Little Willow....and its moment of glory

Now with Indian cricket at all time high, I thought of posting this piece which I written a couple of months ago........

Little Willow had grown beautifully & its purpose of its life would soon be realized. For years & years, willow trees from this part of the forest were shaped into bats for generations of cricketers. Legend had it that the best bats were made from these special willow trees.Little Willow kept imagining the batsman who'd choose to use its bat - Graham Gooch or perhaps David Gower. It hoped to be a member of the English Test squad. Afterall legend had it that its ancestors had been WG Grace's ally. Little Willow too wanted its moment of glory.

Days went by. Little Willow had been cut, shaped, polished into a bat. It looked solid and was ready for the warrior to chose it.

Summer of 1990 - Little Willow waited patiently for its warrior. It would never forget the day when a small, shy lad walked in to examine the bats displayed. He looked like an Indian. Wooosh - Little Willow was picked up. Goodness, the lad's grip was so strong. Little W felt nice, at ease, felt the burning ambition of the lad. Little Willow was sure this lad would be a great warrior....but it wasnt going to be the lad's weapon. Afterall it had to be part of the English squad.Little W hated it when it was being packed - the Indian lad had chosen it.

Weeks went by, the Indian kept practising with Little W. Little W too loved the way it was being used - the lad had talent, he was solid.....but why oh why wasn't he an Englishman. Little W always hid its dissapointment and gave its best when the lad practised. Little W had heard that the lad was going to use him during India's tour to England.Little W also heard murmurings in the practice session how his master was a "boy genius", but had still not got a Test 100, inspite of playing 18 matches. Little W wanted to help its master. It had felt the burning desire its master possesed.The first Test came & went - Litle W wasn't used. In the 2nd Test at Old Trafford, Master came & spoke to Little W.....it was going to debut as an Indian bat against its beloved England.England had made 519 in the 1st innings and Master picked Little W up to help chase those runs.On & on master played...the desire to excel was swelling. Little W forgot everything & attcked the bowlers....the English bowlers were its enemy, and they had to be vanquished. 40 runs, half century, 60 runs...LIttle W kept urging its master to go on. But alas at 68 Master edged the ball to the fielder and there it ended. Little W did all it could to stop from crying...when Master walked back to the pavilion with the upright bat, it could feel Master's disspaointment.The match went on...India's target in the 2nd innings was 408.Things were not going well, India were 138/6...Master got up to go into the field. Things were precarious, India might lose the match, unless Master stood up to it & defended the total.Master started cautiously...Little W could feel the ambition, the desire. The grip was strong, intent stronger. Slow & steady Master plodded...the fours were rock solid, the strokes awesome. On & on Master went, the crowd cheered, the Indian squad started to smile, but Master saw nothing - just the ball everytime. Master was quick, his eye hand coordination super fast. Little W was slowly swelling with pride...Master was inching towards the elusive 100. C'mon. C'mon urged Little W and Master went on.60, 70, 80, ohh 90....Master became cautious again...at 95 there was a little quiver, was it nervousness that Master felt? Little W was sweating, but it kept on...Master's grip was always rock steady...97, 98, 99...............AND 100.The roar of the crowd was defeaning..Little W was being held aloft by Master....his Master, the Boy genius had got his first Test 100. Master went on to make 119 not out...and India drew the match.Back in the dressing room, celebrations were at its zenith...but Master was calm. Later in the night Master whispered to Little W that "this was just the beginning...we will together make history". Little W trembled when Master kiseed it goodnight.Next day's papers screamed "Sachin Tendulkar the boy genius has arrived"
But that wasn't Little W's "Best moment of glory". It was when, years later, at the Indian dresssing room, one new bat was bragging to the other bats stacked up "You know what? I come from the same forest clump from where Sachin Tendulkar's bat came....his first Test 100 was weilded by Little W - a senior cousin of mine ".