The match I would love to replay.

It was the finals of Calicut University C zone Cricket Championship. We were playing the Champions Victoria College at their home. They had the supportes on the 10 step balcony cheering their bowlers. Everytime we met it was a close encounter than would finish in the final overs. 2 out of 3 , they had won.

We had reasons, they were true professionals who joined to college for playing, and we "Engineers" playing for fun, losing the sessionals, had to skip the class and play in 42 degree temprature of Palakkad, under the glazing sun.

Second inings of the match and we were chasing a big score of around 250 runs. Sushil, our captain was at the other end, playing a fine innings as aggressive as ever. The chap who once discarded a cahnge in the National Schools team, when they asked for money as the routine selection procedure had the chance to prove he was worth it in front of us.

It wasnt easy to pick up boundries in the Victoria ground where the grass was thick. But Sushil had the knack of going over the fielders. This time were in real toruble with 8 wickets down, needing about 40 odd runs in abot 7 overs. I was number 10. I wasnt bad to bat, but we had better players who could be sent before. I had to stay with him. I walked down the steps into hte field. Wenever needed all of our batsmen to score before. This was the 1st time in hte whole season that i was in the middle with the bat.
"This guy can lift the bat" screamed one of the fielders. I'll hit a six over his head and finish this off I thought. Everything around the pitch was going through my head. I was really tense. I had to stick with Sushil.

On strike firstball, there it goes through by back. Wide. Thank god, it dint hit me. I dint see it. That guy was real fast. Next one right on the off stump. This time I saw the ball coming. Of Front foot... nice stide. I swung my bat. THUMB was the sound.

It hit my pads! I was in front. They were all shouting. Was it all over for me ? NO said the umpire. My heart was pumping so fast.

Last ball of the over. The quicky came running ... this time I touched it. Of the middle of the bat. and Yes ! I did what I had done 100 times in the Nets !

I was feeling better. A lot Better. The real confidence that I was feeling a Batsman!Now I could take the singles. We ran hard putting pressure on them nad ran doubles making them make mistakes. The fielders were at rope and the grass helped us to pick up 2 every shot coz it took time before it stopped in front of the rope. Sushil often hit in the air, I had to often ask him to play through the ground. The score was ticking and we were nearing the total.

Last over Sushil on Stike we needed 6 more runs. The quicky retuned for the last over. He hits another one over the top.. did this go all the way, no.. its dropping.. fielder under it.. we ran hard. and it fell in front of him. that was an escape and we got the single. Had that been out. It would have been all left to me.

Me on strike.. 5 to win of the 5 balls. Sushil ready to run even before the bolwer started to bowl. We had to take a run of each of the ball. I was on 18 odd runs to my score. Set. playing well within myself and Running hard. This time I needed a single and Hope sushil hits a four next ball.

Length ball.. i played forward. looked to play to the 3rd man. There were no slips and it was safe. I missed it. there was a sound. I dint knick it. They were all appealing. Keeper screamed edge. Umpire was quiet .He turned down the appeal. I knew the ball had clipped the top of the Offstump. But the stumps hardly moved. There were no bails to fall. I knew I was bowled. I walked out of the crease. I knew I did the big mistake by missing the ball and I was given out "Caught behind". The walk back was painful. Had I finished unbeaten it would have been a fairy tale.
Nearing the pavillion everyone stood on their feet. they had made me feel that I had scored a hundred.

It was not over for us. Hard hitter Shyam was to follow. He was the last man. "Well played" told me, as he went bye and I said "Finish it". He is one of the main players of our Tennis ball team and we had the victory sealed. This time we will overturn the Victorians. Just 4 balls 5 runs wasnt attainable. Everyone in the Pavillion was tense, but confident. I dint care to take off my pads.. took a glass of water and waited for the next ball....

It was overpictched and Shyam drives is straight throught the covers . The sweet sound of the ball hitting the middle was echod around the ground. Glorious shot through the ground.... but it was never going to reach the boundry. Shyam stood there itself watching the ball. The fielder there was quick to collect it and retuned to the bowler.

Sushi..... he was runnng for every chance that came , that was the way we together picked up all the runs. Shyam sends him back; it was an easy run and Shyam didn't run. I donno wat was in his mind. Probably thought it would reach the fence. It never did and sushi reached the other end. There was no use running back.

Runout. And that was the end. Next ball after I got out. everything was done. We lost by 4 runs. We never should have lost. it. Had I hit that ball. Hadn't Johnson dropped the ball after his brillinat Jonty dive at hte point. Hadn't Shyam stayed there after taking hte catch not running to the ropes. All counted. We were loosing .. then we were as Near as won. and then we lost it.

This as the match that lives in all of our mind. The day we came to somthing from nothing and then went out empty handed. Losing another one. At the end when we reached the hostel. Never did they care for how we lost. We were labeled the losers. Those days i thought if we could replay that match and win. Everything would have been so different. Well, not now. As for now, that was nothing just memory of a college life that would never return. Win or lose nothin might have changed. I am happy that I was there in it as a part, and the college days weren't left out anything nice to remember.