Me bowling in a match - video

It was a long standing dream to see myself in action, bowling in a real match situation.  I had got a few clips taken for study during practice sessions.  Last September, we were playing our sister team Young Cricketers in our 9th match of the 2012 season.  After I returned home that evening, I discovered in my book that it was my 100th match on that ground itself and the career wicket tally at 1290!  

Let me tell a bit about the first game I had played on this ground and not counted in the 100.  It in 1974 when mostly we played tennis ball cricket on the streets.  Yet, word had spread about the possession of a pair of small leg guards [pads] with me.  So I was included in the playing eleven when a friendly match for "Gowrishankar team" against one "Paapulli team" was arranged.  It was my first ever cricket ball match. Never before I had any opportunity to play with the cricket ball though a cork ball was used despite its dangers in street cricket.  Unfortunately, that game was interrupted by rain in the afternoon.  The ground became soggy.  In spite of it, the match was continued.  I was sent in to bat at the end and I faced only a few balls.  I think I was given just one over when I bowled some off breaks because the leather ball was heavy compared to my usual skill with the tennis ball!  Some consolation for taking my leg guards to the match!  Papulli scored a century and his team won the match. 

My next match on that ground was for the college team in 1979 from where the ground-count of 100 started.  A start had been made in 1978 to my cricket career, which is recorded in my other blog post.

Most of the clips my friend captured that morning are in this.  It was after we won the toss and were fielding first. Bright sunny morning.  I have stringed together about 15-20 clips spanning over 4 minutes.  See.