There was plenty of banter between the Indian and Pakistani supporters © S Rajesh

The more fortunate ones are already inside the stadium, or secure in the knowledge that they will be soon. The beer token counters are already seeing long queues, which isn't surprising considering it's a hot day. The flags, T-shirts, caps and various other items at the souvenir shops are all in huge demand, and people are willing to pay - the flags have already been marked up to R 120 [US$ 17], 20 more than the semi-final price.

Continue reading "Fans set the Bullring abuzz"

	Australian supporters were hard to find in a sea of Indian fans at Kingsmead © S Rajesh

In what seemed like a uniform sea of Indian supporters, Brian and his family were a brave lot. Wearing a Qantas T-shirt and carrying a huge
Australian flag, there was no question about which team they were here to support. Was it daunting to be holding an Aussie flag when it was obvious they were so heavily outnumbered?

“It doesn’t really matter to us,” says Brian. “We [the Aussie supporters] might be just 1% of the total crowd today, but we’ll be the 1% who will be happy after the match.” Brian is from Durban, but has family in Australia, which is why he supports Australia whenever his home team isn’t playing.

Continue reading "India at home in Durban"

	The press box at Newlands wears a deserted look once the action's over © Andrew McGlashan

Home for the last ten days has been Cape Town and for much of that time the press box at Newlands. Having spent many hours there, it must rate as one of the best facilities in the world to go along with one of the top grounds.

Of course, the presence of Table Mountain helps provide a stunning setting which makes working at the ground a memorable experience. The facilities are also second-to-none, although some colleagues who spent time in Johannesburg earlier in the tournament said the sealed media centre meant a lack of atmosphere. I look forward to experiencing the intense atmosphere of the Wanderers on Monday.

Continue reading "The party ends in Cape Town "

	Bridget Anne Nel, better known as Funky B, and Dave MacLeod © S Rajesh

One could have been a journalist, the other an accountant. Instead, they are the DJ-announcer combination that has been rocking the Kingsmead cricket ground. Bridget Anne Nel, better known as Funky B, and Dave MacLeod, the director of Gameplan Media, have struck a fine partnership in their little DJ box just next to the media centre, but neither set out to make a living of music or sport.

"I have studied journalism, but my former boyfriend was a DJ and he introduced me into this world," says Bridget, who claims to be 28 but looks like she's 20. "There is no formal training involved here, but I was thrown into the deep end and I learned quickly." She has now been a DJ for seven years, and has loved every moment of it.

MacLeod's work experiences have been even more varied - he's been a radio and television presenter, and with his company, Gameplan, has been involved in various other sports: he was media officer for kayaking during the Athens Olympics and will do the job again at Beijing next year. Gameplan was responsible for introducing beach soccer to South Africa. His brief here, though, is quite different: get the crowd involved in the game, and gradually get them to learn about the finer points of the game.

Continue reading "From the corner to the block, they make you rock"

	Yuvraj Singh dazzled with the big hits in Durban on Wednesday © Getty Images

Those of us following the ICC World Twenty20 from Cape Town have been slightly envious of Durban over the last few days. On Wednesday, it had Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in an over and Thursday conjured up an enthralling turn of events that left South Africa dumped out of their own tournament – for the second time in four years.

Watching these matches has involved finding a suitable venue and in such a sports-mad city as Cape Town that's not a difficult task. However, when India took on England there were conflicts with rugby and football. In France, Italy were playing Portugal at the World Cup, but it seemed slightly odd as to why all the TVs in a pub on the Waterfront, Cape Town's famous tourist haunt, suddenly flicked over, until we found out the barman was Italian ...

Continue reading "A familiar turn of events"

	It was an Indian party at Kingsmead © S Rajesh

It wasn't a packed house at Kingsmead by any stretch of imagination - there were plenty of empty seats around the stadium - but those who were around were so vocal that the numbers didn't matter. And there was no question which team had the maximum support: it was an Indian night in every sense. Their supporters easily outnumbered England's fans, India's performance in the field outdid England's, and the dance numbers blaring from the loudspeakers were more Bollywood and bhangra than rock and hip-hop.

