© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Many thanks for the overwhelming response. As of now, we have the following nine confirmed participation for this amazing contest:
1. Varun Khanna
2. Shailesh Nigam
3. Lloyd Ireland
4. Kartikay Krishan
5. Ramnik Mehra
6. Mohit Pandey
7. Manjunath Vishwanath
8. Adrian Ross
9. Manish Gupta
There are some additional tweakings in the format - only to make it more interesting and lucrative. Given below this are the detailed rules and regulations for this tournament.
Please note the last date for sending your confirmation of participation is 28th Feb 2010. Any request received after this date will be subject to availability and with a registration fees of Rs 1000/- instead of Rs 500/-. Similarly if any of the nine people above (who have already confirmed participation) wants to withdraw, he needs to do that before 28th Feb. Any withdrawals after that date will still have to pay Rs 500/- as registration fees.
Cheers
Rules of the Cricketcetera Masters
1. Each Master will select one team of eleven players for each match from the list of players provided for this tournament. Each player will have specific value points which will remain static during the course of the tournament. (Additions, if any can be made if new players are added in any of the IPL teams during the course of the tournament).
2. The total value of the selected team should be more than 800 value points and less than or equal to 1000 value points (VPs).
3. Each team must have at least 4 Batters, 1 Wicketkeeper and 2 Bowlers.
4. You can also choose one player from your selected team as ‘my man of the match’. Half of the scoring points for this ‘MOM’ would be added to your scoring points.
5. The teams for the matches during the day should reach Varun Khanna on varunkhan@gmail.com, latest 2 hours before the start of first match of the day.
6. Each of your selected players will earn the Scoring Points for you basis what they perform on field during the particular match as per the following scoring rules:
Batting
Run scored: 1 Points
Runs bonus
25 -49 runs : 10 Points
50-74 runs : 20 Points
75 - 99 runs : 30 Points
On reaching 100 runs : 40 Points
Strike Rate bonus
100% - 125% 10% of runs scored
125% - 150% 20% of runs scored
150% - 175% 30% of runs scored
175% and above 40% of runs scored
Bowling
Wicket (dismissal of bowler): 25 Points
Maiden over: 30 Points
Economy rate bonus (for bowlers bowling 2 overs or more)
Between 00.00 and 02.99 runs per over: 40 Points
Between 03.00 and 03.99 runs per over: 30 Points
Between 04.00 and 04.99 runs per over: 20 Points
Between 05.00 and 05.99 runs per over: 10 Points
Wicket bonus
On taking 2 wickets : 10 Points
On taking 3 wickets : 20 Points
On taking 4 wickets : 30 Points
On taking 5 wickets : 40 Points
Fielding
Catch (Fielder): 15 Points
Catch (Wicketkeeper): 15 Points
Stumping(Wicketkeeper): 15 Points
Run out (for each player from fielding team involved in the run out) 15 Points
Masters' Bonus
50% of VPs less than 1000 would be added to the scoring points (SPs).
7. After the match(es), all player performances will be updated as per the scorecard available on www.cricinfo.com and the score card on this site will be considered official and final.
8. Post the updation and basis the total score for the team, the super selectors will be ranked ordered and they will earn match points basis their rank. This is explained in an example below:
Example:
• Suppose there are four players for this tournament namely P1, P2, P3 and P4.
• Based on their Scoring Points they would be ranked 1 to 4.
• Player ranked ‘One’ will get 4 Match Points (MPs), player ranked ‘Two’ will get 3 MPs, player ranked ‘Three’ will get 2 MPs and player ranked ‘Four’ will get 1 MP.
• However, the player who has not sent a team for the particular match (i.e. ‘zero’ SPs) will be ranked ‘zero’ and will earn ‘0’ Match Points.
9. At the end of the tournament the player with the maximum Match points will be the winner. In case of the Match Points being equal, the leader would be decided basis the Scoring Points.
