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Murali's eyes, pigeons and a memorable final

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Adam Mountford | 08:37 UK time, Sunday, 3 April 2011

So after 50 days, 17 flights, 49 matches and 25 ball-by-ball commentaries, my experience is over. Here is the last of my behind the scenes glimpses into life on the road with TMS which I hope you have enjoyed!

Friday 25 March

The day before and calls to confirm that he's managed to persuade the most successful bowler of all time, Muttiah Muralitharan, to do an interview with him on the eve of the game. I wait alongside Vaughan in the hotel lobby and when Murali appears Michael shouts out "Here comes the eyes".

Vaughan told me earlier that it was always a nightmare facing the record-breaking spinner not just because of his variations but also the way his eyes pop out at you from the bowling crease. Just before I switch on the microphone, Vaughan admits that this will be the first interview he has ever done... not a bad name for starters. The chat is a fascinating one and Vaughan ends by cheekily saying "all the best on your last match for Sri Lanka tomorrow!"

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The interview is played during the South Africa v New Zealand quarter-final which dramatically turns around as . I see who has just arrived in Colombo after a few days at home. "I knew South Africa would stall somewhere in this tournament," says Aggers, "Remember how broke down during the opening ceremony - they were doomed from then on."

Saturday 26 March

Arrive early at to set up the TMS commentary position and to find somewhere for to present 5 live Sport from. Today the show is being billed as coming from Cardiff, Colombo and Chiswick with European football, the cricket and the . There is a battle for space at the ground and all we can find for Mark and Deepak from the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Asian Network is a seat in the media dining room, so their updates are accompanied by plates being scraped, and knives and forks crashing to the ground.

I also have to sort out the TMS rota which is one of the main duties of my day. For this game although we have three commentators in Aggers, and Sri Lankan Roshan Abeysinghe, we only have one summariser of our own in Michael Vaughan as our resources are spread thinly with four quarter-finals in three countries on successive days. This means I have to go begging to the host TV broadcasters ESPN who are very helpful in lending some of their commentary team. As well as , I also approach former England captain and broadcasting veteran . I have to admit I was rather nervous, having never spoken to him before. I have always found him a little intimidating, partly because of his legendary status and partly because he is enormously tall. But Greig is absolutely charming and agrees to help out, although I am very disappointed that at no point does he utter the phrase "Welcome to this Telecast" or "Look at those Sri Lankans in their smart blue uniforms."

It turns out to be not the only disappointment of the day as England's World Cup campaign comes to an ignominous end as the home side . Although it was always going to be a tough ask to beat Sri Lanka at home, after the exciting games played so far I wasn't expecting such a limp exit. Before packing away there is an argument brewing with apparently because our post-match interview with Andrew Strauss lasted too long. I am summoned to a telling off from numerous ICC officials because we spoke to Strauss for four minutes rather than the three we are supposed to do!

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Adam Mountford's team of the tournament

Sunday 27 March

England's defeat means that Aggers and Mark Pougatch will be diverted to Mohali for the India v Pakistan match. There are a few concerns as we hear people are being thrown out of their rooms to make way for VIPs and Indian cricket officials, and that others are being removed from booked seats on flights. Aggers' journey doesn't start well as he reports a long delay at Colombo airport - but spirits seem to be lifted when I receive "Pougers and I have made a shrewd investment. For $12 we are now members of the Palm Strip Club and can sit in their exclusive lounge..."

Wednesday 30 March

The day of in Mohali. Steve Houghton is the producer for the game today and I discover it is not just the incredible level of security which is a concern for him when he arrives at the ground. Rather than having time to set up the equipment ready for the TMS broadcast I find out that Steve spends most of the morning trying to coax an errant pigeon out of the commentary box. I get a text later from Steve saying "the return of Wendy" (another one for all you fans). I text back saying that I never had a pigeon problem in our commentary box in Colombo, but that is probably because we were using pigeon nemesis Tony Greig!

The TMS team in Colombo find different ways to follow today's action. Michael Vaughan decides to hit the gym ahead of a charity bike ride he is undertaking soon and he tweets: "To prepare for my cycle in May, I am staying on the bike in the gym until Sachin is out." It doesn't look like this is going to be too much of a hardship at first as the 'Little Master' does not seem in great form and starts to give some chances. But amazingly This leads to this tweet from Vaughan: "Pakistan fielders clearly feel that I need to sweat for little while longer... (going slowly now)". But the errors keep coming and the tweets from the gym become more and more desperate: "Seriously blowing now... Come on Sachin, save your hundred for the final please." Finally, after at least a couple of hours Vaughan has to admit defeat. "Enough is enough... Sachin has the better of me... underestimated the Little Master... schoolboy error."

