Oxygen Politics ! ............. Aussie Pat Cummins stands tall !!!

A decade ago ! (in Nov 2011) – in the 2nd Test at  Johannesburg, South Africa:

266 & 339 lost to Australia – who after scoring 296, chased a target of 310 and won with 2 wickets in hand.  Why remember the match, in the background of Oxygen politics in the State and in the Nation ?  Can you identify this handsome Cricketer ??

 

The second wave of Corona and the high increase in the no. of persons affected is showing some States in poor light but they are still trying to play the blame-game without caring to do any administration. Sad is the state of affairs. 'Not Wave, But Tsunami': Delhi HC Censured Kejriwal Govt Over Oxygen Crisis in National Capital.  The Delhi High Court said on Saturday that if any official at the central, state or local administration was obstructing in the picking up or supply of oxygen, then “we will hang that man". The observation by a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli came during hearing of a plea by Maharaja Agrasen Hospital over shortage of oxygen for seriously-ill covid patients.

Tamil Nadu too had been rocked with ‘oxygen’ being the main subject matter of all debates.  Hours before a Supreme Court hearing and an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to discuss the issue over reopening of Sterlite plant, Vedanta Limited filed a special leave petition asserting that the Tamil Nadu government should not be allowed to take over the oxygen plant, and claimed that the State government does not have the requisite operational expertise.

Not many would have expected but not exactly a bolt from the blue !- an all-party meeting convened by the Tamil Nadu government today  resolved to allow Vedanta's Sterlite Industries in Tuticorin to produce oxygen for a four-month period amid surging covid cases, paving the way for the partial reopening of the copper smelter closed in 2018 over pollution concerns. The unit was sealed by the state government in May 2018, days after 13 agitators were killed in police firing during a violent anti-Sterlite protest in the southern district.

This morning, Chief Minister Edappadi  K Palaniswami-chaired meeting, attended by main opposition party DMK among others, resolved to allow Sterlite produce oxygen from its plant in Tuticorin, days after Vedanta moved the Supreme Court in this connection. "As per the Supreme Court directive, power supply may be allowed for Vedanta's Sterlite Industries in Tuticorin for four months to repair and operate oxygen producing and related equipment only," the meeting resolved. The period may be extended later but "at no cost" shall other activities like copper manufacturing and running the co-generation plant shall be allowed and the "power supply shall be cut after this period (four months) by TANGEDCO," it added. Tamil Nadu should get priority in the oxygen being produced here and it shall be taken to other states only after meeting its requirements.

On Friday, the apex court had said people were dying due to lack of oxygen and questioned the Tamil Nadu government as to why it cannot take over the Sterlite copper unit for producing oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients. "We are not interested that Vedanta or A, B or C runs it. We are interested that oxygen should be produced," a bench headed by then Chief Justice S A Bobde had said.

On that day at Johannesburg, the light was fading fast and Australia were in serious trouble. The thrilling first Test in Cape Town had featured two dramatic batting collapses but Australia's second-innings total of 47 was calamitous - their lowest in 109 years. At  Johannesburg, they needed 18 runs to level the series while eight wickets down and facing Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander with the new ball. Eighteen-year-old Pat Cummins walked to the crease and took guard on debut. He had already taken six wickets in South Africa's second innings, and seven overall, bowling with impressive pace and swing.  

Rewind back to  Adelaide in Dec 2020 – perhaps not  the best Australian team – the bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood,  Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Nathan Lyon did not sound – Jeff Thomson, Max Walker, Dennis Lillee,  Len Pascoe, Rod Hogg, Alderman,  Mcdermott, Glenn Mcgrath, Bret Lee  .. .. but  for  the devout Indian Cricket fan, utterly devastating – depressed, the ignominy is complete.  We were so sad to see a scorecard reading :

4, 9, 2, 0, 4, 0, 8, 4, 0, 4, 1 .. ..  +  0 extras  = 36 / 9 (1 retired hurt)

Pat Cummins was breathtaking and on the way took his 150th Test wicket, average 21. Josh Hazlewood upped him one, getting  200 Test wickets, average 25.  Pat Cummins figures of 10.2-4-21-4 were truly upstaged by Josh Hazlewood 5-3-8-5.

A few days ago at Wankhede -  15th Match (N), Mumbai, Apr 21 2021, - 422 runs scored and  there were so many heroes in the same match – bowling hero and batting heroes in the same innings !  - awe-struck !! KKR started chasing a big total in the worst manner possible – getting reduced to 31/5 courtesy magic of Deepak Chahar – the scorecard read : : 1-1 (Shubman Gill, 0.4 ov), 2-17 (Nitish Rana, 2.5 ov), 3-27 (Eoin Morgan, 4.3 ov), 4-31 (Sunil Narine, 4.6 ov), 5-31 (Rahul Tripathi, 5.2 ov), but some different script was to follow :  Dinesh Karthik made 40 off 24 with 4 fours and 2 sixers – big hitting Andre Russel charmed with 54 off mere 22 with 3 fours and SIX sixers .. .. and then when the match appeared lost, Sam Curran was hit for 30 runs in an over – 4 sixers and 1 4 by Pat Cummins whose 66 off 34 threatened to snatch the match away.

The man PAT CUMMINS is a real hero !! The Kolkata Knight Riders' Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins has donated US$ 50,000 "specifically to purchase oxygen supplies for India's hospitals" to PM Cares, a fund-raising scheme set up by the prime minister of India in March last year when the Covid-19 pandemic first broke out. Cummins - the first cricketer playing in this year's IPL to publicly announce such a contribution - put out a note on Twitter, also calling on his fellow IPL players to contribute. "There has been quite a bit of discussion over here as to whether it is appropriate for the IPL to continue while COVID-19 infection rates remain high," Cummins wrote. "I'm advised that the Indian Government is of the view that playing the IPL while the population is in lockdown provides a few hours of joy and respite each day at an otherwise difficult time for the country.

Cummins, who was signed for a record INR 15.5 crore (US$ 2 million approx.) last season, is part of a diminishing pool of Australian cricketers at the IPL. His compatriots Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rajasthan Royals' Andrew Tye have all pulled out over the past two days, while England's Liam Livingstone had done the same last week. While Livingstone had spoken of "bubble fatigue" for his decision to leave, the Royal Challengers put Zampa and Richardson's departure down to "personal reasons", while Tye has said that he wanted to avoid the risk of not being able to return home.

Salutes to you Sir – the big tall Pat Cummins, you really stand tall.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
26.4.2021.