Wednesday 21 September 2016

Running Between The Wickets!

This week's prompt
What is it that we are running after? Isn't it time to step back and enjoy life, nature, family or anything we really love

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Running between the wickets was once my passion.

The above prompt made me think............For long I have been running, running, and running........, but not between the wickets, for I have long forgotten to run for the runs.........

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India’s World Cup victory in 1983 ignited passion for cricket in me. As I watched Kapil Dev taking that legendary catch off Vivian Richards, I vowed that I will one day play the World Cup finals by myself.

This is the story of my passion for running between the wickets……



I saw that match,
That wonderful catch,
Which sent Viv Richards out,
In that all important bout…..


I saw him hold the cup,
With flow of champagne and wine,
And got shivers,
Down my spine…


Took out my bat and ball,
In a moment, was joined by my pals


Playing with a rubber ball,
We drew stumps on the wall…..


We played day and night,
With all our will and might…..


I dreamed of holding the bat,
One day, on international mat……


I shall put the pitch on fire,
In Lords, Oval, and Lancashire….


I shall send Imran for a six,
And put Aussies in a fix…….


I shall hold the cup again in hand,
India will rule the 22 yards land….


But when I grew,
It was entirely a different view….


I did well in the game,
Got some name and fame,
I took good catches,
And won a few matches….

“He is good with bat,” the word spread,
But my dad sternly said,
“The pen, and not the bat,
will fetch you your bread”…….


Pen is mightier than the bat, I was told,
And pen was the thing I went on to hold…..


The stumps, bat and ball,
Lay in a corner of hall…..


Then one day…………..


I saw the old stumps,
And got goose bumps……


The bat came to life,
And ball ready for a strife……….


I called up a few old chaps,
Who all came wearing white caps…..




The world around me changed,
As the stumps were arranged…….


As I hit the ball,
Over boundary-wall,
I realize, this is something,
Which was my true call…….

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6 comments:

  1. Enjoyed reading the rhyming verses. Glad you came back to cricket. How's it going?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Nandhini for the like.

      Well, it's limited to just an occasional T-20 match once in two months :)

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  2. I didn't actually remember the 1983 WC, I was merely a kid to understand anything about cricket. But, later, I have seen many a relative going frenzied over that, and truly a deserving win it was for India. The first prestigious win that marked India's name in the world cricket arena!

    Loved your poem. It made me remember the two-liner which went viral after the Olympics. "We want dozens of medals from the Olympics and also want our children to be an engineer or doctor".

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Maniparna for the like. You reminded me of the frenzy it created all over the country :). The B&W images of Kapil holding the cup is still etched in my mind.

      Thanks for sharing your views.

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  3. I remember the historic event, the adrenaline rush and the frenzy followed by the victory! Aah! What a day it was! Many families bought their first TV. sets before the match, just to watch it on doordarshan. Your poem made me reminisce the day when a school-girl who hardly paid attention towards cricket turned into a great Kapildev fan.

    I don't know how well you play cricket but can surely say that your pen is mightier than any other tools of this world. Your words have conquered all the 'boundary lines' and the verses are those 'fours' and 'sixes' that make you win the match. Loved the simplicity in the flow and the winning stride at the end. :)

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    Replies
    1. You have aptly described the frenzy which prevailed those days.

      Thanks Sangeeta, for your words of appreciation for the post.

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