Dear Lorraine,
I just sent you your birthday greetings - a bit belated but apologise for the same. I have been watch the match live and have been rivetted to the screen all afternoon and till now where bad light has stopped play. I guessed that Robert would be at the ground and was really happy for him - at least he got to go where I have never been before!! .
I have never let my cancer overcome my love for cricket. You will be really have a laugh if I told you that I had so many surgeries that I lost count and that when the ODI's were going on and I used to request the doctor to make me the first one to get opertaed upon - so that I would not miss my cricket! ( won a decent amount from all the surgeons who used to cut me up and put me back together!
I think Crisket is a bigger illness then cancer as one can live with cancer - but with cricket - NO WAY!!!
Lots of love and will try and see him tomorrow if he goes to the ground again. If he does do let me know and I shall request the TV channel broadcasting the match to interview him. I am really not joking on this one!

Take care,
Ananth

Dear Robert,
I have a strong feeling that the England team has had everything going wrong for them as was the case with India at Lords. The weather was really making the ball swing and all the bowlers -Zaheer,Shreesanth, R.P are all swing bowlers and one thing I can say for them they line and length has been really fantastic. The batsman really let down the side at lords but have done well here with getting England all out for under to 200 mark and then had a great start with Wasim and Kartick. Rahul too played hi role but lost his wicket. I have a felin Sachin is not going to take things lightly and neither is Ganguly. I see a huge total on the board and then getting England to bat to try and get them out and not having to bat again. The Indian bowlers have shown the can take 20 wickets on the trot.
So lets see and you send me the snaps that Lorraine told me you were clicking away.
Love,
Ananth

Ananth

Surely India have put themselves in a winning position.All their batters have delivered so far and there is more to come.Panesar was unlucky with reasonable lbw appeals.I had a wonderful day yesterday .We had a contingent of Indian fans behind us who were noisy and fun.The Indian fans know how to have a good time.

As for the photos I hope to get them on today .They were taken with my mobile phone so I hope the quality does them justice

It was an honour to witness Sachin get his 11000 test run and he received a standing ovation from all the fans in the stadium.A testimony to the respect the little man is held in.

As for Dravid I have never seen a player so angry with himself for getting out.Kartick is onlY 22 ,a fantastic prospect

All the best

Robert

Ananth,here are my pics from yesterday


England tail enders batting



Sreesanth throwing the ball back



Sreesanth again


The Great Kumble



Kumble again,I think


Indian reserves training at lunch


another pic of the reserves


Monty Panesar


Sachin and Ganguly batting at the end of the day

Hi Robert,
The snaps are really superb except one where you "think" it was Kumble with the ball. I dont think so as Dhoni was standing way to far at the back for Kumbles bowling. I am mailing this during the lunch break and it really seems England is in serious trouble. With just three wickets down and even the three contributed to a fantastic start and both Sachin and Saurav have consolidated things. Sachin has just got out - LBW - but I dont think he was out and neither Sachin as he is a gentleman and normally just walks but here he showed his surprise. However Laman is on the ground with Saurav and now is the time for England to pull things back to get get back to some measure in this match. Two and half days still to go - anything is possible except an England win. Either India will put up a huge total on the board and then as they have done far get through the ten tickets as they have done in both the tests till now (England too has done the same)for an outright win or England would have to show a lot of grit to try and draw the match. I ,however,do not see England winning this match.
You lucky man!! I would really have loved to be there at the ground and honestly would have been there had it not been for my "eating" problem. I am sure if things were all great - we could have had a lager together and cheer some good cricket.
Lorraine, finds us nuts - discussing cricket on a Cancer Site - but even my wife looks at this in the same way. What they dont realise is that cricket itself is life and guess I am still around to see the tight schedule that both India and England have during the rest of the year. Sorry Lorraine - it seems you have lost out to cricket!!!
Love,
Ananth

Ananth

Cricket is the one game that allows the mind to wander beyond what is happening on the field.You can read a book while watching it as well

Anyway back to the game.India missed a trick last night and Sreesanth bowled like a novice.At least 3 Indians should never have been given out as well.Today is the day that will determine the outcome.India need to take at least 5 wickets before England reach parity .I am still confident India will pull it off but Kumble and Khan will bowl a lot of overs

The weather is set fair for both days.


Take care Ananth.Thank god for patient and understanding wifes

You guys are getting me interested .... a little,

Hi Robert,
The inevitable has happened. The moment England was bowled out for a 198 in the first innings with so many days to spare and then Indias top order all coming good (with the decisons which we know were a mistake on part of the best umpire in the world) and the substantial score that they posted. As I mentioned the ball was swinging away on the day one itself and India did take the advantage of weather by letting England bat first. All the three pacers do swing the ball - they may not be super fast but they swing the ball both way and with a lot of accuracy. Yes - Sreesnth was the odd man odd - bowling all over the place and then acting like an idiot ( I think he must have got a mouthful from Dravid) and then loosing half his match fees. Kumble was not really effective was he? We did ( you too ) expected more from him but the way the English played him to the leg side did frustrate him.The jelly beans arguement had Zaheer almost knock off Pietersons head off and Sreesanth left no stone to try and do the same with that crazy beamer.
The match was firmly in Indias grasp on day 4 and in fact I say it in Zaheer Khans pocket. A seventy three run lead with one day to spare! The English still fought to the end and were rewarded with three wickets. But getting the 73 runs was never going to be a problem. However, I feel for England as the first match at Lords was for England to go one up in the series but the weather Gods decided otherwise and India drew the match by the skin of their teeth. This match however, they were totally outplayed and India did deserve to win.
Well, with all said and done - its India that is one up now and the last test next thursday will make it a National holiday in India!!! or will go into the onedayers - quits and having salvaged their draw and loss. I really do not think either team played badly - its just that India won the toss and that made all the difference. (one last thing- did you notice the spinners on either side were most ineffective?).
I still envy you being right there watching the match live and I would have been over the clouds had I get the chance with Indias win. Well, lets see what the last test does for either team.
Do keep writing in as it will be really fun to exchange notes during the test and then the onedayers which will have a lot of things to talk about.
Lorraine - prepare yourself to be left alone as I imagine that is what Robert will be doing for five days come thursday.(this cricket!!!! )
Take care,
Ananth

Ananth,

I am used to coming second to cricket now (and football come to think of it)!