10.In the event of match on field is officially called off/abandoned due to weather or any other reason, the points scored during the duration of the match will not be counted for any of the masters. The scoring sheet for such a game will reflect ‘0’ for all.
11. Fees: Each Super Selector player will be charged the following fees:
• Participation Fees: Rs 500/- per player for participation in the tournament for participation confirmations received till 28th February 2010. (Any addition/new participation after this would be subject to approval and attract participation fees of Rs 1000/-).
• Match Fees: Rs 100/- for each match played by the Cricketcetera Masters.
12. Winnings: The Masters can win the following in the tournament.
• Rank 1 for each match Rs 200/-. If there are multiple Rank 1s in a particular match (equals SPs), Rs 200/- will be distributed equally between each winner.
• Rank 2 for each match Rs 100/-. If there are multiple Rank 2s in a particular match (equals SPs), Rs 100/- will be distributed equally between each winner.
• Loyalty Bonus Rs 1000/- for every player playing 55 matches or more in the tournament.
• Jackpot Kitty: All the excess amount after the distribution of match winnings and loyalty bonus will accumulate into a Jackpot Kitty, which will be distributed to the overall winners as per the following:
i) 44% of the Jackpot Kitty for the overall winner of the tournament (as per point ‘8’ above)
ii) 33% of the Jackpot Kitty for the overall 1st runner up of the tournament (as per point ‘8’ above)
iii) 23% of the Jackpot Kitty for the overall 2nd runner up of the tournament (as per point ‘8’ above)
Note: No amount will be collected upfront or during the course of the tournament. However, the account of wins and losses will be shared along with the results of each match in the status file. A final settlement will be done at the end of the tournament. This is explained by way of a simulation in the Annexure attached below.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Great, Greater, Greatest...
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar creates history by being the first human on mother earth, to ever score a double hundred in a One Day International Cricket match…
Is it the first time he has re-written history books? Did anyone have any doubt that he had the ability to do it? Will this record never be broken by anyone anytime in future? To me the answer to all these questions is a resounding ‘No’. I am reminded of few lines from my favourite poet, Sahir Ludhianvi who once said:
Kal Aur Aayenge, Sapno ki khilti kaliyan chunne waale,
Mujhse behtar kehne waale, Tumse behtar sunne waale…
And then there are those, who relentlessly try and instigate a debate. Sachin Vs Richards or Sachin Vs Bradman. Perhaps Sahir Saab wrote these lines for Sir Don Bradman and Sir Vivian Richards. I am just extending it for My Little Master.
In a country obsessed with worshiping the legends - often building temples for their idols, I stand as a typical metropolitan and educated individual, who believes it would be inappropriate for any human to ever be equated to perfection that God is believed to be. But then, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar comes the closest, almost worthy of the supreme association. So if he is God or closest to God, then He is there to be worshiped, only worshiped and nothing else. Nothing irritates me more than the debate between Great, Greater and Greatest. In our religious Hindu belief, where we have loved to worship multiple Gods, has there been any debate on which God is better than the other?
I'd rather just thank Mr Sachin Tendulkar for everything. Everything from scoring this double century, to saving that one run in the match at Jaipur which eventually became the difference between a win and a tie, for all the matches he has won single handedly, for making those 175 runs against Australia and almost winning that match for India, for winning the Commonwealth Series in Australia, Coca Cola cup in Sharjah... the list is endless. So Sachin, thank you for lifting the whole country and giving us an opportunity to be proud of you for the player you are and for the Indian you are!!!
There is only one mission left to be accomplished, only one Everest to be climbed and only one dream to be lived – Sachin lifts India to win the ODI World Cup 2011. I will drink to it tonight, will you?
