Mindset or mere Luck

This is something that I normally do before the match day.
But this Thursday was something different.

After a hard fielding stint of 1 hour I went through a rigorous skipping drill. Then followed my favorite short catches.

30 mins of those and I was completely exhausted. I just wanted to lay down and rest. Then I receive a call from Swapnil

"Where are You"
"Man, its thursday. I am at the stadium"
"when are you coming?"
"where"
"F.C!!!"
"Why?"
"We have a game today. Don't you know?"
"No one told me. But I will be there in 20mins."
(there is a new development of L&T where I need to look. But that can wait)

I reach the ground. Finally, both our openers are playing well. I pad up cos I will be going one down.
I am not prepared for the game in any way. I dont have my gears, no bat, not even my lucky Whites.

As soon as I am ready, a wicket falls and I have to rush to the wicket.

Normally I send 15-20 mins thinking about the way I am going to appro ach my bating but now I have no time.
I had decided that I am going to deliberately move my feet and play my shots.

The 1st ball I play, my feet move up to the ball. Nice bend in my knees... weight moves forward. high elbow and chin over the ball. IT hits my bat and the bowlers appeal. May be for LBW. That’s the fun of playing with amateurs.

The ball keeps low.

Lalaa lla lalala

Next one is a short out side of stump. I get my backfoot across and try to cut it …

The ball keeps so low. It passes under my bat.

This is dangerous. Clear chance of getting LBW.

I move a foot ahead out of my crease. Next ball.. though a short one I play it Forward. It hits my front foot. Again an appeal. Come on guys.. cool down. You cant appeal when I am playing that forward.

I don’t look at the umpire. There is a cheer. Then I look at the umpire.. he looks like the Sadhu Vaswani statue near Pune Station.

He has raised his finger. I am out.

Without scoring.

Amateur umpires are not fun !!!

The day when I felt my feet were moving just the way I wanted to.

I leave without scoring.

Again, I think of that game at NCL.

I went as an opener and remained not out at 80 or something.

No, I didn’t play well at all. None of the ball were hit through the center of the bat. Not even Full tosses.

Opposition captain was made to believe that I was playing with an octagonal bat. I felt it was a walking stick. Other days I hit the ball better even with a walking stick.

The attack had 2 ex state players and 3 current state players. 1 of the seamers balled left handed at 130+ kmph.

How could I survive then?

I thing I had decided that day was NOT TO GET OUT. And till the last ball was bowled I was playing just to save my wicket.

This time I wanted to score runs and attack the bowlers. These were no where as compared to the one I played at NCL. Yet I scored a duck here and there I was unbeaten on 80.

I wonder what the difference was. Was I in a with a wrong mindset, or was luck playing games with me?