Fun and games in Karachi

Sidin Vadukut — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:36:00 GMT

Paul Kedrosky's blog, Infectious Greed, is the blog to read if you, like me, have very few investments to worry about. And are prepared to laugh while the global economy melts down around us. Kedrosky, aided by a potent mix of wit and wisdom, writes scathing and funny posts about banks, stocks, public policy and Hank Paulson. Seldom have I read a blog that makes you want to forward posts as much as Inf. Greed.

We particularly liked this one:

After a few palpitations, the Karachi market has now flat-lined. It has fallen to the 9100 floor -- okay 9182 -- and now sits there, in the uncomfortable the way non-viable markets do. Volumes have collapsed, going from a healthy 186-million shares a day to a comatose million shares a day, a 99.4% decline. It is simply no longer a viable exchange, with companies unable to raise money and investors unable to get liquidity or -- heaven forfend -- buy shares. Nothing. Traders are reduced to sleeping and playing video games.

And Kedrosky is not joking. The image in his blog post actually shows a trader at the KSE playing a computer game:

So which game is he playing? At first sight I thought it was that flash cricket game on the BBC. But then on closer observation I think it is actually one of those EA Cricket series games. Which one? 2006? 2007?

Pic: REUTERS/Athar Hussain

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The Douglas Marillier Shot

Krish Raghav — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:33:00 GMT

Remember Douglas Marillier?

(I promise not to use the 'remember [person.object/pop culture reference]?' gimmick ever again, but this post needs that remembering)

Douglas Marillier was the Zimbabwean man who added the word 'Marilliered' to the dictionary. Most notably to the dictionary of Indian cricket fans, when he used the aforementioned verb to beat India in a 2002 ODI with a valiant 56 not out.

He pioneered the 'Marillier shot', the inspiringly bizarre cricket stroke (poorly pictured below) involving an ungainly scoop of the ball over fine leg. (I believe 'Ashrafulled' is also a legitimate synonym today)

Right. Now here's a challenge.

Top Spinner is a new Cricket flash game released by Benzido, who previously made a flash game about dismembering attacking Ninjas with their own shurikens (Cricket, obviously, was the next logical game to make after that)

Take a look at the game screen:

Simple enough. You use the mouse to play shots, swat away incoming balls till kingdom come, and you get runs depending on where the ball hits the edge of the screen.

But wait. Look at the top-left edge again. There's a distinct 'Six' area there - one that can only be reached by playing...that's right, a Marillier Shot.

The problem, however, is HOW?

I tried ungainly scoops of the mouse, only to watch the ball unceremoniously nosedive straight onto the wicket. I tried deliberate edges, golf shots, even reverse psychology. No good. In desperation, I even tried ye-olde-trusty Google search, which believed I was looking for an Xbox 360 game of a similar name.

Sigh. Ideas, anyone?

Play Top Spinner here.

[Douglas Marillier picture courtesy BBC]

P.S: My current high score is a measly 195.

P.P.S: Douglas Marillier's Wikipedia page is quite amusing - it starts like an encyclopedia entry, then reads like a riveting Reader's digest article.

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Play Things : cricket

Fun and games in Karachi

The Douglas Marillier Shot