why they chose to protect mere earthlings over their land Cybertron - I couldn't help but be grateful for it at the end. In fact they emoted much better than some of the queer earthlings!

John Turturro

John Turturro and Alan Tudyk as Simmons and Dutch had some of the best sequences in the movie. Turtorro as a writer and ex - Security man who has been paralysed in a Decepticon attack, was sharp and fun to watch.

Special Effects

This shouldnt be a surprise. The Transformers 3 is all about Special Effects. Starting with the moon sequence - the movie has dream SFX. In the last hour of the movie, the plot was all but forgotten to showcase some amazing scenes! There was an amazing airmen free fall sequence, a slide down the side of a collapsing glass building, a great number of autobots and decepticons fights and much more.

First Half of the Movie

The top half of the movie was a treat to watch. There seemed to be a real plot developing with Optimus Prime waking up Sentinel. There were Megatron and Sentinel Prime in a secret pact. Simmons and Witwicky were fast discovering the extent of the plot. Buzz Aldrin was meeting the training autobots. There were two cute autobot pets who kept up the interest. Rich playboy Dempsey and Diaz look alike Rosie Huntington- Whiteley provided the distraction.

As the mosaic of the plot came together - one didnt have a clue it would fall apart (literally) so dramatically in the later half of the movie!

Verdict - Worth a watch - and in 3D!

Originally published at Xomba.com at
http://www.xomba.com/top-5-reasons-i-didnt-transformers-3-dark-moon and
http://www.xomba.com/top-5-reasons-why-you-can-watch-transformers-3

Watch Prince William and Kate Middleton Wedding Live Online Free Streaming at The Royal Channel on Youtube!

2011-04-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Royal Channel is streaming live online free the much awaited Royal Wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton for us plebeians! So whichever part of the globe you are you can see the Prince Say I Do!

The Youtube Channel Says simply

"The Royal Household Invites You to
Watch the Wedding of
Prince William and Catherine Middleton
29th April 10 AM London Time
Live on the Royal Channel"

Here is the link to the much awaited nupitals. With the reaction and coverage from around the World one would be blamed for thinking it is a divine wedding!

Youtube Royal Channel

Meanwhile here is the wedding invitation. And being the real Princely invitation it has no need to be pretentious!

There is more news for the Royal Wedding Watchers - Westminister Abbey will be tweeting the Wedding Live. Follow the Wesminister Abbey Tweets here

http://twitter.com/#!/wabbey and get the Royal Wedding Tweets live!

Attend the Royal Wedding on Facebook here.

http://www.facebook.com/TheBritishMonarchy

Audrey Hepburn's Little Black Dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's

2011-04-21T01:44:00.000-07:00

Are you in search of the perfect cocktail dress? Go Black! The little black dress has a rich history and you will be in the exalted company of Audrey Hepburn, no less - who made the black dress so famous. Yes, the gamine, petite, elfin, waifish Audrey Hepburn went black in Breakfast at Tiffany's and created history and a dress eventually auctioned for £410,000!!!

But looking for the perfect black setup is not going to be easy. After all - every designer is not a Givenchy! Some will be too short, some will be too slitty, some necklines might actually touch your navel while some might presume that everyone who prefers a LBD is Audrey Hepburn. So unless you want to look smarty instead of slutty - try out all the LBDs you can get your hands on - there might just be the perfect one for you there somewhere!

Read this to find out more about Audrey Hepburn's Little Black Dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's!

The Perfect Little Black Dress - Audrey Hepburn Having Breakfast at Tiffany's

BEST REVIEW - TOP 3 HARRY POTTER BOOKS

2011-04-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

Who says Harry potter is just for teenagers? I have loved the series from day 1 and waited and waited for the books to come out when Rowling was in the middle of the series. However the movies dont really do justice to the complicated world of Harry Potter. They are good - but not really classic like the books. So if you have heard of Harry Potter - first read the books before getting hold of the DVD!

BEST REVIEW - TOP 3 HARRY POTTER BOOKS 2011 - HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, HARRY POTTER BOOKS, BUY HARRY POTTER ONLINE, PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, SORCERER'S STONE, GOBLET OF FIRE

Watch IPL T20 Live Free Streaming Online - OFFICIALLY @ ipl.indiatimes.com

2011-04-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

Yes IPL 4 is live online free streaming online. So all those facebook addicts, net watchers and internet addicts - you dont have to leave your laptop to catch the IPL live streaming online. And you dont need a shady digital or dubious channel to watch the 20 over cricket. Indiatimes has bought the rights for this ediion of IPL (IPL 4) to webcast all the matches of IPL 4.

