This blogger may be viewed as a frenetic cricket fan looking at how often the subject matter is cricket on this blog. I am yet to explore the exact reason behind that. May be, there is a cricketing brain which is somehow surviving the slower bouncers of debits and credits, short pitch stuff of ever increasing productivity and precise yorkers of enterprise risk management. While these are typical weapons of a bowler in the cricket, the batsmen do not mind trying something out of the blue.
Take the switch hit for instance. Back in 1990s, this term would have implied hitting the switch of one of those floodlights. Or take Dil-scoop for that matter. A layman would be easily forgiven for even trying to decipher this term. It will need some absorbing following of cricket to know that Dil stands for T. Dilshan (Sri Lanka Captain at the moment) who has mastered the scoop shot right past the wicket keeper off the fast bowlers. Indian cricket followers may find easy to understand the helicopter shot. Thanks to the immense popularity of Mr. MSD who plays this shot like it was never played before.
Now that I have already mentioned something that the batsmen try out of the blue, it is the bowlers whose innovations look more compact in the game of cricket. The terms such as the carrom ball, the wrong’un etc. may well still need in-depth knowledge of cricket but they make slightly more sense as compared to the shots mentioned above purely because of the pose (while playing them) that will leave Sir Bradman shout from the grave.
That brings me back the memories of good old days of cricket coaching when coaches used to ask us to come on the front foot, take a long stride outside the crease, offer full face of the bat and caress the out-swinging ball between extra cover and mid-off. Just imagine playing an inside out lofted cover drive in place of a switch hit or playing a hook shot getting on top of the 150 Kmph ball instead of a dil-scoop. For that matter, imagine the beauty of using your wrists to play those lovely flicks off your pads towards square leg and not indulging in the chopper shot. Does not that sound "wow"!
As my cricketing brain continues to survive slower bouncers, short pitch deliveries and yorkers, I am happy to play those lovely drives, flicks, hooks, pulls and cuts that remain there forever in the memory. I may well be slow in scoring the runs but it will please the eyes of cricketing Gods and they will be the first ones to tip their hat on those shots and offer long lasting rhythmic claps somewhere from the heavens!
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2 comments:
Absolutely. Anybody who appreciates the game (as opposed to frenzied excitement) would anyday prefer the graceful cover drive. Watching agriculturists supposedly batting is an awful spectacle. Even the so called bowling innovations for slam bang cricket are awful to see- I mean what on earth is a slow bouncer ????
Lol at your metaphors of the perils of work life in cricket.
Would love to see you play cricket. I think people from Jharkhand have a natural affinity for sport. The cricket heroes are well known, but watching the boys of SS High school Khunti on the hockey field is a sight indeed - many of them have gone on to play for India.
@ Ramesh - Indeed, the swatting gets so ugly at times.. eeks! Andy Roberts will scratch his head in disdain watching renowned fast bowlers bowling a slow bouncer these days.
Oh yes.. lots of talent there in Jharkhand and now they are making it big after legend of Dhoni. Very kind offer of yours to see me play cricket. I used to be a pretty average batsmen - far from the class of many good ones that you would enjoy :)
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