Life is like cricket, you sometimes score sixes or you get your off stump knocked over...

Over the years as I developed my enthusiasm for the game of cricket I started to see some similarities to cricket as I see in life in general. For example, when you play cricket you win some and you lose some (games). One day you can be so happy its like you are whacking Muralitharan or Warney for 6's, or you could be so down in the dumps that it feels like you are constantly getting bowled by a complete novice bowler. Or another analogy I've had thoughts of is like when you are happy you think of your home country thrashing the Aussies (for so long they have been dominant in world cricket) by more than an innings in a test and experiencing similar feelings to the elation the winning team would feel, or when you are sad its like if your team, for example, a known test nation like New Zealand, gets thrashed by more than an innings by perhaps a non test playing team such as Bermuda or even the USA.

Confidence and self esteem is one of the many things that drives us forward and motivates us to succeed in what we pursue. It is also how we pick up ourselves from catastrophic lows and maintain ourselves at the heights of happiness that defines our character. When I relate this to cricket I see a team that has been bowled out well short of a follow-on and they take either two paths: No#1- Sit around and do nothing and dig yourself into an even deeper hole, or no#2- Seek help and advice and work with yourself to climb yourself out of a very precarious situation (and perhaps win despite being forced to "follow on"). You see some cricketing teams get bogged down in examples like this, some just get conprehensively walloped and some do make a miraculous comeback and win, despite being made to follow on. Also as in cricket, you use the help and guidance of people around you to help yourself "win" instead of "lose". A cricket team is like a family or a group of closely-knit friends, they are there to help you through things and to perhaps improve yourself as a person, as you would do with your own cricketing techniques.

I see cricket as a good way to improve your life. For example there is a cricket team from Compton in Los Angeles USA called The Homiez and The Popz(I have done a post earlier this year that talks a bit about them). A few years ago their team members were gang associates, habitual drug users, even thiefs and ones having numerous other criminal records. Thanks to cricket their lives have perhaps taken a turn for the better. They have even been to the home country of cricket (England) and are working on going to Australia to play some teams there. Cricket has taught them self respect, respect in others, patience, and it takes them away from the often violent worlds they came from. Ted Hayes is their manager and from the work he has done with the team he appears to be infusing the team members with the values, virtues and life skills the game of cricket embodies.

It is from this little piece I have written that I see that cricket does indeed have a valuable place in society. It is up to us to enthusiastically embrace the game and maintain its values for other generations to come, so that cricket will maintain its unique place in history and remain a legacy.

Has Australia's dominance in world cricket come to an end?

With the 2- nil series loss to India in the Border-Gavaskar series it appears the Aussie's dominance in world cricket may be coming to an end. They have had a good stronghold on the game since the mid 1990s when players like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and co came onto the scene and began strengthening their sublime mix of skill, accuracy and consistency and thus putting in elite performances for over a decade.

With these players retirements and new blood coming into the side it appears the Australian cricket is entering a rebuilding phase. While people might not think this when they start their 2 test series against New Zealand later on it will be against stronger, more experienced opposition that many people might think their dominance on the game is loosening its grip.

It is a fact of life, that people grow old and become a bit slower, more susceptible to injuries, and feel like they need to devote more time to their families, and it is upto the new team players coming into the side to hone the skills and knowledge of their predecessors to carry on their sides legacy. As every cricket fan must know, Australia has a big legacy in world cricket, and they are more than capable of fighting out of some precarious situations and newer players building upon the legacy the side has created and then build a strong legacy of their own.

Every side seems to experience their rises and falls. For instance, remember the great West Indies side of the 80s, New Zealand having a dream decade in the 80s as well (when Richard Hadlee was dominating batsman all over the world with his bowling), and even Zimbabwe before politics caused the exodus of famous players like Heath Streak, Grant and Andy Flower, Paul Strang and co. It is up to players coming into the side to strive for excellence and to carry the side through the good times and the bad.

Here is some links to the Aussie's recent results in India:

India v Australia 4th Test in Nagpur, 6-10 November 2008

Australia tour of India September to November 2008