Those scorching afternoons and early evenings – they were the time when all the cousins and neighbours got together for a game of cricket, or two. That is, before the mums started calling us in one by one! A look back at the silly and sweet rules we invented for our gully cricket games:
1. My bat, my batting
Those who got bats to the match had special privileges. Like first batting. Perfectly fair.
2. “Ball ghar se bahar jaayegi to out”
The ghar ki maryaada was sacrosanct. Besides, we didn’t want the over-enthu batsman to hit hard and lose the ball.
3. One tip one hand
If the ball bounced once, the fielder could still stump the batsman. Only, the catch had to be with one hand. The good thing about this rule was that it got people out quickly.
4. “Khidki mein lagi to out”
Cricket was a nuisance to Sharma aunty and Vinod uncle. Window panes were broken, flower pots damaged. We had to create this rule out of fear for our lives, you know.
5. “Eh, wicket chod ke batting kar na”
How could we ever get the batsman out without this one?
6. Every pitch had a different boundary
For some of us, it was a chauka if the ball touched the gate. For others, it was a chakka if the ball crossed the garden. We had to make do with the space. We even had ones and twos for pre designated spots.
8. If you got out you could protest, “Main ready nahi tha”
For people with the least sportsman spirit, including the writer of this article, this rule was meant to be exploited.
9. All Players Fielding
When the fielders weren’t enough, we could ask other members of the batting side to field. Against their own team.
10. Whoever gets the batsman out, bats next
The person who took the wicket next had the chance to bat. The problem arose, when it was a catch. That really was a Catch 22 situation!
This post is inspired by a Quora post.