Sixty is what David Warner munches to lunch on a typical opening day of a test match. Sixty is what Steve Smith has against his name by the same time if he gets in after an early dismissal. Sixty is what Michael Clarke doesn't think twice before declaring even if behind. Sixty is not what you see the mighty Aussies bundle out for. And you don't see Stuart Broad sheepish very often. It was the sort of Ashes fixture that gets played on prime time over and over again in a highlights reel. Clarke had braced himself with the steely determination that is characteristic of him after the three day loss at Edgbaston. The "I am not retiring" call however gave way to the unfortunate end of a sterling career at Trentbridge. Clarke would certainly not be alone in walking into the twilight. His retinue of not so young men will make way for another rebuilding since the time the erstwhile greats in Warne, McGrath, Hayden and Gilchrist walked away from their glittering careers. Cricket seems to be favoring the home sides with alarming frequency. Of the coterie that runs the game, there seem to be preferences that have led to lopsided contests. Australia don't seem to like seam and swing. The English don't like bounce and the the Indians don't like either. Actually they don't like spin or DRS either going by recent humiliations. That leaves the list of things preferred by the BCCI minions empty. May be any Indian side winning the IPL should count for points in the world test rankings. That would "cement" their place in the top ten for sure.
It was not very far off in the past where the positions of the victors and vanquished were on the other side of the equator. While the Kangaroos celebrated a facile world cup victory in front of an ecstatic home crowd, England returned with the proverbial tail between their legs. How sport portrays the cycle of life, only in very quick succession. Fairy tales and sport are certainly not bed fellows. The ones who leave their hallowed turf with the same countenance as the one they sported at their zenith are few. Father time creeps up silently as is his wont and champions sweep into history in tears more often than a triumphant smile. Some look for redemption one last time as do their loyal fans. Would Clarke have one last test century? Would Roger Federer land one last grand slam? Would Tiger Woods lay his hands on the green jacket or the claret jug one last time? Will Lee Chong Wei win a gold at the worlds or the Olympics? Moments that would bring goosebumps not just because they would be a last flourish but also because they would push mortality back a little only if temporarily.
The World Badminton Championships ended in Jakarta today and we had both the singles champions defending their crowns from 2014. Chen Long has taken over the mantle from the great Lin Dan and Carolina Marin is the lone bright spot from Europe in the midst of Asian hegemony. A word for Saina Nehwal though. She isn't the swiftest of movers and doesn't have a shot that stands out. Her game is built around perseverance and accuracy both of which seemed to desert her at the last hurdle today. She becomes the first Indian player to win a silver at the worlds to go along her London Olympics bronze. The Rio Olympics may well be her last hurrah and how dearly would she want to be on the podium there.
The last grand slam of the year is upon us. Flushing Meadows has thrown some unexpected winners on the men's side in the age of the big four. Juan Martin Del Potro breached the fortress in 2009 and Maran Cilic smashed his way to the crown last year. The hard courts and glittering nights offer a chance for a fresh winner to break through. A betting man would however not go beyond the undisputed favorite in Novak. His form has been impeccable and the shape he is in both physically and mentally, it would take something extra ordinary for him not to be counting his grand slam spoils in two digits. Hope to see someone tear up the form book in New York. Serena slam done and calendar slam beckoning. The distance between the younger of the Williams sisters and her opponents is becoming yawning and even though she suffered a set back at the Rogers cup against the up and coming Swiss Bencic, you are sure to get very good odds if you bet against her. She has the sense of the big occasion and they don't get bigger than this.
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