Forever yours

....Thoda Hai Baaki

Part 33

Ssmeer stood in the row with other 29 participants, of which only 12 were to be selected to form the school team. Naina, Munna and Pandit waited on the perimeter of the grounds from where they had a clear view as well as could hear the game. The strict Sports Sir, Mr. Rajendra Singh, a stern Rajput with upward peaked moustache, was a proud ex-football player in the army team. But due to field injury, he had to accept early retirement and now he exerted his army discipline as a sports coach on the students of PVKM. He started stating the rules of the game and selection process.

"Har ballebaz ko 2 over khelne milenge, ek fast bowler aur ek spinner. Usi tarah har bowler ko ek ya dou over daalne ka mauka milega. Aap logon ne fitness test pass kar li hai issliye aaj aap yahan khade hai. Par aajke pradarshan ke dauran aapka fitness bhi observe kiya jayega. Selection panel par main, Lochan sir, aur dou external selectors hai jo Gujarat ke bahar se hai. Aap mein se kinhi 12 vidyarthiyon ka sarvsammati se chunav kiya jayega.

The batting and bowling lists were read out separately and Sameer was placed at third position for batting. Coach Sir also decided who would field where and who would be benched till their turn. The lists were organized and shuffled such that all batsmen and bowlers also got a chance to field and demonstrate their fitness, agility, strategy and alertness. Sameer had to field till his turn to bat. Although Coach Sir never showed any partiality, Sameer's reputation preceeded him, and hence, he was being tested hard. Some players fielded half and half before and after their turn to bat or bowl, but Sameer's full stamina was tested whether he could bat immediately after field diving and running. Also, he had to face Tarun as the fast bowler, their classmate but one of the members of the bet boys gang.

Sameer smiled when he came on, trying to convey that all should be cool, but he was still taking offense that Munna Pandit got in a brawl with them in Mt. Abu and also Sameer had several times warned them to stay put and away from the Agrawals. Tarun bowled such that Sameer barely dodged an LBW on his very first ball that could have ended his candidacy right there. Then, he managed to throw a Yorker. Sameer was lucky as Arjun had drillled it into him to always have one foot in the crease when you are not sure about your opppnents tactics.

"Yaar Ponga, yeh shartwala toh Sameer ki lutiya dubaye bina manega nahi".

"Haan Chenu. Use dekhke laga raha puraa khunnas mein hai".

Naina heard the boys worry over Sameer, but she didn't need to be a cricket expert to see what was going on on the pitch. It was clear as a day that Tarun was out there trying to hurt Sameer under the pretext of bowling strategies.

He was over to his third ball and while Sameer was trying to gage from stance and posture, what would he throw at him next and a way to score inspite of the dampener, Tarun changed his line at the last minute such that the ball came straight at his face hitting his nose and colliding with the shoulder and straight in the hands of the waiting wicket keeper. Thank God for his presence of mind despite the excruciating pain, he collapsed with one foot still resting in the crease.

The game was called to an instantaneous halt and all players rushed to his side except Tarun. Coach sir and Lochan sir also hurried to the field. Munna Pandit also rushed from the sidelines but were halted by the committe remembers as the viewers or anyone other than the players and selectors were not allowed in the field area until the process was over. Naina also seemed extremely worried and she wanted to rush to his side as nothing was now visible from the sidelines as a crowd had gathered around Sameer. She tried to crane her neck and move around to at least sneak a peek and see if he was alright but her short height didn't allow any distant glances from over the shoulders of tall boys and teachers.

"Munna Pandit, yahan khade rehke kya kar rahe ho? Wahan jake dekho na. Sameer theek toh hai, kahi use tez chot toh nahi lagi". Concern was written all over her face and tension evident in her voice. She had shed all inhibitions about keeping a distance and was openly displaying her genuine feelings without even realizing her actions.