Overdose?

There already is lot of cricket around. One team or the other plays an international match every day of the year. If you take out some of the inconsequential games or the minnows' matches, there would be around 200 playing days. And add to it, the new bee IPL and you have a congested calendar.

Indian market is such an overwhelming one for ICC. The TV channels and the viewership issues control the ICC's coffers and the Indian market decides the issue for the channels. How otherwise could you explain the Indian matches in the world cup starting at a more convenient 7 PM?

Indians are bombarded with enough cricket. We already play the maximum number of ODIs. Add to it the recent thrust of tests to protect our Numero Uno ranking and the dose of domestic T20, we have our eyes full...

Is the average enthusiast complaining? Well..not yet. But, the adage the more the merrier doesn't fit this. The threshold is on the anvil and it would not be long before the viewer gets bored with the overdose. But for now....carribean calls!

Bring it on!

Boy o boy!!! What a week!!! A week that started like ending up lopsided just got better. Thanks to some of the tough teams battling it out for various reasons...top spot, European football, top flight survival...

I've always maintained that it is tough playing the aforementioned teams in the late stages of the season. You may play someone in the group 10-15; that team could just be going through the motions of ending the season. But for the teams through 16 to the end, it's a matter of survival. Same at the top end of the spectrum.

Arsenal found, in the hard way, how tough the lure of European football would be. Spurs, according to Redknapp, has the best chance in years to seal the European place. And they did their chances no harm by crashing the party of Arsenal and Chelsea in consecutive games. Coupled with the result in which City lost in the dying stages to United, Spurs now can dream of Europe.

Who's next? United, of course. And Sir Alex, who must have thanked Harry profusely last weekend would be wishing that Spurs keep their steam at home when they visit Old Trafford. Chelsea, for all the chances it got, never could consolidate its position. How many more twists are we going to witness???

And what a rude awakening in the late hours of the night Inter deliver! Barca were left gasping anc clutching at straws. On another day, Milito's goal would have been ruled off-side and Dany Alves would have got a penalty and not a card! However, great teams take things in their stride and I sincerely hope Messi and co plan an encore at Nou Camp...after all, it is the toughest place to visit.

In the mean time, Robben continues to weave his magic and carry the hopes of Munchen around. What a lovely end to the season! Bring it on...

Why are they gifting it!

Holy Christ!!! What a mad scramble! And all that to gift the title to their nearest competitors. Look at English Premier League...United and Arsenal have also taken turns to make sure that they slip one after the other. And do what? Gift wrap the title to Chelsea. Though the optimist in me says that the season is not yet over, there are more reasons than one to believe that it is over.

1) Chelsea have more often than not, in this season, took advantage of the slip-ups and consolidated their position. With the points cushion they enjoy now, they can afford to lose an odd game or draw some. Remember, United and Arsenal, at the same time have to win every damn game!

2) Goal difference! Even if the slip-ups shift location in London and enter the Stamford Bridge, the biggest advantage for Chelsea is in the goal difference column.

Spurs gave United breathing space in the race yesterday by toppling Gunners and how I wish they treat Chelsea similarly this weekend. Fingers crossed!

Back in the Italian league, after almost fighting with the authorities to award the Serie A trophy at Christmas time, Mourinho and Inter have found a way to help Roma find their place at the top. Coming close on the heels of their Champion's League success (of course, semis is a success at Inter!), Mourinho is pressed to win more than one. It would be a disaster if they falter in all three competitions.

La Liga is closer than it was last season. It was Barca all the way last year when they swept opposition with clinical precision. This year too they are good but a little inconsistent which meant La Liga is also boiling down to the wire. Thanks to Messi and the massacre at the Bernabeu, Barca have a hand on the title. Will there be another twist?

Its the same with almost all the other leagues in Europe this season...Bundesliga, French Division 1...looks like every one is catching up with the leaders. A case of slip-up by the leaders or catch-up by the contenders?

Is it the final nail in the coffin?

I know it ain't over until the last match but this seems to be a tough blow to all United fans.

A must-win game against their bogey team Blackburn resulted in a draw which meant United now risk leapfrogged by Arsenal for the second place. In a season that had till last week raised expectations of a grand double might just well fizz out being a trophy-less season.

What went wrong? The absence of talisman...no matter what everyone says, Rooney is the king of the pack - at least in his current form. United missed him at Blackburn more than Old Trafford when they were knocked off by Bayern. Chances galore but nothing to show in the goals column meant that Rooney is a sore miss for the team.

Berbatov has been an expensive purchase. There were always skeptics right from the day of his purchase, thanks to his languid style and laid-back nature. Many questioned if Fergie actually made a good buy. Daggers are still out, but personally I would like to see a more consistent performer.

There still is chance and there still are chances for United to win, but will they get another lease of life?

Old is gold

...they really are! When T20 was invented, it was supposed to be a young man's game. You need to run more, field great and more often than not bowl some which inadvertently meant that you need to have bundles of energy. But someone forgot to tell this to the pros!

Look at the oldies of the tournament. To be frank to every one involved, it is they who are setting the tournament ablaze. Look at Kallis, Sachin, Ganguly, Gilchrist, Symonds, Murali...the list goes on. None of them are on the right side of 30. But, they are putting every inch of their sport wisdom to good effect. And how! It is no exaggeration to say that it is only because of these that their respective teams are in the hunt for glory.

What is it that's adding skates to these oldies? One common thing in all these greats' DNA is the will to prove detractors wrong. Someone told Ganguly he's not fit in the scheme of Indian team. And he proved them wrong. Someone told Kallis, Sachin that they are not made for T20. Result? All those are now busy eating their own words.

Does this prove that there is room for any one as long as he can showcase his worth? The answer is an emphatic yes. How otherwise could you explain the so-called young game of IPL watching many of the energetic youngsters steamrolled by the golden generation? I would like to stick my neck slightly out and say that the orange and purple caps might end up in the laps of the oldies. Watch out...

T20 - pleasure or pressure?

IPL has opened up too many discussion topics...freelance cricketers, separate window for IPL etc. But one issue that always has been at the forefront, ever since T20 came into existence...Is T20 the pleasure version or the pressure version?

We often hear cricketers saying that they enjoy playing out there and try to take things easy. I very much doubt it. Because, what with the intensity in the middle plus the pressure to perform or perish, more often than not cricketers are under pressure.

T20 was supposed to be the pleasure version of the game. This shortest version is a pure treat for the tv viewers and spectators alike, however, is it so for the players? May well not be the case...

Test matches are won or lost in a session. There is pressure in a test match to not lose an upper hand in a session lest you shall be playing catch up. One-day Internationals are won or lost in a passages of play. Initial 20 or the middle overs or the slog overs determine the result of the match. And when it comes to T20, it boils down to every over, if not every delivery. We have seen how a big over or a maiden over or even a couple of dot balls have changed the complexion of the game.

What does this mean? The intensity is so huge that what feels like pleasure for you and me is doubly pressurizing for the players in the middle. That could well be the reason why we see seemingly simple mistakes from the players. T20 isn't about power plays...it's about pressure plays!