Wednesday, January 24, 2007

a ball game

The first play item that a child sights is a bat and a ball(my opinion). Or simply a ball. A child of about two years of age, before she/he realises that other games are approachable and likeable too. Probably, the fastness with which a ball travels enchants a child's mind. Perhaps, the easiness with which they can control it's movement gives them joy. For kids can be very adament. They'd like to think that they control the happenings around them. Being proud of it at the same time.

My neice payed us a visit last week. Realising that she was interested in this game, my father gave her two plastic balls. As for the bat, he came up with a commendable idea. She used a longish wooden spoon as the bat. Swung it in a fancy manner, sometimes brandishing the 'bat' in mid-air. Time for us to appreciate her 'batting' skills.

Balls, big, variously coloured, with goes inside, when a finger is pushed into it, smelling of chep plastic were regular merchandise at neighbouring shops. Many of those were gifted to kids, on account of their birthday. A small hard ball, again in different colours, comes with a bat. This particular combination also was a big hit. One reason which makes these balls favourites are the colours, tints, that these plastic balls adorn. Moreover, plastic, as it is cheap, durable and can be easlily manipulated into a assortment of shapes. Irrespective of the characteristic smell that these plastic items have, they are a huge hit.

Every kid in the neighbourhood attempts to master this game of 'bat and ball', more technically known as cricket. With young kids, asking for a second oppurtunity to bat. With utmost faith in themselves, they would again to bat. Well, i've had a few cherishable moments in this game too.

A group of boys, used to play cricket on my lane, with the usual squables. It provided relief on a boring sunday afternoon. Anothe factor which makes this game interesting is that, people play a game of 'bat and ball' anywhere and everywhere. Be it in a small room, on one's terrace, on the playground, on the streets, in the compound of a vacant stretch of land........

No wonder, this game appears to be liked by all. Personally, i've lost touch in the game myself. The cricket that is played professionally, various teams giving their best to the match, high stakes on each team.... it sounds dull to me.

It's time to give myself some practise. It'll be miserable if i fail in the game, when played aginst my neice.

4 comments:

VENU VINOD said...

yes, ball game has been always interesting for me. From the childhood days, i can recollect game of Lagori, and the next one obviously was cricket. That time tennis ball was the main attraction and a costly affair for us. a cheaper option was a rubber ball. in college days, cricket game was upgraded to cork ball, which required plenty of safety measures. Altogether your write up is a refreshing one

mouna said...

venu,
your relection has taken me back in memory. Lagori is such a wonderful game! yes, cork balls, a dangerous lot! rubber balls used to tear quickly, with a tinge of the colour and the smell of rubber on our hands.

Shiv said...

I remember we had another version of cricket where we sometimes used to pay with exam pads as bat & the plastic ball.The wickets used to be drawn on the walls and there used to be quarells esp whenever there used to be 'bold outs' where people used to argue that the ball didnt hit the wickets !

mouna said...

shiv,
that's smart! the game is made so versatile, and can be adapted in any way.