Funky B, the DJ at the ground, clearly knew her audience and even on a day of such exciting cricket, some of the loudest cheers were reserved for the music. Sometimes the cheers were so loud, and the groans when the music had to be stopped for play to resume so evident, that it seemed the crowd would rather be jiving to Bally Sagoo and co than watching the cricket.

That, of course, was before Yuvraj Singh came to the crease. The decibel levels increased after each six, and when the final one went into orbit, the crowd went crazy well before the ball cleared the ropes. Quite appropriately, the players went into the innings break with Chak De screaming over the speakers. Expect more of the same if the Indians get going in their final Super Eights game against South Africa on Thursday.

***

In the midst of such a deluge of fours and sixes, spare a thought for the cheerleaders, who were yo-yoing up and down from the stage almost every other ball through the Indian innings. In all, the Indians pelted 26 boundaries - 15 fours and 11 sixes - in 20 overs. And in the penultimate over it got especially demanding, as the dancers had to hop up and down after every ball - with the mood Yuvraj was in, they might as well have stayed up for the entire over. Not surprisingly, some of those cheerleaders were visibly short of breath during the innings break. It was a well-earned break, if there ever was one.

	Shane Watson wasn't too happy with his stint in the nets © Getty Images

Bowling at Australia's batsmen when they are trying to hit the cover off the ball wouldn't be top of most people's wish list, but for the net bowlers at Newlands it was an unforgettable experience.

The Australians offered them encouragement as they steamed in on a warm spring day. "Well bowled, mate," said Brad Hogg to a young quick bowler. "That would have been a good one in a match." Michael Clarke even had time to offer some advice to a bowler about his wrist position.

One of the youngsters, Gershwin from the University of the Western Cape, was later hand-picked by Shane Watson to come and bowl at him after the Australian allrounder had shifted between nets. "I want the guy in the South African top," said Watson. What did it feel like to be beckoned over by an international player? "Pretty good," said Gershwin, who continued to bowl at a brisk pace to Watson.

"We got the call to come and bowl at the Aussies," he added, "and it's been great fun. They all looked pretty good today."

Watson, though, appeared to be having a struggle with himself, constantly showing frustration at his stroke play. He picked up a hamstring injury shortly before the World Twenty20 and had to delay his flight to South Africa so he is short of match practice. He was given an imaginary field to bat against by Andrew Symonds. "Mid-off is up, fine-leg is back and the keeper is standing back," said Symonds.

When Watson connected the ball flew miles out of the nets, but he didn't seem to be enjoying the experience and slammed his bat on the ground after being bowled while trying to slog-sweep. But what matters is how he performs in the middle and, with Ricky Ponting injured, his chance could come against Sri Lanka. If he makes runs, he might be
hunting down Gershwin to say thanks.

	Supporters make their intentions clear ahead of the double-header at Newlands © Andrew McGlashan

There is a buzz around South Africa at the moment and as Graeme Smith said in yesterday's press conference "it's great to be part of it." The fans are certainly enjoying every moment of the ICC World Twenty20 and now they get the chance of back-to-back matches at Newlands.

Although South Africa play second, tickets are valid for both games so there was already a steady stream of people queuing up before the gates even opened at 12 pm. The question is, who do you support in a match not involving your own side? For Claus and Theo the answer was simple, and their banner explained all. "We support two teams, SA & any1 playing Aus".

It was a last-minute decision for them to paint the banner - they were knelt down on the pavement completing their artwork - and used a cigarette to burn holds along the edge. When they lifted it up there was an imprint on the tarmac, too. "That's what we were hoping for; we can use it as a template next time."

So Bangladesh will clearly have a few extra supporters. "For sure, there's history there," said Theo, referring to the hate-hate relationship between South African and Australian sports teams.

And the second match. "South Africa will win for sure. But England should at least score more than zero." No idea what he was referring to that time.

The dancers keep the party atmosphere going at the Twenty20 © Getty Images

If you've failed to notice the dancing cheerleaders in the World Twenty20 so far, you haven't been watching. The colour, noise and party atmosphere of this event has been led by khaki-clad dancers throwing shapes and getting the crowd going every time a boundary is hit. At the Wanderers, they've been kept fit.

"We love Sri Lanka, they make us work," says Jazz, 28, a female dancer from Cape Town. Ian, 23, one of her podium partners, is not so sure. "When the weaker teams play it is better, we get a breather."

In fact, the Twenty20 workload came as a surprise. They knew they'd be dancing every boundary and every wicket, but they didn't think it'd be that busy. "The opening was a rude awakening because we didn't think there would be too many fours and sixes, then first ball and we were dancing," explains Ian.

Continue reading "Dancing to the beat of Twenty20"

	The youngsters strike a happy pose at the Wanderers © S Rajesh

The sun is out in all its splendour, there isn’t a hint of a cloud in the sky; a gentle breeze keeps the weather pleasant. It’s just about the perfect Saturday afternoon to be lazing out in the sun with family on the grassy embankments of the Wanderers, watching an entertaining Twenty20 game as a neutral spectator.

Which is exactly what Warren and some of his friends decided to do. They came well prepared too: the adults all had comfortable chairs in which to lounge and relax, while the kids were armed with cricket bat and ball, and enjoyed a hit before the big boys came out to play in the middle. Warren handed out many reasons why he’s a fan of Twenty20 cricket.

Continue reading "To bowl-out or not to bowl-out?"

	Click for bigger image © Andrew McGlashan

Friday wasn't a great day to be an Englishman in South Africa. Firstly the cricketers were hammered by Australia then the rugby team failed to score a point against the Springboks in their World Cup match. The only surprise was that South Africa's points tally didn't pass the
half-century.

After the rout at Newlands was complete the question was whether it was worth watching another English sporting humiliation, to use a word Kevin Pietersen likes to throw around now and again. If England had really had a chance in France, sitting among the locals would have been a great evening, but with a hammering predicted from every corner the choice was a hotel bar near the cricket ground, which at least provided the balance of a fair few English folk.

Continue reading "A day of sporting humiliation for England"

Four days into this tournament and I am really enjoying it. I like South Africa. It’s difficult to put my finger on exactly why, but I like the people, who have a great sense of humour, and I like being in Africa. There is a mystery to this continent that excites me. And all this makes it a fantastic place to come and play cricket. People here have embraced the event and the organisers chose the ideal place to launch the inaugural tournament.

It has been good meeting the new coaching team, who all seem like very practical down-to-earth guys believing in a good old-fashioned work ethic. It's also a fun challenge getting to grips with a new format - a format we are keen to enjoy because we play our best cricket when we enjoy ourselves. But the highlight of my week was a visit to a school in Tembisa township about one and a half hours outside Johannesburg.

Continue reading "Jayasuriya was born to play Twenty20"

	The supporters had a blast even as rain played spoilsport © S Rajesh

The India-Scotland game may have been a non-starter, but there was no shortage of enthusiasm or colour at Kingsmead. A group of about 150 to 200 employees from Nokia in India had come along on a three-day, all-expenses paid trip. It was a pretty grand affair too – they’d been put up at the Hilton, overlooking the cricket ground.

The drizzle was incessant, but so were the antics that this group was up to. The Indian flag wasn’t in short supply, and every time the rains eased even slightly, huge cheers went up in the anticipation of the covers being removed. That it didn’t happen didn’t worry them either – there were other avenues to explore.

Sensing the mood in the crowd, the DJ sensibly switched to bhangra pop, which went down perfectly with this group. Many of them were soon on the grassy banks despite the rains, and when a group of Scottish supporters came over, the bonhomie – albeit after several glasses of beer – was clear for all to see.

As the evening wore on and chances of play became remote, the enthusiasm flagged off slightly, but the gang will have another opportunity to demonstrate their talents on Friday, when India take on Pakistan. Just how well they will bond with the equally passionate Pakistan fans remains to be seen, though.

