Whats Wrong With England's One Day Outfit??

At last England's never ending Caribbean tour has finally come to an end. The English team which was embroiled in the captaincy issue just prior to the start of the series lost the 5 match test series 1-0 ( A series which was widely considered to be the warm up to the forthcoming "Ashes" series against old rivals ). After the test series England also lost the twenty/20 international. At that point, England has not won even a single international cricket match after their home victory against the South Africans.

England were ultimately declared "winners" in the first ODI after the West Indies coach John Dyson misread the Duckworth Lewis sheet. The Windies then won the 2nd and 3rd ODI's comfortably to take 2-1 lead in the 5 match series. This prompted an emotional outburst from the English Batsman Kevin Pietersen who said that the England squad was a lonely place to be after a string of defeats in the season. Had the Windies coach looked up the Duckworth Lewis table correctly in the first match, the fate of the series would have been sealed in the 3rd match itself. But luckily for England it was not to be. The English side then managed to win the 4th truncated ODI due to the efforts of their skipper Andrew Strauss. The 5th ODI was also then clinched by England after their talismanic all rounder Andrew Flintoff took an hat trick to seal the series in England's favor.

So much for the recent history. Till date England has never won any men's World cup or Champions trophy. It should be pointed out here that their female counterparts won the World cup in 2009. So whats wrong with the England's one day outfit?? To answer this question one must take a look at the composition of the side. Lets analyze the positives first.

1. They have one of the best all-rounders in the world in the form of Andrew Flintoff.
Andrew Flintoff is one of the best all-rounders in the cricketing world today. He is a genuine fast bowler who can strike fear in the heart of the opposition ranks. He is also an explosive batsman who can wield the long handle effectively.

2. They have an explosive and truly world class batsman in Kevin Pietersen.
Kevin Pietersen's ability with the bat was never in doubt. He is one of the most destructive players in the world at the m0ment. He can adapt and play in any situation. He comes in at No 4 in the English line up.

3. They also have an exceptional fielder in the form of Paul Collingwood.
Paul Collingwood's prowess in the field is well known. He is a capable batsman who is well suited to the shortened version of the game. He can also contribute a few handy overs with the ball.

Add to this list the likes of Stuart Broad and James Anderson, we should have a team which can give any team a good run for its money. But the fact is its not happening. So the negatives must outweigh the positives. Lets analyze them.

1. They don't have a good opening pair.
The initial start provided by the openers is vital in any form of the game. It has assumed greater importance after the introduction of power plays. So the opening pair must be in a position to take advantage of the power plays. England has always chopped and changed its openers ever since they lost the services of Marcus Trescothick. They have used Andrew Strauss, Ravi Bopara, Mal Loye, Phil Mustard, Matt Prior, Ed Joyce, Alastair Cook and Luke Wright in the opening slot without any considerable success.

2. They don't have a good No 3 batsman.
No3 slot is very vital in any batting line up. When a wicket falls early, No 3 batsman are required to consolidate and direct the flow of the innings. It is for this reason, the best players of the team occupy the No 3 slot. A few examples include Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Kumara Sangakkara e.t.c.

3. They don't have a good wicketkeeper.
Gone are the days when wicket keepers were selected purely based on the ability to keep wickets. Adam Gilchrist has truly revolutionized the role of wicket keeper batsman. England has been having 'keeper troubles ever since the retirement of Alec Stewart. They have tried Matt Prior, Tim Ambrose, Chris Read, Geriant Jones, Phil Mustard and Steve Davies in this position without any considerable success.

If England can find a way to address these problems and find an able skipper who could command a place in all 3 formats of the game, they can be a strong outfit in ODI and twenty/20s. It seemed that they had found their ideal man in Kevin Pietersen but that experiment had a premature end when he was stripped of his captaincy. So who is the best man to lead England?? Do post in your views.

"Slumdog" Steals The Show At The Oscars

It was a "Slumdog Millionaire's" night at the Oscars. The movie swept 8 awards out of the 10 nominations. The awards include

1. The Best Picture

2. The Best Director (Danny Boyle)

3. The Best Original Score ( A.R.Rahman)

4. The Best Original Song - Jai Ho (A.R.Rahman)

5. The Best Cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle)

6. The Best Sound Mixing (Resul Pookutty)

7. The Best Adapted Screenplay (Simon Beaufoy)

8. The Best Film Editing

The Best Actor award went to Sean Penn for his role in Milk. The Best Actress award was bagged by Kate Winslet for her role in The Reader. The Supporting Actor Award was awarded to Heath Ledger posthumously for his role as Joker in The Dark Knight. It was only the second such instance of an Oscar being awarded posthumously. The Supporting Actress Award went to Penelope Cruz for her role in Vicky Christina Barcelona. The Brad Pitt starrer The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button which was nominated in 13 categories bagged 3 awards, for visual effects, art direction and make up.

