It stinks !

I watched the India-West Indies ODI yesterday and I'm still rubbing my eyes in disbelief. An incredible performance - by the West Indians! Normally I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories but this result was too much to swallow even for a die-hard India supporter. That the 'famed' Indian batting folded for 162 wasn't a surprise. Take away the media hype and there's nothing unusual about the Indian batsmen taking the day off every other match. But the West Indian capitulation stretches credibility beyond breaking point. Not to put too fine a point on it, a highly suspicious result. Two distinct possibilities spring to mind - one, that the match was fixed to ensure that India still has a chance to reach the finals ( I don't think anyone in his right mind expects them to beat Australia with a bonus point. It's going to be hard enough to defeat them anyway.) Two, that the West Indians deliberately tanked the match because they would rather face India in the finals than the Aussies. Brian Lara coming in at number nine, for God's sake! That puts even Wavell Hinds' tortoise act to shame. Sorry, Rahul and co., but this 'victory' sticks in my craw! Walter Savage Landor had said,

" I warmed both hands before the fire of life
It sinks and I am ready to depart"

My reaction to this match is to change one word from the second line :

'It stinks and I am ready to depart'