Indian airlines will stop domestic flights on August 18 in demand of bailout

On July 31, 2009, Indian private airlines announced to suspend domestic operations on August 18 in demand of bailout from the government. If their demands are not met then flights will be suspended for indefinite time period. Private airlines are saying that due to huge losses, they would not able to continue its business. The airlines are not asking for money as bailout but demanding to lower ATF tax on fuel and airport taxes.

In Friday afternoon, Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), the lobby organization representing Indian private airlines, held a meeting which was attended by Naresh Goyal of Jet Airways, Vijay Mallya of Kingfisher Airlines and other members of FIA. The state-run Air India and Paramount Airways did not participate in the meeting. After finishing the meeting, Anil Baijal, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Airlines, read out a statement which said that the airlines industry incurred losses worth Rs.10,000 crore in FY 2008-2009. ATF sales tax, airport charges, devaluation of the Indian rupee, economic recession and terrorist attacks were some of the major causes behind these losses.

However, Indian aviation Praful Patel said that the government would not support any kind of activities that will create problem for people. Such movement is first in the history of the Indian airlines industry and if it happens 12,000 domestic flights including those of Kingfisher, Kingfisher Red, Jet Airways, Jetlite, IndiGo, Go Air and Spice Jet will not fly on August 18. There will be only 300 operating flights of Air India.

Related articles:

The Times of India

Business Standard

Interview of Sufia Sattar: A Female Entrepreneur from Bangladesh

Sufia Sattar is a female entrepreneur in Dhaka and she is the proprietor of Auditi Crafts. She has a dress shop on the ground floor of her Dhanmondi house. It was her mother who inspired her to come to this field. She has been working day and night to grow her business. What she does basically is that she collects the products from weavers and then sells them. It is good for the weavers because in Bangladesh, handloom products change many hands through middle-men before reaching the hand of the consumers. Thus, in most of the cases, the weavers do not get good price for their products. So, because of Sufia Sattar’s efforts, some weavers can directly supply their products to a shop in Dhaka.

Today, from South Asia Blog, Razib Ahmed, Animesh Bain and Abdul Aziz Liton visited a Jamdani show of Sufia Sattar in Drik gallery, Dhanmondi. Animesh Bain carried out an interview of Sufia Sattar while Abdul Aziz took the pictures. Here is the interview for the readers:

South Asia Blog: Tell us something about you.

Sufia Sattar: I started this business as my personal hobby. After one year, I realized that I could do this work in a larger scale. I had a confidence that people would like my work. Last year I organized a show and before that I had arranged a Jamdani Show in small scale. In fact, this is my third show.

South Asia Blog: Tell us a bit about your company.

Sufia Sattar: I have a small company. I am the proprietor and manage all the things myself. The name of my company is Auditi Crafts. It is situated on the ground floor of my house in Dhanmondi (Road no. 28). There are other kinds of fabrics except Jamdani.

South Asia Blog: You have presented a very beautiful collection of Jamdani Sarres and other dress materials. From where have you collected them?

Sufia Sattar: I collected them from Rupgonj area of Narayanganj. As far as I know, all the Jamdani materials come from some villages of that area. I always want to promote the works of the weavers in that area. They make very beautiful dresses. Even the designs that you can see here have been made by them. I am not the designer. I just sometimes give them some suggestions about color combination. Thus, we try to work together.

While doing business, I try to follow one rule. Whatever products I see among the wearers, first I get satisfaction and then bring them for my customers. I started this business more than 10 years ago and I am the owner, employee and worker of this company. When I need help then I request my daughter-in-law and sisters. It is the result of my personal passion and dedication.

South Asia Blog: How do you carry out your marketing for your business?

