Donkey's XI

If you are in Delhi, and a cricket fan, and the type who wants to watch cricket live in a stadium- yes, with your very own eyes- here are some things you can do:

1. Please take some time out to drink your sorrows away, and also take out a large bottle of whatever it is that takes your fancy. (the heavier the bottle the better- once you polish it off, you can use it bash your head in)
2. Give up the aforementioned idea regarding cricket
3. Move city
4. Travel to watch it (and give up your job, spend all your money, just leave enough to drink away your sorrows-see point #1)

Sometime in 2002 (april, methinks) the wise, well meaning, responsible men that take decisions at the DDCA (thats the Delhi District Cricket Association) took the wise decision to rennovate the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium. Given that it was a blot on Delhi anyway, that sounded like a good move. They were to finish the task by April 2004, which of course did not happen despite their most earnest efforts. It was to be ready for the series against South Africa, but that too did not happen for reasons too heartbreaking to go into, especially for the good men whose heart it broke trying their darndest to complete it.

But. That's not all. Fate had more in store for these hard working, conscientious men with hearts of gold. In April 2004 (the scheduled time of completion) their permission (to continue work) from the Municipal Corporation ran out, and through some dark conspiracy, an extension was not applied for. By October, the villainous MCD woke up and stopped the (now illegal) work. It was then that the magnanimous members of the DDCA took time out from their numerous good deeds, and applied for an extension.
Till that piece of paper is obtained from those vicious, law abiding imbeciles who stopped the work in the first place, the ground is ready only for various donkeys around the ground to stray in and graze on the grass where once great men walked with leather ball and Kashmir willow in hand.

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This is in the TOI for today, but I can't seem to find it online. It is absolutely ridiculous. For heaven's sake, this is the Capital of the country, and an embarassing stadium has been replaced by rubble and procrastination. Nobody seems interested, and there actually is a photo of the donkeys out in the middle. Coming in the wake of the fiasco (for spectators and media) that was the Delhi v AP Ranji match at the Roshanara Club, despair reigns supreme.

(Unless of course, your heart is of gold like thise wise men. After all, what can they do in the face of omnipotent Fate)