The Cricket Watcher's Journal

Drumming Dhoni

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Beating him up now is the easiest thing to do. Looks smart too. And today the talk is all about 'looking good' anyway. Bashing Dhoni up can effortlessly be made to sound like sage punditry in prevailing situation. Sure, the captain must take flak beacuse he also takes the roses and scents, but true punditry is that which looked at his shortcomings and spoke about them when he was winning handsomely.

Why does Dhoni look so despondent? General suggestion has been that he craves fast inflows of money over long-winded Testing for his country. Nothing can be stupider than that. I have yet to see a more commited person that Dhoni...who played all formats, all games, with the big gloves and the smaller ones from under the captain's hat without ever complaining of overwork. Nothing but cheap talk this. The man has produced results none could match. That can certainly not be a "thukka"!

Dhoni's been a good pilot but when his Rolls-Royces, Pratt & Whitneys and GEs are collectively hit by bees in their tespective bonnets, all he can try is belly land.

His despondency is a reflection of the Catch 22 situation he finds himself in - babysitting ambitions of veterans who refuse to tein them in, instead of being absorbed in the creativity of constructing a new team.

Yes, he hasn't been intuitive but could it be because of all the bother that's going in to say a simple 'Thank You'?

Ben Hilfenhaus made the difference

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:40:00 +0000

In my opinion, it was the return of Ben Hilfenhaus that undid whatever batting plans India had. He was incisive and unpleasantly accurate to a team that appeared to have convinced themselves about the popgunness of the rest of Australian bowling. I said 'appears', for I'm sure pros like Sachin et al don't think that way...that's how armchair observes like us do.

Siddle was boosted by Hilfenhaus's presence. To be honest, India didn't show enough patience and application to push an innings to the next new-ball and see how the Australian bowlers hold up across 100 overs. If that had been done early in the sries, the relative impressions of domination and capitulation might not have be as stark. But this is straying into the hypothetical.

Australian batting slid through concealed by their bowling and stepped forward now and then to punch hard mediocre spells of purposeless Indian bowling.

The Test was over in under three days. India was the poorer team. My congratulations to Australia.

About Soldiers and Guardians

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:18:00 +0000

Progression awards itself to determined Soldiers

None more valiant than Loyalty and Familiarity

In their time. Guardians are but old Soldiers

None stauncher than Loyalty and Familiarity

Their time awarded to keeping an Obsession.

Hopeless Immortals !

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:52:00 +0000

Final word on this topic

It is an emotive issue and followers of the game in India and of respective players are bound to be on a keen edge during these disappointing times. I have said my piece - I believe we have reached that phase in the collective careers of our legends where the benefits of continuance with them pale before the urgency to create a new settled middle order.

It is sheer happenstance that the existing middle order comprises of peers in age as well, and thefore, will inevitably move out in a cluster. Or should, instead of staggering out any further. That staggered out process of replacements should have culminated around this point. The end of this series should ideally be a full stop.

It is not that I have ceased to respect these veterans or lost admiration for their deeds - accusations may suggest so or worse after people read one's views, which one oneself might have imagined to be pragmatic as one stated them. I am in fact grateful for having been blessed with the opportunity to see these legends play as one for the team through complete spans of respective careers. But as a poet once said, "there is no armor against fate". And there is no elixir to counter passage of time either. They have been capable men, notwithstanding the unfinished business of winning Test series in South Africa and Australia, and have regaled us with their wizardry. They may well, if left untouched, may continue to do so till they are a 100 years old. But that's not how life works. Today is not five years ago, when we could afford to concede a few more Tests and series to the joy of simply watching them take the field.

"Hopeless immortals!" - One may have been accused today of the heinous crime of having painted such a profane expletive for our beloveds through one's twittered statements. Twitterels are splinters..they are fast-flying constrained shrapnel..where it is easy for somebody to be stung by the first that strikes his eye. Such a reader might be left blinded to the beauty and truth in that Isaac Watts's exclamation from The Day of Judgement.

It will be an extended home session that follows - much will be achieved and plenty forgotten as a result. Perhaps it may also transpire that youngsters who will have to assume responsibility of away wins within two years against the likes of Steyn, may yet have to wait on the benches a while longer instead of settling their game and team commitment through a stretch of home series.

I sincerely hope our legends leave gracefully, compassionate about this inevitable requirement India will feel eventually, and devils will not have to push them headlong into the yawning pit of retirement from whose gloominess they scream and struggle.

I shan't utter one more word on this topic and hope Kohli and Dravid do a Kolkata and save India this third Test in a few hours from now.

The Fall Guy

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:51:00 +0000

aaj kee raat mere dil kee salaamee le le
kal teree bazm se diwaanaa chalaa jaayegaa
shammaa rah jaayegee parawaanaa chalaa jaayegaa

-- Shakeel Badayuni in Ram aur Shyam

If rumors are to be believed, VVS Laxman might have had enough. Enough to announce retirement after this Test.

We have loved the cricket Laxman brought to us and have advocated change, but simply VVS retiring, is not on. Especially if this decision is prompted by crazy criticism of TV news channel/news panel babus.

Bigger men than he have messed with India's chances in the past 12 months but are barely mentioned. If facility is accorded to such, why not for VVS?

I hope VVS isn't retiring (if rumour true) because of unbalanced criticism in media, but is doing so on account of his own soul searching. Also, we hope his decision makes bigger men than he reflect in greater depth.

Loved your game VVS, thank you and wish you all the best.

A Fixed Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:51:00 +0000

What torture lurks within a single thought
When grown too constant; and however kind,
However welcome still, the weary mind
Aches with its presence.

- Amy Lowell in A Fixed Idea

I had tweeted this quote from the wonderful poem by Amy Lowell because I found it described the Indian cricket spectator's conundrum best, if not that of Sachin Tendulkar - searching for his career-releasing 100th century - and the band of our beloved veterans...well not exactly a band, it's more of a duo, that of Dravid and Laxman. When this blog was active, we had called for change after conclusion of the World Cup.

We are now almost a year after the World Cup win and this blog had been shut down in its aftermath, partly because of the boredom associated with constant cricket watching to blog upon it, and partly because the anticipated change failed. Inevitable defeats didn't help inspire us to continue blogging either. We baulked and shut shop.