Sufia Sattar: I depend on the reputation of my products and this is my main strategy for marketing. Satisfied customers come again and again and they spread the good word about my business. Because of their kind support my company could survive more than 10 years. I have a Facebook account. I have uploaded some of the pictures of my products. I get regular customers through Facebook. My son opened the account and is managing it for me. He did it six months ago and I have been getting very good response. I have got quite a few customers from USA and other countries who saw the pictures of the products in Facebook and then sent their relatives to my shop in Dhaka to buy the products they liked. I am very happy to see that Bangladeshi people living in other countries are interested about Jamdani. This is a good sign and it can help our weavers.

At this moment I have no plan to export, but if anyone is interested then I may do it. In fact, I am happy to see that the number of interested people outside of Bangladesh is growing. Now, I have a plan to launch a website about my products so that potential customers can get all the information.

Bajaj XCD 135 DTS-Si: More style and more power comes to your way

Bajaj auto is one of the largest two-wheeler producers in the world. In September 2007, the company launched the Bajaj XCD model. In the first month, it sold 18,000 units. In January 2009, Bajaj launched the 135cc XCD DTS-Si. The motorcycle mainly competes in the mid-level range. The best thing about the 135cc XCD DTS-Si is that it is very sporty and stylish. If you are tired of riding your 100cc or 125cc bike then you should go for the XCD 135.

Dimensions, color and other specifications:

Length: 1990 mm.

Width: 760 mm.

Height: 1080 mm.

Kerb weight: 116.5 kg.

Colors: Blue, red, black & green, black & blue, black & red.

Technical specifications:

Engine:

Engine type: 4 stroke, natural air cooled.

Displacement: 134.6 cc.

Maximum net power: 10.2 PS@7500 rpm.

Maximum net torque: 11.58 nm @ 5000 rpm.

Transmission: 5-speed constant mesh.

Maximum speed: 98 Kmph (with single rider 68 kg)

Ignition System Digital CDI with Trics: DC, microprocessor controlled.

Starting: Kick start and electric start.

Electricals:

System: 12 volt direct current.

Battery: 12 v 5Ah MF Type (SS), 2.5 Ah (KS).

Head lamp: 12 V 35/35 W, HS-1 (Halogen)

Tail/Stop lamp: LED type.

Chassiss and body:

Wheel base: 1275 mm.

Saddle height: 810 mm.

Turning circle radius: 1990 mm (min).

Ground clearance: 165 mm.

Fuel tank capacity: 8.0 liters.

Reserve: 1.83 liters.

Front suspension: 130 mm fork travel, telescopic.

Rear suspension: 105 mm rear wheel travel, nitrox.

Front brakes: 200 mm disc / 130 mm drum brake.

Rear brakes: 130 mm drum brake.

Front tyre: 2.75 x 17, 41 P.

Rear tyre: 100 / 90 - 17, 55 P.

Front rim: 1.4 x 17” die cast aluminium alloy.

Rear rim: 2.15 x 17” die cast aluminium alloy.

• 135CC DTS-Si engine: The 135CC DTS-Si engine provides high performance and greater fuel efficiency. The DTS-Si technology employs microprocessor that measures different speeds and loads on the engine and responds accordingly by altering the ignition timing. The DTS-Si technology also utilizes two spark plugs instead of one for creating efficient and faster combustion compared to conventional 4 storke engines. In addition, the offset positioning of inlet and outlet ports, which is also known as swirl induction, creates turbulence in the air-fuel mixture inside the engine thus further enhancing performance and fuel efficiency.
• The five speed gear box enables proper utilization of power. The rider would have to change gears less frequently and they offer higher fuel economy.
• Front disk brake ensures safety and stability.
• Electric start of the motor cycle ensures hassle free start.
• The nitrox rear suspension enables the motor cycle to take over all the roads and it does not require much maintenance.
• The LCD speedometer gives out accurate information to the rider.
• The LED tail lamps come in lens-in-lens design and 10 LEDs.
• The wider rear tyre effectively grips the road and gives the motorcycle a sporty outlook.
• The 12V 5 amp battery does not require any maintenance.
• New twin pilot lamps not only give the motor cycle a great look but also better visibility at night.
• The stylish side indicators of the Bajaj XCD 135 DTS-Si are fitted with multi-reflectors for brighter light.
• Under all weather conditions, the auto choke ensures hassle free starting.
• Anti friction bush in-front suspension makes sure that the rider gets a smooth ride on the rough surface
• Ride control switch makes sure that the rider gets maximum mileage.
• DC Ignition improves the motorcycle's ignition timing.
• Aircraft style petrol tank cap adds up to the overall style quotient.
• ExhausTEC provides high pulling power at low rpm while the motorcycle is running in top gear.

