Emcee Tony Cozier set the ball rolling by describing how West Indies pace ace Joel Garner was once quizzed by a female fan. ``Is everything in your body proportionate to your height?'' Garner tackled the bouncer well: ``Had it been so, my height would have been nine feet!''

Cozier then directed his attention to former Indian skipper Ajit Wadekar asking him why he chose to become the chairman of the national selection committee. ``I had received too many laurels as captain and coach, so I decided to undo it a bit by opting for this post,'' was Wadekar's repartee.

Cozier was unrelenting. He cornered Wadekar to comment on the Harbhajan Singh controversy. The former Indian Test star deftly flicked the query to Raj Singh Dungarpur, saying: ``Since the BCCI president is here, I think it would be better if he answers this question.''

The BCCI chiefwriggled out by saying: ``Well, the problem wouldn't have arose if Ajit had selected Harbhajan!''

Former Test batsman Hanumant Singh was asked to comment on the Indians' dismal performances when playing away from home. ``We have got tremendous talent. But I feel the players have to be more professional in their approach and develop their mental make-up. We also lack in medium-pacers who could make most of the bouncy tracks when playing away from home,'' Hanumant Singh opined.

Polly Umrigar, while replying to the query on his opinion on the modern game, said: ``It wouldn't be proper to draw comparisons between the players of the past and present. The whole approach towards the game has changed now. Earlier, we used to concentrate only on the longer version. Now players have to swap to the shorter version too.'' The former Indian captain said he would definitely have played the one-dayers, had it been in effect during his playing days.

It was then the turn of the distinguished England-baiter Ian Chappellto take over. With the Ashes series round the corner, he based his comments on it. Likening the Australia versus England series to the India-Pakistan contests ``without the war'', Chappell was emphatic in saying, Australia would win the forthcoming series against England `pretty comfortably.' ``Even if Australia play without (Glenn) McGrath and (Shane) Warne they would win. I don't see how England can win even a Test,'' he wondered.

The best assessment of the present England team was made when Chappell related an incident involving the Aussie greats Sir Donald Bradman and Richie Benaud. ``As you all know Sir Donald turned 90 recently and Richie was doing an television interview with him. Towards the conclusion of the interview, Richie asked Sir Donald, how much would he have averaged against the present England team.''

``Sir Donald replied, `around 50 or 60.'''

``Quite taken aback by Sir Donald's reply, Richie said: ...`but you averaged almost 100...'

``Sir Donald's remark was: `You see Richie, why doyou forget that I have just turned 90!!!'''

Clive Lloyd, doing managerial duties for the West Indies team, in a taped audio-visual message said that Sanath Jayasuriya's 340 against the Indians at Premadasa Stadium tilted the scales in his favour, ahead of Sachin Tendulkar.

The third of the awards adjudicators, Sunil Gavaskar, while complementing Jayasuriya and Australia for topping the charts, informed he derived personal pleasure when the Sri Lankans play, especially when Jayasuriya is bowling. ``Whenever Sanath is bowling, wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana encourages him saying, `well bowled Sanny,' which sounds like `well bowled Sunny.'''

He extended the mood of jest prevalent by lauding the Aussies for ``beating a team across the border.''