Rain spoils warm up game

I returned to Northampton again this summer to watch India play England Lions in a warm up match. I had been looking forward to coming back to this lovely ground again and it has become a favourite of mine. I nearly did not make it when I heard the weather forecast which predicted rain but I had to be there and I am glad I went.

The match had already begun when I arrived as it had been pushed forward and the ground was packed, mainly with Indian supporters making themselves heard. It was a wonderful sight to see this quaint ground in its full glory and really come alive.

England had been put into bat and a wicket had already fallen. The scoring rate was very brisk with Luke Wright and Vikram Solanki at the crease. Wright was really impressive playing strokes all round the ground with ease. The Indian seamers were literally being taken apart and looked very ordinary. Munaf Patel seemed a shadow of his former self and leaked a lot of runs and Zaheer Khan was also very ordinary. The Lions seemed to have a plan of making the most of the powerplays and it was paying off. This was almost a England third team but on this showing they could teach a lesson or two to their senior colleagues on how to play the limited version of the game. Agit Argakar came on as change but did not manage to halt the scoring rate and again failed to impress.

The spinners Pawar and Chawla came into the attack and made a difference as wickets started to fall. England continued to be aggressive but some false strokes meant that a few wickets fell quite quickly. It was a long batting line up and everyone played their part in a very positive manner. On this showing India are going to improve on their bowling as the all the seamers were plundered for runs and the option of playing two spinners may be a good one.

There was plenty of action going on off the field of play as fans cheered the sight of their idols either on the balcony or as in Dravid's case as he went of to go to the nets. The whole squad was at the ground and Tendulkar made an appearance at lunchtime practising on the field much to the fans delight. There was such a scurry that a fan that a boundary board collapsed and a fan ended up on the floor at Sachin's feet.

Saurav was playing in the match and I spent a lot of time near the boundary edge where he was fielding and signing autographs. I have known Saurav since his stint at Lancashire in 2000, when I first met him and I have seen or talked to him most times that he has been in England since then. I had not had the chance this year and it was good to see that he instantly recognised me and gave me a wave and a smile. This may be the last year he plays in England and I wanted to savour every moment of someone I have always considered a great player and person.

There were cries of 'Dada Dada' from the fans and to his credit he willingly obliged everyone to their delight. The most sweetest moment was when a little English girl next to me shouted out his name and he noticed her and came over to sign her autograph. The beaming smile on her face was fantastic to see.

The flurry of runs continued and an imposing score of 296 was posted by the Lions. This had all the makings of a good match but grey clouds were circling the ground now. There was plenty of entertainment during lunch as the dhol players started playing in the stand that I was sitting in. There was dancing and a great atmosphere as everyone tucked into their lunch. There was plenty of Indian food being served at the ground which was popular along with the favourite chips with a bit of spicy sauce.The first signs of rain appeared and the covers went on which was not a good sight but thankfully it subsided and play began after a short delay.

The openers were Saurav and Robin Uttapa and we all settled down to watch. Saurav continued where he had left off at the tests and played a few stunning shots before the rain came. The players came of to some boos but as predicted it became heavier and it just a question of waiting. A lot of us gathered in a massive hall serving food and drink and we all waited and waited. The rain did ease after an hour or so but the match was eventually abandoned at around 4pm. Many fans had already left and it was such a shame as it would have been a cracking game.

It was strange but I had enjoyed this match and the one at Chelmsford much more than the tests, simply for the informal and relaxed atmosphere you get at the smaller grounds. Lords and Oval can be too formal with too many restrictions for the fans and at these grounds everyone is friendly. You feel much closer to the action and the players as they are at touching distance and much more accessible. I had a tinge of sadness as I had no plans to go to any of the one dayers and it would be a long wait to see India again in England and never see this team together again.

As I left the ground for the last time this year, there was the usual gathering of fans desperate to see the team one last time as they boarded the coach. I reflected on the day and was so glad that I made it as it had been one of those special days despite the rain.