"Afridi comes from an era, a cricketing culture, where ball-tampering is considered a normal cricket activity, the done thing on flat Pakistani pitches - an art form and not a sin. It's been a part of the Pakistan team's standard operating procedure." Ramiz Raaja in "Cricinfo.com"
Wtmf?
"Normal cricket activity!" "Standard Operating Procedure" and "An art form!!!!!"
What's this hare-brainer upto these days? If this is "normal cricket activity", I wonder what they call bowling and batting and fielding as. Standard operating procedure?!!!! Of Pakistan's team... Figures... Yeah! It figures........
And art form? Know what? Art is what Mr. Ramiz Raja does.The ultimate artiste if ever there is one, it is him. His 'artistic' way of speaking and supporting a 'Pakistani' cause, has remained fabulous as ever.
Was reminded of his commentary in a match at Sharjah between India and Pakistan. All Rounder Agarkar was having one of his rare 'ball' days, pitching and pacing it correct. Getting the line correct and bowling aggressively. Imran Nazir batting trying to slog everything to America, including air that flew around his bat. His bat speed was sucking the entire air around the ground, and sending them as a Mini Katrina along the American shores, even as vacuum was getting created. He trying very hard to connect to the ball, so that he can have his share in it.
Then came the magical 'ball'. Pitched just short of length, perfect line. Nazir had already comedown till the sightscreen to show respect to the ball. Jabbed the ball in a graceful way matched only by Dharmendar's dance moves. Ball slowly moved to mid on, where a pair of safe hands caught Imran's ball. As if the comedy wasn't over, came Rameez Raja, roaring like a true patriot, sounding at the same time very generous of the praise for the "Indias Greatest Allrounder", the "It was a good ball. But Imran too should be credited. He managed to meddle the ball."
Got the point?
How can one be so obtuse, stupid and belligerently jingoistic to the extent of discarding any sense? In the guise of being patriotic, how can one discard objective judgement and defend the non-defendable or worse 'not-be-defendable'? We, Indians, have our own set of commentators who indulge in such "Patriotic" activities, but to this extent, have very rarely seen anybody feeding bollocks.
But, wtf? Though it angers me to see such ridiculous analysis and statements, I certainly smiled and laughed in equal measure at such 'ingenous' and 'artistic' expressions. Keept it up Raja. Atlast Sixer Sidhu has a match in you.
Was reminded of his commentary in a match at Sharjah between India and Pakistan. All Rounder Agarkar was having one of his rare 'ball' days, pitching and pacing it correct. Getting the line correct and bowling aggressively. Imran Nazir batting trying to slog everything to America, including air that flew around his bat. His bat speed was sucking the entire air around the ground, and sending them as a Mini Katrina along the American shores, even as vacuum was getting created. He trying very hard to connect to the ball, so that he can have his share in it.
Then came the magical 'ball'. Pitched just short of length, perfect line. Nazir had already comedown till the sightscreen to show respect to the ball. Jabbed the ball in a graceful way matched only by Dharmendar's dance moves. Ball slowly moved to mid on, where a pair of safe hands caught Imran's ball. As if the comedy wasn't over, came Rameez Raja, roaring like a true patriot, sounding at the same time very generous of the praise for the "Indias Greatest Allrounder", the "It was a good ball. But Imran too should be credited. He managed to meddle the ball."
Got the point?
How can one be so obtuse, stupid and belligerently jingoistic to the extent of discarding any sense? In the guise of being patriotic, how can one discard objective judgement and defend the non-defendable or worse 'not-be-defendable'? We, Indians, have our own set of commentators who indulge in such "Patriotic" activities, but to this extent, have very rarely seen anybody feeding bollocks.
But, wtf? Though it angers me to see such ridiculous analysis and statements, I certainly smiled and laughed in equal measure at such 'ingenous' and 'artistic' expressions. Keept it up Raja. Atlast Sixer Sidhu has a match in you.
Comments
But yes, I remember him as the most stupid English commentator. He tries too hard to flaunt his vocabulary. Not sure about Raja, but I think Sidhu indulges in stupidity deliberately to maintain a certain kind of image. He was a hot property when he first decided to contest for elections. And if I remember it correctly, he had negotiated everything in perfect business-like manner.
Am not sure, if Raja is telling us the secret behind the success of Akram and Waqar! ;) Which should then mean that ball tampering oops pampering is a dying art in Pakistani cricket! :D
Sarcasm?! Raja? Impossible. He has no idea what that means or how to do that. He was honest in his words. He meant everything he said.
Wasim and Waqar were too good by the bowling standards that one sees today. They might have indulged in ball tampering. But they were still damn good. Wasim in particular, has been my favourite for a longtime.
"Ball Pampering". That was nice.
Cheers