England were going through their pre-match routines, having throw downs, catching practice and the like before facing Zimbabwe. Suddenly, they stopped and huddled around a figure lying, clearly in pain, on the outfield. It was serious enough, too, for the England medical team to signal for a stretcher.

Binoculars were quickly called into action to try and identify the injured party; which player it was? What impact on England's plans? Slowly each name was ticked off, then the answer arrived. Andy Flower, the batting coach, who had divided loyalties on the day, was the unfortunate person to go down and it was later confirmed as a serious calf strain. His adopted team will have eased the pain with their 50-run win, unless he was supporting Zimbabwe.

***

Continue reading "Not much time to recover"

	Dennis Done did ball-by-ball way back in 1953-54 © S Rajesh

Technology has made such rapid strides that it’s difficult to imagine there was a time when, leave alone seeing live pictures of cricket matches, even getting live audio commentary was a struggle. During New Zealand’s tour to South Africa in 1953-54, it was decided that each of the five Test matches should have audio commentary reaching out to the cricket fans in New Zealand. The thought was excellent, but implementation was an issue: just a day before the first Test, SABC, the local broadcaster, realised the signals reaching New Zealand weren’t audible.

Enter Dennis Done, who is nearly 80 now but is still on the job, following the ICC World Twenty20 for SAPA. Back then he was with SABC, and upon him fell the task of implementing an innovative idea. The task, though, was humungous: it needed someone to write out the action which took place every ball, and then telex the information over to New Zealand, where it would then be read out as audio commentary.

Continue reading "Ball-by-ball with pen and paper"

	The ground staff at Newlands are busy with last-minute preparations © Andrew McGlashan

The three pitches that have been cut each have a mottled appearance and the strips either side are bare, which will make for some painful diving from the close fielders. The outfield has had to soak up a huge amount of water in recent months, and one corner takes the brunt as a run-off area. Areas of turf have been relayed, but it isn't quite the gleaming carpet produced at the Wanderers.

Continue reading "Dr McGlashan checks in"

	Gareth Grey and Nicholas Schilperoort arrive all dressed up for...cricket © S Rajesh

Gareth Grey and Nicholas Schilperoort are huge Twenty20 fans and there was no way they would miss the first day of the tournament. They were there well before time - and in special attire - to cheer their team, and their early reactions to the spectacle indicated that the ICC might have plenty of reason to pat themselves on the back.

Both of them agreed that this tournament had everything going for it. “It’s so colourful, it’s so much fun and the scale is much bigger than the domestic competition.” And it’s not that expensive either – Grey and Schilperoort had to shell out just R 100 per ticket, not a lot more than they would have paid for the domestic version. And they believed the pricing was justified too: the ticket gave them access to the opening ceremony too.

***

The opening ceremony wasn’t much, but it was, in a way, perfect for the tournament: it was loud, it was energetic, it had the crowd throbbing to its beat, and it ended quickly. There was no information provided on the band that provided the peppy percussion – the instruments ranged from the tabla to the congo to the drum set – but it set the stage quite perfectly. The cricket, of course, outdid the drum act, which was quite perfect too.

	Ominous clouds roll down Table Mountain © Andrew McGlashan

Flying out of Johannesburg this morning, the pilot announced smooth conditions all the way to Cape Town. Half-an-hour before landing he said there was a cold-front moving in and by the time we landed he warned us "it's not particularly nice out there, the wind is gusting to 45kph so hold on to your hats." The weather changes swiftly in these parts.

The last thing the ICC World Twenty20 needs is any intervention from the elements, although having said that any wash-outs are decided with a bowl-out, a nightmare for professional cricketers. But while staging matches in Johannesburg and Durban is a fairly safe bet at this time of year, Cape Town is a different matter.

Continue reading "Prepare to blast off"

	There'll be cheerleaders to celebrate each four, six and wicket © S Rajesh

If it's Twenty20, it has to be about music and dance. That's exactly what hit us the moment we entered the Wanderers early in the afternoon. The occasion: preparation for a brief opening ceremony on Tuesday. It's only likely to last about 15 minutes, but music and dance will be as integral to the game as bat and ball - there'll be cheerleaders to celebrate each four, six and wicket, while more music will accompany each batsman to the crease. It promises to be fun.

