Last week started with yet another dull monday morning at work. That was the week of Hit-n-Run tournament at office. This is nothing but the "gentleman's game" played in our own office parking lot, which I guess is almost half the dimension of the actual cricket ground. To adapt the game to this customized cricket ground, the rules of the game were tweaked a little here and there. One of those special rules was the mandatory inclusion of two female players in the team, else the team is considered incomplete! Well, wat was the intention of having the fairer sex in the area of male bastion?..... was it to prove "why should only boys hav all the fun" or was it just to relish the eyes of onlookers... wel lets not delve on it...!!!!
The team from my project called themselves " The Alphacenturions" and on monday, the commencement of the tournament, they were desparately in need of a girl for the team. Unaware of this, I was engrossed in a technical discussion when the captain barges straight in and requests me to play. I almost panicked, I've never held a bat in my lifetime and now straight into a tournament! I resisted but my resistance was short-lived when I found the tournament jersey on my desk with the number 13, co-incidently my lucky number........ I reluctantly put on the brand new jersy and the borrowed shoes and took my maiden plunge into CRICKET.
Before the match, the team gave me batting practice for mere 5 mins and some quick hints on how to not lose the wicket!
The match started, it was for a total of 10 overs and an additional ladies special over, where the bats(wo)man has to face the lady-bowler. When it was my turn to bat, the first two balls were total bonkers, my estimation of the approachin ball was horribly bad-timed and I kept swinging my bat aimlessly in air nevertheless not losing my wicket. But I got lucky the third time I hit the ball and was so startled myself that I forgot I'd to literally run to score a run which is equivalent to 3 runs (ladies special u see)..... do I call this beginner's luck or just fluke? well, watever not a bad start indeed...:)
I was in a good team, with veterans we soon made our entry into semifinals. This time having THE meagre experience I was eager to try my bowling prowess! Again that meant 5 mins of pre-match practice and the priceless tips of stumping...:-D.............
This match was surely my most memorable one. As a first time bowler, my face was stiff with tension but the guys pushed me and I was surprised to see myself perform well. I gave one run, one wide and took 3 wickets.... I was jumping on the ground jubliantly with the crowd cheering and jeering. I was complimented for my beginner's luck again!!
On the fielding side, I was put on that side of the ground where no ball comes and if it did come accidently also it couldnt be cared less........:-D
As a team, we were enjoying every match lest the finals, were I guess we took it seriously landing as runners-up, well "jo jeeta woh sikander aur jo harah woh bander to nahin hain"......... Its all in the participation, the sportsmanship.
One sadist later remarked that I was a mere "aatakontu-lekakilla" (derogatory term for substitute) but I rebuked as "like I care!" and I genuinely didnt care, all that mattered to me was to be a part of the ebuillent team and share the verve......... which I did enjoyably.
All this while I thought I'd zero sport quotient but hey with this experience on hand I can prove I've a teeny weeny bit of S.Q in me.....:)
