Sports

For the blind!

Thwack! The sounds of bat hitting ball resounds through the stadium, as the fielder runs off in the direction of the ball. Yes that's right – you are witnessing a cricket match, with a slight difference. The bowler is bowling underarm, the ball has a rattle like noise as it skims across the turf, and both the batsman and the fielder giving chase have no idea of what the ball looks like or its colour. For they are both blind!

Welcome to the highly competitive world of visually impaired cricket. Little known to the 'sighted' world, blind cricket under the Association for Cricket for the Blind in India (ACBI) has state, zonal and a national team who has participated in three world Cups. And unlike their sighted counterparts, the Indian team are world champions, at least against arch–rivals Australia. As George Abraham, ACBI chairman points out with a mischievous grin, “So far we have never lost a match against Australia.”

Considered the father of visually impaired cricket not only in India but the world, Abraham is a living example as to the power of making dreams possible. A cricket fanatic, his wish to be India's first fast bowler – in the days of Abid Ali and Eknath Solkar – was cruelly cut short by rapidly deteriorating vision during his college days. “It had got to the stage where I couldn't clearly see the batsman nor the ball when it was thrown back to me. So I thought, I'd better quit before I got seriously hurt.”

But fate had determined that Abraham's passion for the game would keep him involved in cricket. Watching blind children playing the game with sticks for bats and tin cans for balls, Abraham was struck by the skill, which the children showed for the game. He then decided an organized structure where visually impaired children could play against the best across the country was the need of the hour.

And thus in 1990, the national tournament was formed. Comprising 400 students from 20 visually impaired schools across the country, the tournament, inaugurated by Kapil Dev, showed that boys across India were ready to play. It was only a start, admits Abraham, but it acted as a catalyst that spurred him on to organize bigger things. The result was the first World Cup for the visually impaired in November 1998.

A Game of Inspiration

Since those early days, the game has come a long way and has been a source of inspiration to many players, who do not let their handicap come in the way they play. Simson Pushparaj, a totally blind player who played for India in the 2006 World Cup agrees. “I was inspired by Sachin Tendulkar and the determination he showed to become the leading run getter in the 1996 World Cup.” This inspiration has carried Pushparaj far. He represented his state Andhra Pradesh from 1996–8, entered the national team in 1999 and since then has not looked back.

Pushparaj's disability has not hindered him from making a mark for himself in all forms of the game. He is a “budding fast bowler and number four batsman.” Asked as to how he bowls he replies that he relies on his acute hearing. “The rattling ball that is used in the game makes very little noise through the air so our hearing is of prime importance. As such we have to take special care to protect our hearing and ensure that we do not catch cold in between matches.”

Challenges

It is perhaps a testimonial to the players that despite the physical disability they face, India has produced one of the world's best blind cricket team. However, there are a number of challenges that still need to be overcome, since problems remain in the sport.

Though the game has grown with West Indies competing in the 2006 World Cup and Nepal and Bangladesh setting up teams, lack of organization funds, and marketing has meant that blind cricket is not growing. And this worries Abraham, “The first World Cup in 1998 was held in Delhi, the 2002 World Cup in Chennai, the 2006 World Cup in Islamabad and the 2010 will also most likely be in the sub–continent. For the game to grow, other nations must also come forward and take the initiative to market it in their countries.”

The lack of support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also not helped, with few suitable grounds for the players. But more than that, the lack of remuneration has meant that few players can afford to take up the game at the highest level. Points out Manvendra Singh, the captain of the Indian team, who lost most of his eyesight in an accident when he was 10, “Players representing India need to be paid otherwise how else will they earn a living?”

He has a point. While Shah Rukh Khan struck a chord with the nation last year for the game of hockey with his film Chak de India perhaps it's time that something similar is done in order to ensure that our blind cricketers get the recognition, and remuneration, they deserve.

Playing By The Rules

  • Blind cricket has the same 22–yard crease, boundaries as sighted cricket.

  • The bowler shouts 'Ready'. Batsman replies 'Ok' and while releasing the ball the bowler must shout 'Play.' If the above actions are not followed, it is a no ball.

  • The ball bowled underarm must bounce before a marked midway line before it reaches the batsman. The batsman hears the ball by the rattling sound it makes.

  • Players are classified as B1, B2 or B3. B1 is totally blind, B2 are those who can see 2/60 and B3 are those who are 6/60. This means that what a sighted person can see at 60 metres they can see at 2 or 6 metres.

Source: Ashwin Ahmad. Cricket's special heroes. The Times of India, 20 January 2008.

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The Mumbai Marathon

THEY have been part of the 2.5–km race at the Mumbai Marathon for the last four years, but a couple of disabled athletes from the city now want to take it seriously and show their mettle. However, the organisers aren't ready to buy their argument.

“I have been taking part in marathon since its inception four year age, I have been participating in the wheelchair event over a distance of 2.5 kilo metres, but I think that distance and the race has failed to show case our talent,” says

Satyaprakash Tiwari, who has won 13 medals in international events, including a bronze at the 2006 Asian Games.

“In our race, different kinds of people including those on three–wheelers and crutches also take part, We are athletes of international repute and I feel the race and its distance is not doing justice to our caliber,” adds Tiwari, who had lost both his legs from below knees in a local train accident in 1981.

“I should be allowed to compete in the half–marathon over a distance of 21 kilometres. There I think I can show what I'm capable of,” says the 41–year–old Ghatkopar resident who had won medals in events like running, badminton, tennis and discus throw.

Tiwari's friend Manoj Khaire– a Worli resident who has a deformed right leg due to polio–in fact met the organinsers last year. “They had promised me that something would be done next year, but even this year the organisers aren't ready to provide us the opportunity,” said 41–year–old Khaire who has six international medals in his bag.

“The half–marathon that they want to compete has a very steep bridge in its way at Peddar Road,” says Vivek Singh of Procam International, the organiser of the race. “It requires special training to climb that bridge and the kind of wheelchairs these athletes for such events. Our race director Hugh Jones feels it could be very dangerous for them. Therefore, we can't allow them to compete in that event,” said Singh.

Tiwari, however, has not lost hope. “I admit that it could really be risky for us but we also have expensive wheelchairs which we have been using and winning medals in international events. We can use them for such races, We should be given a chance to show our strength over the Peddar Road bridge. I'm sure we can do it. I understand this year they can't allow us trial runs at this short notice but I will officially request them in advance next year. I hope we can prove them wrong,” says Tiwari.

And these disabled athletes just don't want to prove a point about their capacity but they also want to send across the message to everyone. “We want to show all our able and disabled countrymen that if we could participate in the half– marathon, they could also compete. The only thing required here is will power,” adds Tiwari.

Source: Differently–abled marathoners want to push the limit further, Indian Express, Mumbai, 8 January 2008.

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