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar creates history by being the first human on mother earth, to ever score a double hundred in a One Day International Cricket match…
Is it the first time he has re-written history books? Did anyone have any doubt that he had the ability to do it? Will this record never be broken by anyone anytime in future? To me the answer to all these questions is a resounding ‘No’. I am reminded of few lines from my favourite poet, Sahir Ludhianvi who once said:
Kal Aur Aayenge, Sapno ki khilti kaliyan chunne waale,
Mujhse behtar kehne waale, Tumse behtar sunne waale…
And then there are those, who relentlessly try and instigate a debate. Sachin Vs Richards or Sachin Vs Bradman. Perhaps Sahir Saab wrote these lines for Sir Don Bradman and Sir Vivian Richards. I am just extending it for My Little Master.
In a country obsessed with worshiping the legends - often building temples for their idols, I stand as a typical metropolitan and educated individual, who believes it would be inappropriate for any human to ever be equated to perfection that God is believed to be. But then, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar comes the closest, almost worthy of the supreme association. So if he is God or closest to God, then He is there to be worshiped, only worshiped and nothing else. Nothing irritates me more than the debate between Great, Greater and Greatest. In our religious Hindu belief, where we have loved to worship multiple Gods, has there been any debate on which God is better than the other?
I'd rather just thank Mr Sachin Tendulkar for everything. Everything from scoring this double century, to saving that one run in the match at Jaipur which eventually became the difference between a win and a tie, for all the matches he has won single handedly, for making those 175 runs against Australia and almost winning that match for India, for winning the Commonwealth Series in Australia, Coca Cola cup in Sharjah... the list is endless. So Sachin, thank you for lifting the whole country and giving us an opportunity to be proud of you for the player you are and for the Indian you are!!!
There is only one mission left to be accomplished, only one Everest to be climbed and only one dream to be lived – Sachin lifts India to win the ODI World Cup 2011. I will drink to it tonight, will you?
What a batsman, sirji!
200 runs in an ODI match - that's what teams used to score... and not just in a 50-over match, in the earlier avatar of the ODI, which was 60 overs long. And at times it was good enough to win the match. Why, India won the 1983 World Cup Final against West Indies scoring just 183, before being all out in 54.4 overs (of the allotted 60 overs), and just when everyone and their mother believed that the Windies were going to do a hattrick of world cup victories, bowled them out for 140 in 52 overs.
So, when a batsman scores 200* in a 50-overs a side match, it is a moment to stand up and applaud. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, and as only he could, becomes the first man in the history of the game to score a double hundred in an ODI match. This man has so many records to his name that he possibly also holds the record for holding maximum records, and he still has the hunger in him to keep going on and on and on. And when other around his age (and even much younger than him) are hanging their boots, this man keeps mellowing with every passing day. At almost 37 years, he has today achieved what 17 or 27 year olds have not been able to ever.
I am one big critic of the man, and was specially harsh towards him in the past couple of years, when I thought that his body was tiring and he was no more capable of leading India to victory. My criticism of Sachin became even more sharp after Sourav Ganguly (in my opinion the world's second best ODI player after Sachin) was forced to announce his retirement, despite being in a decent form (and not in any way worse than Sachin) at that juncture. I genuinely believed that having achieved so much, he should have gracefully made way for the others in the team (after all, who can dare tell Sachin to retire).
My friend and co-blogger, Varun, always felt that I was far too impatient with Sachin and a disbeliever (atheist would probably be his chosen word, for the God Sachin is), who did not understand the greatness of the man.
Today, I partly agree with Varun (I still believe that even Sourav should be playing for the team, which he does not), and humbly bow my head to Sachin.
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
So, when a batsman scores 200* in a 50-overs a side match, it is a moment to stand up and applaud. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, and as only he could, becomes the first man in the history of the game to score a double hundred in an ODI match. This man has so many records to his name that he possibly also holds the record for holding maximum records, and he still has the hunger in him to keep going on and on and on. And when other around his age (and even much younger than him) are hanging their boots, this man keeps mellowing with every passing day. At almost 37 years, he has today achieved what 17 or 27 year olds have not been able to ever.
