Batting Powerplays confuse captains

Ricky Ponting is still trying to work out how to use the new tactic most effectively © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting and Johan Botha are still coming to terms with when to employ the batting Powerplay in a critical decision that could turn a match. The new regulation allows the captain to choose the five-over block when the fielding team can have only three men outside the circle, with Australia using it in the 40th over in the second ODI in Hobart and South Africa calling for it late in their desperate chase.

The visitors eventually fell five runs short after taking 43 in the Powerplay. Australia managed only 23 and lost Michael Hussey and Cameron White in theirs and Ponting wished he had asked for it sooner. "I think probably in hindsight it would have been the right decision to take it earlier," Ponting said in the Age. "Statistics probably say the longer you hold it off in your innings, you're probably going to lose more wickets towards the end of your innings."

Botha expected more to happen when his team took the Powerplay, like it had when they won the opening match by three wickets in Melbourne. "Australia played really well in the first 30 overs and we probably should have looked a bit more at that and scored a bit quicker in the first 30," he said. "Because once the ball got quite a bit older and the wicket got a bit slower, it got more and more difficult."

A member of the crowd at Bellerive Oval was charged with racially vilifying a South African player, believed to be the 12th man Morne Morkel, when they fielded. "We have briefed the South African team management and they have confirmed that they were not aware of the incident and the player didn't hear any comment himself, but the police officer did,'' Cricket Australia's Peter Young said in theMercury.

"Our advice from South African team management is that they believe we have taken the appropriate steps and we have also apologised to Cricket South Africa in South Africa that this issue has occurred while they are being hosted in our country." On the team's previous tour to Australia there were a number of complaints about racist behaviour from spectators, which led to an ICC report finding the abuse was premeditated, co-ordinated and calculated.

Satyam clients have approached us: TCS

The country's largest software exporter, Tata Consultancy  Service, on Monday said some Satyam  Computer clients have turned to the Tata company on their own, adding it would not approach the clients of the scam-tainted firm.

"We are not approaching the clients of Satyam pro-actively ... but some of them have approached us on their own," TCS CFO S Mahalingam said here on the sidelines of the CII Partnership summit.

According to reports, a US client has terminated its contract with Satyam following the disclosures, citing uncertainty in the company.

It is widely believed that Satyam Computer's clients will migrate to competitors such as Infosys, TCS and Wipro, and according to a broking house report, TCS is likely to gain the most from it because it has the highest number of common clients.

Mahalingam said Satyam is a one-off incident but enough checks and balances should be there to prevent such occurrences.

Delhi 6: It's a 10/10 for Rahman!

'Dikhlade thenge in sabko jo udna na jaane,' a happy-go-lucky voice smugly states at some point during the thrilling course of Delhi  6'ssoundtrack. And man, what a thumbs down to all the seriously imagination-challenged musicians out there.

A R Rahman (who else, really?) makes waiting for his music such a worthwhile chore what with one fantastic soundtrack after another. Close on the heels of a deserving Golden Globes wins follows the anticipated score of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Delhi 6. Considering its impossible-to-define Chandni Chowk roots, Rahman injects the sounds of this 10-tracked album with an eclectic fusion of various genres. Bottom line: it's a 10 on 10.

Here's why:

Move over Aditi, lyricist Prasoon Joshi, his soaring imagination and Rahman at his affable best; collaborate to produce the mirthful, fluttering sensation,Masakali. Playing on the metaphor of a carefree pigeon of the same name whilst drawing parallels with Sonam Kapoor's  chirpy Bittu, Masakali is unanimously charming and contagiously blithe. The real winner of this enterprise is, of course, a crisp-sounding Mohit Chauhan. Best known for his slow-motioned renditions like Khoon chala(Rang De Basanti), Tum  se hi (Jab We Met ) and Is this love? (Kismat Konnection), the Silk Route front man customizes this ravishing track with a touch of ada and frills of masti, once associated with the inimitable Mohammed Rafi.

While it's impossible to proceed into the album without putting Masakali on the 'Repeat' mode, the show must go on. And so it does through the Sufism-imbued notes of Arziyan. Its poignancy is echoed in the simplicity of its heartfelt cry, 'Maramat muqaddar ki kardo, Maula (Mend my fate, Almighty).' A song of this genre calls for flawless chemistry between its core voices, a requirement that is seamlessly exhibited in the range of Javed Ali and emotions of Kailash Kher.

Spirituality is a frequent theme of the album. It makes its presence felt in the pious prayers of Aarti--Tumre bhavan mein as well as Amitabh Bachchan's commanding baritone in Noor, where he waxes eloquent about God's omnipresent ways.