The Oscar Fever Heats Up

Its that time of the year when the entire film world and the fans turn their attention to the Kodak theater where the Oscar awards will be presented. The 81st academy awards ceremony will be held on February 22nd 2009. The nominations for this year are

In The Best Picture Category:

1. Slumdog Millionaire

2. The Reader

3. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

4. Milk

5. Frost / Nixon

In The Best Actor Category:

1. Brad Pitt (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

2. Sean Penn (Milk)

3. Mickey Rourke (Wrestler)

4. Frank Langella (Frost / Nixon)

5. Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)

In The Best Actress category:

1. Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)

2. Kate Winslet (The Reader)

3. Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

4. Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

5. Meryl Streep (Doubt)

Freddie Out Of Fourth Test

England will be without their star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff for the fourth test against the West Indies. Freddie was injured during the third test and was in visible discomfort when he bowled 15 overs in the second innings of the third test. West Indies managed to escape with a draw in the third test. Although England reduced them to 370/9, the last wicket pair of Darren Powell and Fidel Edwards denied the victory for the Englishmen. Batting all-rounder Ravi Bopara and uncapped fast bowler Amjad Khan have been summoned as a cover. The West Indies lead the 5 match test series 1-0 with 2 more matches to play. The fourth test will be played at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown from Feb 26th.

Strauss And Colly Prop Up England

Centuries from skipper Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood put England in a commanding position in the ongoing third test at the Antigua Recreation Ground. After winning the toss West Indies skipper Chris Gayle put the visitors into bat, hoping to re open the scars of the 1st test. But all English batsman barring Andrew Flintoff scored half centuries and two of them went on to score tons. England's new No 3 batsman Owais Shah scored 57 while all rounder in the making Stuart Broad scored quick fire 44 of 55 balls. Engand declared at 566 for the loss of 9 wickets. For West Indies Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards and Ryan Hinds captured 2 wickets apiece.

In reply West Indies lost their skipper Chris Gayle for 30 off 32 balls. He fell to Steve Harmison. They were 55/1 when stumps were drawn on the 3rd day. West Indies lead the series 1-0, after winning the first test at Sabina Park. The second test was abandoned owing to a poor outfield. An additional test was added to the series after the abandoned match.

The Prodigal Daughter

"The Prodigal Daughter" is a sequel to the best selling "Kane and Abel" penned by Jeffrey Archer. Archer weaves the plot spanning three generations brilliantly in these two books. The book begins with the birth of the daughter of Abel Rosnovski. She is named as Florentyna. This is followed by a short account as to how Abel wound up in his present position. Then it goes deep into the life of his daughter Florentyna, covering her schooling and university years. The book also treads into Abel's life which is already described in detail in "Kane and Abel". However some of the events which are not fully explained in "Kane and Abel" are also discussed in detail in this book.

After finishing her education Florentyna works as an assistant in Bloomindale's under the name of Jessie Kovats to gather experience. In Bloomingdale's she meets up with Richard Kane, the son of William Kane. Florentyna and Richard fall in love with each other. After learning that there is a big feud between their fathers, they elope to San Francisco where they get married. Florentyna soon starts a chain of stores under the name Florentyna's while Richard works as a banker. Richard's mother visit them occasionally in order to maintain links with her son. While they live together, they hear the news that Richard's father has been thrown out of his bank, "The Lester's", and Florentyna's father was responsible for his ouster. After William Kane's death they come to know that it was William Kane who had helped Abel, when he was in desperate need of money. Florentyna and Richard also have two children , a son who is christened as William Abel Kane and a daughter Annabel.

Richard and Florentyna then reconcile with Abel Rosnovski and Florentyna then take over the reins of her father's hotel empire after his death. After facing a stiff resistance from a form Jake Thomas (An old rival of his father William Kane), Richard also succeeds in becoming the chairman of Lester's. After a few years, Florentyna is lured into politics by her old friend Edward Winchester and she hopes to make her childhood dream of becoming the President of the United States a reality. However she loses interest in life after an untimely demise of Richard Kane in a car crash. After some time she eventually starts to channelize her thoughts and then starts refocusing on her political career. However she is forced by circumstances to become the Vice President. But when President Pete Parkin suddenly dies of heart attack, she becomes the President. She also marries her old friend Edward Winchester who then becomes the first gentleman.

Florentyna Kane is portrayed as the President of the United States in Archer's book "Shall We Tell The President". To read the review of "Kane and Abel" click on the title. To read the reviews of other Jeffrey Archer's work, click on the author's name.

Prince Out Duminy In

South African middle order batsman Ashwell Prince has been dropped for the upcoming return series against Australia. J. P. Duminy who replaced him in the squad in Australia will take his place. Ashwell Prince was in the squad for the Australian tour but was unable to play due to injury. Although he has now recovered completely, he was forced out as Duminy performed creditably. Skipper Graeme Smith also returns to the squad after missing the ODI series due to injury. Opener Neil McKenzie who was off color in Australia also retains his place.

In the Australian squad Phil Hughes will partner Simon Katich at the top of the order. Hughes replaces Matthew Hayden who retired after the home summer. 36 year old spinner Bryce McGain has also been included in the squad. Marcus North fills in the role of a reserve batsman. This series will decide the leader of the ICC test rankings. Currently Australia sit at the top of the table closely followed by South Africa.