The site has already had a huge influx of visitors for the first couple of matches. The matches can be caught live ANYWHERE in the world!

Meanwhile get the ipl 4 complete schedule and fixture at

http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2011/content/series/466304.html?template=iplfixtures

Watch the ipl 4 live online at Indiatimes at

world.ipl.indiatimes.com/

Watching India Win The World Cup 2011

2011-04-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

(Some portions of the article originally published at Xomba.com - http://tinyurl.com/3ep62c4)

Is Tendulkar the greatest of them all? His teammates think so. They chaired him around the grounds and acknowledged his contribution to Indian cricket in public. I am sure no accolade in sports is greater than the one given by teammates - with whom one has toiled and sweated for years. It would have been pretty unfair if the 38 year old were to retire without THE Chalice in his hand!

This article is however just my first hand experience of watching India win the Cup - not on Tendulkar.

I was not savouring the win from a box seat with the celebrities at Mumbai Wankhede Stadium - but the view and emotions from my sofa seat at home, watching with friends was just amazing. India won the Cricket World Cup after 28 long years. We have grown up remembering the moment when a smiling Kapil Dev with Mohinder Amarnath beside lifted the trophy 28 years back on 25th June, 1983 - while firecrackers went off outside and the drawing room literally exploded! Then we have spent decades watching TV replays of the same images of Kapil Dev spraying champagne and lifting the trophy!

Now finally after a wait of almost three decades the images will be changed and hopefully India wont have to wait too long to savour another such moment of cricket glory! Instead we will have replays of Tendulkar being chaired by teammates, the team all speaking for each other, Dhoni keeping a low profile and not really (or at all) hogging all the limelight - and everyone saying it is for Tendulkar. It is for India too.

The Man of the day is undoubtedly M.S. Dhoni. India's coolest captain by far. He is also the bravest, luckiest, smartest and the best. In four years of captaincy when he started out as the T20 Captain - Dhoni has got the T20 World Cup for India, Made India the No. 1 test team, won the IPL and ICL trophies for his Chennai team and now finally the biggest of them all - the Cricket World Cup with a super duper innings of 91! I think he should just retire and savour his victories - he has won 'em all!

Dhoni was undoubtedly brave today - coming out to play in the finals with India needing 160 odd runs with 3 wickets down. He was not in form, he wouldnt have been blamed if he had come down the order. Maybe he remembered Yuvraj's duck against Pakistan or just decided to tease the opposition with the thought of Yuvraj and Raina still being in the pavilion. Whatever, he decided to come after the third wicket fell and took the game away from Sri Lanka with an awe inspiring chanceless innings of class and bravery. lets not forget Gambhir's innings of 97 or the 83 runs partnership between Gambhir and Kohli. Zaheer and co too did a great job restricting the strokeplay of the openers while Sangakkara was snapped by team mascot Yuvraj Singh. Even Sreesanth had his use. He is apparently the team's lucky charm!

Just another thought that no one will be voicing - would India have won if Sachin had scored a century - unless Sachin carried his bat through. Some kind of atrophy seems to seize the rest of the team the moment the great man performs! All in all I am happy - the team still managed to win inspite of the moment of despair at 31 - 2!

Here is the India vs Sri Lanka Final scorecard of the ICC World Cup Cricket 2011 Finals.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/engine/current/match/433606.html

See some world cup 2011 final photos here

http://mylittlelogbook.blogspot.com/2011/04/india-win-world-cup-pics.html

India Win World Cup - Pics

2011-04-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Many of the Pics are initial shots from TV from my iPhone. Sorry for the awful quality!

India Win Cricket World Cup 2011!

2011-04-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

India Win ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 - See Photos!

This has been an amazing Indian win in the Cricket world Cup!

