Cricket in General and How to Play

I believe, cricket should be included in Olympics, but in what format (I hate 20 over matches) is a Big Ask.

I think Indians are ruining this game.

Having said that, Nawab of Pataudi, one eyed great cricketer of old time and current player, Virat Kholi of class, are appreciated in the cricketing stardom.

Brian Lara was a class act.

West Indians not in the current tournament is an object lesson how Indians ruined this game.

It all started with Indian IPL, money and Bollywood prostitutes.

I never watch IPL.

It is not the place for actors like Zelensky.

Like Zelensky does not fit with a military fatigue, the Bollywood girls do not fit with a cricket bat (they should be treated with a different bat).

IPL and 20 over game is the ploy Indians used to destroy young players' of their stamina.

For example take the West Indies guys who were lured to IPL and destroyed with money and Bollywood prostitutes.

Christopher Gayle is the classic test player with a highest total of 333 runs. Just look at his averages from Test Cricket, 50 over and 20 overs.

A drastic drop!

Not only he ruined himself he ruined West Indian Cricket.

I totally agree with West Indies Cricket Board for dropping Chris from the Test side.

The same thing happened to Ceylon Cricket.

We were in ruins after IPL.

Our team had to qualify to enter this tournament and they were NO good compared to 1996 Team.

They are currently in the 10th position and will remain so.

I do not blame our coach Chris  Silverwood.

Blame should go to the Selection Board and Cricket Board.

Our Minister of Sports never played cricket and he authorizes the team.

Angelo Matthews coming through political influence is the case in point. He is going to ruin a career of one of our young players.
He favours homosexual players into the team. That is how he came in that is how he ruined our team.

I must say this before the England game, today. If he is playing I would not watch the game.

Yes I have already getting ready for a outing.

Cricket in General

Let me give a general cricket lesson now.

One of my classmates was a cricket fanatic from school days. He died a year ago. It was not related to a heart problem.

If he lived to this day, my own prediction is by now he would have had a heart attack watching our cricketers playing in India.

I won't get a heart attack but I would dish out a scathing criticism (Reflectively, I did want to write this after the tournament).

I feel my comments become out of place, if I remain silent, now.

This in no way a reflection of my deceased friend's love for cricket but my way of exiting cricket for good.

Yes, I won't watch this tournament.

Yesterday was a good game.

I predicted it and told our family members to watch and went to sleep.

When I woke up Pakistanis were playing the 43rd over. Before I could prepare a cup of tea, they were all out.


Rules of the game.

1. Openers should play only 10 overs and they should take the shine out of the ball and if possible with hard hitting change the shape of the ball so that spinners can have a go.

I do not agree with umpires having a ball at both ends.

2. Openers should score at least 30 runs, the minimum.

3. Total score should be 300 the minimum. Any addition is a bonus.

4. If one of the openers fails the remaining opener should make good the lost score (if is out for 10 he should go on to make at least 50).

The good example is our Gurusinghe. He kept the other end solid when Sanath failed.
Must not forget, dedicated contribution of Mahanama, Hashan Thilakeratne and Chaminda Vas.

It was Team Effort!

5. The next point is important.
We should have at least two players who can play from 1 to 6 like Kaluvitharane.

At this point I should mention, a guy who ruined this 1 to 6 rule.

It was Angelo Mathews!

He came as a bowler and never bowled 3 overs in a game.

His plan was to come at 5 and score quick 50 and remains not out and keeps an average of 60 overall in a losing game.

The game plan is to show he an accumulation of runs not a game winner.

I can remember in a game when Chandimal was nearing a century and we were about to lose the game he was playing for personal glory not the team glory.

Chandimal of course, was caught in a cricket offense and was punished inappropriately hash to ruin his career.  Steve Smith who committed the same offense is playing this tournament.

Instead of Angelo, Chandimal should be given a chance.

Chandhimal is much better player than Angelo.

That is my opinion.

Angelo was very selfish and has many other faults.

I am NOT glad he is (not) in the team.

I am pretty sure he would boast that, if he was there he would have rescued the team that he himself played a role in ruining.

Statistics can be manipulated!

6. I am against a bowler captaining the team for many reasons.

Muthiah Muralidhiram was an example.

7. English is not necessary for cricket, if your skills are good.

Ask for a translator so that you could prepare for the next probing question.

8. There are lot of difficult decisions to make that comes with experience.

How much one should score on a particular wicket. Doing some research on the last three years is mandatory.

Whether to bat first or bowl is another.

Weather of course, nobody can predict.

9. Having said that cricket should be played one bail at a time.

Last ball is past. It has gone.

