I always had this sneaking suspicion about Patrick Kidd.
That he is a sound egg, all virtues and no vices.
When he steps out of house, he daily thrusts a coin into the palm of a waiting beggar, pats him on the back and advises him not to waste it on drink.
In the bus, he vacates seats for elderly men and women, never jumps signal, stands patiently in queues, as and when he is in a queue, and goes about spreading light and sweetness.
Strain your eyes and you might see something around his head which you are not sure if it’s not a halo.
Goad me a little more and I would have a lump in my throat.
Well, to cut a long story short, Patrick Kidd (the Don Bradman of cricket writing) of ‘The Times’ (the Don Corleone of newspapers) has concocted a list titled “The world's 50 best cricket websites”.
And it’s the mention of Doosra there that threatens to bring the lump in my throat.
That he is a sound egg, all virtues and no vices.
When he steps out of house, he daily thrusts a coin into the palm of a waiting beggar, pats him on the back and advises him not to waste it on drink.
In the bus, he vacates seats for elderly men and women, never jumps signal, stands patiently in queues, as and when he is in a queue, and goes about spreading light and sweetness.
Strain your eyes and you might see something around his head which you are not sure if it’s not a halo.
Goad me a little more and I would have a lump in my throat.
Well, to cut a long story short, Patrick Kidd (the Don Bradman of cricket writing) of ‘The Times’ (the Don Corleone of newspapers) has concocted a list titled “The world's 50 best cricket websites”.
And it’s the mention of Doosra there that threatens to bring the lump in my throat.
Posts
9 comments:
I'm sorry. I've been to some of the other websites in the list, and I can't take that list seriously and neither should you. Doosra very well may be among the top 50 cricket blogs, but if so, it should be on a list which is random at best and contains some egregious blogs
Anonymous, welcome. To be honest, I have not checked the entire list, which of course features some of the blogs I frequent.
Probably you have a point when you question the seriousness of the list and just because my blog is there, I can't be its self-appointed counsel.
Polemics apart, let me tell you how a blogger's mind works. You don't get a penny out of your blog and the bloody addiction doesn't take you anywhere. It becomes a sort of self-flagellation. A mention here, a comment there is all that keeps a blog going. So the mention naturally gave me a kick and the rest is...neither history nor geography but a celebratory post:)
Sorry for being a spoilsport earlier. By the way the last line should have read 'it shouldn't be' not 'it should be'!
I'm a regular on your blog and it is one of my favourites, but that list has some crappy blogs...:)
But I guess I would be just as happy if my blog were put on any 'top' list! :)
A bit heartless of your anonymous commenter Som, but he has a point. I'm not happy with all the entries there but they do at least update regularly and I know from experience that if you exclude the hardest workers they are the ones who moan most (that's why I didn't rank them).
To be honest, I thought I would struggle to reach 50 but as you'll see I missed out a few that are worth mentioning. Oh well, no one's perfect.
However, and I can say this with honesty, if I had just kept the list to the top 30 rather than trying to pad it out to 50, Doosra would still be in the list. And people would still complain that their crappy blog isn't. Keep up the good work.
Oh sorry, "Paddy" is me, Patrick Kidd of the Times, by the way. I didn't realise that comment would show up with my personal blogger name
Anonymous -- why anonymous BTW? -- not at all. You have not been a spoilsport but I too have doubts about couple of blogs. Anyway, people have their own yardstick and call me a selfish but I don't rause a hell if my blog is there:) BTW, honoured that you pop up occasionally at Doosra, keep coming:)
Welcome to Doosra Paddy, you let the cat out:)
I agree with you wholeheartedly that regular update has to be one of the criteria. Hardest workers need to be rewarded than those who sizzle and then fizzle out.
I have seen many a good blog start with great verve before petering out. You feel bad but can't do anything.
As I said earlier, it is these mentions and comments that keep a blogger going. 'Line and Length' has done an excellent job in encouraging all of us and we all expect it to continue to do so in its 'Cricket Central' avatar.
Will keep trailing you. Thanks
I have frequented some of the blogs in the list. I have loved some of them. BCCI, Fake IPL player etc were good. Unfortunately Fake IPL player became a little too novel a little too soon!
But for me, Doosra and Cricket with Balls are the only Cricket blogs I follow regularly!
Congrats. I don't know many of those blogs, but Doosra deserves a place at the top and I mean it!
Hey Govind, it's people like you who keep Doosra going. Else would have buried it long back and washed my hands of. Can't thank enough:)
Post a Comment