Thursday 31 March

Fly from Colombo to Mumbai and decide to employ an old trick to help smooth my way through immigration. At Colombo Airport I cheerfully declare that I hope Murali wins the trophy for Sri Lanka as the man at passport control waves me through. Once in Mumbai, I declare that I am dreaming of a Tendulkar century on Saturday which helps speed up the checking of my luggage by a customs official! On the journey there is plenty of talk about the I was asked to pick, especially the selection of over players like JOnathan Trott and Upul Tharanga. My selectorial confidence is slightly dented when late in the evening tweets me to say he was surprised that he made the team!


India legend Sunil Gavaskar joins Jonathan Agnew on Test Match Special for the World Cup final

Saturday 2 April
There is no doubting how big today is going to be here in Mumbai as I switch on the TV to find almost every channel running a 24-hour build-up to the final, whilst the front page of the Times of India has the headline "A nation holds its breath". Having heard horror stories about the level of security expected at the we leave our hotel at 9am ahead of a 2.30pm start. It is a bit of an adventure getting into the ground but after negotiating several bag checks and disturbingly intrusive body searches we make our way to the TMS commentary box.

Even several hours before the match starts the atmosphere is one of great excitement and it is on days like this I realise just how fortunate I am to be at such a venue for such an occasion. Michael Vaughan arrives having made one Indian taxi driver very happy. Vaughan was determined to help a genuine supporter get into the final and managed to secure a ticket which he handed over to the startled young man as he dropped him outside the ground. Aggers arrives with a cold brewing - but nothing is going to stop him and the rest of the TMS team enjoy this magical day.

The drama starts as ... well, should have been made... and all sorts of conspiracy theories start to sweep through the media centre as the incident becomes quickly known as "coin gate". Fortunately the excitement of the match overshadows this controversy as first Mahela Jayawardene strokes a beautiful century, applauded unusually by all in the press box. Then Tendulkar is dismissed, ending his dreams of a historic 100th international century on his home ground before India start to recover.

To be honest, while I am busy negotiating with other broadcasters over which expert summarisers will be available when. Ideally I would like a representative of the winning country on air on TMS when the cup is secured - but this is rather difficult when you have no idea which team is going to win. In the end I plump for an Indian victory and organise that 1983 World Cup winner will be with Aggers at the end. The decision pays off as Mahendra Dhoni provides an amazing climax leaving Sunil very emotional on air: "What a way to win the World Cup, with Look at Sachin Tendulkar out there, he's like a little kid - this was the one medal missing from his collection. This is great for Indian cricket, and for India, as the country has had a few problems over the last few months - hopefully it will bring everyone together."

Indian fans celebrate their World Cup success

Flag-waving fans celebrated India's success long into the night

After we pack up at the ground we walk through some amazing scenes of celebration outside the stadium with cars overloaded with delirious fans, hundreds of flags waving and shouts of "India, India". It is a fantastic way to finish what has been an enthralling last seven weeks and even though it is 3.30am before we get back to our hotel - we will never forget today.

Thanks so much for reading through my musings over the tournament and thanks especially to all of you who have listened to TMS over the past 42 days. And the good news is that you only have to wait until 26 May for the next TMS broadcast!

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Hi Adam

    Excellent blog again, this has been a really interesting series of blogs.

    Well done to the whole TMS team for excellent coverage over the last couple of months.

    This has been the world cup that I have enjoyed the most and I would say has been covered the best by TMS.

    Can't wait for May 26th and the return of Blowers signalling the start of the summer (hope he's doing the first test!).

  • Comment number 2.

    Great Blog Adam, I've enjoyed this blog each and every sunday for the past few weeks and I have loved every word.

    I just wanted to say that, as an Indian currently living in India, I was here to not only experience the joyous celebrations, but was also one of the many thousands who drove to India Gate to celebrate. Everyone from India is on cloud nine right now. This has been a surreal roller coaster ride, especially for the newer generation who hadn't seen India win in 1983( That includes me as well).

    I hope your, and to be frank everyones, sub-continental experience was as brilliant as it was frustrating. And before I end this comment, I would just like to say:

    MERA BHARAT MAHAAN!!!!!!!!

  • Comment number 3.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 4.

    TMS rocks yo!

  • Comment number 5.

    By the way an ICC Panel, including our very own CMJ , has now revealed a team of the tournament. It reads -

    Sachin Tendulkar (India)
    Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
    Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, WK and captain)
    Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka)
    AB de Villiers (South Africa)
    Yuvraj Singh (India)
    Shane Watson (Australia)
    Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
    Dale Steyn (South Africa)
    Zaheer Khan (India)
    Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka)

    12th man: Tim Southee (New Zealand)

    They also confirmed Yuvraj Singh as "Player of the Tournament".

  • Comment number 6.

    Meanwhile - this is the selection of @sportsworldlee ... aka Lee James who has been here covering the World Cup for the World Service.

    Tendulkar, Dilshan,Sangakkara, De Villiers, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Afridi, Peterson, Zaheer Khan, Umar Gul and Steyn.

