Summer Cricket

It is Saturday early morning when i started writing this blog. I hate (in other words i can't) to wake up early in the morning particularly during the weekends. But for the last 4 months during summer here at Boston i used to wake up around 6.30 in the morning and that all because of the passion i have for playing Cricket during weekends. But as the leaves are turning to colors, when every one needs to wear a jacket while stepping out, you have no other choice other than leaving the cricket.

I mean the summer is over at Boston. This year i haven't went anywhere out or for a long trip during summer. Last year i went to Niagara Falls, New York, Philadelphia, six flags. This year i haven't traveled much for this summer, but i really enjoyed this summer playing cricket. I haven't played cricket for a very long time. I remember that i finally played cricket during my UG 2^nd year. After that i never played cricket. It has been more than 9 years i haven't played cricket. but after a very long time i get a chance to play cricket this summer. Its very tough for me to get up early in the morning and particularly during the weekends so i had skipped the cricket initially. One fine day i went just like that and i really got interested and from that day on i never missed cricket. This is not actual cricket ground and with cricket ball. During weekends when it was hot summer, we guys at Granada highlands (my apartment) have been cooling our heels in the ground for playing cricket. We usually play cricket on Saturday and Sunday morning 7.30 to 10.30 a.m.

There are many forms of cricket in my country; you can find cricket each and everywhere. All you need is a bat and ball. Somehow everybody manage to get that. That is it. Now you rules are yours. i mean we customize the rules based on the place and people like *If you play inside house then you can draw wickets in the wall and one-pitch catch will be out. *If you play cricket on the streets then the road is the boundary area. *If you play cricket in your neighborhood and not too much space, then runs are only on the Offside. The list keeps growing like house, streets, parks, public places, beaches, school grounds, stadium starting from plastic balls to Cricket balls.

Here also we are playing one form of cricket with our customized rules and regulations inside our apartment. Rules are bit different from the regular cricket. For example if you bowl ball on the leg side it is wide and counted for a run, but on Offside it’ is not. Like that there are many different rules, but end of the day its great fun, exercise, joy and good time pass during weekends.

I usually get a chance to put some 1 or 2 over a match. Initially tried for Off-spin balls but that doesn't work out well in tennis ball so started putting very fast phase balls. In batting i used to play lot of singles in the Offside and some times 4's. I will never forget one match where our team has to chase 96 runs in 12 over. Myself and other guy get down for opening. Things don’t work out well and we are 25/2 in 5 over. After that myself and Praveen partnered and to my surprise we won the match with out losing further wickets. Even i didn't expect that. Most of the shots are played by Praveen. But it went really very well. For me it is the best match of the season to remember.

The one specific thing I want to mention about the summer cricket is the commitment of the Kanil who used to call each and every one and do the necessary arrangements for playing cricket. A big Hats off to this guy.

**** Missing cricket very much - Sureshbabu