Kumble's going leaves a big void!

It is the accepted norm that all good things must come to an end. It was no different with Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble when he announced his retirement at the conclusion of the Third Test between Australia and India at the Feroza Kotala Stadium in New Delhi.

Having served his country very faithfully for a near two decades, it would have been heartbreaking when he had to make the decision to quit the scene. He certainly would have thought long and hard before making the decision.

With Kumble's retirement, the cricketing world has lost another leg spinner and who knows when leg spinners of the calibre of Kumble and Shane Warne would emerge again.

Leg spin-googly is the most difficult art to bowl. It requires a lot of hard work, sweat and toil to master the art and then get among the wickets. Kumble and Warne would have spent hours and hours at the nets to finally master this art and then enjoy the success that it brought.

Looking at the Test cricket scene the only leg spin - googly bowler left now is Danesh Kaneria of Pakistan. Sad when one things that not many would like to take to this style of bowling.

The Aussie spin magician Warne gave it up after capturing 708 wickets while Kumble has said finish with 619 wickets. Warne and Kumble had lovely actions that were examples to all budding bowlers of this style.

The Indians would certainly miss Kumble. Not only his bowling, but also his captaincy that was first rate. When Sourav Ganguly was relieved of the captaincy and with no other wanting to accept this challenging job Kumble volunteered and while he was at the helm he did the job to entire satisfaction of all.

Kumble at 38 would have liked to continue and be in the swim of things. But as he said his body gave him the decision and the injury where he split the webbing in his left hand which required 11 sutures finally did it. The injury would have kept him out of the final Test and his decision to quit was right.

Kumble it must be said made the right decision and at the right time. He is going when everyone is asking why and why not.

When Kumble toured Sri Lanka early this year, it was obvious that he was not the penetrative bowler that he was. The ware and tare of bowling 100s of overs seemed to be telling on his shoulder and he did not seem to have that bubbly approach, which was seen in abundance early in his career.

Even in the First Test against the Australians he went wicketless which would have been disappointing to this great bowler who was always known to have been among the wickets.

Even in Third Test he had to huff and puff for the three wickets that he captured. When he had his first wicket that of Brad Haddin stumped, he seemed to lose his cool and what one saw was a very angry bowler. Angry probably because the wickets were not coming easily as it did earlier.

Kumble's bowling records need not be reiterated, because it has been mentioned times without number, but suffice to say that India will not be able to find a spinner of Kumble's calibre.

It is hoped that with his retirement he would not be lost to Indian cricket, but would find the time to serve his country's cricket in at least an administrative capacity.

Mohamed Yousuf

Accepted that Mohammed Yousuf the Pakistani is one of the finest batsmen in world cricket, because his records speak for itself. But beyond that he seems to be making news for reasons that have nothing to do with wielding the willow, but for his irresponsible behaviour.

His latest brush has been with the Pakistan Cricket Board. The PCB had picked him to face the West Indies in three matches in Abu Dhabi next week. But what is sad is that he has not had the common courtesy to inform his Board about his intention to plonk his lot with the Indian Cricket League.

What is inexplicable is that the batsman had earlier signed with the ICL, but the PCB managed to urge him to tear that contract, that led to legal action.

But probably the big money offered by ICL has been too tempting and he has fallen and it could probably mean the end of his career, because the PCB is adamant that those playing in the ICL will not be considered for local or international cricket.

In 2005 Yousuf converted to Islam from Roman Catholicism and said that he became a better batsman after the conversion.

But Pakistanis in the know say he switched religions, hoping that the captaincy would come his way. That miracle did not take place and that would have prompted him to join the ICL.

Gwen Herat showed them how

The West Indies women cricketers are here to play a series of five one-day international in preparation for the World Cup in Australia next year.

Reports have it that the visitors are formidable squad and that the Lankan lasses would find it hard to stave off defeat.

When the Lankans last toured the Caribbean in 2004 before the World Cup they thrashed their opponents in all five one-day internationals. That was due to the hard work put in by Gwen Herat who was at the helm of women's cricket in the country.

Gwen had the game at heart and overcame many obstacles in her endeavour to see that the game improved, developed and progressed. She sacrificed a lot during her tenure and the results she achieved was there for everyone to see.

Sri Lanka Cricket had invited her for one of the games. But she has told them that enough is enough and that she would not have anything to do with the game.

Pity that Gwen's expertise has been lost.