Bhatia museum impresses South African team

Dubai: It was an engaging journey through the history of the game for the South African players who visited the Shyam Bhatia Cricket Museum on Sunday night.

South African skipper Graeme Smith, who enthusiastically went through every collection of cricket enthusiast Bhatia in the museum, said: “The museum is an amazing place. It is very educative for any cricketer. Frankly, I am not satisfied with this short visit and I wish to visit this museum again and sit alone with Bhatia for a longer trip down the history of the game with him.”

The whole South African team lauded the efforts of Bhatia who has been promoting the game around the world by providing cricket kits through his Cricket For Care programme. Smith went on to say that cricket needs such lovers of the game: “Bhatia has cricket in his heart and he has played a massive role in helping many underprivileged children around the world and particularly in South Africa. We are all grateful for his efforts.”

Smith presented the boots with which he played his 100th Test match to the museum. Jacques Kallis, who was impressed with the caricatures of great cricketers on the walls of the museum, stopped at Kapil Dev’s caricature and remarked that Dev is the best allrounder.

Bhatia made Kallis’ visit a memorable one by celebrating Kallis’ 38th birthday, which happened four days ago, by cutting a cake. Pace spearhead Dale Steyn took the lead in assisting Kallis to cut the cake while the whole team applauded for their star allrounder, who is just 12 wickets short of his 300th Test wicket.

Gopal Jasapara, who compiled the history of the game from 1877 to 2012 with snippets on greats of the game and outstanding performances, attracted the team’s attention. Smith was pleased to spot his world record partnership of 415 runs for the first wicket with N.D. Mckenzie against Bangladesh in 2008 while Kallis looked out for his best moment during 1998 to 2000, when he played 36 Test matches and scored 2395 runs with six centuries.

J.P. Duminy and AB De Villiers admitted that they’ve never seen something like this on the game where cricketers of the past and present come to life inside a building. A visibly moved Bhatia said: “The visit by the South African team is one of the great moments of this museum and will be chronicled on its walls.”