Enriching Cricket……..

Picture this – A semifinal match between two equal teams facing up to the challenge and also crumbling under pressure with 6 run outs, the match runs down to the one run from one ball equation. Another encounter between a reluctant team and another an enthusiastic bunch – the reluctance is smudged all over the score card with only a lone run out of the bat. There were jumping jacks with extravagant styles of bowling  and there were the leg laggards. There were ladies with delicate bat grips but yet playing an exciting innings and there were stylish batsmen who needed no attention by the scorer. Paradoxes paramount, it was true sense of sport, waking up the laggards and exploring new dimensions of mind & body – well that was AOL Cricket League.

Arranged in the caged arena, the rules of cricket had been dwarfed but not the spirit. Every match was eagerly awaited and watched. Minds bowled and played like professionals but the reality was close to the practice that each team had. The stout surprised with their vigor, the short leaped to raise a few eyebrows, the lean played mean and the ladies surpassed all expectation to take the final bow. The exceptional performances came from unexpected quarters, well it was spirit of cricket that was celebrated.

A carnival went by us and how colorful it turned out to be. With some fancy and cheesy names they came and put on a show of fabulous games. Cricket was the theme and it stood enriched with every game. There were the unwilling Morning Ryders who had to be woken up to make an appearance! The Super Stormers left all the storm in the name but the Insightful Inswingers left all insights in their play as they successfully started their bid for Mattamana (meaning useless in Tamil) team’s name. There were the Unique Visitors who popped out without making a repeat visit to the semifinals along with the Gully cricketers who felt left out of their gully in the fenced quadrangle. The AOL Avengers were standing by and finally got a reason to avenge as the Predators (PET) whisked past.  What prevailed at last was the spirit of the unlikely dark horses running from behind, a team of Extras (as they call themselves – Team EX) and the team which had trouble to Shout  (The Silent Shouters) but had the final laugh!

But the final applause has to go to Chanpreet, Prashant and their team of pioneers who brought us this show. There was an eye capturing every moment on the field for us to have a laugh later, a special thanks to Shubha and Srikanth for the captured memories.

Nilesh was judged the best bowler, Nithin the best batsman, Chanpreet the player of the tournament and Silent shouters the best team but it was whole of AOL which deserves the applause for YOU have made cricket a winner!

Vaibhav B S