Cricket back on song in Mysore

Five doves flew to freedom, colourful balloons floated in the air, and a thunderous applause went around the arena as the picturesque Gangothri Glades in Mysore hosted its first Ranji Trophy match. Two of the doves were released very gently by two legends from Karnataka, one who'd made a name with his caressed drives and the other who is one of India's finest spin bowlers. Brijesh Patel and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar.

The Ranji Trophy returned to Mysore after an 18-year hiatus; though a Ranji match was played last year here, at the Infosys campus, it was organised entirely by Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and no local hand was involved. This time, the local crew ran the show completely. Balachander, the local convenor was a proud man and for a reason other than the obvious: His father, K Sethuraman, was the convener in 1988 when Karnataka last played here.

"You can't find a better venue", Patel said, and it's tough to dispute that sentiment. The Chamundi Hills provide an idyllic backdrop, the Kukkarahalli Lake just a big-hit away and the ground itself has lovely trees ringing the boundary.

It's the perfect argument for cricket in India moving to smaller centres - a policy, Patel pointed out, that Karnataka had long followed. "In the '70s and '80s we played all over Karnataka. That's when stadiums came up in all the districts. Now, though, many have athletic tracks so they can't be used for cricket. Mysore is well suited and we have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mysore University for 20 years. We spent Rs 3,500,000 [US$ 80,000 approx] to build the pavilion and open stands for the crowds to come in and enjoy a good game."

There's an element of charm when cricket is staged at smaller venues. "I have always loved playing in the smaller towns, because there is more enthusiasm," Patel agreed. "When Rahul Dravid scored a double-hundred in Bangalore, there were only 10 guys watching the game. Here you can see the crowd watching some good cricketers. There is tremendous enthusiasm in Mysore and we have to tap that."

Chandrasekhar, quiet and shy as ever, also showed he'd lost none of his trademark wit. "I last came here during a women's cricket tournament and this venue has only grown more charming." The thought of a big six stirred his curiosity. "Will the ball return if it flies over this ground surrounded by hills and lake?" Balachander's solution: "No problem. There are open spaces around but we have a bunch of volunteers to do the job!

Balachander's efforts weren't restricted to the ground structures - the right authorities were approached to give schools a day off, which they agreed to. That explained the hundreds of enthusiastic school kids who cheered every four and every negated appeal with a huge roar.

The only concern for the authorities was the newly-laid pitch, which they've handed to Ravindra, a former state cricketer. "This is a good result-oriented wicket," said Ravindra. "I have worked on it for nearly two months and I am confident it will last five days." Bharat Chipli, Karnataka's No 3 batsman who got for a first-ball duck, couldn't offer first-hand experience of the track but added: "The ball stops a bit on some patches, but there is good bounce and carry overall. The players are happy."

So were the crowd, whose pre-match entertainment included the song Mahishasura Mardhini, in praise of the goddess Chamundeswari, who slayed the demon king Mahishasura (after whom Mysore is named). The song was composed by Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, the last king of Mysore - and his main cricket connection is that when EAS Prasanna was picked for the Indian team, and his father was reluctant to send him, the king cajoled him into changing his decision.

That wasn't the only song today. The first ball from Joginder Sharma landed on a length, Robin Uthappa leaned forward, covered his stumps before shouldering arms, and Mahesh Rawat collected the ball behind the stumps. Chandrasekhar leant back in his seat and hummed a famous Mukesh number.