Chapter 10: The Story of Cricket

Comprehension Check

Page 143

Question 1:

Cricket is originally alan

(i) Indian game.

(ii) British game.

(iii) International game. Mark the right answer.

Answer:

(ii) British game.

Question 2:

“There is a historial reason behind both these oddities.” In the preceding two paragraphs, find two words/phrases that mean the same as ‘oddities’.

Answer:

The words are : ‘peculiarities’ and ‘characteristic’ that mean the same as ‘oddities’.

Question 3:

How is a cricket bat different from a hockey stick ?

Answer:

Till the middle of the eighteen century, bats were roughly of the shape of a hockey stick. These were curving outwards at the bottom. But now cricket bat is straight while hockey stick remains curved.

Comprehension Check

Page 146

Question 1:

Write True or False against each of the following sentences.

(i) India joined the world of Test cricket before independence.

(ii) The colonisers did nothing to encourage the Parsis in playing cricket.

(iii) Palwankar Baloo was India’s first Test Captain.

(iv) Australia played its first Test against England as a sovereign nation.

Answer:

(i) True

(ii) True

(iii) False

(iv) False

Comprehension Check

Page 148

Question 1:

A ‘professional cricket player is one who makes a living by playing cricket. Find the opposite of ‘professional’ in the last paragraph.

Answer:

‘Amateur’.

Question 2:

In “the triumph of the one-day game”, ‘triumph’ means the one-day game’s

(i) superiority to Test cricket.

(ii) inferiority to Test cricket.

(iii) achievement and success over Test cricket.

(iv) popularity among viewers.

Mark the right answer.

Answer:

(iii) achievement and success over Test cricket.

Question 3:

“…. the men for whom the world is a stage”.

(i) It refers to the famous cricket fields in the world.

(ii) It means that there are many cricket playing countries in the world.

(iii) It implies that cricketers are like actors and every cricket ground is like a stage on which the drama of cricket is enacted the world over. Mark the right answer.

Answer:

It implies that cricketers are like actors and every cricket ground is like a stage on which the drama of cricket is enacted the world over.

Working with the Text

Question 1:

Name some stick-and-ball games that you have witnessed or heard of.

Answer:

These are : Hockey, Polo, Billiards, some of such games I have seen or heard of.

Question 2:

The Parsis were the first Indian community to take to cricket. Why?

Answer:

Parsis because of their interest in trade had close contact with the Britishers. So, they were first to be westernised. They were therefore the first to be attracted towards cricket.

Question 3:

The rivalry between the Parsis and the Bombay Gymkhana had a happy ending for the former. What does ‘a happy ending’ refer to ?

Answer:

‘Happy ending’ refers to the defeat of Bombay Gymkhana by Parsi Club. Parsi Club won the Test Match in 1889.

Question 4:

Do you think cricket owes its present popularity to television ? Justify your answer.

Answer:

There is no doubt that television has made great contribution towards popularising cricket. Television coverage increased the audience into the small towns and villages. It also helped people watch their heroes while playing national and international cricket.

Question 5:

Why has cricket a large viewership in India, not in China or Russia ?

Answer:

I think mostly the countries who remained under British colonial rule, play cricket. India is one of the oldest cricket playing nations. It is the second largest populated country after China. People here are crazy for cricket. So, it is the largest market for the cricketing world.

Question 6:

What do you understand by the game’s (cricket) ‘equipment ?

Answer:

Cricket equipment refers to the bat made of leather, twine and cork. The equipment like bat and ball are even today handmade.

Question 7:

How is Test Cricket a unique game in many ways?

Answer:

Test Cricket can be played in five days and still end in a draw. No other game can take more than a day. Secondly, the dimensions of the cricket ground is not specified. It can vary from a circular to an oval shape.

Question 8:

How is cricket different from other team games ?

Answer:

Cricket is the only game which can be played for five days. A football match is generally over in an hour-and-a-half. Even base ball completes nine innings in about a half day. Moreover unlike other team games, the dimensions of the cricket ground are not specified.

Question 9:

How have advances in technology affected the game of cricket ?

Answer:

First of all, because of advancement in technology there was a change in equipments. The invention of vulcanised rubber led to the introduction of pads and gloves. Light helmets usually worn now are also because of modern technology. Secondly, satellite television technology made the game very popular. It could now be watched in every city, town and village. We can watch both national and international cricket matches on our televisions.

