Master Class Session 8
Mar 30 2007
Waqar spends time with the boys
Toe crusher. Devastating bowler. Sultan of reverse swing. These are some of the names by which the boys at the Cricket Star Academy knew Waqar Younis. But not too many dreamed they would get a chance to come face to face with the man himself. Waqar Younis not only watched their game against Invitation XI, but also interacted with them and gave them tips to ponder over. During his talk with the Cricket Star XI, he set them a challenge: to bowl six balls and concede the least number of runs. To the boys’ chagrin, they had to bowl to their own coach, who seemed in a destructive mood and sent the ball flying. Piyush Negi was clobbered for twenty-eight runs, the maximum runs any of the boys conceded. Though S Prabhu got the coach’s wicket, he gave away runs, too. However, Waqar said he was satisfied with Prabhu’s fitness and impressed with his keeping behind the stumps. Amiteshwar Singh, though, proved the winner of the day, conceding only four runs. |
The boys tried to accept their humiliation with a smile and a grimace. To be trounced in front of one of cricket’s biggest bowling giants was no small matter. But Waqar put them at their ease by sitting down with them and talking with them for an hour. As the boys listened in rapt attention, Waqar touched upon many topics including playing in big match situations and the issue of captaincy.
On this day, Waqar used his cricketing acumen not to destroy the opposition but to give lessons the boys would take home!
