Karnataka in a Twenty20 mode

Vijay Grover

Weeks after the Twenty20 World Cup win, the rules of the new 20-20 cricket format are being re-written in Karnataka. The developments in Karnataka in the last few days have yet again left the people of the state wondering as to what the rules of the game really are.While the JDS suddenly realized that it had to score secular runs, for the BJP it was the attempt to kill charge by one of its ministers which saw the first BJP wicket falling by hit wicket even before their innings was to begin. For the cricket lovers it was a match that they enjoyed as it came with a lot of uphill tasks, dramas and emotional charges including the reunion of the captain and the coach of the team H D Deve Gowda . The twenty months saw the run rate increase and saw some sixers which the people enjoyed that Kumarswamy scored courtesy the Gram Vasstavya ( village stay ) schemes, the task looked un-daunting for the BJP which felt the pressure as it got set to bat second . But as the change over time neared in the 20-20 Power Sharing Championship in Karnataka the team batting first, the JDS led by its captain cum chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, at the end of its innings on the 3rd October announced that it was in no mood to field and bowl and wanted to chase its own runs in the second twenty overs as it felt that the captain of the opposing team was not capable enough to chase. The match referee cum coach of the JDS in the tournament H D Deve Gowda also felt that the JDS captain Kumarswamy was more suited to chase the target than the BJP captain Yediyurappa Even as the match referee H D Deve Gowda and the Umpire Yashwant Sinha wrested in a tug of war to help resume the innings another team Congress jumped into the match frame. This time the new team, Indian National Congress came with a new format of Secular Power Play, coached by the ICC President Sharad Pawar. For the JDS captain H D Kumarswamy this was the winning stroke even before the new 20 months inning began as the Congress is happy doing fielding and is not interested in batting . Upset BJP men wearing the cricket gears, threw their bats and pads in dismay as they handed in their resignations to the Chief Minister who just padded up wearing them . As the Congress gets ready to enter the ground after its coach Sonia Gandhi gives the go ahead for the BJP its the end of the match as it talks like the Indian seniors Saurav, Sachin and Dravid that the longer version of the game is better. But for the confused spectators who wait for the second innings to start , all eyes are on the dressing room to see who comes out and fields for the padded captain of the JDS Kumaraswamy and for how long. Or will the people of the state have to buy fresh tickets ( fresh elections ) to see some progress.