It’s unfair to comment on which among the two will have the superlative. We are talking about two different eras here!
Uncovered pitches, little or no protective gears and for that matter, no genuine laws to protect the batsman from getting killed (a la Bodyline Series) defined Don’s era. Imagine facing a hard leather-ball being hurled at your face or on your body, which by the way, is minus any protection! And with Douglas Jardine and Harold Larwood (who supposedly was as quick as today’s Shoaib Akhtar and Bret Lee) going for the ‘kill’, almost literally, the batsmen were never quite sure whether they would survive to see the next ball, let alone the next morning! Not to forget, cricket was suspended for almost 10 years during the Second World War. Such situations demanded an army-man-like bravery, concentration and of course, focus to continue in cricket after a decade of break! Bradman, undoubtedly, had all of these in plenty and more. You may never again see a batting average of 99.94 for a guy who has played more than 50 Test Matches!
Switch to the current era: A match every second day, touring around the world visiting almost 3-4 countries/nations every year, three different versions of the game, a billion analysts, who in one moment can cloth you in adulation and eulogise you to godly levels and in the next, burn that very cloth into ashes with their criticisms – all of these define the current era, thus, requiring amazing fitness, unadulterated passion and quick adjustments to play at all levels – the longer, shorter and the shortest! You don’t need to look farther than the champion, who very recently scaled the peak which no man in the planet has reached before – Sachin Tendulkar!
There you are – You just can’t compare the two greats, in fact - the greatest, in two eras! I’d say, till the 1950s, Don was the best. And after that, there has been none greater than Sachin!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Harsha Bhogle's Best Comments
Received a forward, and thought would share it with you all..
1. This was in a match btw india and sa.. umpire rudi kuertzen caught on camera sporting a rare smile. harsha commented.... "last time rudi kuerzten smiled there was peace in west asia"
2. This is again from the natwest trophy final..When yuvraj got out at a very crucial stage..harsha's one liner.. "Yuvraj singh will realize that this will be his longest walk bak to the pavillion"
3. When Sachin once got out to a lollypop offspinner (I guess it was Michael Vaughn) in '02. He wonderfully said, " Oh what a shame. It was reminiscent of a soldier who survived the war when all the bullets were flying by his nose and then got run over by a bicycle in his native town."
4. ind vs aus 2000 icc knockout champioship played in kenya. (yuvi's debut) Sachin was smasing all aussie bowlers, and then he his a superb off drive off lee. harsha : "this innings by tendulkar has been a beautiful garden, the last shot being the most beautiful flower in it"
5. ind vs nzl. (in nzl 2002-2003) sehwag had MANY lucky escapes. when he was dropped once again. harsha : "its been that kind of a day. today sehwag can walk blindfolded across a busy highway and not get runover."
6. Natwest Final: During Naser Hussain's mistimed hits/top edges on his way to his maiden hundred "Naser Hussain is trying desperately hard to find innovative ways of getting himself out"
7. in the same match... "if you are not watching this segment of play, don't ever call yourself a cricket lover anymore. you are watching cricket of a very high order here".
8. Here's n old one...at perth Adam Gilchrist took a blinder and he described Gilly's dive thus, " ...some of the sea-gulls flying here are going to get a complex."
9. when tendulkar got a hundred he said " touch of Class & stamp of Authority"
10. recently in india's tour of south africa...he blurted out suddenly after sreesanth's antiques with the bat and hips..." dis is the funniest thing u'll ever watch on a cricket field"...!!
11. When Smith dropped Sachin in the 2nd Test Graeme Smith would be hoping that the world under his feet opens up & he would find a crevice large enough for him to slip through....
12. After india lost the recent test series in SA India lost the series because they surprised themselves by winning the 1st test . A win should never be a surprise.
13. After Anil Kumble scored his maiden Ton...this is what our great man had to say... "This is the most romantic moment in Indian Cricket....."
14. "The last time Billy gave lbw , Berlin wall was not there , there was peace in Afganistan,..................."
