HISTRIONICS

when people said that cricket is a game of uncertainties, I always chuckled. but beliefs if held very firmly tend to slip away like a handful of sand tightly clutched in our fist. In Vidyapith , our lovely alma mater, the duration of play time was notoriously measly. never did my playful self end up being satisfied after a round of play. like all guys, I wanted to push the game to another level but time always got the better of me. it left me defeated. you were poised to win; the whistle would blow. or if you were making a comeback , it would be time and you would have to call it a day. that was utterly frustrating.

cricket in vidyapith was a big affair. some very good rivalries gave us some very good memories. I still remember
1) SG's thunderbolts,
2) ANUPAM running around the field when hit while the bruise showed itself on his bare skin ( remember him playing shirtless). HE was a wonderful batsman.
3)SG showing his dissatisfaction over the quality of a branded bat after he had hit a four
4)MANI hitting it all over the bowler's head in A team.
5) VIBHOR hitting the shots of his life. Ahh we were in presence of grace!!!
6) myself hitting NISHANT for two consecutive sixes, sweeping DADI ... sometimes fluke is remembered.
7) SHUBH hitting a six of a full toss in a 9-10 match.
8) PRITAM playing the innings of his life in a tournament match. I had seldom seen someone playing that well in A team.
9)VIVEK with a hankie wrapped around his wrist.....and taking some good catches.
10)ANUPAM and SG went to fetch a new ball. after some solid discussion ( seeing the seam and weight and what not!!!) they zeroed on "the lucky" ball. the play resumed but soon came to a screeching halt because the ball had turned oval after one delivery!!
11) but the memory which stands out... which reaffirms my faith in the adage "IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING" is that match behind gymnasium where Keshav got hit for a six of his last ball. no prizes for guessing , the batsman was his holy highness SHRI SHRI VIVEK THAKUR himself.

before that fateful over which made Keshav immortal for all the wrong reasons , he was the most economical of all bowlers that day. 1 ball was left and 7 runs were needed. Keshav gave a wide ball. last ball and 6 runs. sheer impossibility had made me shrug my shoulders ( I was on the other end). keshav bowled; Vivek swirled his bat with brute force .The Rest is history.