the batsman

The Batsman.

The batsman is on sixty-three runs. He has been at the crease for quite a while. He is batting steadily towards a high score. He is preparing to face the next delivery from the bowler.

First he takes a look around the field, and makes a mental note of where all the fielders are placed. The fielders are spread evenly all over the oval. Then the batsman takes his mark again, and looks across at his fellow batsman on the other end of the pitch, to confirm his mark. Then he bends over forward with his bat barely touching the ground, and prepares to take strike. He glances over the field once more to confirm the fielders’ positions, as the bowler turns to take his run-up.

As the bowler starts his run-up, he is fully focused on the batsman. Likewise, the batsman’s whole focus is now on the bowler and the delivery of the ball. The batsman gently taps the tip of his bat on the ground, and maintains his focus, as the bowler runs in towards the pitch.

As the bowler steps on the bowling crease, he delivers the ball, but his momentum carries him a few paces further down the pitch, before he slows down and stops. The ball is at an uncomfortable length for the batsman to play, so he just leaves it to pass by harmlessly, by removing his bat out of the way. His body sways gently backwards as he does this. The ball lands with a thump in the wicket-keeper’s gloves, and is then passed along among the players, back to the hands of the bowler.

The bowler walks back to his mark, to take another run-up to the pitch. The batsman again makes a mental note of the field placing, and prepares to take strike. He leans forward and taps his bat gently on the pitch, as the bowler runs in to make another delivery.

The End.

Copyright – JP Brown – 19/04/2007.