  • Comment number 7.

    Nice one again Adam,am waiting for this article.The final has been fantastic,great advert for the 50 over game...India well done it brought joy for 1.2 billion ppl which is 17% of world's population...thanks for the memories

  • Comment number 8.

    Congratulation, INDIA, you were the better side as Sangakkara said at the final. It takes two teams to make a final and it is sad that Dhoni forgot about Sri Lanka when he was talking to Ravi Shastri.

  • Comment number 9.

    I've thoroughly enjoyed your insights Adam.

    A great final to cap off an engaging (if a little long) tournament.

    Now we only have to wait until Friday for the IPL to kick off.

  • Comment number 10.

    It's been a real pleasure listening to, and reading the tweets by, the various members of the TMS crew during the tournament. I do hope @Tim_Peach reappears, complete with bags, in the UK at some point - I'm not sure he's safe to be left travelling India on his own! Many thanks to you all, Adam, roll on Cardiff on the 26th of May!

  • Comment number 11.

    Hi Pam, I can reveal that @Tim_Peach is still in India taking a small holiday after his production duties ended. I think he and his much travelled luggage are still together having received the following Tweet recently

    "Having spent a large part of the WC travelling from airport to airport, my bag has just enquired about offsetting its carbon emissions"

  • Comment number 12.

    As tournament to remember if not only for the contrast between the two groups and the twists and turns of the finals.

    Thanks Adam the behind the scenes blog kept us in touch with surreality!

  • Comment number 13.

    Hello Adam

    Many thanks for an entertaining blog and for keeping TMS as enjoyable as ever. My first taste of the TMS party was around the time Tony Cozier and Bill Frindall were new kids on the block!

    It's still great fun. Thanks very much to all of you who make it so.

  • Comment number 14.

    The CWC 2011 is over but another summer of cricket with TMS is (thankfully) only just around the corner. You have a great set up at TMS. A fantastic on-mike team: Agnew, Boycott, Hughes, Vaughan, CMJ (we even had A W Greig on TMS!!) ... A podcast that has become mandatory listening in the car on the way home from work ... And some solid journos behind the scenes, with a "mentioned in dispatches" badge for Alison Mitchell's blog, her photos and her videos ... Long live "Soul limbo"

  • Comment number 15.

    Excellent blog.
    hope you enjoyed the sub continental experience.

    We will never forget 2nd April of 2011 either...I have never seen India celebrate like this ever... from the smallest village to the metro cities!!!
    Indeed the journey towards and the victory in itself has been uplifting and rejuvenating for us as a nation..
    Long live the game!!!

  • Comment number 16.

    Like mentioned before it is a shame that Sangakkara was full of praises for his opposition yet they had no words for theirs. Even the great Murali left the game in that final without a word. The little master shone but now knowing he isn't planning to leave the game as many had suggested before I feel let down that we saw so little of Sri Lanka and their Murali; the best bowler the world has seen.

  • Comment number 17.

    Excellent Final on Sunday
    This world cup has been excellent and has brought ODI cricket back into life
    TMS coverage has been excellent
    Very sad end for Murali's final international match for Sri Lanka

  • Comment number 18.

    Hi Adam

    Great blog and great world cup coverage. As much as I've enjoyed the world cup, I look forward to the test matches in May. Hope Tuffers and Blowers make an appearance or several.

    I work in an office full of English; Indians; Sri Lankans and people from other countries. Where I sit, opposite me are England fans; and behind me are Indian fans and Sri Lankan fans.

    Our lifestyles are all very different but I feel the cricket world cup has united us. It is as if we are all from one country with on common good. I guess we are in one country, cricket country and apart from one or two exceptions, as you've highlighted, what a fine country it is to be in. Long may it continue to be that way.

    PS Whilst discussing the world cup, everyone, the Indian supporters included, thought Sri Lanka would win the final. How wrong we all were.

    PPS I just love the way the Indians don't react when their team loses a wicket. It's as if they are saying "What wicket. There was no wicket loss. I didn't see it".

  • Comment number 19.

    Adam thanks for a great blog coverage over the last few weeks in India - been quite insightful to read a foreign perspective of the events as they transpired over the Cricket World Cup. Particularly enjoyed your highlights of the world cup post!

    The after India's Cricket World Cup victory are still continuing for the masses and across Bollywood and there is a real air of euphoria in the country. It's as though a weight has been lifted off its shoulders by the long overdue win.

    For me, it was really emotional to hear Sachin speak after the cup - it was the last accolade he needed to end what will have been one of the most brilliant cricketing careers ever.

  • Comment number 20.

    It's hard to believe a world cup without those Murali eyes, let alone Sachin Tendulkar - they really are both pleasures to watch and a testimonial to the sport second to none. Interesting to see though that Murali did not really feature in the of 2010 though.. it would have been amazing had he managed to take a couple of wickets in the final, seeing that it is his last!

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