Legends set to storm the wild

MUMBAI: It's not for nothing they say 'old is gold'. After warming the cockles of the hearts of cricket lovers in the cool climes of the Alps in icy Switzerland in 2009, some of cricket's legendary figures are now set to conquer the African forests.
Beyond Boundaries, in association with South African Tourism, will be organizing a six-a-side cricket match in one of the game reserves of South Africa on November 15.
The 'World Cricket Legends in the Wild', to be held in KwaZulu Natal, will be contested between Indian veterans led by former captain Kapil Dev and will feature his 1983 World Cup-winning teammates Sandeep Patil, Roger Binny and Dilip Vengsarkar, along with former opener and India coach Anshuman Gaekwad and ODI specialist Ajay Jadeja.
The South African team will be led by former all-rounder Mike Procter. Procter will have by his side 1999 World Cup hero Lance Klusener, unorthodox chinaman bowler Paul Adams, former opener Andrew Hudson, Peter Kirsten and the great southpaw Graeme Pollock.
The game itself will be a 15-over-a-side double wicket match played on a matting wicket. The match will feature three batting pairs which can bat for a maximum of five overs. A wicket will cost the batting team 15 runs. Each bowler can bowl a maximum of one over and the game will be played with red tennis balls. Also on the agenda is a glittering awards ceremony.
Gaekwad, who also played in the 2009 event against the All Star World XI, led by Alvin Kallicharran at Jungfrau Joch at a height of 11,333 ft above sea level, recalled the challenges one has to face at such an altitude. "It was difficult to run twos. I'm quite fit and I ran the first single easily, but I stopped midway while taking the second run as I just couldn't breathe," he recalled.
Vengsarkar, who missed the 2009 edition, said he always regretted not having played a Test on South African soil. "I retired in May 1992 and the first series in South Africa was scheduled only in November later that year. I have played against some legendary South Africans like Procter, Clive Rice and Barry Richards when the Indian team toured England and they represented the English counties. I was also fortunate to play against some of them in the World Masters in 1995 and was fortunate to score a hundred against South Africa," Vengsarkar recalled.
When asked when was the last time he played with a tennis ball, Vengsarkar said: "We played tennis-ball cricket on the beach in Goa last month and it was great fun. I remember starting out on cricket by playing tennis ball cricket in the bylanes of Hindu colony in Dadar."
Vengsarkar also said Sandeep Patil would be at home at Game Reserve, a haven for watching lions, cheetahs, leopards etc. "He's a wild life lover and would even know the names of some lions," he joked and added, "Sandeep is also an excellent cook and we're looking forward to the bush barbecue he will host on the 14th."
The short square boundaries and straight boundaries (27 and 30 yards respectively) will be an invitation for six-hitters, but Kapil and Co. would do well to take the advice of Hanneli Slabber, the country manager (India) for South African tourism: "If you hit them in the wild, don't go looking for the ball!"