But things have only gotten worse in Indian cricket - the veterans scored a few runs here and there, the youth failed to step up, and selectors and followers alike were convinced that continuation with veterans was the way forward. That's how foggy it all became. If only Virat Kohli had succeeded in West Indies and Rohit Sharma had played in England...and succeeded. If only Mukund had shown better judgement wih the off-side ball and shouldered arms more often than he did. If only the youth had looked comfortingly Sachinlike or Dravidlike or Laxmanlike...

We were disappointed that youth failed abroad. We were disappointed youth didn't appear comforting as a 100-Test old veteran. We quelled the unease of having to stay the course with terminal careers and readjusted the bifocals to visualize a new future..another two, possibly three, years with the same set of veteran players. The innings they scored in, in India, and in Dravid's case in England and West indies, were convenient distemper to conceal the seepage of time through the bricks. Failure of big scores from youngsters tried actually relieved many...it saved them of the need to call an end to glorious cricketing careers.

The marketing men,statfans and jingos took over from there and issues like the 100th 100 became paramount. West Indies at home in three Tests were after all easy killing. So what if England didn't oblige, surely Sachin couldn't miss at home...at Mumbai..against the timid West Indians?

It's another matter that it proved otherwise and the deflated junta of hypesters, hipsters, interest groups and ardent fans quickly picked themselves with the idea that Australia's "popgun cricketers" would oblige. That somehow glory would be bestow itself upon the vets irrespective of reality.

Australian bowlers decimating South Africa in South Africa was elided upon. Never mind the batsmen crumbling..both teams fared against good bowling spells. Foggy India interpreted this as "The Best Chance To Win In Australia" and he like. The best chance to win was in 2007-08, but let's skip that...irrelevant.

India's own predicament against England was charitized under the heading of injury helplessness. West Indies at home however offered no such comfort or easy excuses. India won, but unconvincingly. Let's not go by the scorelines..let's see the situtations India found itself in instead, and only to be somehow bailed out by West Indies's own abjectness. The signals were all there...that this West Indies tour of India was an opportunity lost to spring youth consistently ahead of Australia.

Dravid wasn't always a hit in Oz..Laxman and Sachin were. Sachin will continue to look good stroking the ball even when he is 80 years old. Better than most youngsters ever will in their lifetime. But we have pushed valuable developmental years away from yet another generation in the bargain.

A pro..a 20-year old pro shouldn't hold a team to ransom over a measly century. Which should in fact come as a matter of routine in a team-friendly cause. Withdrawal from the scene should be masterly too...if there is true consideration for the future of Indian cricket and the process of rebuilding, veterans would have stepped back and allowed it to happen. Didn't they see it all in their own starts and their own career times?

But the dangerous argument of "phased manner of change" etc etc continues. It's just another form of delusion and denial. Let the youth struggle and learn to win...give them that time and space..like these vets were given when they were youth. Let them grow from where they are to where the vets have reached. Overseas tours are important for Indian cricket even if they are something to skate past for veterans before coming back to home pitches, dominatable bowling and record-breaking feats.

India's future lies in winning abroad consistently..and it took ages for these very vets to become a unit that could perform reasonably well abroad. Everybody should keep that in mind when they propagate continuance with the oldies. Give the youth a fair start and a fair chance to achieve glory.

Dhoni, and the new support staff too, might have preferred working with a reasonably fresh team. Frustrations are understandable - you cannot tell these veterans how to play and win abroad, they're supposed to know it all by now - but that knowledge is no longer transcribing itself into deeds. And it willl not..at least at a level consistent enough to be called India's cricketing future.

Five years ago, time was on the side of veterans. Form could be found again...now that very same process of form troughs and finding fom is hurting India and translating into important losses. I'd rather lose with youth than struggle with 100+ Test veterans.

we haven't even touched the topic of Sehwag and Gambhir's inconsistency, strange illnesses and incorrigibleness.

Simply have to end at least this chapter of vets, and with quick surgical swiftness.

Bell does a Viru..almost

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 02:16:00 +0000

India bowled pure rubbish for considerable portions of yesterday's play of course, but somebody has to make the team pay for it. For England, it was Ian Bell, who with an almost run-a-ball innings yanked away India's initiative and ensured they would remain subservient to England in this match. If Strauss must enjoy dreams, I am certain, Broad on the second day, and Bell on the third, must have figured in a few of them. These are the kind of trend altering performances any captain wishes for from his players. Ian Bell did what Sehwag does at the top of the batting order.

Bell used his feet to spinners well too..it was not just stroking wayward pacemen to all parts of the ground...Bell got into the right positions to dispatch an insipid Harbhajan and the rest as well. Some of his drives straight and through the covers were wonderful, but one especially delicious one was a square drive. And he got out as does Viru too, often. Well, the first time he was out that is.

Like Viru does often, Bell kind of lost the plot when seriously on song, and was wandering out of his crease into the land of assumptions while play was still on...the bails were picked off and the appeal was upheld. By that time however, the batsmen had walked off to partake of some enjoyable scones and tea! While the umpires and the other team was still waiting for the conclusion of the ball, stroke and its outcome!

Praveen Kumar was uncertain about his efforts on the boundary..Bell was pushing for the fourth run but was sent back by Morgan...Bell halted, took a step back but the fellow decided instead it was Tea on his own, without the umpires having suggested anything of that sort, and instead began to walk towards the pavilion instead of getting back to his crease. Meanwhile the ball, which was on its way back during the third run, landed in Dhoni's gloves and he took the bails off. The appeal was sent upstairs but the upstarts decided to compound matters further by walking off to their self-declared declared Tea!

It was England displaying poor knowledge of the game and scant respect for the umpires and procedure. Naturally, every English commie worth his blood - from the hitherto venerable Alan Wilkins to worse - quickly jumped onto the spirit of sports bandwagon! They might have been funny as singing Dodos of they hadn't been dead serious about their comments! Next time you are bowled in cricket, claim lack of sporting spirit! Especially if you are an Englishman! The man, Wilkins, was so committed to his theory that he was almost crouching on his commie-box/studio chair as he pounced upon this line of twisting things around! I didn't see nor hear or feel the same energy from Wilkins on the Vaseline issue. That was a facting sporting spirit too...you got to see the HUMOUR guys! Bleddy conveniences of a slippery tongue!

