Has a cricket ball ever hit you in the unmentionable? If it happens to you: the most unbearable pain ever experienced. if it happens to your teammate: the funniest moment in human history. One of the worst yet funny sites on the cricket field is when a batter hits the ball not with his bat but with his nuts. Pardon the language. Everyone finds it funny except the batter who got hit. The pain and strangeness of the situation make it so embarrassing. It takes a while to regain consciousness. Also, the fear of putting the existence of future generations in danger. That’s what your friends put in your mind.
From a personal experience, the worst situation ever. Although it had happened to me during junior level cricket, a couple of times, it was still awful. Imagine getting hit there in international cricket by a feisty pace bowler., Oh boy. It takes the life out of you, both literally and metaphorically. Some players have been unluckier to attract the balls to their groin region. As soon as I witness someone get hit there, I immediately think of Alex Hale. Porr Hales had once overcome the pain, only to be hit by the next ball again. Fortunately, the bowler was Reece Topley. He’s not slow. He still bowls at 130kmph, not 140+ kmph. His luck could not save him for long. He faced the unbearable again in this season’s Big Bash tournament in Australia. This time he had to face the quickest bowler in the Australian, Spencer Johnson. Pain, agony, and a bit of shame.
Getting hit while batting seems reasonable. But, how often do you get hit there while fielding? Sir Alastair Cook had lived many marvellous moments on the cricket field. But, there are a couple he would want to forget. You know the internet, it’s recorded and will be there forever. The worst part is fielders do not wear a guard. They only do so in very close quarters. Sir Alastair has been through both. Senior pro was hit by a cover drive straight from the bat of Shaun Marsh directly into his….. The first time was even more funnier, I could recall Root not being able to control his laughter. That could have been fatal. A ball hit him while he was fielding in the slip cordon, without protective gear. It makes me uncomfortable if i watch that video. I cannot fathom the pain.
Epictetus remarks on pain: “that the pain is neither intolerable nor everlasting if you bear in mind that it has its limits, and if you add nothing to it in imagination.” He never saw this sight did he, when the batter could not imagine anything, even if he wanted to. The truest form of being present in the moment. Surely, across sports, many instances cause even the audience to feel the pain. Yet, none could bring smiles and laughter at the same time. Such Joyous and uncomfortable moments fill cricket history.