For me the moments of the World Cup that stand out are

Dhoni coming out to bat at No 4 in the Finals after a torrid time throughout the World Cup and taking the team to a Wow win!
Kohli and Gambhir 80 odd runs partnerships after the glam openers were out
Zaheer Khan containing the dangerous Lankan openers
Yuvraj getting Sangakkara's wicket

and more moments from the month long World Cup

Yuvraj's fifties and gritty century before getting his fluency back against the Aussies
Yuvraj and Raina's partnership against Australia in the Quarter Finals
Zaheer Khan's bowling
Tendulkar batting throughout the Competition
Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra's astonishing bowling spells against Pakistan in the Semi finals
Sehwag's 175 against Bangladesh
Sehwag and Tendulkar blitzkrieg against South Africa

Well done India!

Who Will Make the Last 8 in Group B in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011?

2011-03-12T18:43:00.000-08:00

Is India sure of a last 8 berth in the ICC World Cup 2011? Contrary to belief it is possible for India to miss a Quarter Finals berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011! India just lost to SA by 3 wickets in a Group B match.

The Group B table stands like this

Group B
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR

India 5 3 1 1 0 7 +0.768
West Indies 4 3 1 0 0 6 +2.206
South Africa 4 3 1 0 0 6 +1.352
England 5 2 2 1 0 5 +0.013
Bangladesh 4 2 2 0 0 4 -1.241
Ireland 4 1 3 0 0 2 -0.444
Netherlands 4 0 4 0 0 0 -2.728

This is how India can NOT go to the Quarter Finals.

* Bangladesh Beats Netherlands on 14th March
* SA beats Ireland on 15th March
* England beats WI on 17th March
* SA loses to Bangladesh on 19th March
* India loses to WI on 20th March

The points table will look like this

Group B
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts

India 6 3 2 1 0 7
West Indies 6 4 2 0 0 8
South Africa 6 4 2 0 0 8
England 6 3 2 1 0 7
Bangladesh 6 4 2 0 0 8

All the above results look to be a distinct possibility as of now (except maybe the Bangladesh vs SA tie). In this eventuality - India and England will tie on 7 points each and India will need to have a better NRR to go to the Quarter Finals.

For Bangladesh to make it - they have to beat at least one team (Netherlands or SA) and hope England loses to WI. If Bangla beats just Netherlands and England wins over WI - then the Tigers will be out.

For England to make it - they desperately need to beat WI. In case they fail to beat WI - India will be through and Bangladesh will just need one victory in their remaining matches.

For WI to make the last 8 - they need to pull of just one more victory over either India or England - or hope Bangladesh falters once. They have the advantage of a high NRR so far.

SA has two easy games next. Four out of the five teams still in contention will be going to the last 8. As you can see - it is still anybody's game!

How is the NRR calculated?

The NRR is calculated by the difference between the average runs per over scored against a team and the average runs per over scored by a team. Even though India has a superior NRR as of now, it could change with one big win by England or a big loss by India.

Bottom line - India needs to win against WI on 20th March to make a comfortable entry to the Quarter Finals. Though of course the Group B situation maybe be untangled by then!

(Also see this article at Xomba.com http://www.xomba.com/cricket_world_cup_2011_it_possible_india_not_go_quarter_finals)

Google Crisis Response on Japan Earthquake

2011-03-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

Google has created a crisis response page for the japan Earthquake. The page gives local emergency numbers to dial, missing person finder for the Japan Earthquake 2011, latest alarms and warnings on the earthquake, transportation status like latest flight status, public transportation status, electricity blackout status on the disaster affected areas.

Please go the page for the latest information and update on the earthquake. The site has links to maps and videos on the earthquake and disaster message boards

I eel more than the sharing of news, this a really beneficial way to harness the technology available to help the disaster affected regions in Japan.

http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Cricket World Cup Biggest Upsets - Who Will Provide the Upset in 2011 Cricket World Cup?

2011-02-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

Greatest Cricket World Cup Upsets - Who Will Provide the Upset in 2011 Cricket World Cup?

(This article was initially published at www.xomba.com)

Who will provide the customary upset in this Cricket World Cup 2011?

The ICC Cricket World Cup is from February 19 - 2nd April 2011. No Cricket World Cup in recent times has escaped a major upset. Some of them have been really really shocking - like the one Ireland gave Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup. The teams causing the upsets have been Zimbabwe, Kenya, Bangladesh and even Ireland! Here are some major World Cup upsets in the last three editions of the World Cup.

