A few days ago I played a 20 overs-a-side game at a proper ground for the first time in many months. It was raining very heavily and the wicket was a typical 'sticky dog', where the ball would not leave the inner circle and any hard hit stroke would lose most of its momentum as soon as the ball bounced on the field. Having lived in the UK for the past four years, I've gotten used to these soggy conditions but it is an entirely different proposition when asked to wicket keep in such weather! I was the only one in my team who had ever kept wickets before and so it was left to poor, out of shape and bespectacled me to wear the gloves. While I would not say that I carried out my duty with distinction, I was competent enough and I was glad that a catch did not come my way, considering the fact that my glasses were coated in mud, sweat and rain every few minutes. With the number of squats that I had to do as well as the painful blow I took to the knee by a delivery that kept surprisingly low, I knew that I was in for quite a bit discomfort the next morning. And right I was. But I loved it! There's nothing quite like playing cricket in an open field, with proper equipment and proper XI-a-side teams. I hope to have more of such games in the future!
Birmingham
01.05.2012
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