The village cricket team was called “Storm Eleven,” but watching their game made it seem as if even a light breeze could blow the ball away. The team captain, Mohan ji, used to say with great enthusiasm that this time the trophy would surely come, no matter what.
The match started, and the opposing team was a strong city side. On the very first ball, Storm Eleven’s opening batsman swung his bat as if trying to chase away a fly. The ball touched the bat lightly and went straight to the wicketkeeper. When the umpire raised his finger, the batsman said, “This is not out; it was a practice shot.”
The second batsman came to the field and, seeing the first ball, got so nervous that he started running without playing any shot. When he reached the middle of the pitch, he realized that the ball had not even been bowled yet. He returned to the crease in embarrassment.
The team’s fielding was also poor. One player jumped to catch the ball, but it slipped away from his hands like a soap-covered fish. The captain shouted, “Be careful! The ball is not an enemy; it is a guest.”
When the other team’s batsman hit a six, the ball fell into a nearby farm. Four players went to search for the ball and returned saying, “We didn’t find the ball, but the farm owner did offer us tea.”
As the match progressed, Storm Eleven’s condition became worse. Forget scoring runs, the players were finding it difficult even to stand properly. Looking at the scoreboard, Captain Mohan ji sighed deeply and said, “It seems it is time to kneel down to defeat today.”
In the last over, the entire team managed to score only one run and lost the match. Walking out of the field, Mohan ji said, “Even losing is an art.”
People in the neighborhood say that the cricket team truly knelt down to defeat that day, but they did not forget to salute the spirit of the game.
RAJEEV VERMA 