The cement factor

What is the relation between cricket and cement? My little brother, who ‘was’ a hard core fan of Indian speedster Sreesanth asked me the other day.

I was just stumped by that googlie, and I had no ready answer for what looked like an ammunition-loaded question. As I was not equipped to defend the 'other one', I tried to outsmart him by saying “You could have better asked me the relation between jalebi and fish curry.”

As he left the room with a naughty smile, I started racking my brain. Other than sharing the common first letter ‘c’, I couldn’t remember any connection between the two. But for the concrete pitches, which are used for net practice, I could not find a common link between the two. As my thoughts started wandering, I was able to formulate my first point, which has a philosophical tone in it. It states as follows--‘both cement and cricket, used as a binding material, former to adhere the particles, and the latter binds the nation, or the people.’

As my research started building a good partnership with World Wide Web, I was lucky enough to grab more insights. Cricket’s home is in England whereas the modern cement production too started in England, during the Industrial Revolution. Although, the game was first played somewhere in the 16th century, the international matches started in the middle of 19th century. During the same period, the Britons started manufacturing the Portland cement, which is the most common type of cement in general use around the world.

Recent developments in to the gentleman’s game had thrown more high pressure sodium floodlights to the relation. Indian Cricket’s all in all, the President Almighty, who is currently being “step aside”, is the owner of one of the largest cement manufacturers, India Cements.

Probably the cement factor must have made Srinivasan still unshaken and strong as that of Pamban Bridge, even after his son-in-law was involved in betting scam in T20. Even though there is no connection, the interim president of BCCI too shares a common name, which sounds similar to that of cement giants ‘Dalmia’ (his surname is Dalmiya). The epicentre of the IPL spot fixing scam, the Rajasthan Royals, too have a cemented relation with the cement—thanks to main sponsor Ultratech cements. I think now I have courage enough to face the doosaras from my bro!