Obviously they wrangled down the game's laws and its interpretation because, firstly it was an Englishman who made the mistake, second their disappointment at seeing Bell's innings end, third they were unsure of the rest of the batsmen and feared India coming back into this game and finally, they are bloody English you know...they can do what they want all the time...they facting own the game!

In a game where Stuart Broad checks VVS Laxman's bat for vaseline, in a game where each one of the Englishmen on the field and many in the crowd refused to acknowledge the grand fighting innings by Rahul Dravid, in a game where former England captain, Michael Vaughan makes a mischievous accusation against VVS Laxman, these facting England commies from Wilkins downwards talk about sporting spirit? What an irony!

And that Trent Bridge cross-dressing crowd present on the ground yesterday....the shameless ones booed Indians to their orifices' content but didn't boo themselves when Dhoni threw some charity their and Bell's way and asked the crybabies to bat on! And to think I tweeted that Nottingham crowds enjoyed their cricket best...how wrong can one be. Liquor guzzling cross-dressers can never be expected to be sensible...should never be expected to be so.

The sad part was theere were a couple of Indian gumbangers who were going all gooey-dooey and trying to partake of the crap England's commentators were dishing out. At least Bumble and Nasser later, emphasized the point that Bell was wrong....but Wilkins and his Indian counterpart were so disgusting to listen to. Never saw commies so blatantly betraying themselves as uselessly ignorant when it comes to knowing a game they blabber on for dollars and euros.

And about sporting spirit - I wonder why Bell didn't refuse Dhoni's charity when he knew he made the kind of fundamental mistake a schoolboy might make and quite shamelessly carried on batting? If he were half the man all England was claiming he was...and Strauss for that matter...and the entire facting English team and their "sporting spirit" for their matter...Bell should have politely declined and resolved not to make such a mistake again.

I know some English baiters who have been going on on forums for the past few months...spewing garbage about India and Indians...these racist elements have been tolerated by the forummers...I ask of those sickos..where was the English sporting spirit in this Test match?

At Trent Bridge, England, its players, its ex-players, its commentators and its spectators, over the three days, stood exposed for what they really are.

And then those Indian tongues...who must chatter and pen for their money....BAH!

Ravi Shastri was correct...this was hardly about spirit, it was fundamental cricket matter taught and drilled in in every cricket nursery in the world. Those who were diverting this to a spirit thing were doing for motives other than cricket and the way the game is structured.

Dhoni did a GR Viswanath and called back Bell...needlessly one thought...for soon after when Trott was plumber than a plumper, one didn't see Strauss recalling him from the balcony. Trott played on as if nothing happened even as Nasser Husaain was saying that every batsman knows when he gets rapped on the pads like that that he would be in trouble...big trouble.

England haven't played this series with any sporting spirit at all - what's Dhoni trying to prove? Has all the winning gone to his head? Is he trying to cash in on the team's combined effort? Like he did with the Harbhajan ad? Does he want chapters written on him for this spurious sportsman spirit? I think he would be better served playing a matchwinnign innings himself and let that go into the chapters than become a bigger idiot. Tomorrow, what's to prevent a man bowled from bawling and asking the opposition captain for a recall? Or a man run out? Or a man stumped? This was not even on the scale of Mankaded...Morgan raised his hand, refused the fourth run, and asked Bell to get back into the crease...see the replays. But Bell chose to walk off as if for Tea! Even as the ball was coming back and bails taken off and umpires were still focussed on the play rather than signalling Tea!

If Sourav Ganguly made all those arguments in the commie box, you can easily give a slew of them from another side.

The fact is, if England had done the same, the entire conversation, the entire reaction, would have been different. The dismissed Indian batsman wouldn't have been asked to come back and if he did, the Trent Bridge folks would have booed him too. This sporting spirit stuff is merely an item number of convenience. English convenience.

That's England...that's their sporting spirit...look at what Collingwood had done sometime back. Some things never change, like the masters, their boot-licking brown sahibs and all the lies and frauds paraded out of a game of cricket, things remain as they are.

England have done well in this match, India played poorly, worse late yesterday...when they looked a divided team clearly. More divided than since the start of this series.

If England go on to win from here, it really would be a cricketing spectacle. India are already that.

Will this be a "Brat" series ?

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 02:58:00 +0000

There are two cricketers, one from either side, currently playing and performing in the Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, who have both, wittingly or unwittingly, earned the sobriquet of "Brat" from the peculiarly judgemental denizens populating spectatorial spaces in this sport. One includes oneself as a prominent citizen of this widely distributed world, we confess, without much discomfort or apology. That is the culture of this space, and one has been an entrenched member of the society that lives in this space and breathes the very air that fills the game. Coming back, Stuart Broad for England and Shantakumaran Sreesanth for India have worn this label for a while now - willingly or unwillingly, comfortably or uncomfortably, we do not know. But they have, and in recent times, have also shown glimpses of a desire to rid themselves of these labels and keep our focus firmly upon their respective sporting prowesses. Again, one isn't sure if that is upon instructions or by desire.

Not for once is one attempting to draw parallels of similarity between the two players - both are vastly different - if one is perceived to be the spoilt scion of a priviliged cricketwise background, the other is frequently seen to be a confused backwoodsman come to the city from the groves and lagoons of a paradise tucked away from the corruptive influence of cricket. Football reigns in these pockets. There are no similarities between the two beyond both endeding up being labelled so. Cricketingly, if one is an all-rounder, the other is merely a bowler....and there end perhaps all similarities.

Perhaps...for there do exist other similarities...both are blessed with an intense desire, nay...zeal, to give their best for their respective teams, and both are currently experiencing a growth explosion in their respective abilities to learn as they go along.

Stuart Broad appears to have one focus, and one focus only, for the series - to perform in all aspects of the game as long as he is on the field. He hasn't stepped out of line even once in this series yet bar the first innings duck at Lord's. Behaviour has been exemplary. His cricket, even better. At all times, he is seeking wickets, and, when it is his turn to bat, he wants to stay and score in such a manner that he performs another task for his team - of demoralizing the opposition besides of course adding valuable inches to his team's chances.

