Cricket writing these days

[Mr. Wicket]

On an aside, I miss Elmo.

[Tapioca]

I like the "It Figures" on cricinfo blogs. Usually it's Ananth who does the posting...His assessments are usually incorrect and his methodlogy is usually error-prone and way too subjective but more often than not there are hidden gems in there. The best post has been about the best test bowlers with Malcolm Marshall coming out on top.

In the link that Gambit provided above the factors considered are batting average (20 points), runs scored (15), scoring rate (10), % of team's runs (5) etc. All picked at random. If you have 19 or 21 points for batting average, you can come up with a different list that does not make less or more sense. He probably tweaks these to make sure that the big names all come near the top, but not so much that Tendulkar or Sehwag end up better than Bradman. Won't be surprised the same was done with Marshall too. For ODI batsmen a few months back, he came up with a list with Richards at No.1 and SRT at No.2. Then after two weeks, he tweaked the factors and came up with another article "Tendulkar is now the best ODI batsman".

[Tapioca]

On an aside' date=' I miss Elmo.[/quote'] Yes ! Rightly so badly was one thing. Getting it printed on a national newspaper was quite another.

[Gambit]

On an aside' date=' I miss Elmo.[/quote'] The Hugh Hefner of SLGP. :cantstop:

[bunny]

In the link that Gambit provided above the factors considered are batting average (20 points), runs scored (15), scoring rate (10), % of team's runs (5) etc. All picked at random. If you have 19 or 21 points for batting average, you can come up with a different list that does not make less or more sense. He probably tweaks these to make sure that the big names all come near the top, but not so much that Tendulkar or Sehwag end up better than Bradman. Won't be surprised the same was done with Marshall too. For ODI batsmen a few months back, he came up with a list with Richards at No.1 and SRT at No.2. Then after two weeks, he tweaked the factors and came up with another article "Tendulkar is now the best ODI batsman".

You should check out the best bowler's post... http://blogs.cricinfo.com/itfigures/archives/2008/03/the_bowlers_who_took_the_most.php http://content.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/342446.html

[Dhondy]

...is strictly a game for losers. Why would anybody want to write about cricket? Every man and his dog has a blog on the subject, you can follow the bloody game on TV, read up scorecards on at least 5 channels. Why on earth would you want to go and read up on it? Those who can, play. Others have real jobs like making things, creating software.The good for nothings who are failed scribes from politics, newspaper rejects, who couldn't carry a 9-5 job because they felt drowsy around 3 PM, or were sacked because they read tabloid trash in toilets, became cricket journalists. I's pay to read Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar or Shane Warne or similar greats write on the game. I wouldn't waste a second on the pfaff churned out by various journos waxing eloquent to various degrees of facial blueness. There is a concerted attempt among these scribes to make out cricket writing as some kind of ethereal skill, form an old boys club, where new entrants must pay hafta, and work on half wages for three years profiling cricket in Kenya & Holland before graduating to the big league. Don't fall for it. There are better ways to make a living.

[Macj]

More than a Game by John Major (the ex PM of the UK) is a fascinating read.

[riya]

I think our own marirs_mania can be an excellent writer way better than these obviously biased,stat fanatic writers.

[Mr. Wicket]

...is strictly a game for losers. Why would anybody want to write about cricket? Every man and his dog has a blog on the subject, you can follow the bloody game on TV, read up scorecards on at least 5 channels. Why on earth would you want to go and read up on it? Those who can, play. Others have real jobs like making things, creating software.The good for nothings who are failed scribes from politics, newspaper rejects, who couldn't carry a 9-5 job because they felt drowsy around 3 PM, or were sacked because they read tabloid trash in toilets, became cricket journalists. I's pay to read Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar or Shane Warne or similar greats write on the game. I wouldn't waste a second on the pfaff churned out by various journos waxing eloquent to various degrees of facial blueness. There is a concerted attempt among these scribes to make out cricket writing as some kind of ethereal skill, form an old boys club, where new entrants must pay hafta, and work on half wages for three years profiling cricket in Kenya & Holland before graduating to the big league. Don't fall for it. There are better ways to make a living.

Don't lump em all in the same group. Some like Mike Selvey, Chopra, Roebuck and co. have played the game at a good level, others like Haigh and Waingankar haven't but are very knowledgeable and write outstandingly. The problem is that standards have free-fallen. Read some of the old diaries or articles by people like David Hopps, John Arlott, Jack Fingleton, Tiger O'Reilly (post-retirement) and such - some outstanding and very insightful writing there. Since then the media's exploded with far more newspapers, magazines and a shitload of websites and *****y blogs and other garbage online. Lots of crap out there like Sanjay Jha, Anand Vasu, Jon Pierik and most of the Pakistani journalists (I leave Elmo out of this, he's so bad it's actually entertaining!). But there are still some very good journos and writers out there - unfortunately now trying to find the good ones worth reading is like trying to find a diamond in a silo of sh-t. As far as making a living though - agree. So many better ways and methods, many of which will offer far more sleep, more interesting locations than grimy dusty news offices, and none of the office politics and headache for so little reward.

[Dhondy]

Post some excerpts to convince me.

