Video of Inzamam-ul-Haq walking away to the pavilion for the last time in an ODI

Tearful, even for us...

Cricket World Cup 2007 official video

Nice video. The song is growing on me now though I used to find it quite stupid. But I suppose theme songs usually are quite dumb. Thankfully the lyrics are printed on the youtube site, because I have no clue what Shaggy is saying.

Awesome video of Zaheer Khan and a lucky, embarassed fan

This is cute!

Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik Mobilink Jazz commercial

Omar loves commercials and if you're reading this blog, you probably already know that Omar loves cricket. Anyway I just need to type something here, so that the video doesn't look lonely with no text around it. I like this commercial. Its got Afridi and Malik and the model Iman Ali.

Shoaib Akhtar Pepsi commercial

Readers of this blog are probably aware of my bias towards Shoaib Akhtar. Anyway, while looking around for some cool commercials to post on the blog, I found this one especially amusing given that under the circumstances, its probably true. It features Woolmer as the annoyed team coach.

Video of Afridi swinging at a fan

ICC charges Afridi for swinging bat at fan: Faces ban

Damn you Afridi! Here is the video which I posted just now. At first, it was thought that the ICC would not be charging Afridi, but circumstances quickly changes once Malcolm Speed saw the video footage. Here is how events unfolded. From SuperCricket...

The International Cricket Council on Tuesday angrily rejected criticism that they had failed to take any action against Shahid Afridi for trying to hit a spectator with his bat due to a fear of antagonising the Pakistanis.

Afridi was caught on television jabbing his bat at a spectator after he was dismissed for 17 in the first one-day international against South Africa at SuperSport Park, but is unlikely to face any official sanction.

"The ICC Code of Conduct says the four umpires, the team managers and the CEO of the home board can all lay a charge, but they must do so within 18 hours of the end of the match. The fact of the matter is none of these people did so," ICC media and communications manager Brian Murgatroyd said on Tuesday.

"Any decisions that are taken by ICC officials are made on the merits or otherwise of each individual situation and to suggest otherwise is misguided. I resent any implication that the ICC are biased or that we refuse to act because we want to maintain good relations with Pakistan and are afraid of antagonising them," Murgatroyd said.

Speed has five days after the match in which to react to the Afridi incident, but is currently in the Caribbean, where preparations for the World Cup have reached fever pitch.

"Malcolm Speed laid the charge against Gibbs because he felt it was appropriate to do so. If he had not done so then we were given to understand the Pakistan team manager would have acted instead," Murgatroyd explained.

"In the Afridi case, none of the other parties able to lay a charge chose to do so. Malcolm has five days to act and lay a charge if he deems it appropriate, and in all matters he reserves the right to do so."

Speed saw the video in question and promptly charged Shahid Afridi.

Afridi has been charged with a Level 3 offence under section C 2 of the Code which refers to "conduct unbecoming...which could bring (players or officials) or the game of cricket into disrepute."

If found guilty of a Level 3 offence, Afridi faces a ban of between two and four Test matches or between four and eight ODIs.

Great...If I were him, I would not appeal, but take the ban now before the World Cup begins. Afridi, you piece of.....

Video of Shoaib Akhtar pushing Woolmer is not recent

For those amongst you who can't understand Urdu, it doesn't matter, because the compere is claiming this occured recently. However, this video was taken at a practice session in Pakistan sometime last year. I am not too sure when, but its being sent around as if this incident occurred during the South Africa tour. This can't be true because not only is the video a couple of months old, but you can see kids watching the team practice in Shalwar Kameez (the traditional dress in Pakistan). I'm guessing it was probably during England's tour.

Either way, its coach or no coach its extremely rude of Shoaib to be shoving Woolmer. I have defended Shoaib's actions in the past, and even I am losing patience. Plus, I want to get to the bottom of this latest incident between Woolmer and Shoaib that occurred on the morning of the 2nd days play against South African during the 2nd test.

Video of Gibbs Cursing Pakistanis

Here is the video, where through the stump microphone, you can clearly hear Herschelle Gibbs cursing. His action resulted in a 2 test ban for Gibbs. Gibbs father is understandably ticked off, at what he feels are double standards of the ICC. He cites the abuse hurled at the South Africans during their tour to Australia.

This issue of stump microphones has even come up. The secretary of the South African Cricket Association and the Mickey Arthur, the coach, both have reservations about the microphone.

"Gibbs says he has not made any racist remarks nor has he been racist to any one and therefore he has not transgressed any rule of the ICC regarding racism," Tony Irish, secretary of the South African Cricketers Association, said. Irish added that the association was also concerned about the negative effects of stump microphones, as far as the privacy of players is concerned.

No doubt Gibbs was provoked. But he was just pissed. I don't think he was being racist. Calling someone people 'f***ing Pakistanis' is just cursing at them. They are Pakistanis after all. Nothing racist about calling them that. (Unless of course you want to get into the nitty gritty of it all, where calling someone 'Paki' is offensive, especially in the UK!)

The ICC should perhaps be a bit clear about the racism aspect of their accusations. If anything, he should be banned for aggression, and lack of spirit or self control, or cursing at people or at a country, or whatever else players usually get banend for when they go on a tirade.

That being said, I read somewhere that he thought the spectators provoking him should belong in a zoo. Is that really racist? Though we may not hear the entire story either. Perhaps the Gibbs told the ICC more that we hear in this video? Either way, he has appealed and will probably end up playing in this next game.

In this ultra sensitive era, things always seem to get blown out of proportion. People have to be clear about what they mean. One can't say this or that for the fear of being politically incorrect. Most of it is well-founded and understandable, but exceptions such as this incident arise. The people who should have been banned (and probably have been) are the rowdy people in the crowd. We have no room in our sport for hooligans. Gibbs apologized for his lack on control, and I suspect he is trying to get the ICC to recognize that though he was angry, and perhaps deserves some punishment, it shouldn't be because he said something racist. I have to agree with him. The label of 'racist' needs to be removed from the ICC's accusations.

Lara pulverizing Kaneria

This is incredible batting from Brian Lara.

I don't know where you are. But you need to put on your tv or get streaming video from the internet and tune in to Pakistan vs. West Indies.

He is on 92 runs from 63 balls. 12 fours and 5 massive sixers.

Awesome!

As I write this. Morton just got LBW to Umar Gul.

This game is fun!

Check out this over from Kaneria to Lara from cricinfo.

83.6
Danish Kaneria to Lara, FOUR, Boundary to end the over! full toss, Lara steps out and puts it away over the mid-wicket fielder
83.5
Danish
Kaneria to Lara, SIX, Hat-trick of sixes! length ball and Lara steps out yet again and this time straight over the sight-screen, this is even bigger than the previous one, Lara is on a roll and this is really a treat to watch
83.4
Danish Kaneria to Lara, SIX, One more and this is high- Lara charges down the track and lofts it away high over the long-on fence, this is a massive hit and Lara is on a high
83.3
Danish Kaneria to Lara, SIX, short ball outside leg stump, Lara rocks back and pulls it away high and over mid-wicket fence
83.2
Danish Kaneria to Lara, no run
83.1
Danish Kaneria to Lara, FOUR, flat on the stumps, Lara steps out and lofts it straight down the ground, one bounce into the fence