Capetown Mayhem - how it would have been criticized if it were tobe an Indian Ground !?!?

Team India was mauled comprehensively in the 1^st Test and today the 2^nd Test started at Cape Town in South Africa.  If the same had happened in Indian soil, the whole media, Ex-Cricketers, Commentators, Critics and who-else-not would have filled up the social media with criticism calling is a mine-field or a dust bowl.   

The Dust Bowl was the name given to the drought-stricken southern plains region of the United States, which suffered severe dust storms during a drought in the 1930s. As high winds and choking dust swept the region from Texas to Nebraska, people and livestock were killed and crops failed across the entire region. The Dust Bowl intensified the crushing economic impacts of the Great Depression and drove many farming families on a desperate migration in search of work and better living conditions.  

By this time (9 pm) many would have searched for and read about Test no. 28 - 1st Test, Lord's, July 16 - 17, 1888, Australia tour of England  

 

Newlands, home of Western Province Cricket, has been described by many, together with the Adelaide Oval in Australia, as one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the World. Nestled behind and at the foot of Table Mountain it is one of the most picturesque places in the world to watch cricket.  The 2^nd Test is being played here ! 

It is common to hear and say that the BCCI has been making so much more money for so much longer than the next-richest board that it should put on the park a side that wins everything. The point has been reiterated in the aftermath of the loss in Centurion. .. .. and everyone who can write will rise to criticize the BCCI as earning crores and not placing enough on Cricket ground !! – how many voices heard against SA Board and Newlands Ground today ?   

In the previous test at  Centurion,  India's bowlers were criticized as not being able to draw the same amount of seam movement or uneven bounce as South Africa's bowlers. It is a function of the height of the bowlers and also the ability to bowl in the 140s kph consistently wrote pundits.

Today a different story ! life changes in fast lane.  Only four times in the entire history of Test cricket - which spans 146 years and over 2500 matches - has there been more damage done than that. There is already talk around the nature of the pitch and it is valid. Cape Town has been home to variable bounce and borderline seam movement that is borderline excessive.  

 

India needed just 23.2 overs and two hours on the first morning to skittle South Africa for 55 - the lowest total by a team against India in Test cricket - after losing another toss on tour.  The hero was Mohammed Siraj whose figures read :  9-3-15-6 !!!!!   

- and Indians in a hurry took the first innings lead in 9.4 overs – the going was too good then India collapsed so badly losing 6 wickets for 0 runs -   from 153 for 4 to 153 all out  !  Jaiswal did not trouble the scorers but was out at 17; Rohit (39) fell at 72; Gill (36) at 105; Shreyas Iyer (o) at 110; KL Rahul (8) at 153; Jadeja (0), Bumrah (0), Virat Kohli (46), Siraj (0), Prasidh Krishna (0) – all fell at 153!  

The scorecard at close of play on day 15 at Cape Town reads :  South Africa  55 & 62/3:  India 153 – SA trail by 36 runs ! – All in a day !! Whom would you blame the batsman? Praise the bowlers or blame the dustbowl !! 

Centuries ago in 1888 -  Australia won by 61 runs. Although of course it was seen that the Australians were by no means equal on their merits to the best team in England, there was a considerable amount of anxiety as to the result of the first of the three great Test matches.  On day 1 Australia were all out for 116 and England were 18/3 with WG Grace unbeaten on 10; On day 2 England lost their remaining 7 wickets to close at 53; Aussies were bowled out for 60 and England bundled out for 62.  

On that day 2 – 27 wickets tumbled for 157 runs and today 23 wickets fell !! Interesting or do you feel not a great advertisement for Test Cricket.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
3.1.2024

 

 

  

Constructing building ! - vertical or horizontal ? - Both !!

We need house to live in and every industry needs a building for its manufacturing or storage activity.  Understanding the basics of building construction ensures successful construction of a building. 

The very first stage of construction is to create a concept, followed by a design and blueprints.  First a site is chosen where  the building project is indented to be  constructed, then the  expertise of engineers and architects comes in to play.  The building plan is developed based on the owner’s requirements and budget. Once the plan is in hand, the finance and total cost is estimated. The structural design details, the material estimates are prepared which help to derive project cost estimate.   

Construction is an exciting, multi-faceted, and vast trade that spans over many subsets of industries. Within those subsets of industries lies two types of construction—Horizontal, also referred to as heavy civil, and Vertical. Simply put, Horizontal Construction involves structures that are longer and wider than they are tall. Vertical construction primarily consists of projects that are built vertically and rely heavily on a design by an architect. 

A vertical project is built upwards, like a skyscraper, whereas horizontal construction is lower and wider. Vertical construction projects also rely on more architectural design, whereas horizontal projects use civil engineers, with less variation in design

 

In a jocular vein, this project had two plans approved – one vertical and another horizontal and … another one to synchronise both the ideas.

