Switch Hit

Bit outside the off stump, probably fifth stump; that was the first ball of the over. Good pace, lovely out swinger and also a bit late movement. The ball is only 7 overs old. The game has just begun; no wickets down yet. That is a bit of a surprise since the opponents are slightly mis-matched. The bowling side has representative players of high skill; the opening batsmen are not highly ranked but not bad; after all they are playing first grade district cricket. In grade cricket anywhere in Australia, that is no mean achievement. The line then changes slightly towards the off stump next ball. One after that and it keeps coming towards the off stump with same late outswinger and off the deck movement. I can see what the bowler is up to now. The opener has been stubborn, not very skilful but good enough to leave good balls and not good enough to touch the cockers!! Three overs that the bowler has bowled from my end, I am certain would have produced a wicket, if the batsmen were good enough to come close! Many have gone past apparently thin looking blades of both batsmen. That’s a phenomenon I know only too well, having been an opening batsman all my plying life. I can identify with the batsmen; having been in similar mode while playing against first class bowlers of my state team; remember making a lot of them pull their hairs out the same way with my edgy but long and sometimes even productive stays at the crease. David slaying a Goliath..am I going to see another one here or what? Some experience of playing this game helps me to see the bowler’s brain ticking even behind the agonized expression every time a wicket taking ball returns nothing. The value of experience in cricket or any game or indeed life, teaches you patience and perseverance. But skill added to experience teaches you to plan a dismissal. When you see the plan developing, that is when the intricacies of the game  become engrossing, even when the opponents are mis-matched. I am lucky to be in the best position to watch, though can’t afford to focus away from a few triggers on every ball that I have defined for myself as an umpire. I can’t afford to make an error distracted by the brilliance of a bowler or a batsman. Also, like batsman if I get trapped into an expectation of what’s going to happen next, I can give unintended benefit to either batsman or a bowler. Watch it, watch the next ball, stay focussed, I tell myself, as I used to, every time I faced up to the next thunderbolt coming my way when batting. 

Wait, what’s happening here? The bowler has decided to change the field for fifth ball of the over. He asks his mid-off, the only fielder in front of the wicket so far, to go into the slip cordon. Four slips and two gullies now. Everyone except the bowler is now behind the stumps anticipating an edge. The next ball comes back into the batsman!! Surprised batsman still manages to keep it out somehow. Great thinking by the bowler, perfect execution, but nothing to show! Agony again. A bit of grunt, a glare and even a couple of words in the direction of an impervious batsman…In the end, no choice but to turn around and come back for the last ball. Sixth and last ball of the over coming up; though the batsman is now probably unsure what the ball will do, in or out?? Last ball, perfect ball, middle and off line now, again beautiful late out swing and this time quite a healthy edge!! But wait, it has taken the shoulder of the blade and lobs EXACTLY over the replenished fourth slip fielder’s head. A fly slip would have caught it!!! “Hook, line and sinker” the bowler mutters under his breath; a resigned shrug of the shoulders, hands-on-hips-stand in the follow-through as the batsman crosses his path taking a single….Sure, absolutely, I agree silently with him, handing over his cap. But still no wicket…?? Apparently, the bowler came off second best through no brilliance of the batsman. Beauty of cricket. Luck and skill the two faces of a coin that this great game is. As I move to my position at square-leg, I see the agony on the face of the bowler, with a bit of sparkle in the eyes. It’s still a win for the bowler even though the scorebook says one run to the batsman. Somewhere within, I sense there has to be a sense of satisfaction, pride to plan and execute a dismissal that never was, so near and yet so far. That it did not eventuate brings everyone to an equal platform. Often great balls go unrewarded and full tosses pick up a wicket or two. As in cricket, so also in life….

Did he finally dismiss him? Don’t think he did. The bowler certainly ended up getting a fifer at the end of the innings; quite deservedly. Though he could never defeat that particular batsman on that day. That’s what I remember!! On a given day, even less skilled can beat the geniuses; one ray of hope that made me continue to play even as a less skilled player. And indeed gave me a few success stories to tell and dream about. No surprise why the game continues to still fascinate me. After all, its similarity with life are so uncanny, isn’t it? You do not know when will you see the beauty of the unpredictable even in the intensity of a battle. Often even when you do not get what you want, you can still afford a smile and go away in your corner to replenish and come back to persevere. Because patience and perseverance are virtues that can outlive skill. Attitude over ability. Imagine if both come together? A small moment in a game, can often make one forget even the physical pain, as I experienced on that day. Small moments can leave big impacts. Makes it all worth doing again, that’s why I look forward to tomorrow…….No prizes for guessing that I shall be back for more. 🙂