Cricketing Blues

The cricket scene all over the world has been going haywire these days and that due to different reasons.I don't know if it makes sense talking about it here but since I've got nothing else to do,so here I am,writing about probably one of the most popular games in the world.

First things first,The Tri-Series between India,Sri Lanka and South Africa at Sri Lanka has been postponed to 2007 all thanks to some serious bad luck and some weird series of events.The series kept getting delayed as rains washed out play.And then comes event number 1-Bomb Blasts near the hotel where the South African team was staying.People say it may be terrorist activity but well whatever it was,it scared the shit out of the South Africans and they went back due to security reasons.They were fined for that by the ICC.So the series now became a 3-One Day International series between the hosts Sri Lanka and the visitors India.But rains continued to be the spoilsport and finally India pulled out of the series too.Now all the money that was spent in the organisation stands wasted not to forget the angry cricket fans who had been deprived of their fun.Well guys,wait for 2007 and pray everything remains fine till then.

Secondly,The last and the final test match between Pakistan and England at the Oval.This one will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.The controversy began when after tea-break,the umpire David Hair checked the ball and concluded that it had been tampered with.He accused the Pakistani team of ball tampering without any solid proof and gave England 5 runs according to the rules.Next thing,the furious Pakistani team led by captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq left the grounds and refused to return.And when they did return,the umpires refused to come to the ground.Finally the match was awarded to England who won the series.Umpire David Hair has been strongly criticized for accusing the Pakistani's without any proof.It may be noted that Hair doesn't share a good rapport with Pakistan or with any Asian nation for that matter.He has always been controversial,whether it be declaring no-balls against Muttiah Murlitharan or reporting Harbhajan Singh's action to the ICC.The former cricketers stand in support of Pakistan and say that the ICC should have thought before letting David Hair umpire.Now,the umpire and Inzamam may face charges and this will be known after investigations by the ICC.Till then,this day and this match will be remembered in the annals of cricketing history as a match that tarnished the image of the great game.