10. Minus Cricket

Evening 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM was play time. In school physical training (PT) period we used to play all sort of games, except cricket. Because our PT masters felt cricket is not a team sport, but occasionally they asked us to play baseball, never knew baseball was a better team sport than cricket. Basketball, kho-kho, kabaddi were the other sports we played during school PT hour, but in hostel, it was only cricket.

As soon as we were done with the evening tea, there will be a rush towards the hostel games room to get hold of good cricket bats. There were only six to eight cricket bats and there will be ten different teams competing for it. SG, which had a thin blade and light weight, was much sort after. BDM was heavy, even big boys didn’t like it. There were half bats too, like the mangoose, it was not manufactured mangoose, but man-made mangoose, we broke it!

Indoor games like chess and carom were also available, but at that age who will like to play indoor games! At any given point of time five to six matches will be played simultaneously in the ground. Mostly, I used to stick with any team, at least we were considered as ball boys by the seniors. 

Sometimes, we used to play minus cricket. As the wickets fall the score will be reduced. For example, when the score is 20/0 and if a wicket falls, then the score will be 18/1. Also, the score will be reduced when there is a maiden over. In some instances, the score will go less than zero, like -4.. -3. The 2nd innings is not like chasing the score and winning, but to play the full quota of the overs.

Those who couldn’t fit into any team will leave to hostel for indoor games or library. Some will loiter in the bar (Long bar and horizontal bar) area. They’ll be hanging on the bar like higher mammals.

After few months, just before my 5th standard annual exams, someone introduced a game, which will be a serious competition to cricket and in fact the hostel management had to hunt down students who played it while play time. 

What was it?

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**Above art work, by the blogger