Jerome Taylor Scythes Through England

Remember the good old days back in the 80's and early 90's when fearsome fast bowlers from the West Indian islands roamed the earth terrorizing the batsmen around the world? Can you recall the days when a Caribbean cricket tour was synonymous with injuries? Well, things change a lot doesn't it? Gone are those good old days. Now a days teams across the world look forward to Caribbean tour, not only because Caribbean Islands are one of the most beautiful places on the earth, but also because the Caribbean team has been going steadily downhill. They are currently languishing in the bottom half in the ICC rankings.

The English public has been projecting the current Caribbean tour as a warm up to the eagerly anticipated Ashes series. England was also down in dumps recently after the ouster of the national coach Peter Moores and sacking of their captain Kevin "The Millionaire" Pietersen. Andrew Strauss was appointed as the skipper for his tour. And to put it mildly, he has begun the journey on an disastrous note. To begin with he won the toss and his team scored 318 in the first dig. West Indies responsed with 392 with skipper Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan scoring tons. During the first 3 days the honors were evenly shared. But the fourth day ended on a disastrous note for the visitors.

After finally dismissing the West Indies, the English openers were out for the second dig. What followed was a steady procession of batsmen from and to the pavilion as pacer Jerome Taylor wrecked havoc. He scapled 5 wickets in 11 overs and giving away only 11 runs in the bargain. England were caught unawares and was bowled out for a paltry 51. Spinner Sulieman Benn also snared 4 wickets. So disastrous was the English effort that the first boundary came along only in the 28th over. Infact Andrew Flintoff was the only batsman to score a boundary in the English team. It was an abject performance put in by a spineless batting line up. The pitch held no demons but the batsmen were caught napping. If the English outfit doesnt regroup quickly and make amends for this disastrous performance, this could be the start of another dark passage for England. To begin with they can inject some life in the batting order by replacing Ian Bell with Owais Shah. And on the other hand, this could be the start of something promising for the West Indies.

Kp and Freddie Top IPL Auction

Former English skippers, Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen topped the bids in the second Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Goa today. KP was bought by Bangalore Royal Challengers for a whooping sum of $1.55 million, while all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings for the same amount ($1.55 million). Thus KP and Freddie become the highest paid players in the IPL overtaking M.S.Dhoni who was the highest paid player last year. Dhoni earned $1 million.

South African batsman J P Duminy was also a hot favourite. He went to Mumbai Indians for $ 950,000. Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait was purchased by Rajasthan Royals for $375,000. Bangladesh all-rounder Mashrafe Mortaza was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for $ 600,000. England batsman Owais Shah and Paul Collingwood was purchased by Delhi for $ 275,000 each. South African all-rounder Tyron Henerson went to last year champions Rajasthan Royals for $ 650,000. Ravi Bopara of England went to Kings XI Punjab for $450,00. Hard hitting Kiwi Jesse Ryder was sold to Royal Challengers for $ 160,000, while his team mate Kyle Mills was sold to Mumbai Indians for $ 150,000. West Indian pacer Jerome Taylor was purchased by Kings XI for $ 150,000 while his WI teammate Fidel Edwards was purchased by Deccan Chargers for the same amount. Thilan Thusara of SriLanka was bought by Chennai Super Kings for $ 140,000. George Bailey was also purchased by Chennai Super Kings for $ 50,000. Deccan Chargers bought Dwayne Smith for $ 100,000.

The prominent players who did not attract any buyers include Australian keeper Brad Haddin, all-rounder Ashlee Nofkee, Luke Wright, Shakib Al Hassan, Samit Patel, pacer Stuart Clark, Andre Nel, Nuwan Kulasekara, batsman Chamara Kapugedera (He played for Chennai Super Kings in the 1st edition), Phil Jacques, Ashwell Prince and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Symonds Out Of South African Tour

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been left out of the touring party for South Africa. With fellow all-rounder Shane Watson also sitting out with injury, Andrew MacDonald is expected to retain his spot in the team. With this exclusion, Andrew Symonds has been forced out of second consecutive overseas tour. He was also left out of Australia's tour to India, after he skipped the team meeting and went fishing. He was subsequently brought back for the home summer but his form was patchy and he was injured during the series against South Africa. While recuperating from injury, he was again in hot water for calling Kiwi wicket keeper Brendon McCullum as a lump of s***. He has subsequently returned from injury and has been playing for his state side Queensland Bulls, but his form has not improved. It must be noted that Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has been pressing for Symonds inclusion in the team. With the team already in transition after the retirements of several stalwarts, the exclusion of Symonds has depleted the experience of the squad further.

After the retirement of Matthew Hayden, an opening slot is up for grabs and rookie opener Phil Hughes, Phil Jaques and Chris Rogers are the favourities to seal the spot. In the pace bowling department,with Stuart Clark and Brett Lee still recovering, Doug Bollinger may get another chance to press his claims. It should be noted that Australia has lost the home series against South Africa this summer. If they lose the series in South Africa, they will be officially stripped of their status as No1 test team in the world. They already lost their No1 ranking in ODI's against South Africa.