2007 World Cup Upsets

Ireland shocked Pakistan and shell shocked the nation with a win in the preliminary rounds. Set a target of just 132 - Ireland reached the target much to the horror of Pakistan fans. This horror ended in tragedy with the death of high profile Pakistan Coach Bob Woolmer (a death first speculated to be homicide by media - but later confirmed to be from natural causes). The only light Pakistan fans saw at the end of the dark tunnel was India getting upset and ousted out of the Cup by Bangladesh!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/247465.html

Bangladesh beat the high profile Greg Chappell coached Indian team in a dismal match for the nation. Bangladesh needed 192 and got it without much ado. India were virtually out. Bangladesh made it to the Super 8.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/247464.html

2003 World Cup

Kenya defeated Sri Lanka in a shocker played at Nairobi to the delight of home fans. It was ironic that Sri Lanka in the same tournament had bowled out Canada for just 36 - the lowest ever World Cup score! A team comprising of stalwarts like Jayasuriya, Murali, Attapatu, Tilakratne, Jayawardene and Sangakkara first let Kenya reach 210 and then managed to score just 157 while chasing. Kenya even made it to the Super Six by virtue of this dramatic win!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65258.html

1999 World Cup

Zimbabwe was the suprise package for the 1999 Cricket World Cup. It beat more fancied opponents India (India had already lost to South Africa) and South Africa to make the Super Six, ahead of defending champion Sri Lanka and England!

The India vs Zimbabwe was a scorcher with India first conceding 252 runs thanks to some generous bowling by Ajit Agarkar and then falling short by just 3 runs by getting all out in the final overs!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65200.html

Zimbabwe defeated South Africa for the first ever time in ODIs in that World Cup in a stunning victory

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65218.html

While all these upsets have caused setbacks to some regular team - no upset has caused as much havoc or change in World order in Cricket as cthe 1983 World Cup Finals! It is a memory still cherished and treasured by every Indian who watched the game or loves cricket, when real minnows India actually walked away with the trophy after upsetting the mighty West Indies team. India defended a miserly total of 183 against an overconfident and complacent West Indian team to lift the Prudential Cup on June 25 in 1983.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65090.html

Here is a list of the greatest World Cup upsets as listed at Wiki down the years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_World_Cup_teams

Who will cause the upset this World Cup? My bet is on Bangladesh. They look determined to not only get into the last 8 stage - but maybe go a few stages further! Bangladesh Captain Shakib Al Hasan leads a side where the highest age of a player is 28. It just needs a couple of good days to make good. A team which could score 283 chasing a total of 370 under such pressure of a home crowd must have a few surprises in store.

I can't wait for the Cup to get on!

Update

As I write this - Netherland have scored a massive 292 runs against England - the highest ever by an Associate member. Though England look set to comfortably overtake that score - it signals that Associate nations are not at the World Cup just to make up the numbers

Watch India Vs Bangladesh Live Score Online on 19 Feb 2011 - ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

2011-02-17T21:10:00.000-08:00

What does India vs Bangladesh have in store? A very exciting match I am sure! Cant wait for the ICC World Cup to start.

Watch India Vs Bangladesh Live Score Online on 19 Feb 2011 - ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

Watch Steelers Vs Packers (Super Bowl 2011) - Highlights Videos Online

2011-02-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

Watch Super Bowl 2011 Highlights online streaming here.

Watch Steelers Vs Packers (Super Bowl 2011) - Highlights Videos Online

My Xomba Posts

2011-01-31T23:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.xomba.com/feeds/27507/rss.xml

How Did Kim Clijsters Meet her Husband Brian Lynch? See Kim Clijsters with Husband Pic

2011-01-30T04:02:00.000-08:00

Kim Clijsters with Husband Brian Lynch

Everyone loves a romance. And the story of comeback Super Mom in tennis is both astounding and romantic. I mean here was a girl who made her debut when 16 years old and entered the fourth round of Wimbledon. Though obviously talented she was almost a choker and managed just one Grand Slam win in 2005 US Open while her Belgian counterpart Justin Henin went from strength to strength. She had just one slam to show in 6 semi-finals and 4 final appearances in Grand Slams Singles! Meanwhile she dated another tennis star and World No. 1 - Lleyton Hewitt for years.
What happens?

