If he's come, might as well bowl, says Tendulkar of son's India net session
If he's come, might as well bowl, says Tendulkar of son's India net sessionu00a0
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A young bowler in whites came over and bowled to the Indian team at the Nursery End of the Lord's Cricket Ground yesterday -- a boy bearing the name of a Hindu God and a legendary second name. Okay, let's put it straight... 11-year-old Arjun Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar's son, Arjun, prepares to bowl during the nets at Lord's
yesterday. Pic/Clayton MurzelloHe had a ball... literally and one could tell that he had a good time as he walked towards the pavilion end of the ground, probably to catch up with his dad, who had just finished his practice stint.
Did Arjun enjoy bowling at the team, MiD DAY asked Tendulkar Sr yesterday as he obliged an autograph hunter. "Yeah. If you have come, might as well bowl."
Next question: "Has he been to the dressing room? "No...oh yes... he has... when we played the T20 (World Cup in 2009)," said Tendulkar.
Arjun's walk towards the pavilion surprised the steward, but he was soon informed whose son he was and the kid went through without hindrance. Wonder whether he realised how special his tryst with hallowed turf was. 'I walked at Lord's when I was 11,' his friends could soon be informed.u00a0
Jennings backs India Former South Africa coach Ray Jennings, who calls the shots at Royal Challengers Bangalore, was spotted at Lord's yesterday. Jennings is here as coach of the South African under-19 squad that plays their English counterparts.
Jennings backed India for the four-match Test series which kicks off at Lord's on Thursday. "India will win! They have good batsmen and bowlers while England is a bit up and down. I am backing my second home," Jennings said with a chuckle.
Pity his young South African team couldn't be allowed to get their photograph taken with the Lord's pavilion behind them. Some of them won't forget it and they'll have a yarn to tell when they graduate to international status.u00a0
Why it is called the Nursery End... THE guided tour operator at the Nursery End of the Lord's Cricket Ground was emphatic in his description of the far end of the historic ground yesterday: "It is not called the Nursery End because we nurse young cricketers, but because there used to be a nursery here."
He was right. For one, the World No 1 Test team were training at the Nursery End and secondly, there was Sachin Tendulkar, the senior-most player in the game.
The guide went on to explain that the nursery grew pineapples. "How they could do that in England, I don't know, but that could be the reason it shut down (before Marylebone Cricket Club) bought the land," he said.
Media centre historyThere was a guided tour to the Media Centre too. As journalists banged away at their laptops, a tour guide explained how the Media Centre was set up in 1999 and brought up the 1999 World Cup final between Australia and Pakistan.
"It was one of the most one-sided finals in history," he informed. Later, he asked if some of the visitors wanted to view the England team train. "No all of us," a voice amongst the crowd, was heard. That visitor happened to be an Australian, probably stung by the former world champions' loss in the 2010-11 Ashes.
