Story c39_0823|Born to Fight for Success - A Journey with SA Redbacks, Innings 2 of WW Vs SA FC

[surendar]

( Indian Club Vs Jolly Rovers, A Local Club Match )
​

April 17, 2009
Time : 6 AM​

The alarm rang sharply at 5 : 30 AM. I opened my eyes with panic and made sure that it was only an alarm. I got up from my bed in a hurry. You may wonder, what is the need for me to hurry? There is indeed a reason for that. Yesterday i.e. April 16th, I stopped my alarm coolly and slept off nicely in that air conditioned room skipping the practice nets. I did not get any calls from my coach, but I had to make sure that I don't make him angry on the last working day of the week too.

Hence I got up and freshened myself and left my house straight to my practice nets. You know where my practice nets session takes place? In a small cricket ground exactly opposite to Marina Beach, Chennai. No wonder that the place(beach) used to be so lovely early in the morning. I used to go by walking every time to the practice sessions.

As soon as I entered the ground, my coach asked me, " For what reason you are here my dear boy? " : I realized the coach's anger on me for skipping the practice of the previous day. However I managed to convince him that I wasn't feeling well and hence was not able to come.

He immediately replied, "Your club has a match today Vs Jolly Rovers today @ 10 AM. Do you know that? "

I said, " What? Noone informed me! " If anyone is wondering what local club I represent, it is Indian Bank club. If anyone is not aware of the local club history here you go, Tamil Nadu Cricket Club Association has many clubs under its control. One of the clubs is Indian Bank Club. There are plenty of other cricketers with same ambition as me. As soon as my coach said this to me, my mind was once again disturbed as I was lacking practice. Anyways I continued the practice in nets for little time and was about to leave. At that time, my coach said, " Remove all your thoughts and play well! Your mind should not concentrate on other things.. You need to be clear. Play your game ". Those words were very nice to my ears and I left the place.

April 17, 2009
Time : 9 AM​

" What are you doing here, still? : ", a voice shouted over my phone. It was none other than my own friend who is also crazy of cricket. I informed him over the phone earlier that he had to inform in my university that I won't be able to come to college for obvious reasons. After hearing that, he was so stubborn in coming with me. I also thought that if there is atleast one support for me while playing it would be good. We both went on a bike to the ground. The venue was Indian Institute of Technology Chemplast ground.

While going, we carried so much tensions with us because...... There was lot a hell of trafffffffffiiiiiicccccccccc jaam! : : We managed to reach the ground at 9:40 AM though

Beautiful Pavilion at Chemplast Ground!

(Given a chance, I would love to sleep there near the corners )​

I joined my team mates of my club at the last moment. Some of my team mates thought that I won't come since I was missing in nets yesterday. My Coach expected that I would be early atleast here. Since I came at the last moment, for some strange reasons, my coach said, " Suren, You are not going to bat at no 4 today.. You are opening today! " I had to nod. I love to bat at number 4 since I always liked to take some time to settle down at the crease and make use of it.

In my club,

[FONT="Arial"][B][U]Stats of Indian Bank, Current Season 2009[/U][/B]

[B]Player Name	         Matches	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	Highest	Average[/B]

ARUN  .K.B 	             18 	     18 	1 	811 	148 	45.05
GOPI .K.H. 	                15 	15 	    1 	    754 	111 	50.2
[COLOR="Red"][B]SUREN .R 	                   18 	   15 	     3 	       725 	144 	48.3[/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

The umpires called the captains for Toss. My Club's captain, Suresh went and won the toss and elected to bat first. He came and said to me, " Come lets go and hunt those bowlers! ". Yes, Suresh is also being sent as opening batsman this match due to absence of our regular openers, Karthick and Gopinath. I started to think inside me, " Why in the hell I should face the new ball when I was so damn comfortable with the no 4 position! " :crying

April 17, 2009
Time : 10 AM​

Match Starts.