* *

Twenty20 is all about youth and energy, and there was plenty of both around in the morning at the ground. It wasn't all happy at the start,though. A group of about 20 children from the King David school in Linksfield came expecting to see some of their heroes - Jonty Rhodes, Makhaya Ntini, AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs were all mentioned in the list - but were denied entry into the practice area by overzealous security. The wait was frustrating, but it paid off in the end, as permission was granted, access was allowed, and the kids chirped out with
dozens of autographs.

**

Continue reading "A concoction of cricket and entertainment"

The South African public is glued to the World Cup. You only have to
be in the country a matter of hours to hear the chatter and
expectation. But while the host nation kicks off the ICC World
Twenty20 against West Indies tomorrow, the tournament everyone is
already talking about involves an oval ball and is taking place
thousands of miles away in France.

Rugby is still the sport in South Africa and, although the
World Cup is running parallel the Twenty20, it won't be a contest over
which will draw most attention. The cricket will be done and dusted by
the time events in Europe really get interesting, but the clash
between the Springboks and England on Friday is whipping up a frenzy
in these parts.

Continue reading "The oval-ball game"

	A near full house at Centurion prior to the start of the warm-up match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan © Cricinfo Ltd.

We touched down in South Africa last week not fully knowing what to expect. We have a new coaching and management team, a slightly different team and a new format of the game to experience. Unlike some teams, we have hardly played any Twenty20 cricket at all. All we know is that the pace can be frenetic, the crowds love it and it’s all over in just three hours.

Since arriving, the media has been clamouring for predictions and insights into how the new tournament will pan out. However, all we know is that the best way for us to succeed is to learn fast and quickly adapt ourselves to the new format. We have to learn on our feet and work out for ourselves the best tactics and approaches for our team.

The early signs, though, are encouraging for this competition. There is a palpable excitement and buzz surrounding the tournament here in South Africa, a country that is passionate about its sports and proud to be organizing international tournaments. Already, here, Twenty20 is a firm favourite of the spectators.

Continue reading "Sri Lanka eager to test unfamiliar waters"

	The deserted Wanderers two days before the start of the ICC World Twenty20 © S Rajesh

Call it the proverbial lull before the storm, but there's absolutely nothing happening at the Wanderers just two days before the start of the first ICC World Twenty20. That isn't entirely true, of course, for there are a lot of last-minute touch-ups in progress, but at first glance what catches the eye is just how quiet the place is. "It's a Sunday, a holiday, so no tickets are being sold today," says a guard at the gate. So what if that Sunday happens to be only 48 hours before kick-off.

The ground is in faultless condition, though. The outfield looks beautiful, and a walk around the field proves it is even better than it looks. That only means, of course, that India's glaring inadequacies will be exposed even further. Unless the infusion of new blood and the exclusion of some less agile fielders translates into a perceptible difference on the field. Or is that perhaps hoping for too much?

Meanwhile, apart from the exquisite outfield, what stands out is the colour in the stadium: the spaces between the stands have been done up with the Twenty20 logo, which, while looking awfully cluttered, serves the purpose of conveying excitement and frenzy.

Clearly, the Twenty20 fever isn't visible all over the city - the cab driver who drove us from the airport mistook the mention of the ICC World Twenty20 for the 2010 soccer World Cup. Never mind the cab driver, come Tuesday, and the Wanderers should be packed, with beer, music and everything else that this format attracts. The ignorance of the cab driver, and a few more like him, won't seem like much then.

	Piyush Chawla goes dizzy after dismissing Kevin Pietersen at Edgbaston © Getty Images

There are several ways to describe this series but the one that first comes to mind is ‘fun’. It didn’t the titanic quality of the 2005 Ashes, or the miraculous touches of Australia in India 2001, but it will be fondly recalled in years to come. It was fun because of the diverse skills on view – quality left-arm swing in the Tests, intoxicating spin in the one-dayers, flashes of batting brilliance – but it was mostly fun because of the intensity with which the teams went at each other. They even haggled over Jelly Beans.