I am one big critic of the man, and was specially harsh towards him in the past couple of years, when I thought that his body was tiring and he was no more capable of leading India to victory. My criticism of Sachin became even more sharp after Sourav Ganguly (in my opinion the world's second best ODI player after Sachin) was forced to announce his retirement, despite being in a decent form (and not in any way worse than Sachin) at that juncture. I genuinely believed that having achieved so much, he should have gracefully made way for the others in the team (after all, who can dare tell Sachin to retire).
My friend and co-blogger, Varun, always felt that I was far too impatient with Sachin and a disbeliever (atheist would probably be his chosen word, for the God Sachin is), who did not understand the greatness of the man.
Today, I partly agree with Varun (I still believe that even Sourav should be playing for the team, which he does not), and humbly bow my head to Sachin.
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Afghanistan - the new cricketing force of Asia!
The highest 4th innings total by a team winning a test match is 418/7 by West Indies against Australia at Saint John’s in 2003. There are only 3 more instances of teams scoring 400 plus runs in the 4th innings to win the match. South Africa’s 414/4 against Australia at Perth in 2008, India’s 406/4 against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1976, and Australia’s 404/3 against England at Leeds in 1948.
I checked up the record books for all kinds of International matches, where 2 nations played in a two-innings-a-side game, and found not a single team raking up over 500 to win in the 4th innings. Afghanistan – yes, Afghanistan – did that yesterday, when they chased 494 against much more fancied (at least against them) Canada, to hit 494/4, after trailing by over 300 runs in the first innings, and after Canada declared their second innings at 191/4, setting Afghanistan an almost unachievable target of around 500 runs.
All I can say is that it is extremely heartening to notice such big scores being chased down. But I’d also like to add that probably Canada played it too safe by not enforcing a follow-on and resultantly lost the game that they should’ve won.
For Afghanistan, this is a day of reckoning where everyone stands up and applauds them for their heroics. For a country tormented by war and terrorists, this is a shining example of the glory the youth can achieve for their nation by treading the right path.
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
I checked up the record books for all kinds of International matches, where 2 nations played in a two-innings-a-side game, and found not a single team raking up over 500 to win in the 4th innings. Afghanistan – yes, Afghanistan – did that yesterday, when they chased 494 against much more fancied (at least against them) Canada, to hit 494/4, after trailing by over 300 runs in the first innings, and after Canada declared their second innings at 191/4, setting Afghanistan an almost unachievable target of around 500 runs.
All I can say is that it is extremely heartening to notice such big scores being chased down. But I’d also like to add that probably Canada played it too safe by not enforcing a follow-on and resultantly lost the game that they should’ve won.
For Afghanistan, this is a day of reckoning where everyone stands up and applauds them for their heroics. For a country tormented by war and terrorists, this is a shining example of the glory the youth can achieve for their nation by treading the right path.
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Unravelling The Southpaw Batsman
Growing up playing club cricket, one would watch the team's resident left-hander bat, and listen to the grey hairs of the team talk about something called 'left-hander's grace'. I would resent it, being a fairly cavalier strokeplayer myself, and that too against the new ball. But almost immediately, the teen-age green monster in me would nod its head at the irrefutable fact that there was indeed something other-worldly about a left-hander's cover drive.
It would remind me of my days as a kid, watching a Ranji Trophy match between TN and Delhi. Coming away with the impression that Venkat Sundaram, the leftie Delhi opener, had something that the rest of us right (or wrong) handers did not.
Over the years, watching left-handers like Kallicharan, Gower, Lara and the comparitively less sung about Aussie Graham Yallop merely confirmed that. Batting was definitely easy for these guys who batted the wrong way 'round.
And of course, the legend grew when older players spoke about Sobers and Ajit Wadekar. I started trying to unravel this great mystery, the day I gave my trusty Super Tusker and Slazenger away, in an effort to make the game richer by my departure from it.
The penny dropped one day when I was watching Saeed Anwar bat. The reason was so simple. Having kicked myself in the fundament for not having spotted it earlier, I sat down to watch Anwar bat via a mirror (it's easy to decode when you can watch him bat right-handed!). There was ample opportunity, as the classy Pakistani tore into the Indian attack.