Price:

The Bajaj XCD 135 DTS-Si comes in three version. The kick-start version costs Rs.43,000 while the electric start version costs Rs.45,000 and the high-end version with disc brakes cost Rs.47,000.

Related articles:

Wikipedia

Zigwheels

Sri Lanka wins the first ODI 2009 by 32 Runs

It is the time of one day international cricket between Pakistan and SRI Lanka. In fact, the first match took place earlier today and in it, host Sri Lanka secured a comfortable victory over the visitors. So, it gave a lot of unhappiness to the cricket fan of Pakistan who were hoping to see something special from the national team. At first, the host team batted and scored 232-9. it was not a big total but in the end it became enough As Pakistani bats and could not play well. Umar Gul (33) and Fawad Alam (31) offered some kind of resistance but it was the day of Thilan Thushara whose bowling in the end made all the difference.

Now, the Pakistani supporters have to wait for the second match and there is a lot of pressure on Pakistani players to perform well.

Related Article

BBC

British Council outsourcing to India

British council is one of the things that are considered to be a symbol of British nationalism or it gives an identity to the country of Great Britain. It has branches in many countries of the world and the news that it may outsource some jobs to India or another country has made many workers very angry. It has also made many trade union leaders angry because they feel that it is a betrayal of Prime Minister’s policy to keep British job within England.

However, I think that it is an inevitable because all the companies in the world are now trying to save their operating cost. Of course British council gets the money from British government and it is not a company but we have to remember that they have to work within their budget and whatever they can save is good for them. So, I am not surprised with this outsourcing news. However, I wish that a thorough study is done about outsourcing because when British workers will loss job in large number that can cause damage to the British economy and cause social unrest.

Related Article:

THE HINDU

TVS Apache RTR 180: The new member of the TVS Apache stable

TVS, the maker of the popular Apache RTR brand, released TVS Apache RTR 180cc bike last month, the new member of the Apache family. The Apache bikes are racing bikes. If you are looking for a bike which is stylish and powerful at the same time, then this is the bike for you. The Apache RTR 180 comes with superb aerodynamic design. TVS mainly made changes in the engine which made the major difference in the performance of this bike. The new Apache RTR 180 will compete with Bajaj Pulsar 180cc and Bajaj Pulsar 200cc bikes, Yamaha FZ-S bike. TVS is also planning to launch another motorcycle in India by the end of this year and it would start exporting its Apache RTR 160 FI to North America at the same time.

Dimensions, weight and color:

• Length: 2085.00 mm
• Width: 730.00 mm
• Height: 1100.00 mm
• Kerb weight: 137 kg.
• Maximum payload: 130 kg.
• Colors: White, gray, yellow and black.

Other specifications:

• Ground clearance: 180 mm
• Saddle height: 790 mm
• Chassis type: Double cradle sychrostiff.
• Fuel tank capacity: 16 ltrs
• Reserve fuel tank capcity: 2.5 ltrs.
• Battery: 12v. 9.0 AH
• Headlamp: 12V 35/35W Halogen HS1, Clear lens with MFR.
• Taillamp: 0.5 W LED twin-triangle with prism on
• Wheel Type: Six spoke magnesium alloy wheels.
• Wheelbase: 1326.00 mm
• Front rim size: 1.85 X 17”
• Rear rim size: 2.15X17”
• Front wheel size: 90/90 x 17”
• Rear wheel size: 110/80 x 17” mm
• Front suspension: Telescopic Forks (105 mm strokes)
• Rear suspension: Mono tube inverted gas filled shocks
• Front brake type: 270 mm petal disc.
• Rear brake type: 200 mm petal disc.
• Brake fluid: Dot 3.

