By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Indore: Cricket crazy Indore is all geared up as last minute final touches are underway at the Usha Raje Cricket stadium which is being prepared to host the second ODI match of Hero Honda Cup 2008 to be played here between India and England on November 17.
With just one more day to go the cricket mania has gripped the cricket crazy city and the enthusiasm being expressed by the young brigade to watch their cricketing heroes in action in body and flesh, and not just their images on their TV screens, has doubled after Team India annihilated England in the first ODI at Rajkot on Friday.
Both India and England teams arrived here in Indore in the afternoon to a great enthusiastic welcome. The office-bearers Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, (MPCA), received them at the airport with a huge crowd of cricket fans and lovers in toe to have a glimpse of their heroes.
Only three Indian players namely Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma went to the nets in the evening at the stadium.
If the past record of Usha Raje Cricket ground, which in fact is the second international cricket venue of Indore after Nehru stadium, is anything to go by, India stands a fair chance of winning the second ODI.
It is a happy coincidence that this cricket stadium which has been tipped to be full of green outfield and one of the best batting pitches of the country, has had the honor of hosting its first international cricket match about two years back and it had been played between the same rivals – vis-a-vas India and England who will be meeting each other here second time at the same venue.
The first and the last international cricket match was played here between India and England on April 15, 2006. This match Indian had won by seven wickets. Robin Utthappa, the dashing opening batsman of Indian cricket, making his debut in an international cricket, had cracked 86 runs by facing 96 balls. It was the 7th and last ODI between India and England played here and with this Maharani Usha Raje Trust Cricket Stadium became the 156th ODI venue in India.
In the current England squad, as many as four players vis-a-vas Kevin Petersen, Ian Bell, James Anderson and Paul Collingwood will be playing for their country for the second consecutive time here, while 12 players will be representing their side against India here for the first time.
Similarly, in the current Indian squad, there are many players like the present Indian ODI cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virendra Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha and Virat Kohli respectively who will be playing for their country here for the first time.
Meanwhile, the tickets for the match are being sold like hot cakes for the 30,000 t0 35,000 capacity stadium as there is a mad rush to pocket it for oneself. Long queues of school and college-going students, who are being offered 50 per cent concessions, were witnessed at bank counters selling tickets at various points in the city.
The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association here is giving finishing touches to the preparation works and is cautious this time following the chaos two years back in 2006 during the India-England. The last match at this stadium between India and England resulted in chaos for the audience as well as the police and this is the reason why Police as well as the administration is all set for the best possible arrangements this time.
Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements will be in place during the ODI match. According to Anil Kumar, Inspector General of Police for Indore Range, a three-tier security arrangement will be in place for the ODI match as 1500 security personnel will be deployed in and around the venue. He said that strict vigil will be maintained during the match and spectators will be thoroughly checked before they enter into the stadium premises. ([email protected])