Kim marries a non-entity almost surreptitiously. And then her World changes! She comes back from motherhood to win two Grand Slams! How did it happen? Read the romance behind Kim Clijster's's success story here.
http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2010/09/belmars_bryan_lynch_balances_j.html

(Image source - http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2010/09/belmars_bryan_lynch_balances_j.html)

Watch Australian Open 2011 Mens Tennis Finals Live Online - Will History be Made by Andy Murray?

2011-01-29T06:05:00.000-08:00

Watch Australian Open 2011 Mens Tennis Finals Live Online - Will History be Made by Andy Murray?

Ten Malaysian Phrases

2011-01-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

It has been almost 3 years since have stayed in Malaysia. However it is just amazing that I havent had to use the language enough to need to learn. A lot of it has to do with the place where I am staying. Little India in Malaysia. With more than a hundred Indian families in my Condo - Hindi is the official language! And one doesnt need the language to shop at Super Markets.

It is amazing how insular one can stay to a culture while residing right in the middle of the culture! I have decided to start a small effort to know the language now. Unfortunately the primary motive to know the language now is - I have employed an Indonesian part-time maid. And she understands very little english.

So here are my Ten Malaysian (Bahasa Malaysian or Bahasa Melayu) phrases for today culled from the internet.

Selamat Datang - Welcome
Selamat Malam - Good Night
Selamat Tinggil - a Good Bye wish - when one wishes the other person a "safe stay"
Terima Kasih - Thank You
Apa Kabar? - What is the news?
Selamat Pagi - Good Morning
Tidak - No
Mumkin - Maybe
Nama Kau Apa? - What is Your name?
Apa Ini? - What is this?

Watching The Sound of Music With Family!

2011-01-10T00:10:00.000-08:00

Boys!!! (Watching The Sound of Music With Family)

When I envisaged family life – one of the dreams that was often included was to spend lazy Sunday afternoons in front of the TV watching old classics. Prominent among those was The Sound of Music. So recently when I realized the kids haven’t watched the old favorite yet, I got hold of the movie to make it a perfect afternoon.

However it didn’t go as I planned. First thing was I didn’t realize I was talking to a family thriving on Al Pacino, Bruce Lee, Kung Fu Panda, Hindi movies like Golmaal, Dabagg, etc – that is, paced entertainers or lots of blood, gore and movement. The movie started off with some awesome visuals of the Austrian Alps and then Maria singing in the mountains “The Hills are Alive With the Sound of Music”. Then the scene shifted to the abbey with the nuns singing “How do you solve a problem like Maria”.

“You mean it is a musical DRAMA?” – my dear Hubby asks?

“Don’t tell me you too haven’t watched this glorious movie? “

“Oh – now I realize why” – he says as he parodies the Mother Abbess’s high pitched contralto.

The youngsters thus encouraged started whining to play the 11th rerun of Golmaal – a mindless Hindi blockbuster or Ironman or Kungfu Panda.

I wouldn’t have any of it. “Listen, this is a MUST watch movie.”

It was just then that the Mother Abbess tells Maria that it is only in the Abbey that one cannot sing (after Maria confesses she has been singing in the hills) – there is no rule against singing in the hills. The elder son promptly points out – “only Maria is not permitted to sing in the abbey?” After all the nuns had just stopped singing “How do you solve a problem like Maria?”

I knew it was going to be a long afternoon.

Finally only my elder son and I were left watching the film. The poor kid watched the movie only after extracting numerous promises from me – which included pizza for dinner, etc, etc. The movie was 2 hrs 54 mins – and I was kept reminding of the duration every other minute.

I realized (as I keep doing daily) that they were just being BOYS!

How Much Money Does Mahendra Singh Dhoni Earn In an Hour?

2011-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

As the India vs SA series goes on - here is an interesting bit of statistics on MS Dhoni.

According to Forbes - MS Dhoni is the highest earning cricketer - even higher than Sachin Tendulkar. The news states Dhoni's earnings as $10 million a year!

Taking his annual income as $10 million - wouldn't you like to know how much Dhoni makes in an hour?

Take a look at this link to find Dhoni's income in an hour!

How Much Money Does Mahendra Singh Dhoni Earn?

It is actually something over $5000! Not bad for the boy from Jharkhand!