Oh- how I like playing for TCC! Here are the most atrocious incidents during the year:
Damodar vs Syntel: Continuous trash talking by both the wicket keeper and Damodar.
Damodar makes some real generous remarks about the wicket keeper: "Kabhi India mae cricket bat pakada nahi. Yehan ek Grey Nichols pakadlya. Aukath be badgya". Also mentions that the person is a great project manager. The banter between the two kept us in splits.
Krishna’s attitude at the end of the games he got hit ( it has to be pointed out that these games were far and few in between- just 10 of the 11 we played):
He would come to practice and then really bowl his heart out and try various grips with the ball. Vijay would contribute his 7 cents worth of advice- things like, grip the ball with the left hand and bowl at the last moment with your right- you will confuse the batsman, etc. Anyway, at the end of the practice session it would be time for the "strategy session" for the next match.
Transcript of a typical conversation:
Krishna: Whatever it is- we got to screw their (the opponent’s) happiness.
VJ: Let us design a strategy for batting- Kal, Yesh can go opening…
Krishna (interrupting): That is fine. The important thing is – we got screw their happiness. (looking at us) Come on dudes- u guys have to get fired up.
Anand (the only sane voice in a wild crowd): Our bowling is going to be critical..
Krishna: Dont worry- in my 6 overs, I will get 3 wickets- and I will…( u can fill in).
And then Krishna will bowl with VJ’s ‘new grip" suggestion. The ball will get lost among the trees…with the game.
The next practice session will start with the same - "They f***ed with me, man! The next match- I am going to…".
But seriously, wherever I play- I will give anything for a guy like this- always upbeat and fun loving.
Again involving (unfortunately!) Krishna. This was the game against BCC at BCC. We lost a series of quick wickets and collapsed from a winning position. This was to be Krishna’s final game. He was really fired up. We were 8 down (I think). Just before going to bat- Krishna says "This guy (the bowler) is going to get his butt whipped. He is not going to f*** around with me. Just watch what I do". The previous batsman had gotten out after lofting the ball and hence Sandeep had crossed over. So Krishna goes to the runner’s crease and glares at the bowler and looks very focussed. The ball is pitched short. Sandeep pulls it. Krishna is already sprinting down the wicket for the run. All of us look towards midwicket (where the ball should have been). Sandeep does too. But unfortunately the ball connected at the end of the bat and went straight back to the bowler who calmly removes the bails. Krishna in the meantime is within handshaking distance from Sandeep and urges him to run. Sandeep calmly points out to the other end. Krishna turns to see that BCC has already started celebrating the dismissal.
Although we felt really bad for Krishna, the whole incident was just hysterical. The bad break he got here just served to typify his entire season.
Ofcourse the very best was the (in)famous T-shirt incident during the game against RCC. We were reeling at 15 for 3 against RCC. VJ and Khalil were together and the score started inching up slowly. At around 50 odd we took our drinks break. The scene which unfolded (no pun intended) is still vividly etched in my memory.
It had been a hot day. VJ was sweating profusely. The RCC guys were happy and glad that they were on the threshold of beating TCC. After pouring some water over his head to cool himself VJ did it- removed his T-shirt. As the shirt slithered out of his body (analogous to a movie screen opening in India) we watched awestruck along with the RCC folks. The glistening muscles just screamed for help beneath the plush undulating folds. One of the TCC members commented that there were enough folds in there to make Sridevi blush. RCC never recovered from this shock. They played the rest of the match in daze and were vanquished single handedly (along with other parts of his body) by VJ. A great TCC classic moment which will remain in my memory forever.
Latest rumours heard:
Kal and Rajesh are planning to hit the treadmill for the ’99 season. My source tells me that Kal promised to be able to bend this year. Rajesh has actually promised that he will try and run (walk?) faster than VJ this year. With Anand/VJ leading the team TCC looks for a new life this year. Informed sources tell me that the loss of Damodar is compensated by the huge advantage of not having Ramesh/Krishna this year. Yeshpal has promised his wife that he will atleast last two balls- which by itself will be a 100% improvement from last year. Amit, who is the talent scout for the team is actively recruiting fresh talent. One can only hope that the "talent" that he recruits is better than his own. VJ was last seen at Ramesh’s place and still seems to be in 21st heaven. His feet were still not in the ground and he is still in bliss. Of course, VJ, Yeshpal and Ramesh’s wedding provides a lot of hope for the perennial losers (bachelors) Amit/Naveen/Ram. Their logic apparently is: if someone can say yes to those guys, there is light at the end of the tunnel for us too. With his new found confidence Amit almost landed "Allison". For more info on this matter please call Yeshpal. Of course, TCC was very relieved that Yesh’s "hospital" visit turned out to be all ok. This means he will bowl as well as he did last year- which is not saying much. Congrats to VJ on the wedding (they make a very nice couple) and for losing the 3 extra pounds from the 264 present. Also a Britisher tells me that the unthinkable has happened- Krishna "the man" has found "happinness" in California. Stay posted.
Best of luck for a great and wonderful season guys! It was a pleasure playing for this team!