Showing posts with label atherton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label atherton. Show all posts

Friday, March 24, 2006

Top 10 Indian moments

1. The fact it takes Farokh Engineer - who scored his first and last centuries at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) - one hour for the drinks he's ordered to arrive. He must have hinted to the waiter ten times, and when they finally do arrive, Freddie Flintoff moans, saying the glasses are dirty. The table erupts.

2. The "Kevin Pietersen Should Read This Award" for the best road safety sign in Nagpur, which reads: "Patience is heavenly, haste is deadly"

3. Being on the verge of the runs during an interview with Nasser Hussain in Chandigarh.

4. The Bombay jewellery vendor who upped his original offer when I lowered mine.

5. The British professional gambler who bet for three days on Betfair without being caught in the Press Box in Mohali. (Will keep you posted on his 30 March court appearance)

6. Monty Panesar's attempted catch at mid-on during England's heroic last day in Bombay.

7. Celeb corner: Jordan and Peter Andre spotted at the CCI during the Sport Relief cricket match, Stephen Fry at the final Test, and several hundred possible Bollywood actors with slick back hair.

8. The classic Murgh Makhani - my choice of curry in India.

9. Mike Atherton getting mobbed at the Gateway of India - especially the fan who came out with: "Hello sirs, I just have to tell you that I have an unbelievable, 24/7 crazy diet for cricket."

10. The professional road-side bat-makers in Nagpur who scrape a living without local government assistance.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Bombay bites

I hear a couple of tigers were recently spotted at the famous reserve north of Nagpur. Well, I could have done with the same trackers in Mumbai over the last few days when I tried to get near our Beefy.

Harder to spot than a Shoaib Akhtar delivery, England's former all-rounder has been sighted in a helicopter (going south of Mumbai to India's new resort complex Amby Valley) and then on a boat, on his way to lunch at Ravi Shastri's joint the other side of town.

However, he might be easier to spot during the Ashes this winter. Beefy is continuing his efforts for charity by walking from Melbourne to Adelaide (Boxing Day to Australia Day) with fellow cricketing greats Allan Border and Dean Jones.

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After interviewing Athers in front of the Gateway of India with a fantastic evening light, a young Indian came up to us and said a memorable one-liner: "Hello sirs, I just have to tell you that I have an unbelievable, 24/7 crazy diet for cricket."

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If the constant noise of the city doesn't get to the hardiest of country folk, then breakfast at The Ambassador Hotel will. Meandering into breakfast, you are confronted with the sounds of furious Techno beats as you try and remember your room number.

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It's Bombay Test week and as well as society gossip columnists, former Indian greats are also in town. Nobok Legend Farokh Engineer is one who still commands much attention from cricket fans - even during an interview. Farokh looked up in disbelief as a middle-aged man thrust his hand out with the camera rolling. After telling him that the camera really wasn't a garden plant he responded: "Ah well, it's still good for an old man's ego."

Rod Gilmour in Mumbai