'What is it that makes you idolize ponting?' asked a friend who saw my profile picture in Facebook. "His batting technique" I answer with a smile. Every-time I answer this question, a faint pointer to the childhood memories pops in my head.
Those were the days when a large part of my time was spent playing cricket, times when not a day went by without playing the game. I was lucky to have played with such a talented bunch of childhood friends in my street, most of them my age with some a year elder/older. 5pm-7pm was our playing times on weekdays after school, 3pm -7pm on Saturdays, 10pm - 6pm on Sundays (at a nearby playground). We were some 10 - 14 boys altogether including few talented bachhas. Weekdays would be practice & weekends would be betting matches against teams of other streets/areas. I was an all-rounder with average batting/bowling skills & inconsistent to go by, Somedays I would be the standout player & other days equally miserable. Part of the reason was my weakness against fast bowling. I just couldn't face fast bowlers, by the time I played a shot the ball would have passed the stumps or sometimes taken them out. It was due to my slow response in my batting that cost me my wicket. My batting was fit for street cricket where boys would'nt bowl fast for the fear of bowling off direction which would hit passerbys or the slightest knick or shot would fly off to some home or end up breaking neighbor's window panes. But in the playground it was carnage, they would bowl with all the strength they've got & the ball would cruise by you often hitting the stumps. My team had some serious pace bowlers which enabled us win majority of the matches, we also had few very good batsmen who could play at anything you throw at them, so making it to the final playing eleven would be tough, I used to be a regular initially but as my batting form dipped my place in the team was up for grabs. So I had to improve my batting by somehow getting across my weakness which gave me nightmares.
I was nearly replaced for a match but was given a chance considering my bowling ability which hopefully was not bad for a medium pacer. I was out first ball in that match, clean bowled by a fast delivery on the stumps, we lost that match very badly & I was blaming myself as i had the opportunity to win the game but walked away first ball. I announced to my friends after that match 'I will not play in the upcoming matches, please find a replacement for me'. The blokes tried to console me but i had made my decision & stuck to it for the next few matches. I took some time off as it was summer vacation & went to my grandma's place.
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