Sreesanth appeared to rule himself out after the tour match and Zaheer's injury meant that along with Munaf, he became the senior paceman in this Indian contigent. Munaf Patel has his utilities and they are not what India wants right now. They wanted a workhorse-cum-battering ram rolled into one, and Sreesanth fit the bill to perfection. He is known to bowl well overseas - he featured in two Test wins in South Africa - and is known to be almost tireless in bowling. He was reputed to be an upright-seam bowler with decent pace, and god willing and country weather permitting, the ball just might swing from the vertical in England. But Sreesanth has demonstrated an advancement, hitherto unknown or unobserved.

Shantakumaran Sreesanth has learnt to bowl with a tilted or angled seam...all the while keeping it steady. And that matters - he becomes a tusker immediately, capable of goring down opponents with an intense combination of swing and pace. Especially in England. If he gets the length right, he is matching Anderson, if not better. At least on the evidence seen thus far in England.

He can aspire to be an all-rounder, but whether he will ever be is a point very moot. But what he has done instead is to expand his repertoire to find, for Test matches at least, the more useful variation of bowling that upright seam at a tilt or angle. He lacked that before and offered nothing other than the slower ball as a variation. What one saw yesterday, was a positive development...a significant move on the growth chart after all these years. If you can, watch the replays of the balls that got his wickets. Pure classy swing in all of them, and all because, instead of sending the ball vertically straight seam-side first from his fingers, placing all trust on the pitch to provide lateral movement, he was sending it slightly tilted, leather-face first while keeping that seam from wobbling. In England, that translates into serious swing...especially dangerous if you have an ounce of pace such as what Sreesanth possesses. He made the ball go both ways but his outswingers were murderous. Ishant Sharma should learn this trick quickly and not take all the time Sreesanth has. Maybe he will bat as capably as he can muster too...but India will not mind if he can take wickets the way he did yesterday. He was almost unplayable at times and had all the batsmen guessing or taking chances. Of course he messed up in between at times and the batsmen took toll of him then, especially Broad, but, hitherto concealed, useful hope for the future now lies pleasantly exposed in Sreesanth's cricket.

Both Broad and Sreesanth's reactions to disappointments were also revealing of new productive mindsets governing their functioning. Neither of them clowned over appeals turned down, instead, they gathered themselves without fuss and walked back quickly to deliver fresh purpose.

This could well turn out to be a series of the "Brats".

Broad Torment For India

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:34:00 +0000

It was inevitable that, India, having enjoyed a complete session of sustained application of pressure after Lunch, perhaps for the first time in this series, should degenerate into mindlessness in the session after. Bowling regressed to the pasttime of idiots, and the Indian Lala-in-the-field sprouted out of every fielder to claim a position of dominance over the tagic in the continuing saga of Indian Cricket They dropped catches and ran wildly to take others or not at all when all India was asking for was a group of calm heads.

But Broad, India's other nemesis from Lord's, is pulling his weight. He is contributing a powerful mite to his team's cause.

England are a few runs shy of 200 with still two wickets to go. As we said in an earlier post, 200 and thereabouts is a kind of victory for England.

Inconsistency remains India's bane...the session after Tea is completely England's.

Swann's murdering India's bowling with Broad.

The Trent Bridge Trinity

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:03:00 +0000

Sree, Ishant and Praveen...Yes, they have England down as if for the count, but not quite knocked out yet. 127-8 but local boys Swann abd Broad could wade into the tiring trio. All that remains is to launch the crucial killer punch...and we're watching for that.

Meanwhile Nasser mian is already talking about how crucial this partnership would be in a 'low-scoring' match. My dear readers, the thing is India hasn't yet got down to batting yet....and Mian Nasser is already talking about a low scoring game. Just like he began to highlight the dangerousness of this 'new stadium' as soon as England lost the toss and had to bat. before that, the warnings were all for India.

But we are running helter-skelter...got to get these two remaining wickets quick and knock off the runs by evening...or almost all the runs with most minimal loss or none of wickets. Broad and Swann can swing their bats and 200+ will be a victory for them.

The Trinity needs quickets...yup...quick wickets...maybe time to add another bowling head? A spinner perhaps?

India's Tusker Chomps On After Lunch !

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:48:00 +0000

After Lunch, India has been a more disciplined and determined bowling and fielding unit. Soon after, Sreesanth, our chief dagger to slice through the dense forests of South African batting prowess, began to rip and carve at the England team, He first picked up a truly huge morsel in the form of former double-centurion, Kevin Pietersen and then went on to demolish India's main reason for defeat in the first Test, Matt Prior for one more than nothing.

Matt Prior it was who rescued Enland twice in the Lord's Test and constructed his team's victory, but today Sreesanth pitched it just short of length to him and it left a Prior stuck on the crease late...Dhoni did the rest. Matt was all squared up like a juicy pie you might find in England. Earlier, with a lovely outswinger, he had KP nicking to Raina.

In between all that he dived forward on his follow sliding through a shastanga namaskaram on the pitch to take Bell's return, but was marginally short.

India have England at 88-6, and as they say, trapped in a fork, they have to take all the catches now generated by the trio of Indian bowlers. Can't let England go from here...GOT TO SNUFF OUT THAT LOWER ORDER RESISTANCE PRONTO! Bell, Bresnan, Broad, Swann and Anderson.

Praveen picked up Strauss and Morgan (for nought again).

Truly, India's Tusker has come out hungry after Lunch.

Team India missing a complete pressure session

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:13:00 +0000

The moral of the five innings India has featured on this England tour thus far has been the failure by Team India to produce one complete session of pressure to bear upon the Englishmen - be it with the bat or with the ball.

Therefore, we cannot speak about the next step - that of replicating the pressure in the next session.

Maybe they did have a few good overs in a session, but I cannot recall a start-fo-finish pressure...pressure...pressure performance from the Indians throughout any single session of play...or a set of say 20-25 overs.

