Dwight and Dubya - Bush "I was fooled by a googly," and bamboozled by another one..
After all the security concerns surrounding President George W Bush's visit to Pakistan, he was first hit by a bouncer then fooled by a googly. But there was no call for worry, it all happened when Bush tried his hand at cricket - a hugely popular sport in parts of the old British Empire, and nowhere more so than in South Asia. Bush, an avid baseball fan, batted and bowled several times on a practice cricket pitch set up in the grounds of the US embassy in the capital of cricket-mad Pakistan.
In December, 1959, Dwight Eisenhower attended the fourth day of the Test between Pakistan and Australia at Karachi during which the home side ground out 104 for the loss of five wickets. Only once have there been fewer runs in a completed day's play - three years earlier, when the same sides met on the same ground!
Students from the Islamabad College for Boys and the private school Schola Nova, who included girls, looked on. He got a quick lesson on how to hold the bat from Shaharyar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
"He's telling me the difference between baseball and cricket," said Bush, a former owner of a Texas baseball team. Then the president was coached while batting at the wicket by Salman Butt, a member of Pakistan's cricket team, with Inzamam-ul-Haq, the team captain, nearby to also lend his expertise.
Bush needed some help. One ball pitched short, a bouncer in cricket terminology, kicked up off the turf to strike the president on the shoulder.
Luckily, he was playing with tennis balls, much softer than rock-hard cricket balls.
Bush was bamboozled again.
"I was fooled by a googly," he joked later at a state dinner on Saturday evening.
The googly is a ball bowled across the batter, but which turns back in towards him after it bounces.
Bush saved the best until last, walloping the ball high into some trees.
"Not bad for a first time," one boy said.
Bush, in Pakistan on the last leg of a tour of South Asia, was modest about his cricket debut.
"Haven't quite got the skills yet," said Bush, the sleeves on his blue shirt rolled up.
cybermusings.blogspot.com
content-uk.cricinfo.com |
