I had been wondering for ages what’s with boys and cricket? Girls, pardon me, but a handful of female followers of cricket is not going to make me say that girls are just as crazy fanatics of this sport. And I genuinely doubt whether they actually follow the "sport"… or the hunks on the ground! ;)
I enjoy sports - be it playing badminton, TT or just watching Fedex play like poetry in motion on those beautiful courts of Wimbledon and Roland Garros.
But cricket? I never understood why 23 (or is it 24?) people (I say people, and not boys, lest the girls should retaliate) would willingly spend 5 long days in the scorching sun, barely able to see the ball in the glaring sunlight! And as for the audience, don’t you have any better work than to follow a match for 5 painstakingly slow days? Ok, I understand the ODIs are much easier and fun to watch. But still, why would you want to spend 8-10hrs watching a match? Umm… beats me! Enter IPL – much better! But still?
Well, as it turns out, my company is hosting their own Champion’s League and VOILA! Who do you think lands in the middle of the project’s cricket team? Yes, me – the person who a) does not know the rules of the game b) does not know offside from a legside (and is hoping she at least got the names right here) and c) well, is just stumped (pun intended) that someone would want her on their team :P Don’t be surprised… turns out they didn’t have a choice - having 2 girls on the team was mandatory.. poor guys! I still feel for them… :D
3 days of cricket have me stumped – again! But this time around, I am all smiles about this fantastic sport.:) Oh My God! What enthusiasm, what energy, what team spirit! I have never seen such a crazy yet absolutely revitalizing and stimulating uproar ever. It’s not 11 players; it is ONE TEAM that’s playing. Be it the appreciation after a good ball, a smashing shot (runs or no runs) or morale booster after a disappointing performance (“Good going… ”, “Easy”, “Good ball…”, “Well played”), the spirit is simply mind-blowing.
Up until now, whatever few matches of cricket that I have watched, there have been only two reasons – a) Sachin Tendulkar b) Rahul Dravid (no, not because of good looks, but just because he is family). But hey, I think I might have to change my priorities ;)
Legside, Offside, Yorker, Square cut, Silly mid-on are not so silly anymore.;) They have actually started making some sense after 20 long years :)
Overhyped? Too early to say, me thinks ;)
PS: Did I mention that I hit a boundary? Was high for an hour after the realization :P
PS: Did I mention that I hit a boundary? Was high for an hour after the realization :P
