Before check-in, city checks out Men in Blue

PUNE: It was a chance for thousands of city fans to witness the senior cricket team in action after a gap of three years.
But non-availability of hotel accommodation has played spoilsport.
The four-day warm-up game between India Seniors and India ''A'', which was scheduled to be held in the city from September 28 to October 1, to provide the top players a chance to tune up for the Australia series, has now been moved to Bangalore.
The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that it would not be able to organise the match due to lack of availability of hotel accommodation in Pune.
"All the star hotels in the city are overbooked and we have informed the board accordingly," MCA secretary Anant Mate said.
Board secretary S.K. Nair told TNN that the match would now be held on the same dates in Bangalore.
"The Karnataka State Cricket Association has expressed its readiness. The match will also help the Indian team get acclimatised to the conditions there before the first Test between India and Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scheduled in Bangalore from October 6," Nair said.
"The national selectors, who are in Mohali for the Irani Cup tie, will choose the two teams on Friday."
Pune has three five-star hotels and normally the top players are hosted at the Taj Blue Diamond because of its contract with the BCCI.
"We needed at least 30 rooms, apart from the ones for selectors, coaches and other officials. At such short notice, it is difficult to get so many rooms," Mate said. He made it clear that the association had no problem in organising the match.
"The Nehru stadium ground looks lush green and we would have spruced it up, in spite of the short notice," he said.
"In 1989, the India-Zimbabwe match was held in Pune with just eight days'' notice. Also, in 2001, the crucial Duleep Trophy match between East and West Zone (February 1-4) was shifted to Pune from Ahmedabad at the last moment because of the earthquake," Mate said.
Taj Blue Diamond front office manager Aruni Ray told TNN that the hotel has 108 rooms, of which 22 rooms (one floor) are being renovated.
"Since the Pune market is buoyant, all our available 86 rooms are occupied," Ray said. The last time India seniors like Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid played in the city was against Australia in March 2003.
The Australian team is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai for the four-Test series in the early hours of Saturday.
Captain Ricky Ponting will not be accompanying the team, at least in the initial stages, as he has fractured his thumb. The squad is to be led by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.
The visitors are set to open the tour with a threeday tie against Ranji Trophy champions, Mumbai, at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on September 30.