England on the other hand have been able to slip out of early or mid-session pressure and kicked on to a win in the first Test. At Trent Bridge, today, India is repeating the story. Early strikes or good pressure bowling followed by donkey-pitching of the ball to calm the nerves of English batsmen.

Praveen is struggling due to lack of speed and all bowlers have bowled bad, four balls when the need of the moment was to dock in a tight over. Many tight overs would induce errors. Ask the Indian batsmen...they know much about giving it away in an attritional session! Patience is lacking, and, could it be possible that some shame is percieved in bowling six good balls in an over? Appears that way to me...seriously.

So after a great start to this Test match, as at Lord's, it is India that comes out after Lunch with the burden to make things happen rather than England worrying about taking guard. No excuses of an injured bowler here....there are three fit pacemen bowling for India at Nottingham today.

Yet, a repeat of Lord's is very much on. An inconsistent bowling performance with great spells hidden in the litter of poorly planned overs is shaping up for a third time. Yuvraj is playing and also bowling alongwith the bland Harbhajan...so paceman can't be tired in this match.

England 69-2 at Lunch in 27 overs after being 1-7 first and then 2-23 in the 11th over. India won the toss and opted to bowl. Strauss on a blossoming 29* and Kevin Pitersen is untroubled with 26 runs to his name.

Well played England

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:17:00 +0000

England is a wicket away from winning the Lord's Test. I missed most of the action past two days and caught snatches on the replays.

If I were to pick two game-changing performers for England in this Test, they have been Matt Prior and Stuart Broad.

In both innings, Prior thwarted India and supported his team to safe totals.

Broad, with ball, bat and behaviour, was exemplary. In both innings he started the rot with the ball.

For India, it was a case of NOT playing as a team. There were individual performances that didn't add up to anything.

If Praveen and Dravid were the lone rangers in the first innings, then it were Ishant Sharma and Raina in the second.

Injuries and illnesses...ah well...let's just say - Well played England!

England should lead 1-0 any moment now.

The Pehelwaan of Lord's

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 03:31:00 +0000

India was on the ropes after the first day of the first Test - having won the toss, Captain Dhoni asked England to bat first under cloudy skies. Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar opened for India and they both immediately had the England openers, Strauss and Cook, in a watchful mode with balls that literally swung across the face of their defensive bats to end up in an acute corner on the opposite side of the pitch! It was all pretty to watch but India wasn't quite finding the correct length to bowl. Then Zaheer struck, twice, first making Cook topple over mortally by gradually dragging him more and more to his off as he played around his front leg till such a time that parallax caught up with Chef and he missed a straighter one to be rapped on the pads, plumb in front. Soon, Zak exploited Strauss's strength and compulsion, by bowling a tempting bouncer to pull. Completely governed by instinct, England;s captain, Andrew Strauss went for the pull, without noticing in his rush that the ball was pitched a tad outside the off and was moving away. The top edge was taken by Ishant at fine leg. India was on a high. Sehwag's absence was settling into the background...England's fearfulness about India's bowling was being realized. Kevin Pietersen and Trott looked wary...almost like players of Russian Roulette keaping a keen sense out for the first hint of the bullet that could come at any time.

It was at this stage of exultant anticipation that doom slashed across India's hamstring. Zaheer Khan limped off in the 42nd day. India were left without their second spearhead (Sehwag being the first) at the start of the series itself. To compound matters, Ishant Sharma wasn't finding consistency and Harbhajan appeared domesticated by the catch dropped off his first ball, a pitch too bland for his taste, and his own recent placidity. To compound matters, Kevin Pietersen was experiencing healthy doses of cliches - 'rub of the green' decided to firmly sit in this England jobber's corner.

Praveen Kumar Punches Back All Day

So the second day began with India in strife. England at 127-2 were on firmer ground. Kevin Pietersen had weathered all storms with visible determination the previous evening.

There were fewer clouds and greater shine in the air. Some commentators wondered if Praveen Kumar would be able to ply his trade as he did under greay cloud cover the previous day. By the end of the second day however, all commentators bar the most blinded, would be convinced Praveen was an exponent of his trade in all conditions, slopes, and balls available to him. More of that later.

Ishant did manage to spot the fuller length but couldn't latch on to it for four balls out of six in an over. Harbhajan wasn't quite penetrative or too restrictive either under the circumstances. Praveen Kumar made the odd mistake of pitching the ball in the right zones for the batsman too. As a result, England's batsmen began to canter along. Pietersen was fluid this day unlike the first. Trott, however, was missing his stride. Sure enough, before long, Trott tried to force against the call for patient play and tried to whip one across his foot to leg and missed Praveen Kumar's's swing completely to be caught Cook-like plumb in front. Only difference, this ball kept a little lower than Chef's.

Trott's dismissal was to signal the advent of the best phase of batting, split on either side of Morgan's wicket one must add though, for England.

Ian Bell and Kevin Piteresen together, for the first time in the match, brought beauty to England's batsmanship instead of circumspection and uncomfortable attack. Their partnership withered away the Indian spectator's hopes but made cricket watcher's often gasp in admiration at the sheer timing and fluency of their strokeplay. Bell was clattering along and KP was already into the long-innings anchoring mould. India's bowling, for the first time in this match, began to suggest it might be inadequate. A tall England score was looming and the innings Run Rate also began to catch the breeze.

Mood had shifted sides in the stands, couches, forums and media.

It was in this phase of play that Captain Dhoni requested Rahul Dravid to don the big gloves and brought himself to bowl his dibbly-dobblies to give his bowlers rest. It looked to nearly all as the act of a valiant captain who had accepted that his ship was going down and his men needed relief. But most of these textual commentators do not know that Dhoni has and can bowl usefully and they showed their ignorance in their surprise. And he began well. And continued to bowl well in his spell. Yet again, Dhoni revealed his ability to find solutions for his team when in a predicament. One wishes he doesn't lapse into periods of maintaining status quo where he appears to be doing nothing.

But doing nothing was as what Indian bowling lapsed into while Bell and Pietersen were together.