Google Launches Offline G Mail Access

Google is currently incorporating improvements in their G Mail system by introducing offline G Mail access. This feature is currently under testing phase and can be enabled by visiting the Google Labs tab which is placed inside "Settings" in G Mail's interface. This feature is currently being rolled out to those who use US or UK English version of G Mail.

How It Works?

G Mail offline feature works by downloading a copy of "mails" in the hard drive of one's computer. This is done through a software called "Google Gears". Gears must be initially installed in the computer system before one can use offline G Mail. However if one is using Google's own browser, Chrome, this software comes preinstalled. Thus the mail folder can be accessed through the browser window just like normal "on line" G Mail. Using this feature one can read, write and edit mails. But the mail will be actually sent only after the user connects his/her computer to the internet. However one cannot add attachments to his/her mail while using G Mail in offline mode. Contacts tab feature is also absent in offline mode and therefore new address cannot be added while using G Mail in this mode. Also only around 10,000 e mails can be stored in the hard disk. There is also another option called as "flaky connection mode" which can be used if the internet connection is very slow or unreliable. Also other new features currently under testing are also updated in the G Mail Lab's which can be enabled and tested. Post your comments on "offline G Mail"

Serena Williams Gallops To 10th Grand Slam Win

Serena Williams Of USA won her 10th grand slam by defeating Dinara Safina of Russia at the Australian Open today. The second seeded American thereby reclaimed the world No 1 ranking in the process. She defeated the Russian in straight sets 6-0,6-3 thereby making it a one sided affair. This is her 4th Australian Open title. She has won the titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. Incidentally she also won the women's doubles finals along with her sister Venus Williams yesterday. She was not in the best of form coming into the tournament, but gained momentum as the tournament progressed and peaked at the right time. Although she was the firm favourite owing to her previous vast experience in playing grand slam finals, the match was expected to be a tight affair, but Safina was overwhelmed by the occasion and lost focus when it mattered the most. The whole match lasted less than an hour. Dinara Safina is the sister of Marat Safin.

The eagerly anticipated men's finals between world No1, Rafael Nadal and world No 2, Roger Federer will take place at Rod Laver Arena tomorrow. Rafa had won a marathon 5 set semi final against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco on Friday. The match lasted 5 hours and 14 minutes, thereby making it the "longest match" in Australian Open history. Federer on the other hand had a comparatively easy semi final where he defeated Andy Roddick of USA in straight sets.

Aussies Lose No 1 Ranking!

World champions Australia have lost their No 1 ranking in One Day Internationals after South Africa defeated them in the fifth and final one dayer at Perth yesterday. After winning the toss the South African skipper Johan Botha elected to bat first. South Africa rested their front line pacemen Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini for the dead rubber as a part of their "rotation policy". They were replaced by two debutants Wayne Parnell and Lonwabo Tsotsobe. South African opener Hashim Amla played a fluent knock to lift South Africa to a formidable total of 288 for the loss of 6 wickets in their alloted 50 overs. A B de Villers and J P Duminy also contributed 60 runs each. For the hosts all-rounder James Hopes scalped 3 wickets while Hilfenhaus took 2.

In reply Australia got off to a disastrous start losing 4 wickets with just 51 on board in under 13 overs. Mike Hussey scored 78 and keeper batsman Brad Haddin scored 63 in a lost cause as Australia were bowled out for 249 in 49 overs. For the visitors, debutant Tsotsobe captured 4 wickets. Hashim Amla was declared the "Man Of The Match".

Australia could regain their No1 ranking when they take on the 4th ranked New Zealanders in the upcoming Chappel Hadlee trophy. However to do so Ricky Ponting and his men have to find a way to hit the ground running as the Kiwis are a formidable One Day outfit.

Sons Of Fortune

Sons Of Fortune is a novel written by Jeffrey Archer. As always the case with Archer novels, this one is also quite good. Archer manages to engage the attention of the reader till the very end. The subtle twists and turns makes the story interesting. As it so often happens in Archer's stories, the pivotal character(s) have a bosom friend to help him. And Archer is at his very best when the story runs into legal battles. The way Archer constructs the arguments and counter arguments is riveting.

It follows the life of two twins Nathaniel Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport who are separated on the same day of their birth. Nat grows up in his parents home and is sent up to Taft for his education where he meets up with Tom. Nat and Tom become bosom pals and continue their friendship throughout their lives. Nat also meets up with Ralph Elliott at Taft who becomes his adversary. Their rivalry continues in adulthood as well. Fletcher grows up in the house of Ruth and Davenport who have a rich family history. He is sent up to Hotchkiss for his education where he meets up with Jimmy, who becomes his best mate.

The story then pans out into their adolescene years when both Nat and Fletcher distinguish themselves in academics. Both of them even fall in love with the same girl during a school game. After finishing schooing, Nat enrolls himself at the University of Connecticut whereas Fletcher signs up at Yale. In the middle of his college years, Nat enlists himself at the army and is sent up to serve at Vietnam. He is then awarded with the Medal Of Honor for his deeds in the war. He then returns to college and meets up with Su Ling who becomes his wife. He then goes to Harvard Business School and becomes a banker. He then starts working in Wall Street. Fletcher meanwhile becomes a lawyer and joins a prestigious law firm in New York.

