HYDERABAD: All night long, they were at play.

Leading the charge was Atul Kharecha, Guinness record holder for playing carrom continuously for 32 hours.

A common love for the game had brought the seven-member team (including a woman) from United States to Hyderabad. From Sunday, the seven boards laid out at the Hotel Basera in Secunderabad were kept busy.

The pre-World Cup camp was on in right earnest. The Americans were lapping up everything they could from master of the craft Nisar Ahmed. Each table was fitted with a lamp, brought down from the US. So was a doctor, a member of the contingent.

"We had planned this camp for Delhi, venue of the World Cup from November 17 to 21, at the Tivoli Gardens," said Jaydev Suryadevara, a team member.

But having heard of Hyderabad as the hub of the sport, they chose this city. And they weren't disappointed.

"The Indian players are mind-boggling," said Kharecha. The US team members were being beaten by 12 and 13 year olds, their movements too fast to be caught on camera, he said.

Purse gifted

The presence of Nisar Ahmed was another strong reason that drew them to Hyderabad.

In appreciation of his services to the sport, the American team gifted Ahmed a purse during an interface with the media here.

Two-time US champion Sekhar Challa and Srinivas Mallisetty said the sport was on the upswing in their country. Played mostly among expat Indians, there was a drive to rope in more natural Americans to the sport.

The team members thanked Neeraj Sambadhi of the Siva Sivani Management Institute and Hotel Basera, sponsor and host of the camp and a pre-World Cup tournament.

ESPN session

They also acknowledged the efforts of Madan Raj and Madhu Shekhar, officials of the Hyderabad Carrom Association. As testimony to the game's growing popularity, they said ESPN would conduct a carrom reality session after the World Cup that will have participants from 16 countries.

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