The World Cup thus far

Cometh the hour, cometh the performance. Based on the evidence of the Indian team's performance in their first two fixtures, one can reasonably conclude that they were saving themselves for the World Cup. There's something about colored clothes and the white ball that seems to bring out the top game out of this team. The same unit that was definitely tepid in the recently concluded Tri Series where they didn't make the finals. Was it all according to plan? To not be fully invested in a side show and save themselves physically and emotionally for the big occasion?

It is pleasing to watch the transformation of the bowling performance. Umesh is still wayward but at least he has the pace. But the difference in Shami's performance is nothing less than magical. Where was this control hiding these past months? He had an air of resignation about him in the tests, often seeming listless against confident batters. Same question to Shikar Dhawan who seems to be middling nearly everything thrown at him. And Mohit "last-minute" Sharma has turned out to be a revelation based on the evidence available.

Concerns still linger about Rohit's form and lack of runs from Dhoni. Can Virat please overcome this new found weakness in the pull shot that I first observed in the Adelaide test? The inability to push the scoring in the death overs in both the matches seems to not make full use of the good platform put up the top order. This batting unit hasn't been tested while chasing a stiff total. Both the wins have come defending good totals - which is saying a lot given what was expected of the bowlers - after winning both tosses and batting first. But with the two main games in the pocket, India can now play the theoretically weaker team from the other group in the quarters. But sterner tests lay beyond.

Unless cricket is played in the Easter Islands or some such corner, one can count on Indian fans in strong numbers to throw their voice behind the team. MCG bathed in a loud, throbbing sea of blue was truly a spectacle to see.
----------------------
England, part of the Big "axis-of-evil" Three, has been run ragged in the tournament that they want shortened in 2019. Sweet irony. They have been mauled on either side of the Tasman sea by the co hosts and have managed a win against Scotland. But a lackluster performance by the English team in a world cup seems to be  given. But the talk still reeks of the sun not setting on the empire.

An ideal format could be 10 teams in two groups of 5. The top 6 ranks qualify automatically, the remaining 4 are selected by pre-WC qualifiers (other test playing nations + associates). Top 6 make it to an all play all Super 6 round. Decide semi finalists and a best of three final. Any takers?
-----------------------
As powerful batters help themselves to easy runs against hapless teams (Chris "school-bully|" Gayle and Tillakaratne "I'm-still-playing" Dilshan), I'm really looking forward to what should be an evenly matched contest: the Aus - NZ game. Go black caps!

Israel trip diary

This is my second trip to the country. I wish I had been in writing mode for my first trip last year to capture the first impressions, but better late than never.A tightly scheduled, in and out trip means that I cannot visit Jerusalem and the Dead sea this time either.

Day 1: Friday

A much needed storm in the Bay Area. Watching news for delays/cancellations at SFO: but nary a drop of water to accompany the howling winds till I reach the airport. Starts to rain but the trip is on. Flying United has to be the single most depressing thing. Outside of flying the erstwhile NorthWest. Crappy aircraft, flight attendants from hell and the food. The food. If you can't provide edible Indian veggie fare on a flight out of New Jersey, you should not be flying planes. After the meal service - the meal was bad and the service worse, the guy in the next seat opens up his whiskey bottle bought at the duty free shop and offers me a drink. Thank him and partake the perfect antidote for United airlines: Johnny Walker Red Label.

Day 2: Saturday

Arrive in Tel Aviv. A pleasant evening. Quick ride to the hotel. Nice and easy. Shower to get rid of the uneasiness from a 15.5 hour cabin class flight. A 10th-floor, sea-ish facing room with a decent view - can't really complain. However, last time was much nicer: 25th floor overlooking the Med coast. So, yes, I'm a greedy pig. A pre-dinner beer with some finger (smacking) food. Then dinner at a nice restaurant. More food, this time with German beer. The hotel rations free water to one 500-ml bottler per night: so wrong. Walk to buy more water but the store is closed. Shabbat evening.