But after a crash in which the bank loses half a million dollars, Nat is forced to resign from his job. He then joins Tom and starts working in Tom's family bank The Rusell's. Fletcher's career path also changes when Ralph Elliot joins the same law firm in which Fletcher is working. Fletcher then resigns from the firm and takes up politics. He soon becomes the senator. Ralph Elliott also quits the law firm over a scandal and returns to Connecticut.

Fletcher then runs for the Governer from democartic party. His rival from the republican side is destined to be Ralph Elliott, when Nat suddenly jumps into the republican fray with the sole aim of defeating Elliott. Nat seems destined to win his party's nomination when Ralph Elloitt restores to dirty tricks to win his bid. When one his moves results in the death of Nat's son, he vows to take his revenge on him. On the very next day Nat is charged with the murder of Ralph Elliott. Nat enlists Fletcher's help in clearing his name. After clearing hs name, Nat helps in saving Fletcher's life by donating his blood. In the hospital both of them come to know that they are twins. Yet they both decide to face off in the upcoming election. Who will win? No one knows as the result is too close to call. Ultimately the winner is decided by the toss of a coin.

You can also sample the plot of Archer's latest book "A Prisoner Of Birth" by clicking on the title. To read about the plot of his best selling "Kane And Abel" click on the title.

South Africa Clinches Series Win Down Under

South Africa won the 4th ODI against Australia to win the 5 match ODI series 3-1 with one game to spare. After winning the toss, the Australian skipper Ricky Ponting had no hesitation to bat first on a batting paradise in Adelaide. But Australia didnt get off the best of starts with openers David Warner and Shaun Marsh back in the hut with just 17 runs on the board. Skipper Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey led the recovery with Ponting scoring 63 and Hussey contributing 28. Almost all of the Australian middle rder had their starts, but none of them were able to contribute a substantial score as the Aussies folded inside their 50 overs with just 222 on board.

South Africa's chase began on a rampant note with their openers Gibbs and Amla putting on an opening stand of 58. South Africa lost only two wickets before they reached their target with 11.5 overs to spare. A.B. de Villers scored an unbeaten 82 while Amla contributed an unbeaten 80. Earlier de Villers donned the big gloves for South Africa after their regular wicket keeper Mark Boucher was ruled out of the series with injury. A.B de Villers was awarded the man of the match. the 5th and final ODI will be played at Perth on Jan 30.

NSW and Victoria Enter Champions League

New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria are the two domestic teams from Australia which will feature in the Champions league scheduled to be held this year. The last year's league was canceled after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Victoria also qualified for the last year's proposed event. However Western Australia who made it to the finals last time around failed to qualify this year. In the finals of T/20 big bash New South Wales emerged victorious after defeating Victoria by 5 wickets. They scrambled home off the last ball of the last over.

The major highlight of the finals was the appearance of New Zealand wicket keeper Brendon McCullum in the New South Wales colors. Although he made only 10 runs in the finals, he would be available to play for NSW in the Champions league if his IPL team Kolkata Night Riders fail to qualify for the event. The signing of Mc Cullum by NSW stirred up a controversy in Australian cricketing circles with Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds openly questioning his inclusion. It should be noted that runners up Victoria didnt have the services of their 3 senior players for the finals. Cameron White and David Hussey are representing Australia in the ongoing series against South Africa where as Brad Hodge was ruled out due to an hamstring injury. New South Wales were without the new "boy wonder" David Warner and Nathan Bracken, with both of them representing Australia.

Steve Jobs Out Of Apple For 6 Months

Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Inc, the popular consumer electronics manufacturer has taken a 6 month medical leave. Chief Operation Officer, Tim Cook will look after the day to day operations in his absence. It should be noted that Steve Jobs has been treated for a rare form of Pancreatic cancer in 2004. He has been losing weight in the recent months which was initially attributed to an hormonal imbalance. There has been no official reports either from Steve Jobs or from Apple regarding his health issues. This has led to widespread rumors regarding his health ranging from the recurrence of his pancreatic cancer to several other illness.

Unlike other major companies, Apple's CEO is also involved in design and development of Apple's products. He is also a highly skilled marketing man who is well known for his showmanship. Apple's health at least for the short term seems to be linked with the health of its CEO. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.


Apple has been the market leader in music player market with their iconic I Pod ( Along with its many cousins) ruling the roost. Apart from I Pod, the I phone has also been very popular among the consumers. Apart from these Apple also manufactures notebook and desktop computers.

Aussies Pip Proteas

After a nail biter last Friday, Australia and South Africa were involved in another riveting contest today in the second match of the 5 match one day international series at Bellerive Oval in Tasmania. But this time though, the results were different. After winning the toss, South African skipper Botha elected to field first. Australia lost the wonder boy David Warner early with just 17 on board. But opener Shaun marsh and skipper Ricky Ponting consolidated the innings. Both scored half centuries to lay down the foundation for a mammoth total. However when both Ponting and Marsh were dismissed, Australia lost steam and the rest of the batsmen could muster only 53 runs in the last 10 overs, which included 4 overs of batting power play. For the visitors Ntini grabbed 3 wickets while Steyn and Kallis captured 2 each.