15. In a match between Aus n SL , Harsha said to Ian Chappell , " I am sure you'll never become a lawyer , I understand everything you say " Ian Chappell had no counter for this.
16. Harsha was hosting the ICC Awards before the T20 World Cup and he called on Jonty Rhodes to present an award. So as Jonty began climbing down the stairs, Harsha exclaimed, ''it's pretty unusual to see Jonty walk down the stairs, I thought he might slide down them !"
17. when the wickets were falling in a heap in the T20 match... THIS SERIES IS SPONSERED BY KFC AND THE WICKETS ARE FALLING FASTER THAN THEIR (KFC's) DELIVERIES....
18. when Gambhr was dropped twice on consecutive deliveries, - "We should conduct a dream job in Australia & the winner will get to stand in the slip region!!!!!!"
19. When Kumble and Ishant were batting, Hussey dropped a catch of Ishant off the bowling of Johnson and Harsha exclaimed,"It's autumn in Adelaide. It's the time when leaves change their colour and they start dropping. Here, as well the catches are dropping..".
20. In a match, dravid left a ball alone while batting. To this gavaskar, who was commenting alongside harsha was very impressed by the way he left the ball. He went on appreciating that for a minute or so. After this harsha's comment was, "Sunny, you nearly got an orgasm of happiness, didn't u!" & then both burst out into laughter!
21. dhoni is battin with anil kumble.. dhoni calls for a tight single,n harsha has this to say," dhoni scrambles for a single n causes anil kumble n all of his 37 yrs to rush to the other end.."
22. after shaun tait did not live up to the hype Cricket Australia created around him, ponting took him off the attack. harsha, in his own inimitable style: 'shaun tait should go up to ponting and say "hello mr ponting, my name is shaun tait, and i am supposed to take 45 wickets in this test match"
23. HB was analysing the innings of laxman...laxman made a crucial 79 in the second innings. HB said something like- " aussies must be feeling that wenever we are on the verge of 17th,this man(laxman) comes in between!"
24. RP SIngh walked in but it was Laxman on strike. So the Aussies wanted him to take a single and get RP on strike... so they spread out the field completely, with only the keeper, one slip and one gully inside the 30 yard circle.. That's when Harsha says .. "now suddenly, Don Bradman is batting out there in the middle... "
25. Seeing the flock of seagulls flying across the pitch Harsha tells Wasim Akram : " As you would say in Punjabi... kee gull hai? sea gull hai!!!"
26. when michael clarke was caught at slip off kumble , he was still watin 4 da decision , over this harsha said, " i think he is waitin for tomorrow's newspaper to declare him out"
27. Yuvraj hit the long six off brett lee went outside the stadium in durban 'are there people working late in the office there....... we want the ball back'
28. in t-20 gayle hit a monstrous six but but fell just short of the golf course outside the stadium harsha: "wat a poor shot just misses the golf course"
29. "if i cannot be tendulkar then tendulkar can also not be me"
30. the palyers told their favourite shots while coming on to bat.... Collingwood said "a little nurdle of the pads" and Pietersen said blocking the ball.... Harsha commented "the next thing they'll say is that their favourite shot is to leave the ball alone"
31. what an introduction to India Australia semifinal: "This is a battle between unstoppable force against immovable object"
1. This was in a match btw india and sa.. umpire rudi kuertzen caught on camera sporting a rare smile. harsha commented.... "last time rudi kuerzten smiled there was peace in west asia"
2. This is again from the natwest trophy final..When yuvraj got out at a very crucial stage..harsha's one liner.. "Yuvraj singh will realize that this will be his longest walk bak to the pavillion"
3. When Sachin once got out to a lollypop offspinner (I guess it was Michael Vaughn) in '02. He wonderfully said, " Oh what a shame. It was reminiscent of a soldier who survived the war when all the bullets were flying by his nose and then got run over by a bicycle in his native town."
