“This is just so crazy,” my mom said, reacting to the IPL auction news on television today. She doesn’t understand cricket much, much less care for it, and on another day I would treat her snarky comments on cricket just as I treat a college lecture on, say, “degradation of natural resources and the environmental problems”.

But on this rare occasion, my thoughts do tally with her’s.

Dhoni sold for US $1.5 million to Chennai.

What is Mahendra Singh Dhoni; some sort of financial corporation that is now being bought by a bigger organization to form an alliance, huh?

Muralitharan has been “bought” by the same Chennai franchise for US $650,000. That’s far less than the amount paid for Dhoni. One would expect Murali to get top rates, at least more than, uh, Dhoni, going by their records. Oh well.

I’ll go and get the whole scoop now and post something by midnight. They have surely caught my attention this time!

Post from: EveryJoe

In India, only two things sell: Dhoni and…

Murali’s 709th wicket

Yuvraj six straight sixes

A tribute to Bob Woolmer

Sreesanth-Roy head-to-head

Post from: EveryJoe

Reliving the Newsmakers

There were loads of good performances that we could applaud here, but when it comes to “making waves” these are the five events that I think qualify best.

The Return of Dada: After the World Cup debacle and the youngsters’ winning performance in T20, everyone was talking about culling the three Indian seniors. Ganguly was on the edge of everyone’s sword and we believed, even hoped, that he’d get the pink slip first. But that was just too much for the man who is worth 17000 runs in world cricket. “Don’t provoke the tiger,” he roared as runs after runs  poured into his basket during the India – Pak fixture. He is finishing the year with more than 1000 calendar runs– his best ever. For me, he’s one of the players to watch out in 2008.

Bob Woolmer Murder: This issue, unfortunately, is still unresolved and most likely we’ll never know the truth. First it was a murder, then a suicide, then a natural death– they’ve tried every thing. Pakistan team has always been strife with conflicts and this incident added another blot on the Eustachian. In fact, this event drew lots of unwanted international attention to the sport.

Murali 709 wickets: This is one man who spurred the most heated debates everywhere. As he inched near the figure of 708 wickets, the debates were revived, but he transcended the record nonetheless. You can hate him, call him whatever you please, but he’s got himself up on the cricket records as the highest wicket taker, a record that won’t be broken anytime soon, not unless someone with hypermobile joints turns up.

Yuvraj sixes: The T20 World Cup was a news maker in itself, but what caught everyone’s attention the most were Yuvraj’s six straight sixes off a Stuart Broad over. This one event was probably the most watched video footage on YouTube and other video sites. It sums up all the T20 cricket is about: excitement, nerve, verve, and curve (uh, the cheerleaders, guys!)

Sreesanth – The Angry Young Man: This man alone took on the number one side in cricket, verbally. Call him a freak, a jerk, but he did what no one has ever dared doing, and that’s not it. He injected adrenaline into the whole team– and just see the results. They might have lost to Australia, but their tongues won’t stop wagging.

Did I miss anything substantial? What was the biggest news maker in your opinion?

Post from: EveryJoe

Cricket News Makers 2007

Day 4 of the final test match between England and Sri Lanka. We’ll be chasing over 300 – and it’s a hard one to call. I don’t see England having a snowball’s chance of getting the runs and winning, but salvaging a draw would require batting for 2 days, which also seems unlikely – when you consider that the English batsmen will be facing The Little Wizard – Muttiah “Murali” Muralitharan.

On a wicket that will be heaven sent for his style of spin bowling, don’t be surprised if he walks away with all 10 second innings wickets.

Post from: EveryJoe

Murali to get all 10