Engine:

• Engine type: Single cylinder, air cooled, four stroke.
• Displacement: 177.4 cc.
• Max Power: 17.3bhp @ 8500rpm
• Max Torque: 1.58kgm @ 6500rpm
• Maximum speed: 124 kmph.
• Bore: 62.5 mm.
• Stroke: 57.8 mm.
• Compression ratio: 9.5:1
• Carburettor: Mikuni BS-29.
• Valve train: Two valves, overhead cam.
• Valves per cylinder: Two valves.
• Power to weight ratio: 124.08 bhp/tonne.
• Starting: Electronic and kick start.

Split bull horn rails:

The split bull horn rails not only adds up to the motor cycle’s style quotient but also helps the pillion rider to get a good grip thus ensuring safety. The split bull horn design is the result of input gathered from thousands of “palm types” and “grab holdings.”



Style and graphics:

The stylish graphics of TVS Apache RTR 180 makes it a stand out from the crowd. The racing stripes, luminous rims, aerodynamic airscoops and race crouch mirrors makes it lean mean racing machine.



Aerodynamic airscoops:

The aerodynamc airscoops makes sure that cool air flows towards the engine unit to cool it down.



Engine fairing:

The engine fairing adds up to the aero dynamic design of the TVS Apache RTR 180. It also protects RTR engine from harsh road conditions.









Lightweight stylish alloys:

The lighthweight alloys does not add up too much weight at the same time they can withstand the toughest surface.



Forged brake lever:

The forged brake lever and gear lever set of the Apache RTR 180 gives it a distinctive look.



Removable rear fender:

The Apache RTR 180 comes with a replaceable mud flap.



Engine:

The “Rev happy oversquare engine” truly upholds the ingenuity of TVS engineers. This engine won the TVS Apache RTR 160 the performance bike of the year award from BS Motoring and Overdrive & NDTV car and bike awards.



Roto petal disc:

The Apache RTR 160 was the first Indian bike to come with the Roto Petal disc with a diameter of 270 mm. It helps in sharp braking and the large size of the disc ensures quick heat dispersion. The Apache RTR 180 comes with roto petal disc on both front and rear wheels.



Digital speedo console:

The backlit digital speedo console gives out necessary information about the motor cycle such as, two trip logs, max speed and so on.



LED Tail lamp:

The stylish LED (Light Emitting Diode) tail lamp consumes less energy and shines more brightly and ensures high visibility at any weather condition.



Head Lamp:

The head lamp and park lights are integrated into the cowl. It provides good visibility.



Poly shock absorbers:

The poly shock makes the TVS RTR 180 a tough motorcycle that can run on any terrain. Be it a smooth road, or rough road filled with potholes. The poly shock absorber takes the rebound from a shock and dissipates it as heat energy.



Clip on handle bars:

The clip on handle bar of the TVS RTR 180 is designed based on racing insights. The handle bar consists of two units- the two different handle bars and base unit. The handle bars are joined with the base unit in such a way that it gives the rider a racing posture. The clip on handle bar is also adjustable according to the rider’s height.



Wide tubeless tyres:

The wide tubeless tyres of TVS RTR 180 ensure high stability for the rider on all types of roads.



Stylish exhaust:

The roar says it all for TVS RTR 180. Designed with great care, the exhaust not only releases the gas produced from internal combustion but also adds up to the overall style icon of the bike.



Foot pegs:

The rear set foot pegs is fitted in such a way that is gives the rider a sporty stance while riding the bike. The foot pegs of TVS Apache RTR 180 are lightweight and contribute to the power to weight ratio.

Price:

TVS Apache RTR 180 will cost Rs.64,000 (ex-showroom).