In reply South Africa were off to a slow start with just 17 runs coming in the first 7 overs and they lost the wicket of Hasim Amla in the bargain. However, Kallis and A B de Villers joined forces in the 15th over and kept the score card ticking along with minimal risks. Kallis was dismissed in the 35th over, at the end of which the South Africans required 103 runs in the remaining 15 overs. Still very much gettable considering the fact that South Africa had 5 overs of batting power play in hand and still had big hitters like Albie Morkel waiting for their turn to bat. But tight bowling at the death by the Australian pacemen, especially Nathan Bracken, put the skids on the scoring rate and resulted in a flurry of wickets. In the end South Africa fell short by 5 runs.

Australian opener Shaun Marsh was declared the "Man Of The Match". The third one day international will be played on January 23rd at the SCG. It will be a day/night affair.

Two Nail Biters In One Day

Of late there has been frequent murmurs about Twenty/20's gaining popularity and it contributing to the demise of one day cricket (the 50 over format). And this theory has been reinforced by many one sided fixtures being played out by teams. But that was not the case today. Two one day matches were played in the Asia Pacific region today, and both turned out to be cliff hangers.

In one encounter Sri Lanka were up against Bangladesh in what was expected to be an one sided affair. but it turned out to be anything but one sided. After winning the toss the Lankan skipper Jayawardena put the hosts into bat, and they crawled along to 152 all out inside the alloted 50 overs. The Lankans were expected to reach the target easily and claim the prize but the B'desh tigers had other plans. When the Lankans came to bat they were losing wickets in a hurry, and inside 8 overs they lost 5 wickets with just 6 runs to show on the board. Of the specialist batsmen only Sanga was still at the crease and there were bright hopes for the hosts. But Sangakkara and Mubarak hung around and raised the team's fifty. When things were getting better for the visitors, Mubarak was run out. All rounder Maharoof and Sangakkara then took Sri Lanka towards safety. Again there was a twist in the plot when Sanga and Kulasekara departed in the same over. With the required run rate climbing steadily tail ender Murali had no option but to swing the bat. And swing he did. He scored 33 of just 16 balls and Lankans won with two wickets and 11 balls to spare.

The other match was pretty evenly contested with top two teams South Africa and Australia locking horns. After winning the toss, Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting had no hesitation to bat first on a good batting surface at the MCG. With opener Mike Hussey departing early, opener Shaun Marsh and Ponting joined forces and put on 94 runs for the second wicket before Ponting was dismissed. With vital contributions from Shaun Marsh, David Hussey and Cameron White, Australia reached a respectable score of 271 for the loss of 8 wickets in their alloted 50 overs. In reply South Africa got off to a shaky start with their openers Gibbs and Amla back in the pavilion with the score card reading just 36. However Jean Paul Duminy, South Africa's crisis man, on this tour, struck a patient half century to put the chase back on track. Neil McKenzie playing in a one day international after a gap of 5 years (he was in the team as A B de Villers was still recovering from Shaun Tait's blow in the T/20's) also scored a fluent 63 and South Africa were cruising towards their target. But when J P Duminy fell in the 41st over, it triggered a mini collapse and suddenly South Africa were looking down the barrel. But South Africa still had big hitting all-rounder Albie Morkel in their ranks, and he wonderfully capitalized on the batting powerplay at his disposal. He stuck an unbeaten 40 of just 18 balls and took South Africa across the finish line with 3 balls to spare. Giving him company at the non-striker's end was skipper Botha. For his efforts Albie Morkel was declared the "Man Of The Match".

Matches like these, which go down the wire are what that makes one day cricket so exciting and enthralling to watch. It was indeed a bumper day for One Day Cricket. Lets hope for much such close showdowns in the coming days.

Blackle - Innovative Google Search

Almost everyone who uses internet is aware of search engine Google. But how many of you are aware of Blackle?? Based on a calculation it was found that taking into account the huge number of internet traffic that Google takes in per day, huge amount of energy can be saved ( About 750 mega watts a year!!) if Google's interface is black instead of its customary white.

Therefore Heap media from Australia has introduced a search engine with a black interface which provides customized Google search. The Blackle home page displays the amount of energy saved in watt hours. However since this site is not owned by Google, it lacks the various search options available in Google such as image search, news search e.t.c. When a search string is typed in Blackle, the results are dispalyed in a quick time and it provides various other options such as search within the results, search tips e.t.c.

However the energy saving concept seems to work only on CRT (Cathode ray tube) monitors and does not show any appreciable difference in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors. When contacted for comments Google's response was " 'This is one example of the ways in which people can use Google's technology in innovative ways". Sounds interesting?? Try Blackle and tell your views.

Hussey And White Seal Series Win

Australia defeated South Africa in the second T/20 international at Gabba to take the two match series 2-0. South African skipper Botha won the toss and elected to bat first. The visitors were off to a slow start with just 40 runs on the board by the end of the 7th over and losing two wickets in the process. J.P.Duminy scored an attractive half century and remained unbeaten on 69 of 41 deliveries as the visitors reached 157 for the loss of 5 wickets in their alloted 20 overs. For the hosts, all-rounder James Hopes took 2 wickets.

