Inswing...

There are things that you enjoy just because they are in the air around you. You have to fight it to not enjoy it. Like acid rain or Schwarzenegger for president, it is something we are just going to have to face up to sooner or later. Cricket is just that for me, it is an aura we live in and breathe, it makes for conversation with a random co-passenger or with the guy using the urinal next to you. (The only time, in my opinion, that a conversation ending with “lets shake on that” doesn’t necessarily mean consensus has been reached!)

Cricket is that underlying theme to collective mood swings.
It is that jubilant nod when you walk into the office the day after a full toss at the death yields a match winning wicket or that sigh of resignation when defeat is clawed out of the clutches of victory!

I am not however a sportsman by any measure, I spent all my PT periods standing petrified as balls of an inflated, moulded, or steel die cast variety were hurled, served, volleyed, cut, glanced or shot at me.
So to those of you that are thinking, what use is a total novice with no cricket knowledge, zero insight and an ill fitting wardrobe, whose only on field experience is as a stand in football goal post when a suitable tree/ compound wall/ fiat car, was not found!
I have only two words to say,…… Mandira Bedi !!!

(Gratuitous Mandira photograph here. )
( Your welcome.)


Yeah as long as Mandira can sermonize on the dew factor, Jadeja can talk about sporting ethics and Venkatesh Prasad on ‘fast’ bowling, I sure as hell should be allowed to critique atheletic ability!

But seriously, I am the cricket fan that every marketing team in the country is currently working through the night for. I am the fan that believes that cricket stars take the time in between overs to drink Pepsi, wear new Nike shoes and consider large apartments at Sahara Amby Valley.

I am what makes this game….not hockey!