The ball coming in next is the most important.

Focus on that.

Developing Meditation Skills on daily basis and reading a book one loves are important.

I do not think music helps.

10. Fitness on the field and good diet are important.

Alcohol only after a win and never after a loss.

11. On the field do not deliberate.
Be quick.

Do not let the batsman judge you.
Finish the over quick.

For a fast baller if your legs are aching tell your captain in advance.

12.Test class player can become a good 50 over player.
It is a matter of adjusting.

Good examples are Mahela Jayawardena and Warner.

50 over player can never become a Test player in my opinion.

The lessons one learns from 90 over game is limitless.

I am totally against having two teams.

One for 50 over and one for Test cricket.

That experiment failed. England is a good example.

Bringing out a good cricketer from school age should be the goal.

That is how we became champions and not from IPL. Our school cricket has gone down in quality due to many reasons.

This list can go up to 20 but first 10 points are good enough as the starter.

Evolution of Palestine

Evolution Palestine is a complicated story.

Ottoman Empire.

Fron 1517 to 1917 Ottomans controlled the Middle East.

During First World War England, France and Italy carved out portions of Middle East as their sovereign territories.

Turkey kept the remaining portion as its own territory.

Belgium did not have any.

There were many armistices and agreements and none was binding.

When British Mandate for Palestine was created to carve a State of Israel, it was recognized as a State by UNO in 1948.

Even though it was called Palestine Mandate, a country called Palestine was never made by the British.

Instead an entity called Palestine Authority was  established without a proper leadership.

However, Jordan and Egypt were allowed to administer these regions from 1948 to 1967.

The British idea of giving statehood to Israel was to scuttle any attempt of forming a country called Palestine.
Already (now over 70 years) established sovereign state of Israel could veto any boundaries drawn for Muslim inhabitants.

The British used the divide and rule principle in the Middle East to create a Jewish country.

The Jordon river that runs to Dead Sea makes natural boundary but Israel has noncontiguous land links to the Muslim residents dominant areas.

Gaza Strip and Westbank (west bank of the river) is collectively (including East Jerusalem) known as the Palestine Territory but under pressure from Israel UNO never recognized a Palestine State.

That is the crux of the problem.

In 1967 Israel annexed both Gaza Strip and Westbank by the 6 day war.

It occupies Golan heights from Syria, Westbank from Jordan and Sinai peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt.

The Sinai peninsula was later handed over to Egypt.

Gamal Abdul Nazar was the president during this war.

He became popular after nationalising the Suez  canal owned by British interests.

Israel (Refugees of the Second World War) treat Palestinians as refugees.

This bullish domination was created by British with blessing of USA.

It is natural for Palestinians to rise against the USA/UK sponsored Israel Hegemony.

Historically uprisings always resurface as a reaction to the oppression and it should not be labelled as a form of terrorism.

There is a natural succession.

Lebanon has Hesbulla fighters who are Palestinians.

Hamas are the Palestinians in the south.

The Mohenjo Jaro Harappan Civilization

It is in Northern Pakistan.
Sind District.

2500 BC till 1700 BC.
Discovered in 1919, 4000 years after its abandonment.
Excavation ended in 1960.
Largest city in the Indus Valley Civilization.
Stone blocks and walls are still evident of a large city.

Lost city of human history.
Structured around a grid system.
Buildings are separated by walls and roads.
This culture probably developed about 3000 BC. Thoroughly planned and designed.

Why this city was abandoned?

1. Huge Flood.
2. Political Unrest.
3. Lost Trading Partners.
4. Migration to a better location.
5. Draught
6. Not a warrior race and destroyed by Aryans a warrior and a plunder race.
7. Viral Infection and pandemics.

Arose around the Bronze Age.
Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
Lasted 3300 BC to 1300 BC, nearly 2000 years.
10% of the civilization lived around this civilization.
Over 1000 settlement locations.

Harrapan
Dholevira
Binawala
Ganweriwela


They were traders or craftsman.
Built by easily destructible clay like material and were not baked to last. Either due to draught or over use of firewood the forest cover disappeared and rain stopped.
In fact, Global Warming.
Icecaps melting and perennial flooding.
Migrated to the water basin.
Built on raised platform to save from flooding.
But texts were written in baked clay tablets.
Prehistoric language called Dravidian.

In the center was a community center.

In the outer perimeter was the market place.

Granary.

Colleague Hall.

Many different pots and vases.

Jewellery


Weights

Children Toys

Copper working

Shell making

Figurines did not indicate gods but the motherly figure.