Challenges bring out the champion hidden inside each one of us. Often. When the English noon was sapping India's effort, Praveen Kumar stepped up once again. He began to weave the ball all around Ian Bell...almost like a spinner...creating a state of temperance in Bell's strident tolling. By inducing that slight but significant eddy in Bell's smooth flow at the threshold of his half-century, Praveen Kumar was setting him up for the kill. And that came when he moved one late away...a slightly slower ball for which Bell stayed back and followed the curve away like a mesmerized one... and Dhoni took the edge gleefully. A good low catch that was a relief after the many dropped ones.

The Morgan Intrelude

Eoin Morgan, the great Irish hope of England, walked in next. To take the platform set up by Bell and KP. Crowd was abuzz with anticipation - this was suppossed to be cash-in time for all the dourness displayed by early England batsmen in this innings. The scoring rate was expected to rocket into unknown orbits. But three bamboozling balls later, Praveen Kumar made one come back in, instead of going away and Morgan was sliced into two. There was a loud noise and the appeal for caught behind was upheld. Morgan was walking anyway. Then the propagandists took over.

The incompleteness of DRS was blamed for Morgan's 'dismissal' because Hotspot failed to pick the bat's edge. They said, that if the DRS were in full force, then he could have appealed and been ruled 'not out'. They were quick to tell us that Morgan in his mind was thinking that he was given LBW and therefore didn't challenge. As if they were Morgan's deemag ka keeda....cysticerci residing in Morgan's brain who instantly knew his mind's working! If Morgan wanted, he could have challenged the decision - England had two challenges with them at that stage and he could have challenged the caught decision if he felt he hadn's had a nick.

Now this highlights many failings of the current system - 1) so much still depends upon perception and not technology 2) Hotspot has its own fallacy and error margin and 3) DRS continues to be players' call rather than umpire reference tool. Rather than 'halfway house' DRS, DRS itself is showing the propagandists the need for a proper, scientific, politics-less debate on the development of the correct set of technology and their best method os application in cricket. But propagandists don't want to discuss...perhaps they do not understand science...maybe they just prefer playing dirty hate politics, and that's their real goal.

Praveen Kumar had once again brought India back into the game.

A Priori, Matt Rises

Piteresen was upping the ante. He was gaining the mental edge over Indian bowlers. His feet were moving well and his eye was catching the ball early. His bat was imperiously dispatching the ball from well outside off to the square-leg and mid-wicket. He was confident enough to be constanlty walking across the crease. But all this could come to a naught if wickets fell away on the other side. Matt Prior bustled in to take guard at this crucial juncture.

Prior is pugnacious and can, when in mood and form, play outrageously to the situation's perceived demand, to revert lost advantage back to England. On this day, he grabbed the session by its scruff and lay about the Indian bowlers. It was just the elixir Kevin Pitersen needed. Just the confidence to up the ante from his side. England began to score at almost run a ball for the next 30 or so overs as a result...in a Test match! For an Indian supporter, all apppeared lost.

Yet again Praveen Kumar, the wrestler's son from Meerut, the earthy son of the soil from the Gangetic plain, who knows toil, doesn't shirk, and has never known fear or accepted subjugation, struck. Not once, but boxed back two telling blows into the rampaging England side. It was a punch-up where fellows were beating each other up groggy.

Praveen Kumar began to dizzy up Prior with movement and when he let his guard slip, bowled a temptation...just short and a little wide...Prior stepped back to lash it to the point fence...but the outswinger moved, and Praveen Kumar had prepped it up with a little extra juice, so it rose a bit more than what Prior's oak like arms had gotten used to hacking square. Dhoni clung on to the valuable edge and Matt Prior departed after playing a most entertaining innings of 71 from a mere 93 balls. One, which changed the fortunes of England in this match yet again.

Questions were being asked if England would be able to score 500 by the end of the third day, given the rate at which they were playing prior to Matt's innings. As he left, England were safely in a position to declare if required on the second day itself.

Praveen Kumar followed this ball up with a beauty...no not Stuart Broad...but a beautifully bowled ball to little Stu...who had no clue..whatsoever..to Parveen's swing and was stranded first ball before the stumps.

This was a huge moment for the humble lad from Meerut...he stood, on debut at Lord's, as a man with five wickets against his name in adversity. He accepted the responsibility and single-handedly gripped hard on an England's arm to hold them in check as it was running away against other Indian bowlers.

Later on, the Indian's fell off...the adrenaline ran out. Swann and KP toyed with the tired bowling and set up a fifty partnership. Raina came in to bowl his off spin and knocked Swann's stumps out of the ground with a fastish ball from around the wicket. And when Harbhajan had been tonked around by Swann and KP for the same tactics.

The Jobber's Double

The man who has been casigated by Englishmen at the merest whim and fancy, Kevin Pietersen, was imperious in his rollicking march to his double century. When only the lower order stayed on with him, he lifted England to a position filled with possibilities. He began his innings clearly determined to understand he lay of the land first. He subdued his natural extrovert instincts and studiously pored over what the Indian bowlers, the pitch and the conditions had to offer. And when he felt he had a grip of things, his innings blossomed out. Confidence was etched in every step he ook outside the off stump to whip the ball unnnaturally to the led side bouwndary.. Or the straight driven fours...or the bolt-straight six over the bowler's head. It was an innings constructed well by a man upon whom England likes to apply liberally pressure born, perhaps, out of nothing more than envy. It was a grand innings, good to look at and well appreciated by all.

The declaration came as soon as KP scored 200...England pressed for time continued to allow KP to get to his milestone. India were done with wicket taking for the day.

England's Haute Bowling Machine

All anticipaton had it neatly calculated, confirmed and sorted out - the short session before India would be overwhelming from them againstt he great England bowlers who would go 'all-out' before close of play. India, many opined, would be glad to get back to their hotel with five six wickets intact!

Nothing like that happened of course...nothing ever has happened as naysayers firmly bound against India have uttered in the past four-five years...just as India confidently went about winning cups, trophies and matches, India's England-debuting openers, Abhinav Mukund and Gautam Gambhir set off confidently and at a good, matching pace.

The great Tremletts hadn't begun to sizzle when England wanted them to, being little more than quivering Trembletts in the darkening evening at Lord's. Not very different, it was, for James Anderson either.

One can safely say, England's haute bowling machine chose to make a downright dowdy statement when the evening's ramp was all theirs.