4. ind vs aus 2000 icc knockout champioship played in kenya. (yuvi's debut) Sachin was smasing all aussie bowlers, and then he his a superb off drive off lee. harsha : "this innings by tendulkar has been a beautiful garden, the last shot being the most beautiful flower in it"
5. ind vs nzl. (in nzl 2002-2003) sehwag had MANY lucky escapes. when he was dropped once again. harsha : "its been that kind of a day. today sehwag can walk blindfolded across a busy highway and not get runover."
6. Natwest Final: During Naser Hussain's mistimed hits/top edges on his way to his maiden hundred "Naser Hussain is trying desperately hard to find innovative ways of getting himself out"
7. in the same match... "if you are not watching this segment of play, don't ever call yourself a cricket lover anymore. you are watching cricket of a very high order here".
8. Here's n old one...at perth Adam Gilchrist took a blinder and he described Gilly's dive thus, " ...some of the sea-gulls flying here are going to get a complex."
9. when tendulkar got a hundred he said " touch of Class & stamp of Authority"
10. recently in india's tour of south africa...he blurted out suddenly after sreesanth's antiques with the bat and hips..." dis is the funniest thing u'll ever watch on a cricket field"...!!
11. When Smith dropped Sachin in the 2nd Test Graeme Smith would be hoping that the world under his feet opens up & he would find a crevice large enough for him to slip through....
12. After india lost the recent test series in SA India lost the series because they surprised themselves by winning the 1st test . A win should never be a surprise.
13. After Anil Kumble scored his maiden Ton...this is what our great man had to say... "This is the most romantic moment in Indian Cricket....."
14. "The last time Billy gave lbw , Berlin wall was not there , there was peace in Afganistan,..................."
15. In a match between Aus n SL , Harsha said to Ian Chappell , " I am sure you'll never become a lawyer , I understand everything you say " Ian Chappell had no counter for this.
16. Harsha was hosting the ICC Awards before the T20 World Cup and he called on Jonty Rhodes to present an award. So as Jonty began climbing down the stairs, Harsha exclaimed, ''it's pretty unusual to see Jonty walk down the stairs, I thought he might slide down them !"
17. when the wickets were falling in a heap in the T20 match... THIS SERIES IS SPONSERED BY KFC AND THE WICKETS ARE FALLING FASTER THAN THEIR (KFC's) DELIVERIES....
18. when Gambhr was dropped twice on consecutive deliveries, - "We should conduct a dream job in Australia & the winner will get to stand in the slip region!!!!!!"
19. When Kumble and Ishant were batting, Hussey dropped a catch of Ishant off the bowling of Johnson and Harsha exclaimed,"It's autumn in Adelaide. It's the time when leaves change their colour and they start dropping. Here, as well the catches are dropping..".
20. In a match, dravid left a ball alone while batting. To this gavaskar, who was commenting alongside harsha was very impressed by the way he left the ball. He went on appreciating that for a minute or so. After this harsha's comment was, "Sunny, you nearly got an orgasm of happiness, didn't u!" & then both burst out into laughter!
21. dhoni is battin with anil kumble.. dhoni calls for a tight single,n harsha has this to say," dhoni scrambles for a single n causes anil kumble n all of his 37 yrs to rush to the other end.."
22. after shaun tait did not live up to the hype Cricket Australia created around him, ponting took him off the attack. harsha, in his own inimitable style: 'shaun tait should go up to ponting and say "hello mr ponting, my name is shaun tait, and i am supposed to take 45 wickets in this test match"
23. HB was analysing the innings of laxman...laxman made a crucial 79 in the second innings. HB said something like- " aussies must be feeling that wenever we are on the verge of 17th,this man(laxman) comes in between!"
24. RP SIngh walked in but it was Laxman on strike. So the Aussies wanted him to take a single and get RP on strike... so they spread out the field completely, with only the keeper, one slip and one gully inside the 30 yard circle.. That's when Harsha says .. "now suddenly, Don Bradman is batting out there in the middle... "
25. Seeing the flock of seagulls flying across the pitch Harsha tells Wasim Akram : " As you would say in Punjabi... kee gull hai? sea gull hai!!!"
