Zafar Iqbal was more gracious in accepting the inevitable: "Age has caught up with me. I don't have the stamina any more." Joaquin Carvalho admitted after the game that he needed an immediate appointment with a masseur to get over the stiffness. Meanwhile, it was clearly evident that V. Bhaskaran, the former India international and coach, had picked up a stick after a break of nearly a year was - the tired face and legs gave away all the 'secrets'!

M.P. Ganesh was more fortunate. "I jog for about 25 km a week, (thus) I am not bad on stamina, but to last an entire hockey match you need speed as well." Govinda, however, still defies age and "plays regularly in the Chennai league" for his employers" - and that was evident in the match as he successfully thwarted every single challenge and rarely did the ball pass him to enter the 'dangerous zone'.

Maybe it was a wee bit easier for Mukesh Kumar, Ashish Ballal and Ramandeep Singh, the most recent entrants into the team of former Oympian XI. ...Because cause is still dear to their heart... But the moot point here is not their level of fitness or oh-just-missing-that skills. It is their presence that counted yesterday, and it was telling, for the cause couldn't have been nobler - a charity match to help one of their own, former Olympian Vivek Singh, who is suffering from cancer. Mohammed Shahid, the former India skipper and skills-man personified, came all the way from Varanasi, while Carvalho, Merwyn Fernandes and Ashish Ballal all made arrangements on their own to come from Mumbai and Bangalore respectively and play for their mate's cause. The women's team, which assembled at the Shivaji Stadium yesterday, too deserves its quota of laurels.

The match, conducted by the Hockey Journalists' Association, was a huge success and the packed stands were a sight to appreciate as well, as people came from all corners to catch their heroes of yesteryears in action - once again.

The game managed to raise a fund of nearly Rs 5 lakh and Gauri Shankar Singh, the ailing Vivek's father, was happy to see "everyone coming forward to help my son, who has given his best to the country." Sports Minister Sunil Dutt added to the star value and his promises for hockey and the players were soothing for the ears. Even Dhanraj Pillay, who was present at the event, wanted to get into gear and be part of the action on the pitch, but couldn't find place in this team packed with talent from another era! And none of the players, despite all the huff and puff, were willing to leave the field. The result was academic but the Olympians managed to hold the women's team for a goalless draw.