The reason was simple. The left-hander's footwork was different. The body balance was not always into the ball, but slightly away from it. In common parlance, it is what commentators refer to as 'playing away from the body'. But the best thing was the leftie's technique to the ball pitched short of a length. They don't really get behind the line. Rather, shots are played from 'beside the line'. My brother told me about this, referring to Gundappa Vishwanath's game, years ago.
And over the years, I have watched via the trusty mirror, Sadagopan Ramesh, the Indian left-hander, Saurav Ganguly, Adam Gilchrist and Yuvraj Singh all demonstrate this approach to footwork. They all could flay through the off-side. All vicious cutters to balls that would to a right-hander, be too close to the off-stump. And yes, they were all exponents of playing away from the body. But the textbook be damned, they all looked bloody elegant.
The only departure from this style of batting who still not only managed to look elegant but also had results to show for it was Brian Charles Lara. And we will leave him out of the discussion because he was and is Brian Charles Lara.
But take a look at all the left-handers in the game today. With the exception of Yuvraj Singh and Sangakkara, none of them can be called elegant, nor can the term 'left-handed grace' be applied to them.
A possible hypothesis is that a majority of the finishing school coaches are right-handed, and therefore think right-handed and pass this on. And the coaches who leave a batsman's batting alone are a dying breed. Control and adherence to theories are the order of the day.
I have no data. But I have a hunch that this might be the case. And somewhere deep down, hunches aren't as dreamy as they seem.
***** This article has been contributed by Nandu Narasimhan, an ardent cricket fan and a writer par excellence. He & I work for the same organization, and I stumbled upon his writings on cricket while discussing the recently concluded test match between South Africa & India, and found them really interesting. He joins Varun & me as the 3rd blogger on this site. Welcome to Cricketcetera Nandu, and here's to the good times ahead. *****
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
It would remind me of my days as a kid, watching a Ranji Trophy match between TN and Delhi. Coming away with the impression that Venkat Sundaram, the leftie Delhi opener, had something that the rest of us right (or wrong) handers did not.
Over the years, watching left-handers like Kallicharan, Gower, Lara and the comparitively less sung about Aussie Graham Yallop merely confirmed that. Batting was definitely easy for these guys who batted the wrong way 'round.
And of course, the legend grew when older players spoke about Sobers and Ajit Wadekar. I started trying to unravel this great mystery, the day I gave my trusty Super Tusker and Slazenger away, in an effort to make the game richer by my departure from it.
The penny dropped one day when I was watching Saeed Anwar bat. The reason was so simple. Having kicked myself in the fundament for not having spotted it earlier, I sat down to watch Anwar bat via a mirror (it's easy to decode when you can watch him bat right-handed!). There was ample opportunity, as the classy Pakistani tore into the Indian attack.
The reason was simple. The left-hander's footwork was different. The body balance was not always into the ball, but slightly away from it. In common parlance, it is what commentators refer to as 'playing away from the body'. But the best thing was the leftie's technique to the ball pitched short of a length. They don't really get behind the line. Rather, shots are played from 'beside the line'. My brother told me about this, referring to Gundappa Vishwanath's game, years ago.
And over the years, I have watched via the trusty mirror, Sadagopan Ramesh, the Indian left-hander, Saurav Ganguly, Adam Gilchrist and Yuvraj Singh all demonstrate this approach to footwork. They all could flay through the off-side. All vicious cutters to balls that would to a right-hander, be too close to the off-stump. And yes, they were all exponents of playing away from the body. But the textbook be damned, they all looked bloody elegant.
The only departure from this style of batting who still not only managed to look elegant but also had results to show for it was Brian Charles Lara. And we will leave him out of the discussion because he was and is Brian Charles Lara.
But take a look at all the left-handers in the game today. With the exception of Yuvraj Singh and Sangakkara, none of them can be called elegant, nor can the term 'left-handed grace' be applied to them.
