Wanted: Comprehension and Bowlers for one dayers

It is often said that there are some moments in history that are never forgotten. If you ask Americans of yore, they will always say that they will remember exactly what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy was shot. The modern equivalent might be when they heard about the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Analogous to this in the cricketing era might be the massacre of bowlers that took place in Johannesburg this past weekend.

In what is now being referred to the greatest game in modern cricketing era, South Africa chased down a world record score of 434 made by the Australians and in turn posted a new record of 438/9 with one ball to spare. Never had a team scored that many runs in a limited overs match. And for it to happen twice in a day has to beg a few questions.

How do you prepare to chase down such a score when no one hasnt scored that many? What were the bowlers doing? What was the pitch doing? Was there any seam on the ball? Would this have happened if McGrath and Pollock would have played? I mean it is totally mind blogging. It has been two days since. I have read almost all the reports there are and still cannot fathom how it happened. Posting a score of 434 can be comprehended after a few shots of a Russian's favorite clear drink but someone chasing down that score (you will have to pause a little here since I sat here with nothing coming to me... I think I will leave it at that)......

Well when I heard about the Australian score I was watching the India-England 2nd test match with Fatass, Razaa and Venky. We guffawed and assumed the foregone conclusion and continued watching Kumble doing what he does best. Next morning while dropping Razaa at his place without knowing what was transpiring, I commented that it was good for Indian cricket since SA would lose ICC ODI points. I was working when Nishant called to give me the news. I dutifully passed on this to Cartman much later. It is two days since and still anyone we meet remotely interested in cricket starts a conversation with "How about the Australia-South Africa game?" and it leaves me dumbfounded.

Is this the new precedence in cricket? When ODIs started with 60 over games, scores of 200 + were considered winning totals, nowadays 300 + scores are chased down with extreme ease. Are 400 + the next phenomenon? Why would anyone want to bowl if that becomes the case? What would be the motivation but to stay out of the record books as not being the most expensive bowler. There was a cartoon supposedly in one of the newspapers calling for the formation of SPCB - Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Bowlers. I hope this was a freak game and let's happily go back to our 300 + games. Thanks but I must be getting old and cannot handle this much excitement.