26th March, 1998 (Thur)
In keeping with our usual practice of making a mountain out of a mole-hill, let me describe my first experience watching a cricket match live (not on TV, silly!), but in the stadium.
It began with many of my colleagues getting season tickets for the 3rd test between India and Australia at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, a 5 minute walk from my office. The match began on 25th March (Wed).
There was a ticket free for Thursday afternoon and I thought why not go and take a look, especially as this was my first visit to a cricket match. (I'd been to a couple of football matches in Cochin. Of course! that's a different story!)
So there I was, after lunch, in the Stadium. India had finished their 1st innings, all out for 424. The Australians were batting. Now you will ask? Who will go to watch Australians bat? My answer is, I'd, because, then we can see all the Indian players on the ground; not only that, some of them will field near the boundary and so you can see them at close quarters!
Now, whether by design or accident my seat was in the "mid-wicket" region. For those unfamiliar with that "technical" term, it is equidistant from either wicket and offers a side view of the proceedings. (This is unlike a seat in the "long-on" region, where you can watch the bowlers on one-end more clearly than on the other)
The Australians were making merry, smashing the Indian bowlers. This was good (for me!) because, a few fielders were posted in the boundary, near where I sat. I saw Tendulkar, Sidhu, Kumble, Raju, etc. from a distance of about 10 metres. Sachin, needless to say was the crowd's favourite. The crowd went into raptures when he came near the boundary. He raised his hands to acknowledge their cheers.
Contrary to what I'd thought, knowing the latest score is not a problem, what with the gigantic electronic scoreboard getting updated after each ball. It is visible from any part of the ground. But unless you are really watchful, watching a wicket fall may not be as easy! (In fact, I missed the fall of a wicket that way!)
Also, some times you have no idea, how the batsman was dismissed, caught behind or lbw. This happened in the case of Slater, and only by looking at the scoreboard I got to know the exact mode of dismissal.
How could my match experience be complete without a rain interruption? Out of nowhere came some clouds and it rained like mad for 10 minutes. It was fun seeing the groundsmen, struggling with the covers and the way they ran to cover the pitch. (Seeing in TV is one thing, seeing it 20 metres away is another!)
Thus it was that, when I got out of the stadium at 5 PM, three hours after going in, I'd had a memorable experience.
The stadium is huge and was filled only to a fifth (or less) of its capacity. I could fancy how it would be during one-days. Who knows, it might even fill up this Saturday, if the match turns exciting. (It's bound to with Australia 209/3 at close today)
P.S. Went to the Stadium again on Saturday, 28th March, 1998, with Umasuthan, and watched India lose to Australia by 8 wickets.