A dash of nu metal, a few cubes of alternative rock and spray of rap/hip hop, Delhi 6 is a grungy cocktail of metal and attitude. The latter is thrown in truckloads via Blaaze, Benny, Viviane Pocha, Tanvi and Claire. Rahman understands genres skilfully and juggles them to perfection, unlike the wannabe eagerness of his colleagues to achieve the same. Almost high on the pandemonium, individuality, insolence and romance of India's capital city, Delhi 6 pays a funky tribute.

The recurrent rhythm and care-a-damn tone of Hey kaala Bandar spell boys-just-wanna-have-fun brand of camaraderie. There is a lot of erstwhile Rahman to be found in this medley of cheek and cheer, from Barso re(Guru), Shanno Shanno (Yuuvraaj) to Behka (Ghajini ) and Paathshala (RDB).

Up next, the much-awaited Rahman-behind-microphone moment arrives. This time the maestro's surrealism is an upgraded reminder of Sting  in the Eighties. Its fairy-tale-like sorcery with a hint of Arabic exotica lends Rehna tu an aura of precise enchantment and magical romance, wherein a smitten lover gushes in honour of his lady's cosmetic-free loveliness. Joshi's penmanship goes from strength to strength, besotted and inspired in turns.

The ingenious writer gets another opportunity to pour his crimson-hued similes some more in one of Delhi 6'sbest creations, Dil gira dafatan. The delicacy of Ash King's performance, supported by Chinmayee, resonates in the mellifluous imagery and exquisite minimalism of this glorious beauty. Spellbinding stuff from Rahman, this.

Lending a humorous, snazzy twist to Saraswati Chanra's Main toh bhool gayi babul ka ghar-line of sentiments enters the playful and catchy, Genda phool. Composer Rajat Dholakia and Rahman share the credit for this immensely entertaining shaadi ditty performed with delectable naughtiness by Rekha  Bharadwaj (the husky voice behind Namak, Omkara) accompanied by Shraddha Pandit and Sujata Majumdar.

Rahman's mastery is at work as he treats the Indian classical form Gujri todi in a mesmerising fashion to helm the stirring bandish, Bhor bhaye. Sparkling in the impeccable traditions of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan's rousing rendition and a confident Shreya Ghosal, Bhor bhaye is a three-minutes-and-18-seconds long overwhelming experience.

There's enough inspiration to be found in Delhi's most celebrated pin code. And as he's done for so many other landscapes, localities and lanes in the past, Rahman pays Delhi 6 a whopper ode in this swashbuckler of a soundtrack. The musketeers will be envious.*

Over 2 million supporters to attend Obama's D-Day

Barack Obama  will be sworn in as America's 44th and first black President on Tuesday, bringing a message of hope to a nation hungry for change after eight years of George W Bush regime.

The 47-year-old would be sworn in by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at noon today (2230 IST) at the Capitol Hill.

Braving severe cold, an estimated two million people from all over the country have thronged Washington to be a witness to the historic occasion.

The inaugural ceremony, to be attended by hundreds and thousands of people, is being held under an unprecedented security cover. Thousands of security personnel from more than a dozen security agencies and sharp shooters in plain clothes have been deployed in and around the Capitol.

The actual inaugural ceremony itself would begin at 11 am US time (2130 IST) on the West Front of the US Capitol with musical selections by the US States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Body Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

The Democratic Senator from California Dianne Feinstein, in the capacity as the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, would deliver the welcome address and call the function to order. This would be followed by invocation by Dr Rick Warren.

Thereafter, Joe Biden would be administered oath of office to Vice President by Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens. Following musical selection by composer

John Williams, the US Supreme Court Chief Justice would administer the oath of office of US Presidency to Obama.

Earlier in the morning, the outgoing President George W Bush would welcome his successor Obama and his wife Michelle at the North Portico of the White House some two hours before the swearing in ceremony.

Bush, along with his wife, would have coffee with the incoming first family along with Vice President-elect Biden and members of the Joint Congressional Committee.

At 10.45 am (2115 IST), Bush would depart the White House en route to the Capitol to participate in the swearing in ceremony.

In television interviews over the weekend and at his last press conference, Bush said he is looking forward to Obama's tenure as the President.

Soon after the inaugural ceremony is over, Obama would host a departure ceremony for Bush, who would leave for his new home in Midland Texas from the Andrews Air Force Base.

Obama and his deputy Biden would proceed towards the historic Statuary Hall at US Capitol for a luncheon hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The inaugural parade would start at 2.30 pm (0100 IST Wednesday) from the US Capitol to the White House.

Later, several dozen inaugural balls are scheduled for Obama with the Presidential Inaugural Committee itself hosting as many as ten inaugural balls including the Commander-in- Chief's Ball, the Youth Ball and the President Obama Home State Ball.

Obama is expected to appear in the Commander-in-Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.