[Mr. Wicket]

I'll scan a few things from a couple of my Fingleton books and send them over. in the mean time, here's an interesting read that reflects my thoughts - that cricket writing (in the vein of the writers I've mentioned) can be very good, sometimes really excellent reading - but that these days it's not an issue with the writing, but the writers who for the most part are lazy, unintelligent and very limited in their views and thinking. http://indiauncut.blogspot.com/2005/04/dialect-of-cricket-writer.html - written by an ex-CI writer. And on a slight digression, this also isn't that different from the way commentary has declined. I was watching my DVD of the Bangalore '98 test between India and Australia and enjoying how much Bhogle, Greig, Gavaskar, Jeff Thomson and David Hookes added through their commentary - wit, humour and insight that made it very entertaining to follow even during brief duller periods. Benaud, Greig and Lawry were also excellent to listen to, or Kerry O'Keefe and Peter Roebuck on ABC Radio. Meanwhile, any time I switched on the IPL I'd be subjected to idiotic drivel from Danny Morrison going on about toys, the weather and the whole excitement of the tournament, other idiots being shills for the sponsors, and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan constantly reminding us that the key to a six was for a batsman to get the height and the distance. (Plus I heard about 50 times over that I'll never see another shot as good as some random boundary or six.) Journalism standards really have declined immensely.

[Shehezaada]

I'll scan a few things from a couple of my Fingleton books and send them over. in the mean time, here's an interesting read that reflects my thoughts - that cricket writing (in the vein of the writers I've mentioned) can be very good, sometimes really excellent reading - but that these days it's not an issue with the writing, but the writers who for the most part are lazy, unintelligent and very limited in their views and thinking. http://indiauncut.blogspot.com/2005/04/dialect-of-cricket-writer.html - written by an ex-CI writer. And on a slight digression, this also isn't that different from the way commentary has declined. I was watching my DVD of the Bangalore '98 test between India and Australia and enjoying how much Bhogle, Greig, Gavaskar, Jeff Thomson and David Hookes added through their commentary - wit, humour and insight that made it very entertaining to follow even during brief duller periods. Benaud, Greig and Lawry were also excellent to listen to, or Kerry O'Keefe and Peter Roebuck on ABC Radio. Meanwhile, any time I switched on the IPL I'd be subjected to idiotic drivel from Danny Morrison going on about toys, the weather and the whole excitement of the tournament, other idiots being shills for the sponsors, and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan constantly reminding us that the key to a six was for a batsman to get the height and the distance. (Plus I heard about 50 times over that I'll never see another shot as good as some random boundary or six.) Journalism standards really have declined immensely.

Harsha Bhogle used to be good....nowadays he's loserish. After Yuvraj hits a boundary "ohhh...the boundaries are only in our mind". Arun Lal and Siva are in a class of their own, and when their commentating together, I'd wrap my lips around a revolver.

[Mr. Wicket]

Any combination from Lal, Siva, Rameez, Manjrekar and Whacka is enough to make me jump for the remote and hit the mute button. How are those people employed as commentators?! (At least Elmo's really, really, really bad, but really entertaining at the same time. Those guys are just annoying as hell)

[Lurker]

Journalism standards really have declined immensely.

I do concur with that. Why do you think that has happened Salil? Who is responsible? Those who demand? Or those who supply? Both? Neither? Someone else?

[Mamu]

Touche. I don't read his garbage anymore' date=' but still get the chuckles thinking about when he did elaborate calculations and regressions to come to the conclusion that the best ODI bowling unit was WI in the early 80s and batting unit Australia in the 00s.[/quote'] I don't know why did he have to state numbers to prove this. But the best bowling unit was WI in 80s -- how do you argue against that. Marshall -- Jai Ho !

[f.b.m]

I agree with Dhondy here. A few years ago, I used to read up everything about cricket because of teenage obsession with the sport but these days its just restricted to people who have played the game at a reasonable level. Roebuck can be good but then again, he can get into the trap of sounding too artsy and eloquent. Kumar san

[Lurker]

Who do you think are the best cricket writers around, in terms of books and news/website articles?

Gideon Haigh should make into that list based on his latest article only...about Great Kapil of course :winky: http://content.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/406538.html Although I liked his entire piece I thought his paragraph on the 4 legends in a Western saloon was dead on

Remember? Botham, Imran, Hadlee: all fierce rivals. You could imagine them in a western saloon. Botham would be the one chesting open the swing doors and shouting the bar, Imran the one comfortably encircled by comely belles in crinoline, Hadlee the one staring fixedly at his ice water. But that Injun, Kapil - he held aloof. He had the liveliest and least imitable action of all, a skipping, bounding run of gathering energy, and a delivery stride perfectly side-on but exploding at all angles, wrists uncoiling, arms elasticising, eyes afire. Which was part of his significance. No fast bowlers in India? Kapil could have hailed from no other country.

Now thats how you weave a story! Hadlee's cold stare was absolute best while Botham barging chest thumping brought a smile..and many a memories. Kapil's unique identity was highlighted well and truly..although I would have loved a bit more detail into his batting. xx

[crimemastergogo]

I like Peter Roebuck and Andy Z. I. Chappell is not very interesting when it comes to writing style but is quite insightful in terms of the points he makes can't forget about mischief gal though...

[Mr. Wicket]

Hey amit! Welcome back - good to see you around here. (Dhondy - will respond and scan those things in the next couple of days to retort.)

[crimemastergogo]

Mr. Wicket= Salil right? how are you? tell me your picks for the semis i remember before the IPL (2008) started you were saying that it didn't matter that we would see people like Warne again, because watching 4 overs of warne would be equivalent to listen to 2 minutes of a great composer's symphony do you still think so? i must say that i never really got to see warne so i would say 2 minutes of a symphony is still 2 minutes