The Cricketing Time

There is always something which lies back and comes to you on a later stage and that might make you in real joy while doing in contrast to the past thoughts. In my childhood days in Chembaka Housing colony, there was a very good number of friends to play cricket in the evenings in the Club ground. The rules recalling now, are just so funny. Hit straight you can go for boundary or a Six. A little to the left (leg side for me) if the ball goes straight, you are out (there is a house there). The probability of getting the ball back if it goes there is a little less :-). I remember Thufail once asked to the lady in there ' Chillu pottiyalentha Paisa (peeesa) thanna pore' (Translation: 'Whats the problem even if if we break your glass, we will pay u naa' :-)) . And every time the ball goes out of the compound, there is an imminent threat of falling in the surrounding drainage The team was of a very good mix, me,Cristy, Anand, Joe, Manikkuttan, Shankar,Kutti shankar, suraj, ameen, nihal, nilu, thufail, kikki, manu, Vikki, Vinu, faheem, nadeemka etc etc.

I use to be the extra player (job is to carry the kit and write the scores :-) ) when elders go playing matches. I do remember at times I use to pad up to go batting, but by the time the match would have got over. We had a team and used to play matches with other teams in the locality. Sometimes for money - 20, 30 Rupee like that. All those are the few in the many of the cherished memories.

Now in Bedford,UK playing for Kempston Hammers for the 2nd division county league and in to serious cricket those memories brings vibrancy while being in the field or pavilion. Last season, I was quiet late to start playing here.In fact I played just one match and that too the last of the season. Now in the current season, having plenty of time to get engaged with the game, am almost full time here. May be cause I have almost done with the traveling in UK and now preferring to spend more for cricket, though most of the times we have away matches and are traveling. Once in to it after getting the full kit couriered from India, i had to be quiet careful about game styles and foot work which the learning is from Nasweeph who is playing in Cambridge team, but yes end of the day the performance in matches counts and so far am Ok, with lot of scope for Improvement :-). But yes its good time spend on field with lot of learning and socializing

Prayers