Ranji’s Wonderful Bat (part -4)

Suraj won the toss for the school and

decided to bat first.

The opening batsmen scored thirty

runs without being separated. The visiting

fast bowlers couldn’t do much. The spin

bowlers came on, and immediately there

was a change in the game. Two wickets

fell in one over, and the score was 33

for 2. Suraj made a few quick runs, then

he too got out to one of the spinners,

caught behind the wicket. The next

batsman was clean bowled – 46 for 4 –

and it was Ranji’s turn to bat.

He walked slowly to the wicket. The

fielders crowded round him. He took

guard and prepared for the first ball. The

bowler took a short

run and then the ball

was twirling towards

Ranji, looking as

though it would spin

away from his bat as

he learnt forward into his stroke. And then

a thrill ran through Ranji’s arm as he felt

the ball meet the springy willow of the bat.

Crack!

The ball, hit firmly with the middle

of Ranji’s bat, streaked past the helpless

bowler and sped towards the boundary.

Four runs!

The bowler was annoyed, with the

result that his next ball was a loose 

full toss.

into his stroke: here,

to hit the ball

willow: here, a tree;

the timber of this

tree is used to make

cricket bat

streaked: here, flew

rapidly