Thats a good score!!

This weekend, I was looking forward to the cricket games on saturday and sunday. Saturday - well there was some really poor captaincy and I didnt get a good chance to bat. I was sent in very very late in the order - and I managed to score 10 runs.

We ended up losing the match hands down - thanks to our hopeless captain.

Sunday on the other hand was a different day altogether. We lost the toss - nothing new in our club - and were asked to bowl.

We did put in some good bowling and restricted the opposition to 159 in 40 overs. It wasnt pretty hot today - unlike saturday or other weekends in the recent past. It was very pleasant when I went in to bat at number 3. The score was around 32/1. Myself and Brian kept our cool till 10 overs as we had late tea. Then we steadily began our onslaught. 4 runs per over was the required run rate. But it was initially a bit challenging to play the bowlers - some of whom were really doing well.

Patience is what was needed and I had lots of it in me. I scored boundaries very fluently and at the end of it made 41 odd when drinks were called. I was told that I was in my 40s. That gave me some glaring memories of last weekend when I was out at 48. I wanted to somehow keep it going and cross the mystic mark of 50.

The over after drinks - I hit a single and two balls later - got strike again and scored 2 consecutive boundaries. The cheer came up from my team mates. I had made it!

I lifted my bat with joy. There was a suttle applause from the fielders as well. The mystic mark was conquered. It was a great feeling of achievement and relief.

My first 50 in England. Thats something special I would say!

I went on to make the top score on either teams - 73 not out. It included around 14 boundaries, most of which were very good cricketing shots. My partner made 61. Our partnership was around 139.

We won the match in the 27th over by 9 wickets. A thumping win for the team. A landmark achieved for the batsman in me.

Satish Viswanathan.