Dont the BCCI boffins get Weather updates on their T.V?

[cowboysfan]

Err... No. I dont like to watch cricket in Stadiums coz, a) I dont like crowds/people. And there will be lots of them there. b) Its a really bad cricket watching experience. You cant really understand whats going on most of the time.

a)i can understand i guess b)completely and utterly wrong -in any sport.

[Mr. Wicket]

a) I dont like crowds/people. And there will be lots of them there. b) Its a really bad cricket watching experience. You cant really understand whats going on most of the time.

Completely disagree. The crowds are some of the best parts of it. I've met some phenomenal, incredibly passionate and friendly guys when sitting around stands in Melbourne, Queenstown and even Hong Kong. I won't forget sitting beside an elderly member of the Barmy Army during the last MCG Ashes test - once he found I was a Bombay supporter, he spent an hour+ telling me about his trip through Madras and Bombay back in the 93 India series and raving on and on about how Kambli and Tendulkar batted that time - well enough to apparently take away the pain of such a horrific flaying. In a test match especially, always a good chance of finding like-minded fans with a fair amt of knowledge who take the game seriously and their company usually makes it a real experience that beats the hell out of seeing a game on TV. As far as watching - all about the right angles. Of course, in India (and with the present security issues) it'll be a bit different - but if you're sitting in the arc between mid on and mid off at either end, you'll really be able to enjoy the game the most. Much harder to follow things from square of the wicket, but there are few sights that compare to seeing a quality bowler running in (or in Warne's case, strolling up to the crease) with a packed close-in field/slip cordon and looking down at the batsman.

[fineleg]

MM - plus Madras crowd is legendary for knowledgeable crowd. But anyway ur leaving in 2 days.

[Mr. Wicket]

fineleg - yes, Ramachandra Guha's regularly written about how Chennai has always been one of the finest venues to experience test cricket in India, with a crowd that's far less parochial than many others in India and one of the most knowledgeable and appreciative of the sport.

[fineleg]

yes salil - one anecdote a friend mentioned. i forget the exact facts...but...she went to an india-pak i think, test in Chennai, there was a guy in crowd holding a banner suggesting an extra slip, apparently based on his read of the conditions...apparently he was near where a bowler (dont remember if srinath) was fielding. after holding banner for few overs, the bowler for one of his overs went to captain, got extra slip and got a wicket. when he came around to field, he located the guy with banner and showed :thumbs_up: to the guy in crowd. such experiences only in stadium i suppose.

[Mr. Wicket]

Yup. Something to be said about sitting in a stadium and getting to interact with players. One of my favourite grounds for that reason is the one in Queenstown - saw an ODI there between NZ/SL, and for a good part of the game was right up to the fence and a few feet away from the boundary. Got to chat w/ Jehan Mubarak for a good while as he was SL 12th man and sitting just inside the boundary away from me, and this was just a month or so after SL's tour of India where they got thrashed - so there was a bit to talk about - and a few of the NZ players as well. This is one pic from the game - beats the hell out of watching on TV huh?

[Holysmoke]

Salil, watching a game in India is a completely different story. Its even worse when its a test.. no outside food allowed, cameras, cellphones not allowed, constant fear of wallet getting nicked.. bench seats, which means you dont get your own "seat", you are just squashed there along with other people, its VERY hot, unsuable toilets, water sold on plastic bags (no bottles allowed)... I can go on and on... If you're in the pavillion, then its different...

[Mr. Wicket]

Fair points, holy. Although in terms of crowds, I would think they'd be much lower in tests (so would the issues of being squashed along benches/etc be as bad?). Maybe my viewing experiences in India have been totally skewed by the fact that I've never seen a test there... only gone to the maidans near Fountain to watch the Times Shield games (where quite often you're literally sitting with the scorers/some of the players).

[Desi Cartman]

I went to Kotla to watch an ODI more than 10 years ago.. It took us more than hour to get and in but we couldnt find a place to sit .. People were everywhere ... on the floor , stairs .. well we came back home and played Galli cricket PS: had to walk for 30mins each way because no cars were allowed near the stadium .. except VIP cars :finger: I also went to watch couple of test matches and it was easy ... not many people around , plenty of seats ...

[observer1]

for those of you who havent been to a cricket match in england: highly recommended. you get in about 15-30 min before, get a fantastic view, yes, as close as the nz picture (except in lords), fantastic weather, good crowd, and a sense of closeness to the action that cant be described. completely different from watching in bangalore and madras - where you are so distanced from the occasion, and the 'secoorty' is inhuman

[Ram]

for those of you who havent been to a cricket match in england: highly recommended. you get in about 15-30 min before, get a fantastic view, yes, as close as the nz picture (except in lords), fantastic weather, good crowd, and a sense of closeness to the action that cant be described. completely different from watching in bangalore and madras - where you are so distanced from the occasion, and the 'secoorty' is inhuman

Precisely. I would love to watch a test match in places like England, NZ ( How I wish, with all its grass banks for spectators) and in Australia ( SCG seems so picturesque). But, in all plain honesty, Cricket in Stadiums in India is an absolute joke. Its not for the connoisseur or for someone who wants to immerse himself in the occasion, but merely for some excitable fans who are interested in nothing but over-exuberant expression of jingoism and patriotism. Even watching the stadiums on TV, you get this impression that the organizers' only intent is to cram as many people as possible so that they can make the maximum buck and not give them the proper facilities for 'em to enjoy the cricket. The truth is, in India, watching cricket in the stadiums, esp ODIs and T20, isnt about the cricket at all. Its about making lots of noise, catchy placards and all the other add-ons that Holy has mentioned.

[observer1]

what annoyed me the last occasions i went to see matches in india (admittedly the late 90s - i swore i wouldnt go back) was the queueing, the ineffective but prolonged secoorty checking - (they werent allowing one of my friend's matches, but for some reason, another friend's Dunhill lighter was OK), the lack of water, queiing for food, the 'adjust maadi saar' or 'ajust pannuppa, yenne romba thanavatu kamikara' (was with a local chap then) And, after all that, having to sit about 150 feet away! Go to any ground in England (except Old Trafford, where the facilities are poor) and it is a quite an entertaining experience.

[Desi Cartman]

for those of you who havent been to a cricket match in england: highly recommended. you get in about 15-30 min before, get a fantastic view, yes, as close as the nz picture (except in lords), fantastic weather, good crowd, and a sense of closeness to the action that cant be described. completely different from watching in bangalore and madras - where you are so distanced from the occasion, and the 'secoorty' is inhuman

same in Aus .. Its more like a picnic ..

[Sachinism]

whats the latest news with the weather

[Kshatriyan]

it hasnt rained since morning ............................. :)

[fineleg]

Sam, MM, dinakkar - Good morning to you folks! Hope ur awake, drank ur 'kaapee' in the morning, Post the weather update pls... (hope no rain!)

[satishg]

no rain prediction for the first 2 days..anyway rite now its bright and sunny..got the update from my dad :D

[fineleg]

thu/fri looks fine. sat and sunday - rain and T-storm http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/43279.html

[Ram]

Local time; 8 A.M Cloudy, but importantly NO RAIN.

[fineleg]

thx for update narasus coffee for mm...is it even selling?