IPL4–LeavingChennai29thMay2011

Well,it’sbeenatoughandsomewhatrewardinglastweekhereinIndia.WeumpiredthelastleaguematchinKolkatawheretheMumbaiIndiansupsetthehostswitha6offthelastballofthematchto

stealvictoryinfrontof80000plusfans.Itwassuchagreatatmosphereononeoftheworld’sbestcricketgrounds.Dev,ShahvirandRavihavebeengoodcompanyoverthelastfewweeksinensuringmywalletismuchlighterandmystomachismuchlargerastheyseemstobespecialistsinshoppingand

restaurants.(NotsurewhatRavihashiseyeonthephotobelow!?)

FromKolkataIheadedofftoMumbaiwithoutthehelpandguidanceofthelocalumpiresforachange.Battlingtheairportcrowdsandqueuesisnothingnewbuthavingtomoveintightspaceswith45kgof

luggagewherepushinghasbecomeanartisverydifferent.Patiencewastheorderofthedayandminewasbeingtested–Imanagedtogettothefrontofthe“queue”tocheckin,wasrequiredtopayfor20kgof“excessbaggage”(asIwasonlyallowed20kgonmyticket),wentacrossthehalltopaythe

required3000Rupees,backtothecounterandthenintothecorralaheadofsecuritychecks.IwasthenheldupwiththerestofthepublicastheKolkatacricketteamhadjustturnedupandtheyweregivenpriorityforsecurityscanningandprocessing.

IjoinedAsadRauf,RoshanMahanamaandPaulReiffelinMumbaiforthefirsttwoplayoffgames.ChennaibeatBangaloretoadvancestraightintothefinalandthenMumbaibeatKolkataagaininthe

eliminatortoprogresstothesecondsemifinal.So,wethenallheadedofftoChennaiforthelasttwomatchesandarrivedatabout6pmwithourfirstmatchthenextnight.ChennaiislocatedontheeastcoastofIndiaandtheweatherhereisabout40degreeswith80percenthumidity–yes,verywarm.

ThesecondsemifinalsawMumbailosetoBangalore–notevenTendulkarcouldgetMumbaiacrossthe

lineafterGaylescoredabrilliant89off47ballsforBangalore.So,itwasnowaChennaivBangalorefinalandfittinglysoastheyhavebeenthebesttwosidesinthecompetition.

Matchdayforthefinalandthiswasmy5thgamein7daysbutitwasn’thardtogetmotivatedbeingafinalandbeingmylastgamebeforegoinghometoseethefamily.Thegroundwasaseaofyellowflags

andshirtsinsupportofthelocalteam,theChennaiSuperKings(CSK).ItwasCSKwhowonthetossandchosetobatfirstandoneofthegreatT20openingpartnershipswaswitnessedbyallasHusseyandVijayputon159inside15oversbeforeHusseywascaughtontheboundary.Thesebatsmenwere

exhaustedandlookedmoreliketheyhadbeenswimmingforanhourratherthanplayingcricket–theyweredrenchedinsweatandwereonthevergeofbeingphysicallysick.DwaynebravocameinforthelastballoftheCSKinningsandhitasixtotaketheirtotalpastthe200mark.Thelocalswerescreaming

withdelight,soitwastimeforAsadandItoheadbacktotheumpireroomforthe10minuteinterval,adrinkofwaterandacoupleofheadachetablets!

(ZaheerKhanfromBangaloreattemptstostopareturndrivewithSTinthebackground)

Bangalore’srunchasegotofftoapoorstartwhentheylosttheirstarbatsman(ChrisGayle)andIPL4topscorerinthefirstover–caughtbehindoffathinedgebyDhoni,andonceagainthedecibellevelroseto

greatheights.CSKtookwicketsatregularintervalsanditbecameanoncontestintheendasBangalorefinishednearly50runsshortand9wicketsdown.Matchoverandthelocalgroundstaffseemedmore

excitedwiththewinthantheplayersastheychargedontothefieldwitharmsraisedinanattempttogiveDhoniabighug.

Igotbackintothedressingroom,threwmysoakeduniformintothebinandhoppedintoacoldshowertorefresh.Wethensatdowntohaveabitetoeatjustaftermidnightanddebriefthegame.Afewofthe

guysareoffearlyinthemorningwhileI’vegotamidnightflightthenextday–soplentyoftimetogetsomesleepandpack.

Well,that’sit–anothermonthinIndiawith13matchesofficiatedwhilethisyearI’vehadatotalofonemonthwiththefamilyoutoffive.Timeforabreaknowandwilltrynottodotoomuchinthenext5

weeksexceptkeepthewooduptothefireplaceandgiveHelenabreakathome.

Bestwishesfornow,Simon.