Sachin Tendulkar, Andrew Strauss, Trent Johnston - the retiring oldies of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 – Part I
We are still waiting for the World Cup to give us something to talk about. The clash between a strong team and a minnow has gotten so boring that you just bother seeing the scorecard. You know who will win (duh), you predict (but are completely sure in your head) that who will be that one outstanding player making it happen for the team. You even ask your friends and friends of friends to bet on the favourite team that you are suggesting. In the end, everything works out and you gloat about something that was triggering your inner voice, your sixth sense.
But the thing is, it is not you who are predicting the wins. It is the ICC and the BCCI, who made the schedule to assure that the associate teams are slashed, crushed, humiliated so that they themselves withdraw from the next edition of the World Cup.
So in all probability, this will be the last World Cup for many. Really, it is an expanding list when you look into the ages of national squads of the 14 countries taking part in the game. The opening games of the fourteen countries have all taken place and one could not help noticing that a number of players are knocking on a bit.
While none of them can reach the feat of Jack Hobbs, who played International cricket beyond his golden jubilee. The only young team in true sense, currently, is Bangladesh who is being led by a 23-year-old Shakib Al Hasan while the oldest member of the club is spinner Abdur Razzak, who is reeling on 28.
Sachin Tendulkar
He is 37-years and 312 days old and the little Master keeps ruling the bat. He recently scored another century at the World Cup against England just this Sunday and who knows how many centuries he will blast in the remaining World Cup games. He is maturing with age but does not look old. But will he retire? Well, the answer is no since he will not leave international cricket until and unless he wins the Cup for his country. So yes, we owe the Cup to Tendulkar. Go India; win the Cup for him so that he gets to relax his flailing small body. He deserves this.
Andrew Strauss
The England skipper is celebrating his 34th birthday today as his team is getting ready to play against Ireland. He is still gloating about his 158 knock-out against India that resulted in an exciting tie. Many critics question his leading capabilities but the truth he led the team twice to gain and then regain the Ashes title againstAustralia. He is a fatherly figure for the English lot since he defends his out-of-form players and counsels the team members to come out of the closet. But as he is English, he should really focus on Test cricket.
Trent Johnston
The 36-year and 307 days old Irish bowler is an adopted Australian and he often challenges Kamran Akmal as the ugliest man in the tournament. He is bald and not in the most attractive way, and he looks like a villain straight from a Bollywood movie. His crooked smile with an almost falling tooth makes him a vampire and it is a well-established fact that the vampires are immortal. Perhaps, Johnston is much older than 36?
(To be continued in Part II)
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Tagged in: England, Ireland, cricket, Andrew Strauss, Australia, Sachin Tendulkar, Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan, World Cup, Ashes, test cricket, ICC, Old, BCCI, Abdur Razzak, Trent Johnston, world cup 2011, one day, Justin Bieber, vampire
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