Of Mongooses and bats

The most talked about bat in town will be the Mongoose though it has broken many hearts after the Delhi sojourn. The CSK self combustion is worth a separate post but I’m not interested in debating something that has been done to death. But I cant resist offering some scraps of opinion to the CSK management:
- Murali Vijay is an opener and if you want an anchor or someone to face hostile bowling it is he, if he is not doing that don’t let him do anything else or he will drop catches and then the match a la Gibbs
- Parthiv and Raina should expand their strokes to more straight bat hits, horizontal swipes when they click look nice otherwise look terrible


Anyway I digress this post is not entirely about the IPL. You can’t ignore a gorilla that commands prices of 3200 crores for just the rights to two teams. I predict that the phenomenon may implode soon in its excesses as already I am stifling a few yawns during the matches. Also Lalith Modi is getting too big and I am surprised that there are no knives being sharpened as yet around him.

So what is the mongoose, some physics and some craftsmanship that whittled a cricket bat blade into one small sweet spot. The longer blade gives greater leverage and is supposed to increase power by something. But you know all that, what people fail to appreciate is that the bat is just a tool and only in the hand of the wielder will it produce results. Even Haydos keeps switching bats so it may not be the wonder kit of the future.

But if you are Chennai the Mongoose will page in comparison to the most famous bat of the times. It can be safe to say that most of the households have this and what is more it has brought out the sporting skills and instincts in so many closet sportspersons out in the open. It is a versatile bat and the range of strokes it offers is amazing and what is more it comes in different colours so you can match it with your outfits if you so choose. The beauty of this bat is that it permits single player games and multiplayer games and the results can be death devastating. If the mongoose can cause carnage this can do it many times over and you just have to look at the bodies scattered around when you do the post match analysis.

Wait a minute did I mention bodies and not balls? Of course I did because you don’t play with balls here but with mosquitos. Ladies and gentlemen presenting the Hunter which has a greater appeal than the IPL and the mongoose if you happen to live in Chennai.

The mosquito population has exploded and I wonder if it is some conspiracy theory. Today it is impossible to spend a peaceful evening at home. And wherever you turn you hear the crackle of a square drive, a hook, a forehand smash or even a sweep depending on the sports leaning of the wielder. Again like the mongoose it takes a skilled handler to execute maximum damage but being a great leveler this sport is open to all ages and genders.


So if you are a closet sportsperson or even a couch sportsperson, here is a sport you can take up, no kits or playing fields required. All you need is a hunter and for the mosquitoes, just look around.


PS if you don’t find mosquitoes but would still like to play do drop by at my place, will share loads with you for free.