A possible hypothesis is that a majority of the finishing school coaches are right-handed, and therefore think right-handed and pass this on. And the coaches who leave a batsman's batting alone are a dying breed. Control and adherence to theories are the order of the day.
I have no data. But I have a hunch that this might be the case. And somewhere deep down, hunches aren't as dreamy as they seem.
***** This article has been contributed by Nandu Narasimhan, an ardent cricket fan and a writer par excellence. He & I work for the same organization, and I stumbled upon his writings on cricket while discussing the recently concluded test match between South Africa & India, and found them really interesting. He joins Varun & me as the 3rd blogger on this site. Welcome to Cricketcetera Nandu, and here's to the good times ahead. *****
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Cricketcetera Masters is back - Are you game?
Controversies, Celebrities, Passion, Money, Betting and bit of Cricket too - that is what IPL is all about.
The madness is set to begin all over again and the cricket freaks like us can't wait to be part of it. Well, IPL is back and so is the magical Cricketcetera Masters - in it's new Avatar - hope James Cameroon doesn't sue us for this. Who cares anyways!!!
This year's CM will be the one as you've never seen or imagined. Some of the changes/highlights for this CM V3.0 are:
a) You can play for as many number of matches as you want (100% participation for all 60 games is not mandatory),
b) You can win money for each match for which you rank first and
c) There is a jackpot for the top three masters at the end of the tournament.
How will this happen?
Fees: Following playing Fees will be applicable.
- Registration Fees for you to be able to play SS V3.0: Rs 500/- (this will go straight to the Jackpot Kitty)
- Match Fees for each match where you send in your teams: Rs 100/- per match
Nitti grities:
• The top scorer for each match (Rank 1) will get Rs 200 and Rank 2 will get back his 100. The balance will go to Jackpot Kitty. For example there are five teams received for a particular match, the total collection will be five hundred rupees. Three hundred will be credited to the two rank holders in the match and the balance rupees two hundred will go to the jackpot kitty.
• At the end of the tournament the jackpot kitty would be divided into the top three super selectors where 50% of the kitty will go to the player ranked 1st, 30% to the player ranked 2nd and 20% to the player ranked 3rd.
• The ultimate winners will be decided basis match points (similar to the last Cricketcetera Masters rules).
• Scoring Points system will be more or less same with minor changes, which you will hear from me soon.
So, if you think you still have it in you, send in your confirmation by return mail.
What say…are you game?
The madness is set to begin all over again and the cricket freaks like us can't wait to be part of it. Well, IPL is back and so is the magical Cricketcetera Masters - in it's new Avatar - hope James Cameroon doesn't sue us for this. Who cares anyways!!!
This year's CM will be the one as you've never seen or imagined. Some of the changes/highlights for this CM V3.0 are:
a) You can play for as many number of matches as you want (100% participation for all 60 games is not mandatory),
b) You can win money for each match for which you rank first and
c) There is a jackpot for the top three masters at the end of the tournament.
How will this happen?
Fees: Following playing Fees will be applicable.
- Registration Fees for you to be able to play SS V3.0: Rs 500/- (this will go straight to the Jackpot Kitty)
- Match Fees for each match where you send in your teams: Rs 100/- per match
Nitti grities:
• The top scorer for each match (Rank 1) will get Rs 200 and Rank 2 will get back his 100. The balance will go to Jackpot Kitty. For example there are five teams received for a particular match, the total collection will be five hundred rupees. Three hundred will be credited to the two rank holders in the match and the balance rupees two hundred will go to the jackpot kitty.
• At the end of the tournament the jackpot kitty would be divided into the top three super selectors where 50% of the kitty will go to the player ranked 1st, 30% to the player ranked 2nd and 20% to the player ranked 3rd.
• The ultimate winners will be decided basis match points (similar to the last Cricketcetera Masters rules).
• Scoring Points system will be more or less same with minor changes, which you will hear from me soon.
So, if you think you still have it in you, send in your confirmation by return mail.
What say…are you game?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)