Lorraine

Dont forget Rugby

Ananth

England made a big mistake.They tried to wind up Khan with the Jelly Bean incident and paid the price.I thought Sreesanth went over the top but the bad feeling stemmed from the English players petulance.Fantastic win for India and they are on the verge of an historic series win,which will set them up for the tour of Australia in the winter.

Have you seen the 20/20 world cup is nearly upon us.India ,Pakistan and Scotland(my team)

Also I see its 50 years from the creation of the two state solution of India and Pakistan.The BBC are running a season of programmes about it and very intresting it is .

Hi,
Come on you Lot have you forgotten that the Champs of cricket come from AUS?(This should start the Ball rolling)
TREV

Hi Trev,
Welcome to Robert's and my column! First to answer Robert - Do you honestly think that the jelly bean episode had anything for Zaheer to have come back and blown the English away. I really do not think so and I figure out as he too described that it was his spell in County and Domestic Cricket that taught him to control the swing that goes out to a right handed batman and in to a left hander. He had his basics very correct. I am sure this match would have made him realise the exact way to use and pitch the ball so as to really trouble all over. Sreesanth has to grow up and I am sure Rahul Dravid has given him a talking to. However, as Vaughn said - it happens( though they did come very close to crossing the line ) and lets accept it as a part of the game. Carry on sledging in a decent manner while on the filed and become friends or remain such once off the field.
Honestly if they pull of the next test match - Rahul Dravid could stand for elections to become the new Indian President and he will win!! Further as you mentioned it will be a knock on the Aussies door to announce the arrival the men in blue.
I was not very keen ofn the 20-20s but now that India to has got into the fray I have no option but to go with the wind. I dont think Sachin or Ganguly want to be a part of the 20's team or for that matter Rahul.
Tell me something more about the two nation solution for India and Pakistan. Though I am normally completely upto date on current affairs this one has left me in the dark - and I do get BBC here as well.
Finally, I think the English will go all out to win the next match or draw it as India has nothing to loose. They will either be the winners of the series 2-0 or the same drawn 1-1. I really think we have a great match coming up.
The one dayers too will be worth watching out for as Fredie is getting back - so that could make a difference to both the bowling and batting strength of the English.

Ahh!!! my friend Trev - The champs have had their run and its time they gave way to the better side. Ok - they regained the ashes but did they not loose it? Without - McGarth, Warne etc. the team though very young and experienced now have to take on a team which has both age, experience and young blood. If the grounds in the UK are used for determining things - I am sure the Aussies will also be hurt with the swing of both Zaheer and RK Singh. For all I know they may include Irfan Pathan who seems to be getting back into the groove and if that does happen the Indian tail will bite and not give up as they did in England. Also keep in mind that none of the famous five would like to finish with a ziltch and Sachin,well as Saurav are hungry for runs. Laxman, though not a favortite with me will be a thorn in the Aussies butt and so will one more - Dhoni. He is one guy who you just cannot underestimate. He is a hitter but a thinking hitter - unlike Afridi. Look at the Lords match where he stood alone.
I think I better start thinking of an obiutory for the passing away champions tag that the Aussies have as of now. Its a gut feeling that India have changed to become more aggresive and give as much as they get. They are no longer meek and stand up to any competiton ( sledging for example - which is going to be a sure shot in the series! ). Trev!!!! come on and lets hear your side as to what can happen. I think both Robert and I would be glad to hear the same and once again welcome to the Cricket club.

Ananth

Here is a link the the season of programmes the BBC is running on the subject

http://www.bbc.co.uk/indiapakistan/images/slides/20.jpg

Dont write Aussie off yet ananth.they are born winners and are in the middle of a 5 month break ,whereas India have being playing cricket for 10 months non stop

It will be interesting to see how they cope without the legends

Hi Robert,
I was just having some fun with Trev on the Aussies. There is no doubt that play a very different style of cricket then others which makes them so good. Most of the other sides try and put down their shields when the going starts getting a bit dicey unlike the Aussies who mantain the agression right through and I feel thats the way to go.
However, I honestly think India too is not too far behind in thinking like the Aussies and as you said it will be interesting to see the Aussies with the likes of Shane Warne and McGarth. I honestly do not think any of the other bowlers would trouble the Indian batsmen too much.
I also feel a lot will also come after we see what happens in the third test - if India loose it will be a major blow on their confidence and I certainly would not like to face the Aussies in that frame. The ODIs are a different issue altogether as no special techniques need be applied except for the bowlers who get a raw deal with their no balls, wides (Beamers!!).However, I am waiting eagerly for this coming thursday and then on to the ODI's. Will go through the web site in a while as am off to give spanish classes.
Trev - Hope this makes you feel better
Warm regards
Ananth