Related articles:

TVS Apache RTR 180 official website

India Automotive.net

Autos Maxabout.com

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 1st ODI 2009: Preview and Live Score

Sri Lanka is going to play against Pakistan in the first one-day international cricket match on 30 July, Thursday. The match is going to be a day match and it is not welcome news for every one because it is time of hot weather in Sri Lanka. So, the players will not be able to play in good environment. On the other hand, it is going to take place on Thursday a working day in both Sri Lanka and Pakistan. So, the cricket crazy fans will not be able to watch most part of their matches in their television sets.

The match is going to take place at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium and let me tell you something about it first. The stadium has sitting capacity of more than 16,000. It has also floodlight. Dambulla International cricket Stadium was built in 2000 and the first match took place in March 2000 was between England and Sri Lanka. The pitch is considered to be good for bowlers and fast bowlers get more benefit in morning time while in the afternoon it is the spinners to get more support from the pitch.

You know that Sri Lanka and Pakistan just finished playing a test series and in this test series, three matches were played in which Sri Lanka won the first two and the third was a draw. In fact, in the third test match, Pakistan was lucky that they could draw it because at one time it looked that they could loss it. Thus, Pakistan was very lucky to get saved from a total white wash in a test series. Of course, one-day international is a different ball game compared to test matches. Anything can happen in an ODI match and it is very unpredictable.

Although, Pakistan suffered humiliating defeat in the test series, their captain is very optimistic that they would much perform better in their ODI. In fact, Pakistan is confident that they can win the ODI series because they have some good players. In fact, the good part for them is that some fresh and new players are going to take part in the ODI series. First of all, I have to talk about the Shahid Afridi, who decided not to play in the test series. He was the top player in ICC World Twenty20 2009. Then there is Rana Naved and Imran Nazir who are going to make into the national team after a long absence because of their playing in Indian Cricket League or ICL. These three players are in fresh mood and they can really improve the performance of the team.

I would like to talk more about Shahid Afridi because it seems that 2009 is the year of Afridi. In April, he played against Australia in Dubai and his performance was best for his team. In fact, in that series he was in top form and among all the Pakistani players, Afridi performed consistently in the series against Australia. The same can be said in World Twenty20 Cup. He was the key man behind the success of his team. I hope that you remember that Pakistan became champion of World Cup Twenty20 2009 and in the final match they defeated Sri Lanka. Shahid Afridi was man of the match in semi-final and final matches in Twenty20 World Cup and it shows that what kind of form he is. Another player that Pakistan is hoping a lot is Umar Akmal who is the brother of Kamran Akmal. Umar Akmal is a very young player and he is only 19-year old but on this Monday, he scored 101 runs against Sri Lanka A in a warm-up match. So, there is a lot of expectation from Umar Akmal too.

Sri Lankan players are also very confident. They are in good form in 2009. They demolished Pakistan in the test series as I just stated earlier. And all their players are in good form. Sri Lanka has a very talented and they are consistently performing well since their world cup triumph in 1996.

However, I think that Sri Lanka will miss Chaminda Vaas. Chaminda Vaas recently retired from test cricket but he said that he wanted to play ODI matches for another two years. However, Sri Lankan selector did not think that Vaas was an experienced and good player now and they did not select him. I think that it is a big mistake and they should not have done it. Chaminda Vaas has been the main fast bowler for many years for Sri Lankan team and they should have picked him. However, Sri Lankan fans will surely miss Tillakaratne Dilshan more than Chaminda Vaas. Dilshan was in superb form in Twenty20 World Cup 2009 but he is suffering from a bad injury that he got in the third test.

I am afraid that rain can play very important fact in the match because at this moment in South Asia it is time of rainy season.

So, who do you think will win the match? I think that Pakistan has better chance because they have got some fresh players and Afridi is in superb form in this year. Pakistan cricket board has also acted very smartly by bringing back quality players like Rana Naved and Imran Nazir. Both of them are good for shorter version of cricket.