26. when michael clarke was caught at slip off kumble , he was still watin 4 da decision , over this harsha said, " i think he is waitin for tomorrow's newspaper to declare him out"
27. Yuvraj hit the long six off brett lee went outside the stadium in durban 'are there people working late in the office there....... we want the ball back'
28. in t-20 gayle hit a monstrous six but but fell just short of the golf course outside the stadium harsha: "wat a poor shot just misses the golf course"
29. "if i cannot be tendulkar then tendulkar can also not be me"
30. the palyers told their favourite shots while coming on to bat.... Collingwood said "a little nurdle of the pads" and Pietersen said blocking the ball.... Harsha commented "the next thing they'll say is that their favourite shot is to leave the ball alone"
31. what an introduction to India Australia semifinal: "This is a battle between unstoppable force against immovable object"
Thursday, February 11, 2010
It is the Life-- PAID IN FULL
Thomas was getting ready to graduate college. For
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's
showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told
him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, Thomas awaited
signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the
morning of his graduation his father called him into his private
study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine
son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son
a beautiful wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed Thomas
opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily,
he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you
give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy
book.
Many years passed and Thomas was very successful in
business.
He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his
father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He
had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make
arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had
passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He
needed to come home immediately and take care things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and
regret filled his heart.
He began to search his father's important papers and
saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With
tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he
read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope
taped behind the Bible.
It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,
and the words...PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not
packaged as we expected?
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's
showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told
him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, Thomas awaited
signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the
morning of his graduation his father called him into his private
study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine
son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son
a beautiful wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed Thomas
opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily,
he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you
give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy
book.
Many years passed and Thomas was very successful in
business.
He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his
father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He
had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make
arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had
passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He
needed to come home immediately and take care things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and
regret filled his heart.
He began to search his father's important papers and
saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With
tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he
read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope
taped behind the Bible.
It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,
and the words...PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not
packaged as we expected?
The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Classic Old Version
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house
and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs & dances & plays
the summer away.
Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food
or shelter so he dies out in the cold.
Modern Version
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its
house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays
the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed
while others are cold and starving.
NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering
Grasshopper next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a
table filled with food.
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this
poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the Ant's house.
Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding
that Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticizes the Indian Government
for not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the
Grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt
support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance).
Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh"
in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.
CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working
hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants
and Grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian
Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.
Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the 'Prevention of Terrorism
Against Grasshoppers Act' [POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of
the winter.
Arjun Singh makes ' Special Reservation ' for Grasshoppers in
Educational Institutions & in Government Services.
The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing
left to pay his retroactive taxes, it's home is confiscated by the
Government and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony covered by
NDTV.
Arundhati Roy calls it 'A Triumph of Justice'.
Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice '.
CPM calls it the ' Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden'
Koffi Annan invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.
Many years later...
The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar
company in Silicon Valley .
100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation
somewhere in India...
As a result of loosing lot of hard working Ants and feeding the
Grasshoppers, India is still a developing country !!!
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house
and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs & dances & plays
the summer away.
Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food
or shelter so he dies out in the cold.
Modern Version
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its
house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays
the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed
while others are cold and starving.
NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering
Grasshopper next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a
table filled with food.
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this
poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the Ant's house.
Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding
that Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticizes the Indian Government
for not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the
Grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt
support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance).
Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh"
in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.
CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working
hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants
and Grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian
Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.
Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the 'Prevention of Terrorism
Against Grasshoppers Act' [POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of
the winter.
Arjun Singh makes ' Special Reservation ' for Grasshoppers in
Educational Institutions & in Government Services.
The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing
left to pay his retroactive taxes, it's home is confiscated by the
Government and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony covered by
NDTV.
Arundhati Roy calls it 'A Triumph of Justice'.
Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice '.
CPM calls it the ' Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden'
Koffi Annan invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.
Many years later...
The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar
company in Silicon Valley .
100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation
somewhere in India...
As a result of loosing lot of hard working Ants and feeding the
Grasshoppers, India is still a developing country !!!
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