Howzatt!

Ronald and his dad drove to the cricket ground in a Tata Safari. He carried his heavy cricket kit bag. His dad carried six stumps. Ronald was cribing all along from the gate to the middle of the ground, where his father was fixing the stumps. His friend rohit, hadnt come for practise. That was the issue. Rohit was supposed to bowl and his father was supposed to keep.



After wearing gloves, pads, helmets and all the protective gears, He was all set to bat.



Ronald’s dad was bowling offspin. His action looked like Arjun Ranatunga bowling.. Or probably he looked like Arjuna Ranatunga :-) Ronald plays a brilliant forward defence. It looked like Rahul Dravid was batting. “Great Defence, Ronny” - cheered his dad.



Dad carries the ball and more importantly he carries himself to the start of the run up.

He bowls a ball directed towards the leg stump, which Ronny paddle sweeps.

The ball goes past the wicket keeper gloves which was lying there as there was no one to keep. It was running fast towards the shops near the edge of the ground.



“Ball Up!! Ball Up!!” shouts Ronny to the boy standing there…



The boy standing there was Shivu.. He picked up the ball.. This was the first time he held a leather ball in his hand.. He wiped the ball on his dirty pant… He had seen Brett Lee doing it on TV.. And finally he threw the ball to them..

He came running towards the middle..

“Can I also join Uncle?”

Ronny’s father.. already panting for breath heavily.. told ok..

Shivu picked up the wicket keeper gloves.. and tried wearing it..

“Go and bowl” said ronnys father, who snatched the gloves from him..



Shivu took a long run up like how Shoaib Akthar does.. He runs hard and bowls the ball..

The ball slips from his hand.. it was a wide ball… Ronny started laughing..

“It not enough to run like Shoaib Akthar, you should bowl like him..”



Shivu runs hard again.. This time he bowls much better..

Ronny plays a square drive.. Didnt connect it too well..

Shivu runs barefoot and dives to field the ball..

“Nice Job Mate!” shouts Ronny’s dad..



Shivu was extremely happy on hearing such motivational words..

He had extra energy to bowl all though he hurt himself diving for the ball..

He runs faster.. He can feel the breeze “hitting” his face as he runs to bowl..

The ball was bang on target, with a hint of swing.. It beats ronny who was trying for a square drive again..



He runs fast to the start of his run up.. He runs even faster to bowl..

He hits the deck hard.. Ronny was struck on his pads..

“How is thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!”

Shivu appeals to the umpire.. who wasnt present.. He jumps for 10 secs..

Ronny and his dad were surprised..

There was nobody there.. What the hell was he doing..

In the mean time.. Ronny’s dad gives ronny some tips to play straight..



Shivu was in his own world..

He felt his shabby coffee stained t shirt and an equally shabby, torn pants was his Indian Blue Uniform”

He felt he was wearing an addidas shoes..

“Shivvu..” “Shivvu” “Shivvvu..” he can hear the whole world chanting his name on the morning when there was pin drop silence in the ground..



“Shivendra is walking back to his run up..”

“He has been the best Indian bowler on this tour down under..”

“He has already beaten ricky ponting twice in this over..”

These commentaries of “Ravi Shaastri” were echoing in his head



He is running hard..

He is bending his back..

He wants to extract the last juice on the wicket..



He bowls a blinder of a delivery..



Ronny, who won the man of the series fox maximum number of runs in under 19 tournament, was completely beaten.. Clean Bowled!!

Can you imagine this!! Middle stump on the floor.. It was the sight of the day.. A sight which every fast bowler would like to see..

Ronny was dumb struck.. He couldnt believe his eyes.. He had never faced such a deadly bowler



“My chance to bat” “Please, Please, my chance to bat!” pleads shivu to ronny..



Ronny was removing his gloves in wonder.. Shivu was extremely happy..

He is going to wear the gloves and pads… which only “Big Players” wear..

He was already in a dream world as he was holding a bat with a leather grip..

This bat was so different from his bat, which is carved from a wodden plank..



“Hey Shivu, what are you doing there? #@@@*^^#@?” shouts a man..

He gives back the bat to ronny and runs towards the shop..



“Sorry Master! Sorry!” he replies to the man who was not willing to listen to shivu..

He beats him with a stick and pushes him down.. He also throws 20 tumblers on him and asks him wash it..

“What are you doing there you idiot, who will wash the coffee cups? Your father will come or what?” He shouts..



Shivu starts scrubbing the tumbler..

But his mind was only thinking about the deadly ball which got ronny out..

His mind was only thinking about the pads and gloves which he will never get to wear again.

His mind was only thinking about the way he shouted “Howzzaaaaaatt!!!”, “How is that…. ?”



Whenever India loses badly, we always tell..

“In a country of 1 billion population, we cant even find 11 players who can play well… Where have our talented cricketers gone?”

Next time you think like that, Think again!! Your answer is here.



If you are stumped, give your comment!