In reply, Australia were off to a bad start with both the openers Shaun Marsh and the previous match hero David Warner departing early. Skipper Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey consolidated the innings and took the score to 90 when Ponting was run out. David Hussey followed him soon after. But his sibling Mike Hussey rediscovered his touch and joined forces with Craig White to steer Australia to victory. Michael Hussey scored an unbeaten 53 of 33 balls while White was unbeaten on 40 of just 18 balls with 5 fours and a six. For the visitors, debutant Wayne Parnell was most expensive bowler. He conceeded 4 boundaries in the 17th over which sealed the match in the hosts' favour. Mike Hussey was named "The Man Of The Match".

The one day series between the two teams kicks off on Jan 16th at the MCG.

"Matt The Bat" Walks Into Sunset

Australian opener Matthew Lawrence Hayden has announced his retirement from International cricket. The 37 year old opener has been weighed down by the lack of runs in this year's home summer. His announcement follows his axing from the one day and twenty/20 squads. His departure leaves yet another gaping hole in the Aussie ranks.

Known for his brute strength and fearsome stroke play, Hayden dominated the bowling attacks around the world. He currently holds the record for the highest score by an Australia in both tests and one day internationals. He briefly the record for the highest ever individual score in test match cricket when he smashed 380 runs against the Zimbabweans at WACA. This record though was subsequently reclaimed by Brian Lara. His highest score in one day internationals is an unbeaten 181 which he scored against the Kiwis just before the 2007 world cup, thus securing his place for the world cup. His performance in the world cup was also exemplary and was instrumental in Australia winning the third successive world cup.

He was a late bloomer and his test career was patchy at the start but after the test series against India in 2001, his stocks skyrocketed. He was again battling for his place during the 2005 Ashes series, but was ultimately saved by his century in the last test. He was again imposing during the 2007 home summer, and was sorely missed in the Perth test against India which the Aussies lost. He sustained Achilles tendon injury just after the IPL, ( he played for the Chennai Super Kings) and was forced to miss the tour to the Caribbean. His powers waned thereafter and he was never the same force again. He has scored 30 centuries in tests and 10 tons in one day internationals.

He formed one of the best opening acts in test cricket along with Justin Langer, and in one day internationals he was partnered by Adam Gilchrist. Apart from his fearsome batting, Hayden is well known as an outstanding fielder at slip cordon. His departure will result in further depletion of experienced resources in the team. It will be impossible to find an immediate replacement for this battle hardened veteran, but Australia still have a few choices in the opening department with Phil Jacques, Chris Rogers and young Phil Hughes waiting in the wings. Cricket as a whole will be poorer for the departure of "Matt The Bat", one of the true legends of the game. Farewell Matt, you were one of the best. Thanks for the memories.

The video shows highlights of Hayden's 181 not out against Kiwis.

Warner's Dream Debut Crushes South Africa

Debutant opening batsman David Warner struck an whirlwind 89 of just 43 balls to propel Australia to 182 runs in their allotted 20 overs in the first Twenty/20 match against South Africa at the MCG. It was the second fastest half century in the history of Twenty/20's. Warner simply tore into the much vaunted South African attack as all the bowlers including speedster Dale Steyn were battered into submission. South Africa regrouped after Warner's dismissal as they restricted the hosts within 200.

However there were no respite for the visitors when they came into bat as they were reduced to 12/3 in 3 overs as comeback man Shaun Tait and Nathan Bracken bowled fiery spells. Tait's spell was particularly too hot to handle for the visitors as he cranked up pace and had AB de Villers hitwicket. JP Duminy scored an attractive half century but the effort went in vain as there was no support from the remaining batsmen. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 130 runs in 18 overs.

Earlier Warner created history by becoming only the third player to have represented Australia without any first class cricket experience. He was adjudged as the "Man Of The Match". Australia have rested their keeper batsman Brad Haddin and pacer Mitchell Johnson for the match. Vice captain Michael Clarke didnot take the field due to injury. The second Twenty /20 will be played at Brisbane on 13th January.

Angels and Demons - A Riveting Read

Angels and Demons is a book written by Dan Brown. It is set before Da Vinci Code. The book begins with the murder of physicist Leonardo Vetra with the word "Illuminati" branded on his chest. The chief of CERN, Maxmillian Kohler, rings up Robert Langdon, a Harvard university symbiologist, and enlists his help in solving the murder mystery.

Upon reaching CERN, Robert Langdon, Vittoria Vetra (daughter of Leonardo Vetra) and Maxmillian Kohler discover that one of the canisters containing anti-matter specimen is missing. At the same time, a security camera inside the Vatican City shows the missing canister with a digital clock counting down. But the Swiss guards are unable to identify the exact location of the canister. Upon hearing this, Vittoria Vetra and Robert Langdon rush to the Vatican city.