Live Score:

Good thing is that these days many websites give live score of cricket matches. Some of the websites are:

action8cricket

cricinfo

cricbuzz

cricketnext

YAHOO CRICKET

123india.com

Sify Sorts

Sri Lanka: No Mobile Phone in School

In most countries in the world, mobile phone operators feel that it is the young generation who is their main customer. They have this feeling because young people try to adapt to new technology more than their elders. Sri Lanka is not an exception either. It has mobile phone penetration rate of over 50% and this is a good market for any company. So, the operators have brought this technology to the hand of teenagers and this has caused some problems in some schools. Many teenagers are getting addicted to their phone sets and what happened was that a teacher scolded a girl severely for talking to a boy with her cell during school time. This matter made the girl very sad and she committed suicide. Another student tried to kill himself. So, the government officials have become worried and have banned carrying cell phones in school.

Well, I do not support this decision because for working parents whose children go to school every day, mobile phone is a very important device to stay connected. So, what Sri Lankan government is doing in fact is like cutting off the head because headache pain.

Related Article

AFP

India share market on July 28 2009

Today at the Bombay Stock Exchange share prices of 1,709 companies advanced while 645 declined. Sensex closed at 15,331.94 points. It observed an intra-day high of 15,463.46 points and a low of 15,240.53 points. Compared to yesterday’s close, it went down by 0.28% or 43.1 points.

The Nifty at the National Stock Exchange on the other hand closed at 4564.10 points which was 0.18% or 8.2 points lower compared to yesterday’s closing. The Nifty observed an intra-day high of 4599.90 points and a low of 4529.15 points.

The BSE Midcap Index advanced 1.13% and BSE Smallcap Index 1.68%. BSE Realty Index advanced 4.64% after the interest rates were lowered for housing loans. BSE Auto Index advanced 1.92% which was led by Tata Motors as the company reported higher-than-expected earning in the April-June quarter. Share prices of Tata Motors increased by 10.47% followed by Reliance Infrastructure (3.91%), DLF (3.4%), Reliance Communications (2.98%) and Maruti Suzuki (2.84%).

Companies whose share prices fell today are:

Hindustan Unilever decreased by 7.28%

ICICI Bank 2.37%

Grasim Industries 1.77%

State Bank of India 1.7%

Infosys Technologies 1.51%

Related articles:

Economic Times

Panamera: The new luxury sedan from Porsche is coming to India

German sports car manufacturer, Porsche, is planning to launch a brand new luxury sedan named Panamera in India this year. As sales is declining in America and Europe, the car maker is looking for new markets in Asia. The car is sold under the name Gran Turismo in China. Porsche is planning to sell at least fifty units of Panamera in India in 2009.

Panamera will be launched in India on October 3, 2009. Rod Wallace, Managing Director of the company, said that they had already finished bookings of 13 Panamera sedans in the country. The car will be imported as a CBU from the company’s manufacturing plant in Germany.

The Porsche Panamera is a four-door, four-seat luxury sedan launched in 2009. It is a front-engine car with rear wheel drive but a four-wheel drive option is also available. The production model of the car was first unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show 2009. The Panamera is 195.7 inch long. It comes with a V8 engines and other luxurious features. There are three versions of the car- the S, the 4S and turbo version. The base version, an aspirate 4.8-liter model and rear-drive, weighs 3,903 pounds. The turbo version is the heaviest of all; 4,344 pounds. Engineers of the car tried keep the weight of the car within a reasonable limit. So, they used a mixture of aluminum, magnesium, plastic and several grades of steel to build the body.

Currently, Porsche has a small share in the Indian market but there is hope as the demand of cars especially luxury cars, is growing day by day in India. Porsche is planning to sell another 225 units in the next twelve months including the Panamera.

Precision Cars India is the official importer of Porsche cars in India. Currently, the company sells 911, Boxter, Cayman and Cayenne SUV models in India. So far, the popular SUV Cayenne makes up 65% of Precision Cars’ sales in India. The company entered into business three years ago and sold 650 units since then. In 2007, it sold 168 units followed by 150 in 2008.

