T-20’s TAPI TOWN TATTLE.

Indian cricket team’s, friendly, benefit T20 match in Surat, before IPL season 3, was the topic of constant tattle in Tapi town.

Besides an event of this scale being organized for the first time here, Sachin, THE God of cricket, was going to perform for the first time, post the Gwalior glory.

The organizers pleaded Surtis to participate in a peaceful manner during the match and turn this golden opportunity of the town into a proud moment, with dignity.

Surtis buzzed phones over hot topics like, ‘who knows whom how well” and” what is the colour of your ticket?”.

With a seating capacity of 16, 700, at the freshly spruced up Lalbhai Contractor stadium, 14,000 tickets were sold out.

Nomophobics smuggled in phones, hiding them along with unmentionable body parts.

The crowds filled in the stands from 7 in the morning and once inside, it did not matter what colour their entry card was. The upper stalls were filled up with groups of fun loving locals and as usual had the maximum fun.

Most of the ones seated in the pavilion and royal boxes, had come in a couple. There were Sunday papas with enthusiastic poiras (fathers & sons), some senior officials with bored aunties, rich businessmen with pretty girls etc.

Both, Tendulkar and Sehwag’s teams were received with a standing ovation, as were all players who arrived and departed from the playing ground during the match.

Both teams shared the same pairs of cheerleaders.Sehwag and Kaif also shared a cricket bat, while Sachin used two.

Stud Yuvraj wore shoes with yellow soles that matched with his specially designed sunny tee shirt .He scored 12 runs amongst great applause, most hit using a single hand.

The commentator took T 20’s fun theme a tad too seriously and entertained crowds with lines like,’Watt ae sott!”,”Yuvi ke dono hath khule”,’aai hai!” etc.

There was no official score board on the cricket ground to display the score, but then, who was counting.

Entertainment during the lunch break had songs like,’Patiala peg lagakey, mein talli ho gayi”which were sung out to Surtis of the dry state who braved heat, thirst and hunger.

The players relished Corn cheese palak, Mutton seekh kebabs, Paneer lababdar, Chicken mamnas, Tangdi kebabs, Dhara fish tikkas, Chicken Biryani, dal makhani, patra fish, butter chicken boneless and Jeera rice with Mung dal halwa and Gulab Jamun for dessert as Surat nu jaman.

The lunch apparently must have been too heavy for Sehwag, Yuvraj and Gambhir who did not come out to field, post it.

Sachin not only fielded for his team, but also batted to the bowling of Surti boys, Mehul Patel-nickname Mehul Bano and Deepak Bhandari, before getting caught at the boundary by Mehul Bano.

Sehwag’s team won the match but for the Surti’s, they were winner all.

Spectators understandably cheered Sachin the most and remarked,’enaj toh paisa chey.’(He is worth it)

Everyone celebrated by popping soda bottles in the dry state, since champagne is taboo.

Surat’s first friendly T20 match turned out to be a good sign of the times to come.

The security staff, police officials and organizers all breathed a huge sigh of relief and hoped to catch a good night’s sleep at long last.