 

Interesting !
 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
3.1.2024
  

Duck fluttering !!

 

Ducks look beautiful to look at especially as they wade through the water effortlessly.  Sometimes, Ducks  stand upright in the water and flaps its wings,;  it's a way for them to show off their strength and vitality to potential mates or rivals.

 

சிறிய பறவை சிறகை விரிக்க துடிக்கிறதே..

சிறகை விரித்து நிலவை உரச நினைக்கிறதே... 

பழைய கனவு உனக்கு எதற்கு கலையட்டுமே.

புதிய நற்சிந்தனைகள் தாம் பிறக்கட்டுமே  !

 

2.1.2024

Tassel ! - பட்டுக் குஞ்சலம்!

Imp Pre-script:  As I start the day with a post, Home asked to do something useful hence a post that may be of use to you all !! -  Shopping in T Nagar, especially silk sarees at Nalli, Kumaran, Pothis, RMKV can be daunting tiring experience, for those who wait alongside !! – then once the costly silk is selected – people move to another department, where crafty artisan gives a finishing touch to it !?!?

 

ஒரு விலை உயர்ந்த ஆடை அணிந்தால் மட்டும் போதாது ! - அது பார்ப்பவர் கண்களை கவர்ந்து, அவர்தம் பாராட்டுக்கு உரியதாக இருந்தாக வேண்டும் !!    பட்டு வேட்டி, விலை உயர்ந்த பட்டு புடவைகள்  முதலிய ஆடைநூலுடன் நெய்யப்படும் பொன், வெள்ளி இழைகள், சரிகை என்றழைக்கப்படுகிறது. பொன், வெள்ளி முதலிய மாழைகளை மெல்லிய கம்பிபோல இழைத்துச் சரிகை தயாரிக்கிறார்கள். சரிகை இழைகள் மிகவும் மெல்லியனவாக இருக்கும். 

Today is born 2024 ! – the first day of  the Gregorian calendar, a solar calendar with 12 months  consisting  of 365 days. The months and length of months in the Gregorian calendar are the same as for the Julian calendar.    

Likely that many start the day wearing a new garment – a colourful costly Silk saree or a silk churidhar .. .. .. with beautifully crafted tassels !! – குஞ்சலங்கள் ?? 

Tassel a dangling ornament of decoration  made by laying parallel a bunch of cords or threads of even length and fastening them at one end. It is an item that ties loose ends of yarn together and has been used to adorn many things including clothing and uniforms. The tassel was very often the status symbol that differentiated people in the military or religious fields. 

Today, the tassel is used in Graduations and other ceremonies both for differentiation and unifying purposes. The graduation tassel attached to a mortar board for a school or college, represents a belonging to a particular class that has completed its goals. Tassels on the cap most often are the color or colors of the particular institution. The tassels that finish off the ends of an honor cord for that same ceremony, most often represent membership of a smaller group within that class. These tasseled cords are referred to as honor cords, and are worn around the neck of the student. 

குஞ்சலம்  என்பது - கூந்தலில் அணியப்படும் அணி.  வாடி என் பட்டுக் குஞ்சலம்! என குழந்தைகளைச் செல்லமாக அழைத்த காலங்கள் உண்டு !!  

குமரன் போன்ற கடைகளில் பார்த்து இருப்பீர்கள்.  பிரமாதமான பட்டு புடவை வாங்கியவுடன், அங்கேயே அதற்க்கான சிறப்பு வேலைபார்ப்பவர்கள் புடவை நுனியில் டிசைன் டிசைனாக குஞ்சலங்கள் கட்டுவார்கள்.  பட்டு சேலை, காட்டன் சேலைகளுக்கு பட்டு நூலினால் புதுப்புது டிசைன்களில் குஞ்சலம் போட்டு தரும்  பொடிக் கடைகள் உள்ளன. பட்டு நூல், உல்லன் நூல், க்ரோஷே  போன்றவற்றல் குஞ்சலத்தில் மட்டும் பல  வகையான டிசைன்கள் உள்ளனவாம்.

 

இதை படித்துக்கொண்டு இருக்கும்போது - விளக்கமாற்றுக்குப் பட்டுக்குஞ்ஜலம் என்ற சொலவடை ஞாபகம் வந்தால், உங்கள் மைண்ட் வாய்ஸ் வெளியேவும் கேட்டுவிட்டால், அதன் விளைவுகளுக்கு பதிவர் பொறுப்பல்ல !!

 
ஆசாமி சிரிப்பு சிந்தனையானின் உபயோகர குறிப்புகள்   
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
1.1.2024