Currently Porsche has two offices in India in Delhi and Mumbai. Mumbai is the biggest market for the company generating 60% of its sales followed by 30% in Delhi and the remaining 10% from the rest of the country. It has further plans to increase to eleven offices in the next 2-3 years including one in Chennai (11,000 sq ft), Hyderabad (14,000 sq feet) and Cochin (14,000 sq feet). The company has no future to start any assembling plants in India.

Price:

Panamera will cost between Rs 140 million to Rs 200 million.

Related articles:

Press Trust of India

domain-b.com

Gizmo Passion

Duniyalive.com

Livemint.com

Wheels Unplugged

Dhaka: It is Raining Cats and Dogs at Last

It is now 2:15 AM and for the last 15 minutes or more, it really has been raining heavily. The last few days were too much hot and all people suffered. Today, there was some rain at noon but it was only for few minutes. Well, this year (2009), I cannot remember heavy rain continuing for whole day or whole night. For the last few weeks, people across Bangladesh are crying and praying for some water to fall from the sky. The condition is like drought and it is too bad for the farmers. The Indian farmers are suffering from the same problem and many farmers are arranging frog wedding out of desperation.

There is no doubt that climate is changing. Many people in USA think otherwise. I wish that they could come here and live in my city for one month. Then some of them would at least have changed their mind. As for ‘cats and dogs’- this is a idiom that we memorized in our school days. Today, all the time, I sweated despite having two fans in my room. Now, there is heavy rain and cool and pleasant wind.

If you are in good mood then you can read this entry of mine: How to come back to Blogging from Personal Disaster?

Rain is good but I am worried that tomorrow, in front of my home, in the street there will be a lot of water and it will be difficult for me to go out.

Update: It is now 2:30 PM and still raining heavily.

Interview of Will Luke: Cricinfo Writer and Cricket Blogger

(This entry was originally published on Sunday, January 4th, 2009)

Will Luke is a staff writer at Cricinfo. He has been running The Corridor for five years. “The Corridor” is one of the best blogs about cricket. So, if you are a cricket fan then I am sure that you would have come across his writing at Cricinfo. The thing that I admire about Will Luke is that he is always ready to voice his opinion frankly. This is an attractive skill in blogging. He is perhaps one of the successful cricket journalists who could show equal skill in blogging. Earlier today, I e-mailed him some questions for this interview and he replied promptly. Here it is for our readers:

Razib Ahmed: What do you think about the possible impact of Twenty20 cricket on cricket’s traditional version test cricket? Where do you see the future of test cricket?

Will Luke: Recent tense matches have showcased Tests’ strength. Run-chases that were once at best ambitious and at worst suicidally ludicrous are now within reach (or very nearly), and Twenty20 can be partially credited for expanding players’ belief in what they can achieve. The future of Tests is less clear; only in England and Australia (and to a lesser extent South Africa) are crowds sufficiently big enough, and television audiences interested. A world Championship is one idea that I’m in favour of, with two divisions - the second of which would contain the top Associate nation. Day-night Tests is another, but only once they’ve replicated the visibility of a red ball. They’re nowhere
near close at the moment.

Razib Ahmed: You know that cricket still has limited presence in many parts of the world. Do you think that twenty20 could be an effective tool for ICC to explore new
market for cricket around the world?
Will Luke: It already is. If you read Beyond the Test World (http://blogs.cricinfo.com/btw) which me and my managing editor run, you’ll see just how many Twenty20 competitions are appearing in places like Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and African nations. Twenty20 is not a new concept at all; clubs have been playing it for decades. The concept of making money out of it, however, is.

