Everyone knows how crazy the Indian fans are. Everyone knows how much noise they make. But only when you're in the middle of it can you truly understand it. They applaud every run like it's a century and make noise for no apparent reason. Now we're perfectly capable of that in the Barmy Army as well, but these guys take it to extremes. And this is when their stadium is less than half full and their team is struggling.
The huge security was very little yesterday and even less today, which meant there was an even bigger opportunity to concentrate on the cricket and for an England fan that was a good thing today. We figured it was going to be tough against this batting line up but our bowlers came to the party and the few fans we have bought over here made themselves heard in a big way to help the boys along.
India is an interesting and at times frustrating place to tour as nothing quite works as it does at home. But with friendly people and a team on top, none of it seems to matter. There was a certain antipathy to Harbajhan and Yuvraj today, the former for his inflammatory words in a press conference yesterday and the latter for falling out with Flintoff. It was good to be on top, but there's a long way to go.
you won't be on top for long, so enjoy it while you can.
Posted by: Anonymous on 12/13/2008
Welcome to India man! Expect the unexpected. India wins a thriller, or the rain God can't see England win. This is Chennai for you
Posted by: Kris.. on 12/13/2008
That was a very rough comment my dear Anonymous buddy... We have to accept that England came out to bowl with spirit and they made really good calls.. Flintoff as always was the man to watch.. The way in which he snared Yuvi and gave him a taste of Test cricket was good to watch.. 75 runs lead could prove to be very substantial in this pitch..
Posted by: Aditya Mookerjee on 12/13/2008
Hello Paul, you should give up heading the Barmy Army, and take up blogging full time. I love reading your blogs. I hope that you are relieved of your post. Thank you for writing such interesting blogs. You, sir, have a natural talent as a writer. You must write a book recalling your experiences, on your various travels.
Posted by: sabarish on 12/14/2008
its was so simple and sweet and just like a peacefull flow of river, and you sound to be a person whom i can enjoy, than calculating on mind, keep bolgging, i guess cricinfo can may be avail u as a reporter so that we can enjoy ur writings all past the year any way bye good luck keep scribbling
Posted by: Karan Parikh on 12/15/2008
Hey Paul,
I completely agree with you about Harbhajan Singh's press conference. They were most certainly uncalled for.
Posted by: Kris.. on 12/15/2008
Hey no need to take the Bhajji press conference seriously.. they were just trying to play the mind games.. Bhajji is the certified bad boy of the squad given a green signal by the captain to go on the onslaught..
Anyway.. It was a great match.. great to see Sachin complete the century with the winning runs.. A a really sporty performance from the English side.. They played positive.. They would've won but then.. they met Sehwag in his one of his foulest moods.. hehe..
Paul Winslow is the Barmy Army's web and magazine editor, a role that allows him to turn an unhealthy and expensive addiction into something vaguely productive. No-one is quite sure how he's managed to combine a career as a sport, travel and motoring journalist with so much travelling to watch cricket but he's blagged it somehow, although he will remain unfulfilled until 2012 when England tour Bangladesh and he will have seen them play in every Test nation.
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