Question 10:

Explain how cricket changed with changing times and yet remained unchanged in some ways.

Answer:

A lot of changes have occurred in the game of cricket. Now the amateur players have been replaced by paid professionals. One day international have become more popular. Technology has also brought a great change. But still the roots remain true to the origin in rural England. Cricket’s most important equipments are still handmade. However,the protective equipments have been influenced by change and advancement in technology.

Working with Language

Question 1:

Wordsearch

• Twelve words associated with cricket are hidden in this grid.
• Six can be found horizontally and the remaining six vertically.
• Two words have been found for you.

Clues to the hidden words are given below.

Horizontal : six deliveries, four runs, attacked while out of arena, no result, stumps, fielder to the off-side of the wicketkeeper.

Vertical : stumps flying, back to the pavilion, a lofty one, mid-air mishap, not even one out of six, goes with bat

Answer:

Horizontally : Wicket, Slip, Stumped, Draw, Over, Boundary.

Vertically : Ball, Bowled, Maiden, Out, Caught, Six.

Question 2:

Add-ly to the italicised word in each sentence. Rewrite the sentence using the new word. See the examples first.

• He runs between wickets as if his legs were stiff.

He runs between wickets stiffly.

• Why did the batsman swing the bat in such a violent manner ?

Why did the batsman swing the bat so violently ?

(i) It is obvious that the work has not been done in a proper way.

(ii) He made the statement in a firm manner.

(iii) The job can be completed within a week in an easy way.

(iv) You did not play in a serious manner, or else you would have won the match.

(v) She recited the poem in a cheerful manner.

Answer:

(i) It is obvious that the work has not been done properly.

(ii) He made the statement firmly.

(iii) The job can be completed within a week easily.

(iv) You did not play seriously, or else you would have won the match:

(v) She recited the poem cheerfully.

Question 3:

Use the following phrases appropriately in place of the italicised words in the sentences given below.’

(i) Actually, I didn’t intend to come to your place. I reached here without planning.

(ii) Sunil, there’s a letter for you in today’s post. There’s one for me also.

(iii) Everybody thought I had composed the poem. The truth is my younger sister did it.

(iv) The doctor told the patient to make sure that he took his pills on time.

(v) It will be better for us to plan our trip before setting out.

Answer:

(i) Actually, I didn’t intend to come to your place. I reached here by accident.

(ii) Sunil, there’s a letter for you in today’s post. There’s one for me as well.

(iii) Everybody thought I had composed the poem. As a matter of fact my younger sister did it.

(iv) The doctor told the patient to see to it that he took his pills on time.

(v) We had better plan our trip before setting out.

Speaking and Writing

Question 1:

Complete each of the following words using gh, ff or f. Then say each word clearly after your teacher.

(i) e………ort

(ii) …….act

(iii) con…..ess

(iv) lau…..ing

(v) enou……

(vi) hal..

(vii) scru……..

(viii) rou……..

(ix) sti…..ly

(x) di……..erence

(xi) sa……ety

(xii) …….lush

Answer:

(i) effort

(ii) fact

(iii) confess

(iv) laughing

(v) enough

(vi) half

(vii) scruff

(viii) rough

(ix) stiffly

(x) difference

(xi) safety

(xii) flush

Question 2:

Write two paragraphs describing a bus ride to watch a cricket match in a village. Use the following points. Add some of your own.

• two-hour journey by bus
• an old and crowded bus
• friendly passengers
• visit to a village fair where the match is to be played
• the match between two village teams
• makeshift stumps, rough pitch and a rubber ball
• the match was enjoyable, but the trip was tiring

Answer:

Cricket Match in a Village

About forty kilometres from our village, a very famous fair is held in some village. It took us two hours to reach there by bus. I had gone there particularly to watch a cricket match. The match was to be held between two village teams. The bus was an old one. It was overcrowded because so many people were going to the fair. The passengers were jostling with each other. I could not get a seat in the bus. But the passengers were very friendly. I was accommodated on a seat.

Ultimately, we reached the village where the match was to be played. There was a lot of hustle and bustle. The villagers were wearing colourful dresses. Makeshift stumps were being installed. The pitch was quite rough. They were playing with the rubber ball. But players were all energetic. They played with great enthusiasm. The team of the village where the match was played won the match. The match was interesting. But the trip was very tiring.