​

Well, I padded up and got ready and stepped into the ground along with my captain. My friend who came with me, started cheering our lads. Our own players and their club players started to cheer their respective clubs. " What to do, there won't be cheer girls like international matches! " is what I thought and it was when immediately my captain shook my shoulders and said, " We can do it, lets enjoy and play! ".

Woooowwww, I enjoyed the new ball!

(Photo Courtesy : My friend who came with me. )​

It was a left arm pacer from their side who opened the bowling. His face was looking so yucky with some horrible color in his hair style. :ninja I really wanted to go and bang him on his head, I don't know why! :laugh

He came running towards me.. My feet was responding very fast without my knowledge and I played a blind pull for the very first ball bowled. Nearby fielder just bent down and ball went for fence. I myself could not believe that I smashed the ball for 4! My captain was surprised too. That bowler gave me a horrible and irritating expression.

However I felt that I should calm down and took a single and gave my captain the strike. But my heart was longing for the strike to face and hit the bowler all around. I continued to be aggressive and played many blind shots. I don't even know whether those shots were defined in the books :laugh That much blind I was playing and luckily for me, boundaries were coming and coming and I reached 43 runs in just 22 deliveries.

My captain was also enjoying the innings which I played. He gave me a solid support and encouragement which helped me in continuing the blind aggressive momentum which I created. We crossed 50 partnership which i did not realize only. The score was around 65-70 in 8th over.

I Got Out Blindly Too!

( Merciless people, how can they enjoy when a batsman
is going disheartened! : )​

It was a sharp out-swinger from one of their pacers. Without any brains, I played a stupid shot attempting to drive wildly over the covers. It got a thick edge and went to the keeper. I started walking back to pavilion. Though there were applauds from my dressing room, I came with full disappointments.

I thought everyone in my dressing room were applauding me. But later realized that my coach was only staring at me and did not applaud. "What cricket were you playing on the ground? You really had no control over yourself, anyways we will talk later", he said to me and continued to track the batsmen at the crease. I got really disheartened this time.

I just sat in one of the chairs and was simply staring at the things going on in front of me. Though my other team mates were cheering our team, I was somewhat depressed due to the wordings of my coach. Later, my team had a collapse and managed to put only 241 runs on the board. Jolly Rovers batsmen came to the crease and they started off slowly with atmost patience.

I was standing in first slips and was expecting a catch every ball. But the ball was not coming to my direction only. What to do! Their batsmen started to attack our bowlers slowly slowly and their 140 runs opening partnership in 180 balls made the target of 241 easy in the end. They managed to win by 7 wickets.

The scores : Indian Bank, Chennai 241 in 46.5 overs (Suresh 81, Krishnan 52, Suren 43, N.P.Rajesh four for 33) lost to Jolly Rovers, Chennai 245 for 3 in 44.3 overs (Jesu Babu 92, Sathish 68, S Kumar 2 for 43).

We shook each others hands and left the ground. In the dressing room, the coach was quite furious. He did not talk to any of us. He silently packed the bag and said, " Tomorrow you guys are meeting me at 6 AM in the morning! ". He left the place.

I went and spoke to my captain who was quite disappointed too. I tried to convince him and I also left the place with my friend. I dropped him in his house and went to my home. It was around night 8'o clock. I did not eat anything.. I just went inside the room and relaxed myself on the bed,

"What cricket were you playing on the ground? You really had no control over yourself!", Words of my coach kept on running in my mind....

 

[saladguy]

Lol at the last bit. That coach must be crap at keeping the team upbeat and improving team morale Btw mate, what game were you playing this on?

Lovely update Suren, top stuff

 

[treva]

Oh yes, that's what I like to see. The classic that is Cricket 2002! Great idea to use it to make it look like club cricket, Suren. Another great update

 

[surendar]

Lol at the last bit. That coach must be crap at keeping the team upbeat and improving team morale Btw mate, what game were you playing this on?
Lovely update Suren, top stuff

Thank you mate And I used C2002 for simulating the local club style sort of thing.

