Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Mandira makes the pitch

Mandira Bedi is all set to get the ball rolling with the Mangalore edition of Gully Cricket on September 15

BOWLING MAIDENS Mandira says it is not going to be only teenagers who get invited to play

This coastal city will be one of the second-tier cities in the country that will witness Gully Cricket, where the gorgeous Mandira Bedi (yes, she of the Extraa Innings on Sony Max channel) will swing the willow with housewives and street urchins. It's that time of the year again when bricks become stumps, shopkeepers become wicketkeepers, and balconies become galleries. Mangalore's tryst with the Bedi babe takes place on September 15.

The spirit of Gully Cricket, once part of the chawls of Mumbai, is now seeping into the narrow roads of Mangalore. It is not that Mangalore has never witnessed roadside cricket but there are so many open maidans and playgrounds that children need not play the game in alleys or on the roads.

Inevitable change

Change is creeping in on the wide vistas of the city. With tall buildings reaching for the sky with constricted little roads between them, it is only a matter of time before the willow hits the streets. This is fitting as Mangalore has always shared its dreams and passions with Mumbai. Take the fish curry that both Kolis in Mumbai and Mogaveeras of Mangalore make. The thugs of Mumbai are trained in Mangalore and there is also migration of Mangalore's undesirables to Mumbai in search of better "jobs". The reverse happens as well with goons settling down in Mangalore after retirement.

Be that as it may, gully cricket is one more similarity. The vivacious Mandira (ahem, she of the distracting spaghetti blouses) said: "Cricket is more entertainment than a sport. It is a beautiful combination of spirit, entertainment and athleticism that translates to wholesome telly viewing as well as fun to watch live."

Mandira agrees that many ladies might not have played cricket in their lives but that is not reason enough to keep them out of the game. She promised that it would not only be teenagers who would play but also housewives and middle aged women who would wield the willow.

Mandira's team of Gully Criketers from Mumbai will include MAX brand ambassadors, the naughty Sameer Khan and the adorable Tiger Deewana.

The team comes to the city after stops at Hyderabad, Nagpur, and Kolkata and from Mangalore will go to Visakhapatnam, Coimbatore, Amritsar, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.

The concept has been conceived also to promote the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which is being played in India for the first time. The fifth edition of the Mini World Cup is expected to be a no-holds-barred cricketing extravaganza with all the top nations waging war on the pitches from Mohali to Mumbai.

Commenting on the return of this MAX initiative, Albert Almeida, Business Head, said: "Cricket is not only for the select few rolling their arms and swinging their bats in the parks and fields. It is our national passion and there is no greater fun than playing the game on the streets. And with our MAX icons for company, I am sure Gully Cricket will make everyone go deewana all over again."

M.R.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail