30th April 2006, 8:15 am -
We picked up the
cricket sticks and yellow balls from the corner of our room and started off. A
brisk ten-minute walk fighting the chilling wind and the morning laziness to
reach the Lincoln Memorial Park - a large chunk of green grass full of sturdy
maple trees with budding leaves, and many tall trees with unknown names.
Another two minute stride through the park took us to our play ground - a nice
green carpet formation. To my wonder there were hardly anyone in such a
beautiful ground. At a distance a little girl was playing with her cute
puppy and few old people were proudly walking with their special breeds of dog.
Few pigeons were muttering in another corner. But other than those, we were the
only crowd out there.
The most beautiful
ground I have ever seen - though there was nothing to call as a pitch but just
a stretch of uneven grass. My colleague gave a call and from another side
a group of young men came running. The cricketing men of different sizes -
tall, short, tough, thin and big - I saw all among them. Team was formed. Toss
was executed and the captain led the team on to the field. The sticks pierced
through the soil and ball started bouncing. Even after the play was on, I was
lost in the surroundings – comparing this beautiful ground to the Lord's,
Gabba, Oval or Eden Gardens - I wished if I had the batting skills of
Sachin or the bowling pace of Shoaib or the fielding talent of Rhodes to match
with the beauty of the ground.
Suddenly I saw a
ball screaming at me. I put my hands together - but it was too late, it slipped
through my hands on to the ground. A catch missed. I watched around awfully. I
saw few unknown faces looking at me in anguish. Few were telling 'good try'
though I felt a sort of hollow feel in those words. I came back from my
thoughts and remained alert, but after that not even a single ball came towards
me. I was called on to ball - I wished for a great action ahead. My third ball,
a pretty normal one, somehow hit something on its way and uprooted the middle
stump. 'Great ball' – roared many while the batsman and I were looking at
the pitch in disbelief. That was the beginning and end of it. After that,
there was no looking back. Every time I bowled, I saw the balls crossing the
boundaries, speeding through the grass, disappearing among the maple trees and
when I at last got a chance to bat, I saw the first ball I faced, kissing the
edge of my bat into the safe hands of keeper.
Yes, it was painful
to go through such a fateful day at such a beautiful ground, and to have such a
dreadful beginning for my cricket in America. After all the toil, I felt the pain
all over the body. But I neither felt the grief, nor the disappointment - for I
was drowned in the lush beauty around me, making me forget myself - just like a
perennial lover getting drowned in the eyes of his beautiful damsel.
For stats:
Date: 30th April
2006 - 8:30 am to 11:30 am
Two matches played
: 1 won 1 lost.
Batting :
1st - DNB
2nd -
Golden Duck (caught behind)
Bowling:
1st - 1 wkt
for a sixer and few runs
2nd - 0
wkt for a couple of sixes and many many runs
Fielding
2 missed catches
and those were the two moments the ball came to me.
