India keeps winning at this stadium!

In full flow:India's Mithali Raj plays a shot during her match winning unbeaten knock of 84 runs at the fourth one-day international of women's cricket between India and England at ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Photo: K.R.DEEPAK

India keeps wining at the modern ACA-VDCA stadium at PM Palem in the city outskirts.

The first one-day international cricket match at the stadium, against Pakistan saw the present captain M.S. Dhoni pulverising the bowlers before India won the match. Then Sri Lanka came as a cropper against India.

Now the Indian women's team won two consecutive matches against England at the venue, and also gained a winning lead in the 5-match series.

Now the fifth and final match in Mumbai is of academic interest. India has won the ODI series three times against England.

The victory and the stupendous knock played by Mithali Raj for India are great consolation for the locals who missed, without no fault of theirs, seeing the ODIs against Sri Lanka and South Africa (many felt that Sachin Tendulkar might have hit the glorious record-breaking double ton here if the match was allotted) and very recently the IPL matches of Deccan Chargers, wondering what made the IPL and BCCI believe that the law and order here is out of control. The two matches, scheduled here have been shifted to Cuttack.

The spectators might not have thronged the ACA-VDCA stadium for the two matches, first major events to be held after the stadium was named after the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, but even the presence of about 1,000 in the stands is encouraging for the organisers. Girls from schools and college were also present. It is a pleasant sight to see the spectators applauding the performance of every player, whether she was Indian or English.

The Indian and England teams were happy about their stay here and the facilities available at the ultramodern stadium.

The crowds were also liked by them. “Very nice people, enthusiastic crowds and a fantastic and beautiful stadium” said England captain Charlotte Edwards. “Other than cricket everything is good,” she quipped.

Indian captain Jhulan Goswami is full praise for the stadium and the people. She noted that the Andhra Cricket Association is always supporting women's cricket in a big way.