CSK beats PWI at Chepauk - Is Cricket as interesting as it was !!

I witnessed the match between Chennai Super Kings and Pune Warriors at Chepauk and could not hide the feeling that lot has changed since my earlier days of seeing Tests and what is happening now……

The crowds waiting outside and the cheerqueens in traditional dress

It certainly not the same old game that I relished.  Chepauk those days was spacious – the B & C stands had no chairs and people used to carry bedsheets along squatting on the huge concrete steps much earlier before the game started.  The stadium had huge pillars, round in shape – so huge that perhaps it would require four persons holding hands to round them.  They were the  impediments too as they would hide the view on some angles from the place one sat. Chepauk of date is packed making money of every square inch.  The lower tiers are different than the upper ones.  Whilst the old stadium had concrete huge blocks covering, now you have stylish sheets placed very high.  From the uppermost part, players would appear too tiny and perhaps one would feel dizzy also.  The Spider camera that keeps moving length and breadth of the ground, descending down to grab a closer view of the player and then disappearing into the sky is a technical marvel. 

For the records, Chennai made 164 for 5 and Pune Warriors lost by 13 – it was not that close as the run difference suggests.  Not much on the match –  it was just another ordinary match.  Dada had so many supporters on the ground – Ganguly won the toss and chose to field.  There were milling crowds trying to get in – the vehicle parks were far off, just some space in poorly lit and maintained Victoria hostel and other places.  The gates were cramped, tickets checked electronically again as people underwent hardship before entering the place.  Local lad Murali Vijay was dropped and Du Plessis walked along with Badrinath – both played sedately so much that part of the crowd started cheering for a wicket which did not come for long. 

After Murali Karthik and Ashish Nehra, Bhuvanesh Kumar came to bowl – Marlon Samuels, Rahul Sharma also bowled.  If you are wondering Bhuvanesh, who – who milked 37 off his 3 – read this post : http://sampspeak.blogspot.in/2012/04/bhuvanesh-who.html

Du Plessis and Badri both made 50 +  and featured the highest opening stand of 116 in 15.3.  Dhoni struck a huge six entertaining the crowd.  The fielding and catching of PWI was ordinary.  Chasing 165 for a win, Pune lost wickets at regular intervals and the expected big hitting was never on.  By the last quarter, they were clearly struggling for breathe; 58 required off last 5 – 16th provided some hope as Ashwin leaked 17 but by the penultimate over when 25 runs were required the result was clear. 

With the win, Chennai jumped to fifth position with six points from six matches. Pune also have six points from six matches and they are at fifth just above Chennai on better net run rate.  The crowd expected Ganguly to score and he raised hopes hitting two consecutive fours off Bollinger who gave away 18 runs in the over.  In the end poor running, tight bowling and some good catching by CSK ensured the result. 

It must have been an ordeal for those fans – heavily priced tickets starting from Rs.700/-, poor facilities, poor transportation, hot weather, blaring loudspeakers, noisy stadium, cinema songs and jarring music played every now and then,  cheer leaders dancing and crowd trying to shake their legs every now and then, standing and proving to be an hindrance to those trying to watch the match. In fact apart from getting delirious on the mention of Dhoni or Dada, crowd went in to raptures when actor Dhanush was shown on screen !!!!

-         and – whose mistake or what is lacking that keeps 3 full stands out of bound for all spectators as matches get played to packed house on one side and literally vacant stand on the other  ?!?!?!  Is Chennai Corporation dragging or did the Cricket Association thought themselves to be too powerful that they can flout any rule with immunity ??

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.