What game will be the career of Suren simulated? - Well, You will notice as the story progresses.

Oh yes, that's what I like to see. The classic that is Cricket 2002! Great idea to use it to make it look like club cricket, Suren. Another great update

Thank you, Trev .. Am glad that the idea of using C2002 for the local club match is being liked by the members :happy

 

[Highlander999]

Come on Suren. Where are the hookers? The snipers? Let's have drug's being found in neighbours houses and being stopped by the police

Seriously though, very nice update, any story by you will always be very good

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Where are the loop-holes in the storylines? The sheer random crap? This is rubbish! We want action!

43 is pretty good but the way you were playing was maniacal. (sp?)

 

[treva]

Where are the loop-holes in the storylines? The sheer random crap? This is rubbish! We want action!

43 is pretty good but the way you were playing was maniacal. (sp?)

Two points about this post:

'Loop-holes' - Word of the day or something?

'Maniacal' - Probably not even a word.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

It eez a word so shut up .

 

[surendar]

Where are the loop-holes in the storylines? The sheer random crap? This is rubbish! We want action!

Well, to get into Indian team straight away in action will be too unrealistic. Since it's Indian domestic, to get into the state levels also we need to excel in district level cricket. Thats why I opted to choose randomness factor for the lower levels(district level or any local club level less than state level) of cricket. Also, since Indian domestic is not available by default(like game built-in English/Aus county seasons), it is taking a bit time for me to get into the full action.

It also depends on the game which I am choosing. After my long research, I have selected the game which I am going to use for my career. Well, that(game) may change as the story progresses higher and higher.

Thank you for the views.:onpc

EDIT :- Also, since I am writing the career diary ( which is completely different from the team diaries ), If I deviate from a good story line, please spot me out. Writing team diaries is lot easier than a career diary!

 

[mattfb]

Top update suren, brilliantly written and great presentation. 43 aint bad, but I'm not surprised the coach isn't happy you got out swinging

Brilliant story mate, kiu!

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Brilliant update Suren. As all said abt me 43 inst bad. Yeah as you said its really difficult to play for state teams now a days with many different factors. Nice to see you doing a story which will have a lot of Indian Domestic cricket. Looking forward for many more brilliant updates. :happy

 

[Left_Hander]

Your friend is a brilliant photographer! . That helmet looked like an Indian helmet, maybe a sign of things to come. Also, I really like the idea of starting your career in grade cricket (which is what we call it in Australia, or district like you have) which I don't think has been done by any big story that comes to mind.

I can see this going down as one of the great stories!

 

[brock.crowley]

This looks like it could turn out to be legendary

 

[Roofrom50]

Well Suren, is this going to be as good as your Indian story? If so mate, im staying tuned with delight

 

[surendar]

Top update suren, brilliantly written and great presentation. 43 aint bad, but I'm not surprised the coach isn't happy you got out swinging

Brilliant story mate, kiu!

This looks like it could turn out to be legendary

Thank you a lots

Brilliant update Suren. As all said abt me 43 inst bad. Yeah as you said its really difficult to play for state teams now a days with many different factors. Nice to see you doing a story which will have a lot of Indian Domestic cricket. Looking forward for many more brilliant updates. :happy

I am planning a detailed coverage for the state level though. Because, if i am coming to district levels and cover it more, definitely Suren Ram will take ages to come to India

Your friend is a brilliant photographer! . That helmet looked like an Indian helmet, maybe a sign of things to come. Also, I really like the idea of starting your career in grade cricket (which is what we call it in Australia, or district like you have) which I don't think has been done by any big story that comes to mind.

I can see this going down as one of the great stories!

Thank you leftie and nice to have you in following this story as well. One of the great readers/writers which this story forum has got for a long time :hpraise

Well Suren, is this going to be as good as your Indian story? If so mate, im staying tuned with delight

That you only have to tell me I am happy to get positive or negative feedbacks so that I can take the diary in better way. :onpc