Iyer crushes Oz spinnersMUMBAI:Shreyas Iyer completed his double century, finishing unbeaten on 202 off 210 balls, before India A were bowled out for 403 by the visiting Australians at the Brabourne Stadium here today. Shreyas Iyer completed his double century, finishing unbeaten on 202 off 210 balls, before India A were bowled out for 403 by the visiting Australians at the Brabourne Stadium here today. The match ended in a draw, the visitors, who had taken a 66-run lead, finishing with 110/4 in their second innings. Iyer, the 22-year-old Mumbai batsman, struck 27 fours and 7 sixers, all seven off Australia’s spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe. Lyon was also hit by tail-ender Krishnappa Gowtham for four huge sixes on his way to a whirlwind 74 off 68 balls. Back in 1998, when the Australians toured India for a three-Test series, they played a warm-up match at the same venue, Brabourne Stadium. Then too a young Mumbai batsman, Amit Pagnis, attacked their spinners, especially Shane Warne.
Then too a Mumbai batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, made a double century. That match set the tone for the Test series, which India won 2-1 after going 2-0 up. That practice match at Brabourne exposed the inadequacies of the Australian attack — despite the presence of Warne. The India A batsmen exposed the inadequacies of the Australian attack today. Off-spinner Lyon was taken for 162 runs in 28.5 overs, at 5.61 runs an over; left-arm spinner O’Keefe gave away 101 in 24 overs, at 4.2 runs an over. Glenn Maxwell too bowled, six overs of his off-spin, giving away 26 runs. In all, the India A batsmen gathered 289 runs from the spinners, at close to 4.9 runs an over. Iyer, who resumed at his overnight 85, completed his century within 10 minutes of play today and put the Aussie attack, especially the spinners, to the sword. With Gowtham, he shared a 138-run stand for the seventh wicket. The morning’s play belonged to Iyer and Gowtham, who used the bat like a club and smashed Lyon for four huge sixes, to dent his confidence a bit ahead of the first Test, which begins on February 23.
Iyer galloped from 184 to 202 with the help of four fours in one over from O’Keefe before the innings came to an end. Gowtham, a 28-year-old off-spinner with a first-class batting average of 24.16, didn’t bowl at all in the first innings because of a hamstring injury and sent down only four overs in the second. He reached his half-century off just 43 balls. The Australians were surprised by his batting. “Lyon was not that happy when Gowtham came in and started attacking him. He was really disappointed by the way Gowtham hit him,” Iyer said later. “He (Lyon) started asking me who is this guy! I told him he’s an off-spinner. Later he asked me whether he (Gowtham) was acting (pretending that his hamstring was injured) when fielding. He was not that happy when he was taken off after six overs.” The Australians were impressed by Iyer. “That’s their mentality, to apply a bit of pressure on our spinners. They did that — credit to them, they played very well,” Warner said later.
He said his team needs to bowl maiden overs to put the Indian batsmen under pressure. “Over here you’re going to have to be prepared to bowl maidens and that’s one thing we have to try and do,” Warner said. Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s No. 1 spinner, has said that he’s been bowling at 60 to 70 percent of his potential. Warner said he doesn’t like the idea of Ashwin bowling at his 100 percent. “Well, if he says he’s bowling at 60 to 70 percent, then Jesus, what else has he got?!” said Warner. “24 or 25 five-fors in the last 12 months, bowling at 60 to 70 percent! I’d hate to see 100 percent then.” Brief scores: Australians 469/7 decl. and 110/4; India: A: 403 all out (Iyer 202*, Gowtham 74; — With agency inputsSometimes, surprises can be a very good thing. Many times they're not but this one is very welcome and special, indeed. Late Friday afternoon a message arrived from Donna Stevens, our good friend at the Planetary Society, informing us of their surprise.
