And so it begins

And so it begins, I could recollect that we have been planning for having a weekend cricket match for more than 6 months. It started to become a joke, that whenever we plan something for a weekend it is just for timepass but when the time comes it is only for sleep and TV. There was a tournament announced within the company and we said to ourselves, "Nammala vechu mathavanga comedy panrathukku munaadi,nammaley alert aagidvom nu". Therefore we put up a small fund and planned for a weekend cricket match at Trustpuram ground in Kodambakkam.

Oru vazhiya ellaarum vanthu serathukku 7:30 pola aaiduchu, the ground was not totally occupied, but we didn't get a proper place to get started, not having stumps did not help either. We were having a simple bowling session. Frankly our saturday was ruined. Out of nowhere a ray of hope, the local football team got dispersed leaving a huge gap in the ground. We quickly rushed there but could not start playing as we did not have any stumps. Appathaan oru team sikkuchu, "Specs potta sambaar saadham, dress potta noodles" nu oru gang sikkuchu. Seri try panuvomaenu oru match podalaamaanu paesi paathom, konajm yosichittu seri nutaanga. Appaada vanthathukku oru match. Toss pottu batting na odane - innum santhosham - Gaaj maamu Gaaj.

Namma openers Veeravum (paandiya), baskarum kalathula erangunaanga. Personally I got the best viewing position which is the umpire's. Trials nu oru ball pottan paarunga, on the spot first ball. He sort of slanted the ball from off to leg. I was expecting something of the second ball. 7 fielders close in pannathunaalayum, IS team pinaadi irunthu sirichukittu irunthathaalum - satrey focus izhantha nam baskar bold. First ball, deep roast duck. Pathari pochu bally team. All idea bowling - I know, nu erangunaaru team captain subbiah. First ball, good pace - yorker length - yaeri miri, bat la illa, kaal la. Bowler thenaritaan, avanukku purinju irukkum yaaru kooda motharom nu. Second ball thiruppe try pannaan mathikka vae illa same miri. Intha ball la oru leg bye vera. Athukku appuram singles vara aarambichuthu.

Next over veera at the batsman end, baseball kanakkaa - first rendu ball miss panitu third ball oru home run adichaan. But that was a four. Second over la thaan konjamaavathu run vanthuchu. Appuram. Oru maida maavu, around the wicket poda vanthuchu. Seri ivan oru comedu piece nu nenachaa, nallaa bowling potaan. First rendu ball, bat seriya meet panavae illa, third ball Subbiah bowled. Appadiya singles urutta aarmabichaanga. Athukku appuram perusaa ethum bowling illa . 5 overs mudivula 30 runs pola eduthu irunthom. Then rotate panna aarambichom. Karthick, Regin, Sujin and myself we all had some equal chances within those 10 overs. Though we ended up playing around5 balls each. Total was 64 and 65 to win was the criteria.

Mani bowled the first over, veera the second, I bowled the third over followed by Regin 4th, Karthick -5th. The situation was pretty much under control. I would be killed if I forgot to mention the whirlwind innings played by Feroz bhai. He came in my over and pushed my delivery to the right of me. I could have collected it but since it is a gentle push, I thought fielders would cover - I turned back to see the ball in the boundary line. Next ball a well lofted meatier shot in the same region. Subbiah asked me to come over the wicket rather than feeding around the wicket. From then on I pitched relatively stump to stump and completed the over. Not to forget a beaten delivery which was stumped. Feroz stay ended with a catch I believe. The equation was like 3 overs 20 run in the end. Regin controlled his second over giving away nothing much. Vimal came back for his second over and took a wicket (bowled) and by the end of the last over the equation read 12 runs of 6 balls. Veera came in to bowl the last over, he started off poorly giving 3 + 4 runs to start with. He came back with 4 dot balls and seal the deal, and a first win for IS team.

What followed was a juice session with Pineapple, Saathukudi, Nungu + Elani. Followed with a heavy breakfast at Paandiya(Veera)'s house. I skipped lunch that day and felt as if in booze throughout the noon.