Modi and Sreesanth fall from grace

In the news that was sport last week were former Indian Premier League architect Lalit Modi, Indian cricketer Shantakumaran Sreesanth and Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. All big news makers. Modi and Sreesanth were banned for life. The general body of the Board of Control for Cricket accepted the verdict of its disciplinary panel that found Modi guilty of 'serious' acts of indiscipline and misconduct.

'The BCCI resolved that Modi is guilty of committing acts of serious misconduct and indiscipline, and therefore he is hereby expelled from the board,' a statement from BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel said.

Forfeit all his rights

The statement further added: 'He shall forfeit all his rights and privileges as administrator. He shall not in future be entitled to hold any position or office, or be admitted in any committee or any member associate member of the BCCI.'

Modi was found guilty among other things, of rigging bids during the franchise auction in 2010, selling media and internet rights without authorization and secretly trying to create a rebel T20 league in England without the knowledge of the Indian and England boards.

The energetic Lalit Modi caused ripples in the cricket world when he founded the lucrative Indian Premier League which gave mind boggling mega dollars to the cricketers playing in the IPL.

Modi was revered at one time

At that time Modi was revered. Many cricketers and officials sought his company because by doing so, they too were in line to enjoy the spoils.

But it did not take long for Modi to fall from grace to disgrace. But Modi who is made of sterner stuff is not going to take the life ban lying down. He has promised to come out with all guns blazing. 'I am going to fight them and the ban gives me the resolve to go after them.

Indian cricket needs cleansing and as far as I am concerned I am going to go after them. Till now they were colleagues. Time has now come to take everything out of the box and put in in (the) public domain' he has said.

So the stage is now set and the coming days will see a no holds barred fight between the BCCI and Modi with indications that a lot of dirty linen will be washed which could damage images.

Shame on pace bowler Sreesanth

When the news first broke that Indian fast bowler Shantakumaran Sreesanth was involved in match-fixing in T20 cricket it was too good to be true. One expected it to be only an allegation, and that it would remain that way.

With Indian wickets famed for spin, fast bowlers don't come easy in India. The only fast bowler who made waves was former Indian skipper Kapil Dev, who also led them to their first World Cup victory in 1983. When Sreesanth, a find of the great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee, came on the scene, he was expected to carry the new ball bowing on his shoulders and some former Indian greats predicted a bright and long future for him in the game.

Unscrupulous bookies

But why he had to get involved with the unscrupulous bookies and indulge in match-fixing is inexplicable. Obviously the lust and the greed for the mega dollars could not be resisted and it led to him being found guilty and now he has joined the league of fallen cricketing angels.

But Sreesanth will and not be the last to be tempted by the bookies and led to cricketing hell. There must be many more cricketers down the pipe line who will be tempted by the bookies.

Those thinking they could make a quick buck, will do well to take Sreesanth as an example and kick the bookies in their teeth when attempts are made to tempt them into getting involved in match-fixing.

Dhoni the mauler of bowlers

Indian captain, the dazzling Mahendra Singh Dhoni can be best

described as the mauler of bowlers. From the time he took his stance at the wicket for India, he has been the scourge of all world bowlers.

In the Champions League Twenty20 bash, he took Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera to the cleaners hitting the medium pacer for 32 runs in an over. In all it was 34 with the bowler bowling two wide deliveries.

Here's how Andrew Fidel Fernando, the Cricino Correspondent described the Dhoni mayhem with the bat for the Chennai Super Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a crucial 18th over.

17.1 .1 wide. Starts with a wide down the leg side. 17.1. Six. Pitches it up and where does it go? Straight into the stands, over the sight screen. MSD took a step towards off and slammed it 92 metres away from him, the crowd erupts. 17.2. 1 wide. Well outside off and wide again. Pressure is showing on Perera.

17.2. 2 runs. Low full toss outside off. Dhoni doesn't connect properly and a misfield at midwicket from Ishant gives them two.

17.3. SIX. Full toss and where does this one go? Over the fine leg boundary. Dhoni didn't have to use much power there. He used the pace of the bowler to whip it towards a shot boundary.

17.4. SIX. This one's on a length and Dhoni has played an inside out slice over deep backward point for another six. He used his wrists to swivel this one and got the distance.

17.5. SIX. On length outside off and CRASH, BOOM, BANG. This has gone over wide long-on for a huge six. It was a repeat of the six he struck to finish the World Cup.

17.6. SIX. Shot outside off, third man in the circle and Dhoni reaches out for a upper cut and it lands on the rope for the fifth six of the over. Took some time to find the ball.

It was a brutal assault

It was brutal ruthless attack on Perera who in an earlier game led Sunrisers Hyderabad to an exciting victory over Trinidad and Tobgo with his gallant hitting. But this time round he was at the receiving end. Those who were present at the scene of action and those watching the merciless hitting and the work of art by the explosive Indian Captain will have that rare batting act etched in their memory.

Long haired when he first came on the scene, he had styled his batting on the maxim that the ball was there to be hit and hit out of the ground. And many were the sixes he hit that landed out of the ground.Dhoni is a batsman for situations. He has a strong appetite forhitting sixes and making big runs. It is the consensus now that if India is facing defeat, but Dhoni is still at the wicket with the last man in, the match is still not over, because Dhoni can turn defeat into victory with his ruthless hitting.

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