Ambimama - India

I know I am late. But the 800th wicket also came late. And I found the Srilankans not so celebrating as we do in India! The crowd was decent and Murlidaran’s family also polite. And the Prime Minister was excellent. Is this the Lankan’s behaviour? I am really impressed and I really love them - whether they are Buddhists, Muslims or Hindus!

And I am proud that Murli chose Chennai as his best choice!

I was watching India-Srilanka test match on TV and was waiting and waiting. Murali still has not got his 800th wicket. Of course he will get his 800, but when? May be after lunch. Test match is not a bore to watch, as it requires lot of patience. It is not like football where the action is maximum upto one and half hours. Here the time is plenty and it sure requires a different skill to concentrate to be in to win. Some of the batsmen say that after some time the cricket ball looks a football to them and they can play it comfortably. But if the pitch turns, then you have to apply all your skills to bat. That is Cricket – the pitch is the key and even a best player feels difficult to bat or bowl.

So will Muthiah get his 800? I will watch after lunch and wish the electricity is there. It is the most unpredictable thing – power cuts!

The Modi affair is becoming bigger. The newspapers and TV channels have plenty of time and space for him. It is all because of the love for Cricket we Indians have. We have the money also. When the Rs 500/- ticket was sold for Rs. 1000/- in Chennai lots of people were ready to buy it. Even that was not available. So much for seeing Cricket Twenty-20 live!

I will watch Cricket till it is proved that matches are fixed for money. Even Kapil Dev was blamed and he cried. Then Vivian Richards came to the rescue of Kapil and said “If Kapil is blamed for anything involving playing only for money, then I am with him”. Such was the Cricket and I am sure even in modern days, players are Original and get money that is worth it. Else we cannot produce a Dhoni, Tendulkar, Harbhajan, Raina or Vijay. I am not omitting here the other players for no reason other than time.

Some people argue that Hanse, the South African player will decide only crucial player that too with minimum overs. That is not possible in Twenty-20 and if that happens, I will quit watching Cricket.

I was sure that Chennai will win over Mumbai yesterday. Mumbai had to score 181. The opener clicked and it was not amusing to see the new bowler from Chennai bowling 6 full tosses to the settled batsmen. I was so sure that Chennai will win have nothing to complain except the fact that commentators (except Dujohn and other foreign ones) were one sided and I had to mute the TV more often, especially when Gavaskar came. Suresh Raina was back in his form and we have more matches to see him in form.

Here the climate is very hot and humid. Though the players of Cricket play for money, the climate really kills them. I cannot think of watching them even in a normal room temperature. I put on the Air-c-conditioner and enjoy the game of sweating players!

When I was young, I did not mind the sweat, heat and after effects of the heat. The play itself was thrill and there was no money. I am sure all the players of the IPL have no money on their mind and just play the game. They love to see them on the Newspapers and cameras. But sure when they get money they are happy! Let us enjoy the matches today!