Today, Day Three, will be a battle...mostly for England's bowlers one thinks.

England's total is well within range.

Champions must rise NOW

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 01:35:00 +0000

India is familiar with against-all-odds sort of stories. Not only is its own history replete with such instances, occuring on an almost daily basis, its cricketing history glows with such magnificent tales too. Every achievement gained in cricket by India, has come usually against the tide; when no one gave its teams any chances. Derision, jealousy, criticism and snubbery have always walked alongside India's march, intent upon stumbling its progress. The same has replicated itself in the sphere of cricket.And in the current series as well.

Yesterday, India didn't bowl like champions. They looked pretty, sure, but the batsmen were untroubled. One felt Dhoni should have started with different ends for Ishant and Zaheer...a matter we had discussed in our preview before the match...but these are not hard and fast rules. Anyway, players know better than armchair specialists like us. The decision to bowl first was applauded by many, but one disagreed with that. No doubt the conditions were ominously in favour of the bowlers but that was a risk to be taken by Indian batsmen. As it turned out, Indian bowlers failed to make best use of the conditions. Entirely possible Ishant and Praveen didn't know what to do with those conditions.

India either lacked sufficient pace to go along with their swing or they just bowled the wrong lengths. The problem could have been more in execution than in planning. Then they were tardy in the field. Ground fielding regularly released the pressure and a couple of catches were dropped - off Trott and Pietersen - which should have been taken at this level. India looked sloppy champions and England a team, that was biding its time...perhaps ruminating over their assessment of India's bowling prowess.

It was in such a state of affairs that the in-form Cook, stroking beautifully whenever the opportunity presented itself, was made to lean over a little too much to the off side by Zaheer Khan and was found plumb by Asad Rauf. There never appeared much doubt, but Nasser Hussain, a former England captain, as if by instinct, called upon technology, even if one not more accurate than a human umpire, to confirm at Lord's. The irony of it.

Strauss was suckered into pulling a bouncer...one of his favourite strokes...by Zaheer Khan. Only, Zaheer managed to make the ball go wider from where it pitched and Strauss knew even as he mesmerized himself to pull that he would be gone. And he was taken...caught by Ishant at fine leg. It was a clever plan by Zaheer and brilliant in its execution.

But the remaining bowlers were wanting - Harbhajan began with a stinging delivery though that saw the edge of Trott's bat but was not taken by Dravid after getting his hands to it. Into this milieu, a twist in the script was added - like a potboiler's - Zaheer Khan was taken out of the innings, possibly the match and perhaps the series, by the twitch of a muscle, or an entire group of them called hamstrings.

These things happen, but happen more when coming into a match from complete rest from bowling. Our friend Krishna did express his worry about Zak's fitness in comments to our preview.

What Zak's ailment did is leave the champions with a greater challenge - from now on, India's bowlers - greenhorns and veteran - will have to rise to this challenge, and its batsmen as one...in support of their bowlers to keep this series on even keel or dominate it from here.

Right now, it is advantage England even as rain curtailed play. Trott is on a well crafted fifty-eight.

English spinner

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:44:00 +0000

When one logged in early this morning to peruse news and articles on the Test series to commence later today, one came across a small link tucked in among the basket of links on the Cricinfo front page. The link led the reader to a interview of sorts with Graeme Swann, or a report of what he might have said elsewhere. It was one in which Swann suggested the inferiority of India's batsmen and their likely batting sequence in comparison to England's. One bookmarked the article on the desktop and moved on to hit the road, with the intention of catching up with the article for reading at leisure before work became busy. And probably write a few comments on it. However, one is unable to locate the link to the said article at the portal.Maybe it has been done away with.

be that as it may, a Google search brought me to a summary of that report available at Cricketlounge One quotes from it

"They have got a very good batting line-up but I'd disagree whether they are the best in the world at the moment because I think our top six might be," Swann said.

It is hard to disagree with Swann's perceptions, but one suspects that England may well be looking for a four-prong attack or different spinner before this series is through. The world's second-best batting line-up, might just decide to unwind on England's 'magic bowler' against all teams but India (and Australia too - Link), after getting through the breakfast course of Trembletts and Andersums. One doesn't discount good ol' Swanny dishing out 200 runs off his 40-45 overs he may have to bowl per innings. After that, the number of wickets he takes will not matter nor the next Test guaranteed!

The loquacious one is certainly practising spinning it hard.

By the way, Swanny fans need not worry - England is sure to play one of Broad or Swanny, if not both, for the sound effects value they bring to the English team. I am certainly looking forward to Swanny spin it - one way or the other.

Tomorrow we begin our title defence

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:58:00 +0000

That's right, on the 21st of July, India, we, go to field at Lord's to combat our first real threat to our crown. England are eager challengers, itching to cast the first blow under typical English conditions forecast to prevail in London tomorrow. One has encountered strife for having believed forecasts put out on the site during the Dominica Test few weeks ago, but somehow, London and grey rain-filled skies, sound believeable.

India might ask England to bat, liek Indian captains have done before, but I doubt, despite Anderson and co's presence, England would choose to put India in. But these things cannot be said with certainty...we can only guess the philosophy of the dressing room is. From India's point of view, given the conditions, it looks like three seamers will play, and that those three would be Ishant, Praveen and of course Zak.

What will be worth watching is how Ishant uses his main strength, if he is asked to bowl from the Pavilion end, from where, he might struggle to keep the ball on the square, thanks to the slope down towards the leg side. He might do a Harmison. But, he could go across the two southpaw England openers rather disconcertingly.

Zak could also benefit when he comes over the wicket from this end, but running up the slope would be sort of ideal for him.

Praveen shouldn't mind bowling from either side too.

Will the 'pie-chucker' play specifically to snare Kevin Pietersen? Though Raina appears to have got his eye in, and should play, I cannot help feeling Yuvraj might be given the nod ahead. It's an entirely subjective feeling and one could be wrong in the end. Then Raina can be the fourth seamer/off-spinner, but there is also the question - will India be exerting on selecting a part-time fifth bowler or will they be straining on which batsman to select? One thinks, the batsman is of prime concern and not the kind of fifth bowler - four bowlers shoul;d do the job at Lord's...especially when there are three quality pacemen in the ranks.

