There is no game that screams 90’s Indian kid more than cricket. A walk down the streets of nostalgia will invariably lead you to first, the overcrowded gully and then to the abandoned plot in your neighbourhood where you got your first taste of the gentleman’s game. Ha! The mere mention of the gully sparked a course of memories, didn’t it?! How did we know? The smile is a dead giveaway! So, here’s 9 cricket memories that will take you back to the carefree days of old:
1. Mohalla matches
Ah! The infamous mohalla matches during Summer- the source of every kid’s delight and every mother’s misery. From collecting contributions(chanda) for the trophy and refreshments to holding try-outs to convincing each other’s parents for longer practice hours, these matches were never just about the game. When was the last time you played a Mohalla match?
2. One tip One hand
The most fundamental rule of all Gully cricket games. Talking about rules, what were the rules when it came to gully cricket? The mother of all jugaad, each of us had a different set of rules when it came to this. However, a few fundamental rules remained. The most famous one being One tip, one hand.
Source : Flickr
3. Jiska bat uski pehli batting
Ah another unspoken rule. The owner of the bat was essentially the dictator of the game. The rules would change at their convenience. A few extra trial balls, the chance to bat first were some of the privileges the owner enjoyed. Sometimes if you were good friends with the owner, you might enjoy some of these too.
Source : BuzzFeed
4. Baby Over
This rule was made to pacify the younger siblings who tagged along. The younger siblings, who weren’t very well versed at the game were called Kaccha Limbus (unripe lemons). These Kachha players were allowed to participate in the game but they could only bowl a baby over consisting of 3 balls instead of the regular 6. So how old were you when you were finally allowed to bowl a normal over?
5. Beech ka bandar
Odd no. of players? No worries! One person would be the beech ka bandar who would play both sides. No complaints though because being the bandar meant double the chances to bat.
6. Watching the match together
Nothing comes close to the excitement and sheer thrill of watching the match with your friends. Crashing on the floor of a friend’s house, in front of his TV while the adults sat on the chairs and sofa, the wafting smell of pakode from the kitchen, the electrifying spark of anticipation and excitement in the air, was an experience altogether. Every such gathering also featured that one highly superstitious cricket fan who would make sure our T-shirt collars were turned up or we would stay still before a decisive moment etc. Who was it in your case?
7. Book Cricket
What about those long, boring middle of the term Mondays when you were stuck in School all day? When bats, balls and stumps were absent, history textbooks came to our rescue. Armed with the textbook with most pages, the last bench would be transformed into our pavilion, as we played entire matches without uttering a single word. When was the last time you played book cricket? I’m sure the lockdown would be an excellent excuse for you to revisit this much enjoyed game!
8. The Lost ball woes
Another rule that was pretty standard wherever you played. You lose a ball, you replace it. Replacing the ball could be as simple as buying a new ball or going to the fuming aunty whose kitchen window you broke to apologize and ask for the ball. How much of your pocket money have you spent on replacing lost balls?
So, what are you waiting for? Grab that phone and hit up on your cricket paltan! While shattering windows is definitely not an option now, why not crack open your treasure trove of memories with them...
9. Cricket of Convenience
For the sudden urges to play cricket between the classes we had another handy jugaad. Yes, you guessed that right. All we needed was a book to be our cricket bat and a rolled-up ball of paper to act as our ball. Bonus points if the paper happened to be a question paper.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab that phone and hit up on your cricket paltan! While shattering windows is definitely not an option now, why not crack open your treasure trove of memories with them...