Razib Ahmed: Do you believe that Australia’s decade-long dominance in world cricket has at last started to fade away? If yes, then what sort of measures do you think Cricket Australia (CA) should take to get over the problem?
Will Luke: Their fade began when McGrath, Gilchrist and Warne retired but their batting lineup is so strong that they’ve been able to cope without them. When their bowling falters, as it now has, then they’re in trouble. There are no ready replacements for McGrath, Lee (when injured) and Clark (when injured). Mitchell Johnson is promising but not yet an attack-leader. Cricket is cyclical; Australia will have to invest in their academies again but their decline is no way terminal. Cricket is too big there; people love it too much and kids play it from a young age. They’ll be back as soon as they’ve found two young fast bowlers.

Razib Ahmed: The recent performance of England test team is not satisfactory at all. Even Kevin Pietersen’s captaincy did not work well in India. So, do you think that England as like as its fierce rival Australia is also going through a formation period, following the departure of the players like Ashley Giles and Marcus Trescothik? If not, then what should be the remedy for England’s current problems?
Will Luke: England’s situation can’t be compared to Australia’s. The side is no longer in transition: Trescothick and Giles left some time ago, and Vaughan is unlikely to return. England’s problem has been a lack of top-order runs and an inconsistent opening attack. If Strauss & Cook can begin making hundreds as a matter of course, and if Harmison and
Anderson/Broad can combine, they’ll be very difficult to beat. And they must not be afraid to dump the slip streamers, such as Bell, who was really lucky not to be dropped for the West Indies series.

Razib Ahmed: Inspirational South Africa seems to take over the no. 1 spot of test ranking from Australia very soon, while India is also aiming to secure the same pride.
So, do you think that a seemingly possible rivalry between India and South Africa is going to build up in the years to come?
Will Luke: Not especially. I don’t think India or South Africa have the depth or talent that Australia did. Both sides will be high-class and attractive to watch, but will remain beatable. Australia had four or five once-in-a-generation players: the Waughs, McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist.

Razib Ahmed: With Australia struggling to sustain their long-lasting dominance and
England showing limited prospect, do you think that traditional Ashes series could somehow be affected? Do you see any possibility of India-South Africa rivalry replacing Australia-England rivalry in terms of popularity in world cricket in the near future?
Will Luke: Absolutely not! The Ashes stretches back to the 1800s. India and South Africa have only played a handful of matches in comparison. The history and tradition and social rivalry between the English and Australians will always guarantee a fierce competitiveness in the Ashes, and nothing else comes close, other than India and Pakistan.

Razib Ahmed: Both England and Australia are now in dearth of quality spinner (considering Monty Panesar’s failure in India). How do you think the two cricket powers can get over this problem? Do you think England and Australia can help each other in this regard?
Will Luke: Not really. You can’t wave a magic wand. England have had leg spinning
coaches and clinics for about 10 or more years with little or no products coming through. The attitude towards leg spin in England is still completely bogus. It’s changing slowly in schools, but these things take years. Warne appeared out of the blue, and largely thanks
to his mentor Terry Jenner. Great players appear from nowhere. They were born to play; the trick is in keeping them in cricket and not letting them stray to other sports which, traditionally, offer more incentives.

Razib Ahmed: How do you see the involvement of Antigua’s billionaire Sir Allen Stanford in English cricket amidst the current credit crunch? To what extent, do you think, cricket has been affected by the current economic slowdown around the world?
Will Luke: Stanford will get as much out of cricket as his investment team (and
marketeers) consider they need to boost their wallets and his profile. He’ll then pull the plug. It might be next year or in 10. No one knows other than Stanford. He is a businessman first and foremost, not a cricket fan.

Razib Ahmed: How do you see the ICL-IPL conflict? Do you think that ICL and IPL could be beneficial for the development of cricket?

Will Luke: Possibly. It might improve the standards of Twenty20 cricket, which could then drip down into other formats, but I’m not a supporter of what is essentially a league to make millions for one man and one board.

Razib Ahmed: Now, tell us something about your blog. What is your future plan with the blog?
Will Luke: No immediate plans. It’s five years old and I have increasingly little time to keep it going, but hopefully there will be a few good contributors over the next few months which will be fun.