As many of you are aware, Joy and I create the Planetary Society's Cosmos Award blown glass Saturns to be bestowed upon individuals for their outstanding public presentation of science. Each is produced in collaboration with Rick Sternbach, of Star Trek Production Design fame, who commissions us and also crafts the fine ebonized base over which our delicate glass sculptures float. This particular one, the third in the series, was presented to Theoretical Physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking at The University of Cambridge, England. Superb, in and of itself, but wait... there's more! Turns out that The Science Museum in London has mounted an exhibit: Stephen Hawking: A 70th Birthday Celebration. "The display features objects and papers primarily sourced from his own archives including handwritten notes on work with Roger Penrose, his drawing of the Hawking Radiation mechanism, the annotated script for a 1999 guest appearance on The Simpsons, and the blue suit he wore for a zero-gravity flight in 2007.
The display also includes a specially recorded message and a selection of personal photographs from Hawking’s life and career that haven’t been seen before. A rarely-seen 1978 portrait by David Hockney is also featured. This first ever display of items from the Hawking archive encourages visitors to reflect on the relationship between Hawking’s scientific achievements, particularly the work that established his reputation in the 1960s and ‘70s, and his immense success in popularizing astrophysics. Hawking and his daughter Lucy have been involved in the selection of objects for display." Among these items significant to his life is our beautiful Saturn, floating amid the many diagrams, sketches, papers, books, photographs, models and mementos collected over the years. To say that we are honored again is an understatement. The juxtaposition of creativities, his with ours, is staggering. Never in my wildest dreams... (and I have some pretty wild dreams). I had hoped that we would somehow come to meet one day.
Dr. Hawking held the Lucasian Chair, a professorship of mathematics once held by Sir Issac Newton, Charles Babbage and P. A. M. Dirac, among only fourteen others since the chair was deeded in 1663. Meeting in person, someone in this esteemed professorship would be sobering, indeed. Cosmology and philosophy have always been favorites of mine. Some time ago, I had a moment of clarity where many things align, fall into place and one can see farther than before. An understanding of the Universe came that was different and I knew that the only person to discuss this with was Stephen Hawking. It would surely be an interesting conversation. Suddenly, I was presented with the possibility that my time had come. The stars had aligned and we were creating the Cosmos Award for him. One cannot plan something like this. It does, however, come under the heading of: "Be careful what you wish for." The presentation was to be in Pasadena and we would take time to drive there to attend the ceremony.
Best to deliver the delicate Saturn than to needlessly risk damage during shipping, when we're not all that far away. It's been a long time between road trips, anyway, and getting out would do us good. Alas, it was not to be. Just prior to the date, another surprise came; this one not so good. His doctors deemed travel was not advisable, so the ceremony was cancelled. The presentation would be in England instead. A Planetary Society contingent traveled there but we were not among them. We consulted on the crating specifications in which to ship the award to England, to ensure that it would not be damaged and, indeed, it did arrive safely; we just weren't accompanying it. That was the extent of our involvement in making the presentation a success and we are both very happy to have made this small contribution. Still, it is a sobering thought to step back and realize how fortunate we are to have one of our children in his office where he can experience it each day and then to have it chosen to be in this wonderful exhibit, so that many may see it, too.
The exhibit runs until April 9 if you happen to be in the area. I wish that we could travel there to see it. A side trip to Cambridge would be in my mind constantly. Events like these are what keeps a creator going. You work along in obscurity and then, Boom!, the light shines brightly but ever so briefly. Sobering to realize that the things we create will be here long after we are gone; cared for by people whom we will never meet. At least they will know that we were here and perhaps wonder about us, as we wonder now about them. Live Science: Portrait of Genius: Stephen Hawking Exhibit Photos Joy and I both wish to convey our thanks and appreciation to the wonderful people at The Planetary Society for including us in their adventure. Have you had a brush with greatness? Please let us know your thoughts by sharing in a comment. Tags: art and science, art glass, astrophysics, award, brain, cosmology, glassblowing, honor, kudos, museum, physics, recognition, space, tribute