Upon reaching there they find that the conclave for selecting the next pope is scheduled to be held that very day and the four preferiti (the favorites for the papacy), are missing. The duo then meets up Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca (the late pope's closest aide) in the pope's office where they receive a call from an unidentified person who calls himself as "Hassasin" and proceeds to tell them that the four cardinals would be sacrificed on the four altars of science. ( Each altar is a tribute for the fundamental elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water known in the ancient times.) In order to have any chance of rescuing the cardinals and find the whereabouts of the canister, Robert Langdon has to uncover the four altars within a specified time period.

Will the cardinals be saved? Will the Vatican City be prevented from destruction? The story moves at a breakneck pace and is full of twists, thrills and suspense. Dan Brown captures the imagination of the reader and manages to sustain it throughout. The time frame in which the story unfolds is just a single day.

This best selling book is currently being made into a movie with Tom Hanks donning the role of Robert Langdon and Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra. It is set to be released on May 2009. The trailer can be viewed here.

Rock On!! - Really Rockz

Rock On!! is an Hindi movie released in 2008. The story revolves around four boys who form a rock band called Magik in their early twenties, and hope to make a mark in music. However after winning a music competition difference of opinion crops up and they split up.

The scene then shifts to ten years later when all the four of them are engrossed in their respective occupation and lose contact with each other. The singer of the band Aditya, becomes an investment banker and immerses himself totally into his work without finding any time for himself or his family. The drummer KD, looks after his father's business. The lead guitarist Joe is relatively poor(monetarily) and earns his living by performing at weddings. The keyboard player make his living by composing music for ads.

When they are made to meet up by Sakshee, the wife of the singer, they agree to team up again. While leading up to an musical event, they learn that their keyboard player Rob is suffering from brain tumour and is dying. Initially Joe does not turn up for the contest as his wife urges him to go elsewhere to a job which pays well. But after hearing his friends perform the song he composed on the radio, he returns to the band. They perform another song, which turns out to be their last performance together as Rob dies a couple of months later.

This movie makes people to remember their young carefree days and urges them to follow their dreams. The music composed by the famous trio of Shankar-Eshaan-Loy is really excellent and is topping the charts. The film is realy a must watch as it is well constructed and presented. In short, Rock On really Rockzzzz.

KP and Moores Face Off

England captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores are not gelling well with each other and their internal conflict threatens to create a rift in the English outfit. The relationship between the two has hit a new low last week with KP openly asking the ECB to have an emergency meeting before the team embarks on a tour to the West Indies to discuss the role of the coach.

There was widespread media speculation that all was not well between the captain and the the coach ever since KP assumed the captaincy. The poor performances of the English team in Stanford T/20 and the series in India seems to have created further rift. The non selection of former England captain Michael Vaughan for the Windies tour also didnot go well with KP. If the differences between them are not solved, it will most probably lead to the sacking of Moores.

At a time when the all important "Ashes" series is just a few months away, and the Australian team facing its worst slump in more than a decade, this is probably the worst thing that can happen to the English team. When should be focussing on regaining the "Ashes", they are forced to sort out their internal conflict which will hamper their preparation and focus. And even if both Moores and KP are made to sort out their issues, differences may crop up as regards to the team selection. This is not an ideal scenario to be in. The previous England coach Duncan Fletcher was in hot water due to the non-selection of certain individuals after the last Ashes series in 2006-07. Deja-vu anyone????

The Fall Of World Champs

The inevitable has happened. As the old adage goes "All good things will come to an end". The Aussie cricket team which has dominated the cricketing world for more than a decade has been brought down to earth. The team which once boasted of world class performers in all the departments of the game is struggling to stem the rot. Their bowling line up, already crippled by the loss of legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath has been rendered leaderless by the injuries to Brett Lee and Stuart Clark. As a result, the team is struggling to dismiss their opponents twice in test matches.

The batting line up which was one of the best in the world is now struggling to put up runs on the board on a consistent basis. The loss of form of opener Matthew Hayden (due to age) and of run machine Mike Hussey has put enormous pressure on skipper Ricky Ponting and his deputy Michael Clarke. The loss of talismatic all-rounder Andrew Symonds has not helped the team's cause. The team has been compling moderate totals due to the performance of their lower order batsmen. And this is surely a matter of great concern.

So now that Aussies has been brought down to earth, (They stand to lose their No1 ranking if they lose their ongoing test against SA) what needs to be done to strengthen the team from ground up? To make them the force they once were? The answer lies in inecting youth into the squad and allowing them the time to settle and adjust to the rigours of international cricket. Admittedly the performance level of the team will come down and the team will lose some matches. But this is much better way to build a team for the future other simply chopping and changing the players.

The out of form and ageing opener has to be replaced by young NSW opener Phil Hughes or Shaun Marsh as their have time on their side instead of opting for players who are in their late twenties or early thirties. The spinners Jason Krejza or Nathan Hauritz or Beau Casson should be given an extended run to prove their worth instead of selecting and discarding them at will. And young pacers like Ben Hilfenhaus will get better by having international experience under their belt.

The era of legends has come to an end. Its time to plan for the future and build a world beating team again from the scratch. With the huge talent at their disposal, it is definetly possible. The only question is whether the selectors will be brave enough to do it.