All the newspapers and regional news channel had some space reserved to highlight the bits and pieces for the forthcoming one-day series between India-Pak to be held on 5th Nov here in Guwahati.
It was a pity to see and hear that cricket buffs queued from the previous night to grab a ticket in the Latasil playground! Snapshots showed police using the cane to control the “mob-like” crowd and much later the ones who failed to managed to procure a ticket “gheraoed” the premises of UCO Bank blaming the bank personnel for mismanagement. So much for a game!
I am not a cricket buff, not even a dot in me has any inkling towards the game.
But all these news and frenzy reminds me of the day I watched my first and last (as I am not much inclined towards it) cricket match in the Nehru Stadium.
Times were different, I was young and the only constant remaining that even then and as of now I don’t understand much about the game!
My father was a great sports buff – cricket, swimming, tennis or even fishing. He was just game for anything “sporty”.
I accompanied him on that fine morning.
The year was 1985 or 1986, and I must have been in class four or five. I don’t even remember with whom India was pitted against. Maybe Australia. I clearly remember the Indian team was there because I got a very clear sight of Ravi Shastri. He was the nation’s heart throb at that time. So even before the match begun I had my dose of cricket; seeing the “Indain Idol” as we walked down towards the stadium and the bus which carried the players had just passed us by.
We woke up early – early by my standards and by 5.30 we were ready to head towards the stadium, we decided to walk as taking the car wasn’t practical. And the stadium wasn’t that far also.
Unlike now when let alone mobile phones, you are not supposed to carry a bottle of water, Aita & Maa had packed lunch for us – boiled eggs neatly coated with a batter of “maida?” (am not sure now) and fried, sandwiches, cakes and in the other basket were oranges, apples, bananas and also two flasks – one with water and the other with tea!
As we sat down to watch and the match got going, my father took out his pocket transistor and this tiny little devise (the size was just same to the Oxford Pocket Dictionary) was constantly glued to his ears. According to him it was getting best of both the worlds!
I don’t know whether the home team won or lost but by the time we returned home I was dog tired. Aita & Maa had a disappointed look on their faces. The two ladies watched the entire match without understanding a word of it. They were disappointed because they could not locate us in the TV! My father before venturing out of the house had casually told both the ladies that they better keep watching TV “in case” they saw us in TV live!!!
Those were the good old days…
After cricket I need to discuss something which pleases my senses more.
Side by side the cricket hype and glory, there was this small paragraph in the bottom of the Telegraph – page 4 or 6. The head lines said Scorpions to rock Shillong!
Now this is interesting. It slated for December 12th. And I need to go! For me watching these guys performing is as good as a holy dip in the Ganges!
It was a pity to see and hear that cricket buffs queued from the previous night to grab a ticket in the Latasil playground! Snapshots showed police using the cane to control the “mob-like” crowd and much later the ones who failed to managed to procure a ticket “gheraoed” the premises of UCO Bank blaming the bank personnel for mismanagement. So much for a game!
I am not a cricket buff, not even a dot in me has any inkling towards the game.
But all these news and frenzy reminds me of the day I watched my first and last (as I am not much inclined towards it) cricket match in the Nehru Stadium.
Times were different, I was young and the only constant remaining that even then and as of now I don’t understand much about the game!
My father was a great sports buff – cricket, swimming, tennis or even fishing. He was just game for anything “sporty”.
I accompanied him on that fine morning.
The year was 1985 or 1986, and I must have been in class four or five. I don’t even remember with whom India was pitted against. Maybe Australia. I clearly remember the Indian team was there because I got a very clear sight of Ravi Shastri. He was the nation’s heart throb at that time. So even before the match begun I had my dose of cricket; seeing the “Indain Idol” as we walked down towards the stadium and the bus which carried the players had just passed us by.
We woke up early – early by my standards and by 5.30 we were ready to head towards the stadium, we decided to walk as taking the car wasn’t practical. And the stadium wasn’t that far also.
Unlike now when let alone mobile phones, you are not supposed to carry a bottle of water, Aita & Maa had packed lunch for us – boiled eggs neatly coated with a batter of “maida?” (am not sure now) and fried, sandwiches, cakes and in the other basket were oranges, apples, bananas and also two flasks – one with water and the other with tea!
As we sat down to watch and the match got going, my father took out his pocket transistor and this tiny little devise (the size was just same to the Oxford Pocket Dictionary) was constantly glued to his ears. According to him it was getting best of both the worlds!
I don’t know whether the home team won or lost but by the time we returned home I was dog tired. Aita & Maa had a disappointed look on their faces. The two ladies watched the entire match without understanding a word of it. They were disappointed because they could not locate us in the TV! My father before venturing out of the house had casually told both the ladies that they better keep watching TV “in case” they saw us in TV live!!!
Those were the good old days…
After cricket I need to discuss something which pleases my senses more.
Side by side the cricket hype and glory, there was this small paragraph in the bottom of the Telegraph – page 4 or 6. The head lines said Scorpions to rock Shillong!
Now this is interesting. It slated for December 12th. And I need to go! For me watching these guys performing is as good as a holy dip in the Ganges!
Such a shame we cudn't make it, no? But don't worry. I'm sure we'll get to witness better shows in future.
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