APL 2015 kick starts with a bang!
Hot and Humid says the weather reports but certainly the action got even hotter when the APL kicked off at the Indian Airlines ground in kaliana. Their Unique approach to the game certainly raised many eyebrows. Who says that Partying and a Picnic are the ways to unite different groups working for the same Firm?Lately some of the companies seem to be changing the trend. In a company that is associated with multiple ventures generally the way to get to know each other is not unknown to us, but certainly some companies think that is going Old School. An Intention can be satisfied in many ways but who ever thought that cricket would be the game changer. Yes its true that here is a company that just wants to unite multiple groups and they felt the best way to do so is to make all of the groups participate in a Cricket tournament. Their Unorthodox Rules certainly blew the wind of the sails. Unbelievably Thoughtful were their Rules where Woman got their Dew. In a Sport dominated by males we will probably never see the females take the cake. Confused?
It was Compulsory for each and every team to have Two female players in their playing 11. What’s More, they would be the two players to Open the batting at the start of every inning and a Female Player would open the Bowling from the opponent side. Sounds Strange, doesn’t it? For teams just been given a stipulated 6 overs that it is the Female players who would Compulsorarily play the first over of every single inning. That makes for a reading of almost 20% of the inningsThat the female players would participate. Yes you heard me right, the females who make up lesser than 20% of the total number of players per side would be given priority over the majority of the male players. Certainly just goes to show that in a country where it has always been Men who have been given priority in every sport here the opposite gender was entrusted with the responsibility to kick of the action which certainly speaks volumes of the character of the think tank behind the tournament. Duly paid were the motives of the think tank. All the players of their respective teams seemed to be enjoying themselves. Not Many of us saw the sight of the three players to kick of the action were surrounded by men fetching the ball for them. Irrespective of the number of wickets falling in the first over yet it would be only the three players who would complete the first over although there was a penalty imposed of a run deducted from the final total with every wicket that fell in the first over.
Honestly it was an Overwhelming sight to see the enthusiasm and energy the woman showed on the field. Some of them certainly gave good starts to their team both with the bat and the ball. Many of us doubted whether a tennis ball from 22 yards would reach the batsmen considering that most of them would have never bowled a ball or held a bat in their entire life. But to all our expectation they certainly did not disappoint. Infact performed prolifically to overhaul all our expectations. Seeing some of the fielding, bowling and batting efforts of the girls certainly taught us that these woman from the company are filled with unlimited potential waiting to be explored further. Undoubtedly the Men gave it their all. Played some competitive cricket and there were some exceptional performances to say the least. Some of the players showed real heart and character with their performances which lifted the spirits of the players and which certainly raised the bar of the standard of the quality of cricket being played. Very seldom do you come across people with such unique thought processes and that certainly deserves to be recognized and acknowledged. They certainly have changed the dynamics of the way cricket was being played and the message being conveyed was of unity, love and brotherhood among all. There were nine matches in all that took place and many more to go on the 3rd of may where the winners of the ACL would emerge. Do join in to witness a different brand of cricket played from the young and outgoing youth, from the people of a company that are living symbols of the changing times of this day and age.
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Article by Jerviis Ambosta
Professional Cricketer & Commentrator
