Its been some time since my last blog. Many unsavoury things happened in December 2012 and the most unsavoury was of course the gang-rape and "murder" of a 23 year old in Delhi, Nirbhaya (not her real name). I thought out of respect to her, I should refrain for some time from posting anything that is not serious. And blogs are not for serious posts! At least not mine.
I have been watching some cricket of late and India's decline specifically. After losing the Test series to England at home, we managed to draw the T20I series (1-1) and lost the ODI series to Pakistan (2-1). Yesterday we lost the first ODI to England. So amidst all this gloom and my relative's exhortation that those who watch cricket are only wasting their "precious" time, I reflected on what did I achieve in my school and college days. Nothing, really. No competitive sport.
I grew up in a township in Ranchi and we had less people there when I was in school. The township roads used to be pretty empty - thus my friends and I would draw the boundary lines on the road (tarred road) and play hand tennis. We had "fault". No "let" call since there were no nets. We also played "doubles" to ensure that there were no spectators - all players! I don't recall anyone reprimanding us from playing on the road. Life was simple. After sometime I graduated to play cricket on a ground not yet developed for township purposes. It was pretty flat, adjoining a railway track connecting Hatia to Ranchi junction. Amidst the chugging of an occasional goods train, we would bowl and bat there. I may not have lasted a few balls with the bat, but I was considered an amazing fielder and, not unlike some current Indian players, would be included in any side solely based on my fielding.
There was a "friendly" match being played between two schools and I was drafted into the side simply because there were not enough players who had come to the ground! I lasted a couple of balls and was probably bowled moving towards the leg side when facing a pace bowler. I remember our captain, RS (called "nai" for a reason I don't recall) had a few unsavoury things to say to me for lasting just a few deliveries and not troubling the scorers. I decided to retire from all forms of cricket after that episode. However, my retirement was not to be. During the "games" period in my school, I happened to hold the bat and Nai was bowling! He was smiling to himself thinking he would get another wicket in the same over. Ha ha! Not so fast mate. Not only did I NOT move towards the leg-side at the time of his bowling, but I smote him for a few boundaries and by the time the bell rang for the period to be over, I was still playing with a creditable half-century. My only one! He didn't have the guts to say anything to me after that. But unlike Afridi, my retirement was final. I concentrated on table tennis later. Couldn't get hurt, see!
I have been watching some cricket of late and India's decline specifically. After losing the Test series to England at home, we managed to draw the T20I series (1-1) and lost the ODI series to Pakistan (2-1). Yesterday we lost the first ODI to England. So amidst all this gloom and my relative's exhortation that those who watch cricket are only wasting their "precious" time, I reflected on what did I achieve in my school and college days. Nothing, really. No competitive sport.
I grew up in a township in Ranchi and we had less people there when I was in school. The township roads used to be pretty empty - thus my friends and I would draw the boundary lines on the road (tarred road) and play hand tennis. We had "fault". No "let" call since there were no nets. We also played "doubles" to ensure that there were no spectators - all players! I don't recall anyone reprimanding us from playing on the road. Life was simple. After sometime I graduated to play cricket on a ground not yet developed for township purposes. It was pretty flat, adjoining a railway track connecting Hatia to Ranchi junction. Amidst the chugging of an occasional goods train, we would bowl and bat there. I may not have lasted a few balls with the bat, but I was considered an amazing fielder and, not unlike some current Indian players, would be included in any side solely based on my fielding.
There was a "friendly" match being played between two schools and I was drafted into the side simply because there were not enough players who had come to the ground! I lasted a couple of balls and was probably bowled moving towards the leg side when facing a pace bowler. I remember our captain, RS (called "nai" for a reason I don't recall) had a few unsavoury things to say to me for lasting just a few deliveries and not troubling the scorers. I decided to retire from all forms of cricket after that episode. However, my retirement was not to be. During the "games" period in my school, I happened to hold the bat and Nai was bowling! He was smiling to himself thinking he would get another wicket in the same over. Ha ha! Not so fast mate. Not only did I NOT move towards the leg-side at the time of his bowling, but I smote him for a few boundaries and by the time the bell rang for the period to be over, I was still playing with a creditable half-century. My only one! He didn't have the guts to say anything to me after that. But unlike Afridi, my retirement was final. I concentrated on table tennis later. Couldn't get hurt, see!
This was good Raj Subramani.
ReplyDelete....So amidst all this gloom and my relative's exhortation that those who watch cricket are only wasting their "precious" time ....
Did you mean me ? I did write a comment of that sort in one of FB post and I stand by it. It is a thorough waste of time.
Honestly I didn't know you ever played cricket. That too to last till half a century even if it was only once !!!
Keep up the blogs. You do write well.
I did, Athimber. You are that "relative". But, as usual, I don't listen to elders!
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