1st ODI - Abu Dhabi - India 198 all out. Will we win?

Righto, here we are again, just when we thought we wouldn't see it again, we're playin our cousins in the dessert. And hey, the script hasn't changed in 6 years, they're getting the better of us! Again. Damn Miandad and his six. Damn the dessert. Damn us cricket fans. Even those who've never held a bat in their lives.

I'm online and chatting with a bunch of pals at this moment. Some of whom are already writing the game off. Damned pessimists! Here's what some of them had to say as the match progressed ...

Riggs: and we jes lost 4th wikket
merma : awww
merma : we batting first?
Riggs : yep
merma : score?
Riggs : 72/4
merma : yikes
merma : terrible
Riggs : now Dhoni come and do a Superman and earn Reebok their monies
merma : he better, what with raina?

My pal then logged off without listening to what I thought about Raina ! Another depressed pal wot lives in Dubai got online and the woes just wouldn't stop. Here's what I mean ....

Ish: hey
Riggs: Hello yu
Riggs: bit shameless, damn indians
Ish: so cant believe that i got off work to see this idiotic match!!
Ish: and now i have sick paki on the fone - my frend - aamir - who be watching in AUH and be all excited
Ish: I'm sending reiki that all pakis get out in first 20 overs with less than a 100 runs...
Riggs: tell him we still gots bowl and yu be callin him back when pathan gets goin
Ish: just told him so..
Ish: he hung up !!


And then later ...

Riggs: ok i hope we get to 200
Ish: yea we will
Ish: crawl there - but we will
Riggs: dont look likely now
Ish: LOL @ my frend Gautam - who's watching match - he sent msg to say he not coming back to dubai for a week coz he has Paki neighbours!!
Riggs: lolol
Riggs: i dunno why everyone trippin
Riggs: they still gots bat
Ish: yeah they be quite rowdy here when there is a match
Riggs: we gonna win
Riggs: wait and see
Ish: shit (Thats when we lost another wicket)
Riggs: bah
Ish: forgot
Ish: 1 ball - think it cud be a 6??
Riggs: heheheheheehe
Riggs: mad c***s (thats the last run-out)
Ish: guess not
Ish: I'm depressed
Riggs: iddyet
Riggs: we gonna win
Ish: yellow n green tarts!!
Riggs: In fact i so know we gonna win that me gonna proclaim it so on da blog


And here we are, boy and girls and children of all ages, we're at halftime.

What's it gonna be in a couple of hours ?

Will Bartman's predictions of a flash in the pan series win against the Poms which will not translate into much come true? Is the Indian Cricket Fan gonna get shafted ... AGAIN ???

Or will Riggs, the eternal optimist, carrier of the Boys In Blue On Blog and firm believer that Indian Cricket is alive, well and kicking butt be vindicated.

Only time will tell.

And while you're still here, our brilliant commentators left us with some gems that simply MUST be mentioned..


1. He's done very well in his short span of career - Rameez on Suresh Raina

2. that is why he was magnificiently successful - Rameez on a Suresh Raina straight drive that went for 4

3. He's taken a bottle of sleeping pills - Sidhu on Rahul Dravid's runout

4. Next to diamonds and pearls, judgement is the real thing - Sidhu on Pathan's run-out

5. Pandemonium has not reigned, it has poured on Indian cricket - Sidhu on Sreesanth's runout.


That said ... GAME ON. Check later !