An Indian oasis

The pitch for our final two matches – the Vengsarkar Academy ground – was at the end of a large open field on which there were six end-to-end pitches of variable quality. The land was in the middle of Mumbai and was home to a mass of matches, both formal and impromptu. At weekends the games are structured, but during the week the games take place on any free space, and towards the end of the day there can be as many of 30 or 40 matches taking place at any time.


Although the pitch we used looked basic and had no more than awnings for a pavilion, the wicket itself was good and the game was played in front of hundreds of locals. Some sat inside the metal railings on tree stumps and the grass, others stood peering through the railings, often for hours at a time.

The field was in effect a massive traffic island, so the incessant humming and honking of the city’s traffic was always present. The backdrop of imposing nineteenth century buildings completed a truly Indian setting. The Brabourne was magnificant, but the consensus was that this was what a tour to India was all about.