by Richie Lasrado, Daijiworld.com, Mangalore - Pics Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore. Sep 15: The Gully Cricket brought to the city by Max TV channel, with anchors Charu Sharma and Mandira Bedi heading the show, provided a heady dose of diversion and entertainment for the young crowd on Friday, September 15 afternoon.
Two sessions of Gully Cricket played on the Women's Polytechnic Ground in Bondel and MV Shetty College in Gandhinagar, Kavoor provided a full-throat chance for young students of either institutions and others to play no-holds-barred cricket with Charu and Mandira. There were no rules, no boundary lines, no TV replay, no Third Umpire - nothing of the sort. Perhaps it was enjoyed at a higher degree than what is watched on the idiot box.
While the first batch of mostly local girls at the polytechnic were a shy, staid lot, the one at MV Shetty were made up of girls mostly from northern India. They threw all timidity to the winds and faced up to the volleys from Charu and Mandira with guts and abandon. Boundaries were hit all over.
When Charu came in to bat, it was raining sixers and at least half a dozen balls were sent over a building opposite the ground, obviously rendering them write-off material. They could not be retrieved.
At both the venues, Charu Sharma and Mandira Bedi were mobbed by youngsters to be photographed with them and for autograph-hunting.
Speaking to Daijiworld, both of them said they were simply moved by the response and enthusiasm and Mandira had a special word for the discipline in the crowd in spite of their being overzealous.
Later on, the star attractions paid a visit to the Reliance Web World, the local facilitators of the event, who were assisted by Shads in event management.
Also read:
ALBUM 1
ALBUM 2