Dear Diary

I’m sure there have been a gazillion sports that I have tried my hands on. My pedigree of sporting indulgence encompassed various sports like billiards, bowling, golf, soccer, tennis, basketball and field hockey, even to extreme sports like motocross. I must say that I enjoyed all of them though none of them could have helped me put food on the table! Simply said, when it comes to sports, I am a jack of many trades but a master of none.

Albeit all, I was game enough to try out something new… cricket! I vaguely remembered my misconception about the sport. My friends nearly died laughing as I thought the game referred to having two live crickets fighting each other in a matchbox! Yes, I was that ‘smart’!

So until I had myself a little session with the Cricketers at SRC (thanks to Mr H D Nimal – the SRC Cricket Convenor who took the effort to be my personal tutor!), the only thing I knew about the sport was that it was a bat-and-ball game with loads of running around in different directions.

And as soon as I stepped on the field, I was engulfed with the mechanics of the game, which I must say did not really register in my think-tank. So I figured I should just get my hands on the paddle-shaped bat and ball. I held my nerves and tried to condense the influx of information travelling on my mental highway. But over time, I began to get the hang of it. And of course, the feeling when the bat hit the ball. Sweet!

Hey, this is beginning to be a very interesting sport after all! In a nutshell, I learnt that the game is made up of two teams comprising of eleven players each. Although the game play and rules are very different, the basic concept of cricket is similar to that of baseball. Teams bat in successive innings and attempt to score runs, while the opposing team fields and attempts to bring an end to the batting team's innings. After each team has batted an equal number of innings, the team with the most runs wins.

More was to come when I was briefed on how to bat! I almost adopted the waggle commonly witnessed in a game of baseball, and nearly spat into my hands, just like how the ‘pros’ do it! With cricket though, everything was different. The batting strokes are divided into two categories - straight bat and cross bat. Straight bat shots are played with the bat held close to the vertical, while cross bat shots are played with the bat held more horizontally, like a baseball bat.

When it was time for me to ‘pitch’ the ball or rather, bowl the ball, I realised it was harder than it sounded. The bowler's arm must be straight when the ball is bowled (throwing is not allowed) and it must be bowled over the arms, not under-arm.

I also contemplated asking why the players have to be garbed in all white during the game. With the mud that was prone to spray on their uniform, I can’t help it but think that they really looked like a communion of inedible swirly marble cakes running around the playing field!

After umpteenth attempts at trying my hands at the game, my breath finally got the better of me… or rather the lack of it!

Well, if you have ever played cricket, and competitively as well, the Section welcomes you to rub shoulders with the cricket boys as they prepare you to usurp into the very competitive nature of the sport. The SRC Cricket Section religiously send three teams to the division 1, 2 and 3 leagues as well as various tournaments to further hone our players’ skills in the game. And guess what? The doors for trials are open for you!

Finally, I will not ‘bat’ an eyelid if those boys would ever invite me for another shot (pun intended!).

Till my next adventure!

“Batman” signing off,

Sham Latiff

For more information on how to paddle sweep or bowl a cricket ball, simply contact SN Kumar at 6430 75561 or email kumar.sports@src.org.sg.