A cosy venue

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim (L) congratulates his Zimbabwe counterpart Brendan Taylor as the latter leaves field after scoring a superb 171 on the second day of the first Test at Harare yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Scenes of the Indian Premier League are rife in cricket establishments in Harare. The Harare Sports Club restaurant always has IPL on their screens, and the popular T20 league's highlights are shown in the media box during the lunch and tea breaks of the first Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
But the world of the Harare Sports Club could not be farther away from the capacity crowds of the IPL in big Indian metropolises. The arena does not need to be filled to the brim to look attractive or appealing. Only three two-storey high makeshift stands and four smaller stands, a grandstand square of the wicket, four-storey high structures behind each sightscreen obstruct the sight of the surrounding greenery. The tree-lined surroundings lend a peaceful, organic feel to watching cricket at the ground.
Yesterday, Zimbabwe's Independence Day, attracted more than the smattering of spectators seen on the first day. The noise they created as Zimbabwe exceeded expectations to score 385 may not have been the deafening roar of the subcontinent, but was a more intimate communication with their team that must have spurred the hosts on. When Bangladesh batted, the early dropped chance off Jahurul Islam's bat and every near miss was immediately met by a spontaneous chorus of 'Ohh' -- a much more interactive atmosphere than any 30,000-seater could provide.
Also the entire process of watching the cricket is worlds apart to what it is in Bangladesh. There are no policemen with guns near the entry gates. Just two Harare Sports Club security personnel at each gate suffice in keeping order.
But most appealing are the grass banks, a concept alien to cricket stadiums in Bangladesh. Families with children enjoy the sun and the breeze under beach umbrellas. It is a perfect place to enjoy the ebb and flow of Test cricket, cricket's oldest and premier format.
Behind the mound that forms the grass bank are the practice nets where first-class and national cricketers usually practice. Yesterday a group of four boys aged not more than 12 were playing half-pitch cricket there. Seeing people from the subcontinent, they immediately asked which IPL team we supported. If that worries Test cricket enthusiasts, they will be happy to know that the game the Royal Challengers Bangalore fans were playing was a Test match.