The wacky-cars man has crafted yet another one. His latest creation is in sync with the season and in the shape of a 6 ft 3 in diameter cricket ball. Kanaboyina Sudhakar, 42, took 16 months to make the car-a single-seater with six wheels. "Strangely, the seams took the maximum time of three months," says Sudhakar.

Powered by a 60 cc engine, the ball car can reach a speed of 45 KMPH. Its wheels are so designed that the car can spin like a ball, that is turn a full circle around one point. It is equipped with a deck that plays a recorded briefing of the history of cricket and the World Cup tournaments.

CRICKET FIRST: Sudhakar with the ball car

The ball car, with "Cheer India for World Cup 2003" emblazoned at its sides, was launched at the Country Club in Mumbai. It enthused former cricket captains Kapil Dev and Mohammed Azharuddin enough to take it out for a spin and autograph it. After the roadshow, the ball car will be parked at the Sudhakar Museum-a tourist draw close to the Nehru Zoo in Hyderabad. Also on display will be a 25-seater bus shaped like a stretched cricket ball with green upholstery to resemble a pitch.

Sudhakar has made several fancy cars and bikes in the past 22 years, including models of classics like the 1913 Packard, a Prosper Lambert of 1906, the Rolls-Royce of 1910 and 1911 vintage and the Silver Ghost of 1925. His collection includes unusual cars in the shape of a camera, helmet, brinjal, burger, bird cage, lotus, cup and saucer and a condom.

Are more bizarre creations on the assembly line? "A car in the shape of a toilet and another resembling a suitcase," says Sudhakar who is looking for an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

-Amarnath K. Menon

Third Strike

It may be early days, but the latest oil find in India by Cairn Energy has brought some cheer. The British major has struck an estimated 20 million tonnes of oil and gas reserves in Rajasthan. This is the third such instance in the past four months to hit the headlines. In November last year, Canadian major Niko reported reserves in Gujarat. But the biggest so far, has been Reliance's finds in the Krishna Godavari basin estimated at 7 trillion cubic ft.

Commercial viability may be uncertain, but it's a step forward for a country that imports 70 per cent of its 100 MT crude oil needs annually. The finds also signal the success of the Government's New Exploration Licensing Policy and it expects $7-8 billion investment in the 70 blocks offered for exploration so far. Says energy consultant and vice-president, AT Kearney, Devinder Chawla: "Calculated risks and added focus by private sector have helped."

-Malini Goyal