Gabbatoir bounces back

The Ashes on its return leg couldn't have ignited on a better flame. The Poms could be forgiven for looking shell shocked after having arrived down under with the favorites tag. That Mitch Johnson would turn in a performance reminding one of the Lillee Thomson pomp was unexpected but what trumped alll surprises was the ease with which the English batting folded. Trott looked like he seriously feared mortal damage and KP couldn't manage to set his 100th test on fire. The usually reliable captain Cook could only muster a feeble half century in the second innings. Matt Prior has invariably propped up the English batting in times of need but even he looks like a man wishing not to be in the middle holding the bat. The men from the old blighty bounced back after a similar hiding in India last time they toured but it would take them more than just fortitude to ride through the remaining four tests with the Waca and the MCG providing more chances for Mitch and company to make dents in the already shaken English psyche.

Seb Vettel is on such a winning spree that the others seem to be fighting just for second place. With a record eight consecutive grand prix wins this season and a fourth world championship under his belt, the Red Bull racer is on his way to smash all records in F1 history. His hunger for the chequered flag has left his rivals in a daze and with a strong car and probably only Fernando Alonso to look out for, the German is set for a run on the F1 tracks that would eclipse his compatriot Schumacher in no small measure. The Czechs managed to secure a second consecutive Davis cup win with Novak only managing to get the two singles for Serbia. That Stepanek compared his absence from the doubles akin to a "Ferrari in the garage" is proof enough of the gulf between the tennis prowess of the world number two and his team mates. May be it was out of hope and a chance to provide their ace some much needed rest that the Serbians went out without him but it was no surprise that the decision led to their downfall.

Magnus "Mozart" Carlsen became the undisputed chess world champion at just under 23 years of age. His brand of game is one that can put the dread of losing in his opponents even before the first piece is moved. Vishy lost to the challenger as much off the board as on it. His repertoire of making the long end games look like a walk in the park and not accepting draws has brought in a breath of fresh air in the usually dreary proceedings. Carlsen doesn't look like one who would give up on his throne easily and the onus is now on the others to find a chink in the genius' armor. The king is dead.....long live the new king.

The indispensable Father Time

In a week's time, the clock has reminded us all of our impending fall. Through the retirement of one on the cricket field and the subdued performance of another on the chess board, we have seen our own fallibility at the hands of the ticking seconds. That mortality is a given couldn't have come as a more jolting reminder. One may leave behind a trail of brilliance or be of the overwhelming mundane existence but time, that great leveler strikes us all in equal measure, sooner or later. Sachin Tendulkar might have overstayed his welcome but his retirement from all formats of the game leaves a void that one felt would never materialize. He enjoyed a farewell worthy of a gladiator bidding adieu to his beloved arena and the highest civilian award that the Indian government bestows upon individuals would only have compensated for some of the sense of emptiness. Its debatable if we will see a career spanning 24 years again on the cricket field given the physical demand the sport places on its exponents these days but one thing that is certain is that even if it happens, the revelry is bound to end one day.

Vishy Anand lost two theoretically drawn end games to the challenger Carlsen and twice fell into traps that would have embarrassed him at the peak of his career. While the spirit of competition may burn bright in the soon to be erstwhile world champion, the mind has surely taken a beating after what seems an eternity dodging menacing pawns and knights on the board. Would we see a final flicker of radiance from the embattled warrior or the light would go out silently for the one who deserves the "Bharat Ratna" as much as any body else. One would have wished for him going out with a bang but fairy tale endings are just that, wishful thinking, especially when father time creeps up with his axe so surreptitiously. Here's bidding good bye to the legend and three cheers to the young man from Norway who seems to be well set to rule the world till he faces the master like all his predecessors.

The Davis cup finals are under way and Serbia without the services of Tipsarevic, would rely solely on Novak to make sure they land the coveted title once more. The crucial doubles match has landed in the Czech republic's favor and with Djokovic only playing one of the reverse singles rubbers, it would take a miracle for the Serbs to stop the Czechs from winning back to back titles. The Berdych vs Djoker  match may well be a humdinger and decide the ultimate fate of the tie. The traditional heavy weights like the US and Germany in the team competition are now fighting for lesser spoils while the new world order takes shape in tennis.

No rookies these knights

Vishy Anand may be defending his title from Moscow at home but the stark difference in Elo ratings between him and the challenger more than makes up for home advantage. Magnus Carlsen hasn't earned the moniker of the "Mozart" of chess for nothing. He was a GM as 14 and has a world record rating higher than that of the erstwhile king Kasparov. That he comes from the Scandinavian region not known for its chess prowess is just another marker to the fact that he is a special talent not made by the system but in spite of it. On the other hand, Anand has been a world champ in all formats of the game and is an established legend of the game. Having kept up with the grueling asks of the 64 squares for so long and having stood up to a number of pretenders, he locks horns with the wonder kid in what is probably the biggest threat to his throne. At the time of logging this, the two have already played out two tame draws. These looked like reconnaissance sorties for the full blown attack to come and both seemed to be wary of getting into uncharted waters early in the match. While Carlsen is credited with bringing in fresh ideas and attitude to chess, Vishy with his experience and adaptability is always game for a challenge. Can the younger man score over the reigning champion? The pundits seem to think so but then the man who defends his crown has gone on to prove them all wrong on more occasions than one. Short games would only help him conserve energy against Magnus who is known to grind his opponents down into making mistakes while he keeps making his methodical moves. If this goes into a tie break, the odds of the title changing hands would go down significantly. Till we know who gets crowned, lets sit back and enjoy the cerebral fight between the king and his successor.

The ATP tour finals are under way and while the two men at the top of the game won all their round robin encounters as expected, the two Swiss knights stand in their way to the finals. This has been a nightmarish year for the master Federer and a sort of break through one for his compatriot Stan Wawrinka. That both have made the semis and face Nadal and Djokovic respectively makes for an intriguing line up. Stan has had a few interesting encounters with the Djoker this year and while he hasn't been able to score, he has run the defending champion close. Roger blew hot and cold in this bid to preserve his record of making the last four of the year end championships every time. He did manage to pull his best game out though to get past the battling Argentine Del Potro. Rafa, however is an altogether different kettle of fish and it would take a miracle for the older man to get through to the finals. Another slug fest between the two top ranked players on the tour is in the offing and it could not get more deserving than that.