If India bat, it will be a torrid time for both India openers. Mukund and Gambhir will have to put their best foot forward, be cicumspect with play outside the off stump, and will have to be willing to give a few overs to the bowlers at the outset.

A strong opening stand can work wonders for India. Of that, there can be no doubt - be it batting, bowling, or fielding - the first day must be snatched away from England. It is essential to push England on the back foot right away and keep them there.

Good luck to both teams and let us hope we have good match. One also hopes India remain fixed to their purpose in the game and forget about whatever distractions that may be thrown their way to queer the pitch.

Raina remains unbeaten

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:31:00 +0000

Soon after Raina crossed his hundred, Munaf Patel was out plumb to Max Walker, leaving India with the unpleasant task to bowl the day out and Raina stuck on 103.

The point to note was Raina got to his 100 and didn't throw it away, as was his wont in the past.

Even if the bowling was circus variety, will Raina play at Lord's on the back of this performance?

Live audio commentary available at cricketcommentary.co.uk/somerset

Raina scoring at run a ball

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:11:00 +0000

Live audio commentary available at cricketcommentary.co.uk/somerset

With nothing to lose, Raina is certainly getting in his slice of batting alright. Sreesanth was out early - Willoughby adding to his overnight five wickets by bowling him - but since then it has been Raina all the way. For 67 runs since Sreesanth's wicket, Raina has done all the scoring with Munaf Patel contributing his support and one run.

Does this edge out Yuvraj Singh? Do we go with four bowlers and Raina's dibbly dobblies? How much can one read into this innings?

We can't say for we are listening to commentary only and can't see the quality of bowling.

It's a tough call to leave out Raina for team balance and tactics, but one continues to believe dressing room minds are made up on this.

India 212-9, Suresh Raina 96*

Scorecard

Not a bad chune at all

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:00:00 +0000

"We are the West Indies" video put up by media arm of WICB on YouTube

The video's not bad either .

Oxymorons

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 09:59:00 +0000

Oxymorons? We think they might be oxygen breathing morons...but you don't have to believe us or take us seriously....

"It was a well-established principle of modern sporting governance that national federations should be autonomous and free from interference from government in the administration of their affairs."

- ICC Statement upon amendment to their constitution adopted at Hong Kong, 2011.

Let's begin with the hackneyed portion of the statement, as quoted above, once again on this blog. Now let's look what happens in Mumbai.

Vilasrao Deshmukh is new MCA president - Cricinfo

Of the 329 members supposed to vote in the secret ballot, six did not turn up, three others did not vote and three votes were invalid

Vilasrao Deshmukh, the former Maharashtra chief minister, has defeated Dilip Vengsarkar, the former India captain, in the 77th presidential elections of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), continuing the two-decade long trend of a politician heading the body. Deshmukh's margin of victory was 47 votes; he received 182 to Vengsarkar's 135.

Mr.Deshmukh, and Mr.Shukla of BCCI, are ministers in the current cabinet. - LINK Mr. Pawar of course has been a long-term senior minister.

One has nothing against politicians - as long as they are honest, competent and work sincerely for the betterment of the sport, one has absolutely no objections to them managing sports. In fact, they can be highly effective managers within the country if they possess the admirable and requisite traits.

One is sure both Mr.Deshmukh and Mr.Vengsarkar are very capable men and it is given there can only be one winner in an election.

One cannot really understand what ICC really meant by that slogan they adopted - it isn't practical or practised - where there are elections...when there is democracy, as in an autocracy or dictatorship, politics and politicians are always around. In a democratic society, how can politicians be kept out by a diktat?

That said, why do people who have the power of vote, and a choice between a politician and a player vote for the politician? If all the platitudes they mouth about interference is true, why do they not use elections to make their statement?

So much for the ICC's slogans, MCA and its 'elections'.

Maybe governments will ask ICC to haul their...when they come around asking for security arrangements. [ Link ]

Five Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 02:33:00 +0000

To kick off your Sunday morning reading

1) Skipper resigns - at WITTERINGS by Fantasy Bob

2) Yuvraj Singh's Golden Chance - at The Cricket Window by Vaibhav Sharma.

3) Introducing Pakistan’s latest fast bowling golem: Junaid Khan - at CWB by Jrod

4) On the Myth of Test Cricket's Approaching Death - at Island Express by Avinash.

And a last one on the current series of interest, and to a match up which we too are looking forward to

5) Zaheer Khan and James Anderson - at King Cricket

Worked fine for me this morning.

Suresh Raina wants to play at Lord's

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 01:13:00 +0000

We return to the conundrum that has dogged the no.6 spot in India's batting order, which has only been amplified by the World Cup and the West Indies tour since - Does India play Mr. Yuvraj Singh or Mr.Raina at that slot? The tour match with Somerset stirs up this question again with the warmed-up Suresh Raina playing significantly while the Prince of Silken Strokes, Maharaj Yuvraj Singh was mostly ineffective on all fronts in this match.

Mr.Raina has helped the Indian XI to three figures with an unbeaten 30 runs scored in the company of Sachin and the tailenders. Sreesanth is there with him to attempt to further reduce the first innings deficit from 287 on the third day.

It is possible minds are made up on this issue already.

Meanwhile, C. Willoughby has already taken five telling wickets to send a message of sorts across to the visitors which they themselves could not to Andrew Strauss and co.

Being without a telecast has limited our ability to form opinions.

Thanatosis

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:29:00 +0000

The mix of rusty and warmed up players that is representing India at Somerset has been laid low by an elderly gentleman by the name of Charl Willoughby. The South African has torn up the batting order and India is, as a result, 6-95 in an important tour match.

Thus far the opportunity to settle in may be considered to have been wasted by all concerned.

That said, it is possible, India played possum as far as bowling was concerned. But how does one explain this batting performance? That's many layers of runs you see there!

Hopefully, the worst is out of the way before Lord's.

Daroo Burper's Chillum Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:09:00 +0000

But what about the Choris?

More kiss and tell tales to follow from Daroo Burper's diary...stay tuned.

Chillum = a horn shaped pipe that rises up from the lips...usually for dreamy uses.

You can read the comic strip on YouTube too