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Click here to read more articles from Mr. HSK.  It was the monthly dinner night of our social club. The dining hall was full. The bearers were busy serving soup as a prelude to the dinner.
Just then entered a tall, lanky figure, clad in white uniform and white canvas shoes and wearing a skull - cap. His bizarre appearance and his dramatic entry instantaneously attracted the attention of the members. One of them said, "Hello, my dear friend! What a pleasant surprise! I believe you are just arriving from Chennai's Chepauk Cricket Stadium. I presume you are not one of the members of the India Eleven team. How come you are wearing the cricket uniform? Further, the test match was fully almost washed out." The person who had just arrived smiled and said, "I am not coming from Chennai. I have just arrived from Kolkata, where I was the witness of a real - life test match. It was a wonderful experience. I saw a different kind of century being scored by the star player." Power packed cricket:
"Oh! From Kolkata! Yes I read in the papers that the Howrah Railway Station celebrated its century. Bengalis are always proud of their heritage."
The cricket enthusiast again smiled and said, "It is not the Howrah Station I am referring to. I meant the real - life cricket match packed with power and a lot of excitement as well as the cliff - hanger suspense."
"Packed with power! What could it be?" The member wondered. "Well, let us talk about it. Here is a seat for you. Please settle down. Then we may resume our conversation." The enthusiast promptly took the seat and began to enjoy the soup served by the bearer. The member said, "I am very curious to know what you are saying." The enthusiast again smiled and said, "there was a strange cricket match between the Rural Eleven led by the power politician and the Urban Dalmiya Eleven of which Ranabir Singh Mahendra was the skipper. The cricket stadium of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was the venue. It was a fiercely fought war of words, silently delivered by an expert bowler. Each delivery was packed with power. "Perhaps you mean political power or, to put it in other words, Sharad Pawar, the Agriculture Minister."
"You are right. The Urban Dalmiya Eleven was rather over - confident. What can these rural urchins do before us, the urban elite? These rural folk know no game except Chinne Kolu or Gulli Danda.
Silly point:
At this juncture, another member intervened, "Chinni Kolu or Gulli Danda is not different from cricket, which is a battle between ball and bat or between Chinni and Kolu and Gilli may be taken to mean gully, a point on the cricket field." His remark drew a loud laughter from the other members. One of them said, "Gilli or gully does not make a difference. It is a silly point! Suffice it to say that the rural eleven was packed with a lot of punch by one who is adept at power politics or 'Pawar' politics. He did indeed give a big slip. Even rural folk know fielding positions. They know them much better than the urban people. The rural people being mostly farmers, work on the fields always. Mind you! They know that a short slip position can be very dangerous to the batsman, and the ball can never slip out of the hands of the person at the short slip position." Again, the other members laughed aloud. "What an analogy!" exclaimed one of them. He said, "the rural fielders know every point on the field like third – man - position, square leg, point, cover point, deep extra cover, mid - on and mid - off and, last but not the least deep mid - off." The cricket enthusiast who had descended from Kolkata, after witnessing this match, said, "what a wonderful description! You deserve to be the umpire — first, second or third umpire — it does not matter.
"But the court had appointed a neutral umpire. I believe, it was T. S. Krishnamurthy, our Ex - Chief Election Commissioner." He did his job splendidly. "There was not a single loop hole or adverse comment. There was no need for referring to a third umpire. The whole match was very smooth and the victory of the Sharad Pawar Eleven was a foregone conclusion. He won by a huge margin. The Ranabir Singh Mahendra Eleven tottered and ultimately collapsed before the sustained spell of fast and hostile bowling of Bindra, who was formerly in Dalmia's camp. The success of the rural eleven was made very easy by his bowling. Raj Singh Dungarpur was also very consistent and he won the admiration of the on - lookers for his economical bowling." "The most precious wicket was that of Mahendra. Poor man he was caught by Pawar, the astute power politician who has acquired urban efficiency coupled with rural sustaining power. No wonder that he was declared the man of the series." True Lagan - Style:
The man of the match was obviously I. S. Bindra, I presume.
"You are right," said the enthusiast. The entire match was played under the watchful eyes of the media. However, with the exit of Mahendra who was caught, the game was practically won by the Pawar Eleven. Goutamdas Gupta, who came at one down, was bowled by Niranjan Shah. M. P. Pandove dismissed the next batsman. Brijesh Patel also could not stay for a long time and met the same fate. The first test of the series was played last year when Pawar Eleven could not make the grade.
The court pavilion arranged the present one. Perhaps there will be another test next year, but Pawar the victorious will by then have established his credentials." This match was in the true Lagan style." HSK
Courtesy: Star of Mysore Click here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
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