Day 3: Sunday

Set the alarm for 6:30am. Wake up at 2:30. Must take melatonin. The breakfast spread is easily the most sumptuous one ever I've had on the road from a vegetarian's perspective. Sundays are working days in the holy land. And it is indeed a long day ahead with late afternoon meetings. Meetings that don't start on time turn into meetings that don't end on time. It is a way of life here, so I was told and so I realize. But it will be a challenge to stay awake and alert. Fabulous dinner at an Israeli restaurant. And I choose to fight jet lag with the aid of copious quantities of alcohol.

Day 4: Monday

Attend a 3-hour long all hands meeting. In Hebrew. But the slides are in English and my manager gives me real time English translations. Get a falafel sandwich lunch with a side of really crisp fries. The friendly old man running the falafel stand plies us with some more falafels on the house. Colleagues are caught up with other meetings and I'm on my own for dinner. I walk to old town Jaffa, just a mile down the beach from the hotel and get myself a signature Abouelafia sandwich and a side of their falafels. I've already had my share of falafels for the day but the chefs of A'lafia simply make the best ones. Yum!

Day 5: Tuesday

The cab driver reeks of tobacco and demands to know my room number so that he can pick me up tomorrow. Yeah, right. Seven meetings planned for the day. And they get pushed around, chopped and juggled. But they all still happen. First proper sand storm. Freshly imported from North Africa. Fine dust in the eyes, throat and on the cars. Evokes memories of that knock at Sharjah. Just walking around is trouble, imagine playing cricket and taking good bowlers to the cleaners! #Respect. Dinner at a fancy Japanese restaurant. Ouch! Japanese over so many other local and Italian places in Tel Aviv. Imagine Scarlett Johansson and her friends asking you out for a date (I said imagine!) and you choose to go out with Kamala Kamesh instead. Kamala Kamesh in a kimono. Ugh! Sashimi, teppanyaki and sushi can mean only one thing: a beer and edamame dinner for me.

Day 6: Wednesday

I manage 6 hours of reasonably restful sleep. But I wake up really hungry. The storm, not a common occurrence I'm told, is here to stay. The sea is rough, the air is murky and the sky is grey. The sun is blanked out behind clouds and the dust. This storm is keeping the rains from the north come in and clean up the air a bit. The rains finally arrive in the evening. Head to the bar for drinks and finger food. And then back to the hotel for some food and some more drinks. Gold star, the Israeli beer, is crispy and good.  And although I don't have a developed taste for wines, the few red wines that I've sampled are pretty good too. I'm now nearly adjusted to the Israeli clock. And I'm leaving tomorrow. Sweet.

Day 7: Thursday/Friday

There is an intense security screening on the way out at the airport. A standard clearance letter from the company helps ease things. And I forgot to collect one. If you think I'm an irresponsible traveler, you should read this and this. Although my good heart and a clean conscience helped me clear the procedures without any hiccups, I'll collect one the next time. A rabbi, an American and a United flight attendant walk into a Boeing 777. This pretty much sums up the return flight. Sitting somewhere in the deeper rows, I try to get some sleep so that I can be a bit refreshed for the morning arrival. No luck. Instead end up watching Craig Ferguson do stand up (enjoyable), catch up on some episodes of Curb your Enthusiasm (good) and the movie A Good Lie with Reese Witherspoon (underwhelming: good subject badly handled). I know this is getting repetitive but the grumpy crew on this flight made the one on the onward journey look like a real friendly bunch. But if that is my only complaint for Friday the 13th, I'm OK. 

ICC World Cup 2015 wishes and predictions

Wish: India lift the cup. But twice on the trot? And in Australia where we have spent the better part of the past 3 months searching for an elusive victory? Any victory? Yeah, right.

Now, with that out of the way, on to the predictions.

1. An all Southern hemisphere final: I predict an Aus vs. SA showdown and the Springboks are my favorites.
2. Asia-free semi-finals or at the most one Asian semifinalist and I tip Sri Lanka to be that team
3. Indian bowlers and other pretenders will get completely creamed - new field restrictions and two new balls
4. Explosive/violent batting and brilliant run chases- Read above item. And with ABD, Warner and Gayle, no total can be termed safe.
5. Spin may not be rendered entirely irrelevant but part timers beware.

Happy watching y'all!