It often appeared like two teams slugging it out on neutral territory. India often received more vocal support – Birmingham’s transformation to Mohali was quite something – and were never made to feel under siege. Irrespective of the result there were joyous scenes at the end of every game. The grounds were packed for the Tests, and overflowing for the one-dayers. Surprisingly it was India’s tour game at Northampton that saw the most jam-packed audience. The sight of tickets going for ₤500 on the morning of the final one-dayer at Lord’s was both staggering and heartening.

It was enjoyable because both teams entertained. There was hardly a dreary phase with both sides doing their best to make things happen. Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar didn’t hesitate to toss it up in the one-dayers, going for wickets despite the pressure, and Andrew Flintoff ran in as if his life depended on it.

Continue reading "A tour full of agression, skill and a lot of fun"

	Brian May watches cricket at The Oval © Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

Sitting in the balcony at the Vauxhall End, May appeared to be thoroughly at ease at the cricket. Struggling to come to terms with being a few feet away from one of the greatest guitarists in classical rock, I tendered a nervous introduction but May’s response was almost apologetic, “Queen is big in India?”

It must feel great to sit in a stadium and have your lyrics blaring away at every opportunity. “It’s funny,” he laughs as another to play before stopping abruptly when the batsman is ready.

May is so versatile that he’s deep into physics and mathematics. His PhD thesis was titled ‘Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud’. There’s too much to ask but he is too busy with the cricket. “Time to watch,” he says.

As England left the field there was Don't Stop Me Now. Dimitri Mascarenhas has just finished the innings with five sixes in as many balls and leaves to: 'I'm burnin' through the sky yeah, 200 degrees thats why they call me Mr Fahrenheit'.

**

In other details John Major, the former British prime minister, is, expectedly, at The Oval. But songs he may have penned are not blaring from the loudspeakers.

	The lush green carpet of the rugby ground was used as a parking lot, with lines of cars filling the arena © Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

This is also the home of Leeds rugby union ground. The media box is located at the football stand end simply because there was a time when people thought there was only one type of football worth talking about (rugby). Today the lush green carpet of the rugby ground was used as a parking lot, with lines of cars filling the arena. And to think that people were forbidden from walking on the grass yesterday, because “nobody is allowed on the ground”. Basically it’s the people who aren’t allowed, only cars are.

**

The John Featherstone Memorial Foundation has been voted the best cricket-ground bookstall in the country. The second-hand shop has a number of rare cricket books and is run by a couple in memory of one of Yorkshire’s best servants. All the books sold are donations and the returns are given back to schools across the county.

**

The Manchester loss suggested that the team couldn’t be inspired by watching Chak De India but football appears to have worked now. Some members of the Indian side watched Manchester United against Sunderland last evening (even Paul Collingwood, a Sunderland fan, went along) and it appears they were pumped up enough for this encounter. Bring on the football. Soccer, that is.

	Sachin who? © AFP

Last evening, at the Queens Hotel on Wellington Street, Geoff Boycott celebrated the 30th anniversary of his 100th first-class hundred. One of the invitees, a batsman who’s worn Yorkshire colours, walked to the venue. The most curious bit was how just one onlooker noticed him during his half a mile walk from Crown Plaza Hotel to Queens. Clean shaven and wearing the India blazer he should have been the most recognisable man on Wellington Street. Yet just one, yes one, passer-by greeted him during his walk. Even Sachin Tendulkar does get the odd peaceful walk after all.

**

Matthew Hoggard joins the England team at practice in Headingley. He goes through his bowling paces, getting his fitness tested ahead of the Sri Lanka series. At the end of the session he runs into Rahul Dravid near the Long room. “We missed you during the Test series,” grinned Dravid. “I missed you too, mate,” chuckled Hoggard and proceeded to have a long chat on various matters.

**

Back to Tendulkar. Walking in for a net session today, he’s faced with Kevin Pietersen zooming across in his Volkswagen Phaeton. Tendulkar gets a minor shock. Now that’s one way of running down your opponent.