England ne West Indies ke khilaf teesre women’s ODI mein toss jeetkar pehle bowling ka faisla kiya, kyunki aasman mein ghane baadal chhaye hue the aur barish ki sambhavna thi. Yeh match Taunton ke mahaul mein ek alag hi chinta lekar aaya, kyunki baarish cricket ke liye aksar villain banti hai. Aise mein, fans ke dil mein ek baar phir wohi darr tha – kya yeh match bhi adhura reh jayega, jaise kai baar pehle hua hai?
Lekin Taunton ka yeh match sirf mausam ke baare mein nahi tha. England ki women’s team apni chhati jeet ke liye khel rahi thi, aur yeh unka mauka tha apne fans ke saamne ek aur shandaar pradarshan dikhane ka. England ne shuruaat mein West Indies ke teen wickets jaldi gira diye, jisme Realeanna Grimmond, Zaida James aur Stefanie Taylor shamil the, aur sirf 4 runs par West Indies 43/3 tak pahunch gayi thi. Yeh shuruaat England ke bowlers ke dum par thi, jinhone overcast conditions ka pura fayda uthaya. Lekin jaise hi Qiana Joseph aur Shemaine Campbelle ne innings ko sambhalna shuru kiya, baarish ne apna khel dikhaya aur match ruk gaya. Covers aaye, aur fans ke chehre par thodi si mayoosi chha gayi.
Ab yahan se baat thodi alag ho jati hai. Cricket mein baarish ek rukavat toh hai, lekin yeh teams ke liye bhi ek mauka deti hai – apni strategy ko dobara sochne ka, naye tareeke se plan banane ka. England ki team is match mein apni flexibility aur depth dikhane ke liye taiyaar thi. Unke bowlers, jaise Lauren Bell aur Sophie Ecclestone, ne is series mein pehle hi apna jalwa dikhaya tha. Yaad karein 2022 ka Women’s World Cup, jab England ne apne bowlers ke dum par South Africa ke khilaf ek yaadgaar jeet haasil ki thi, jab Sophie Ecclestone ne akhiri over mein match badal diya tha. Aise hi kuch ummeed Taunton mein bhi thi, kyunki England ka bowling attack is baar bhi kaafi strong tha.
West Indies ki team bhi piche nahi thi. Qiana Joseph aur Shemaine Campbelle jaise khiladiyon ne dikhaya ki woh bhi ladne ke liye taiyaar hain. Joseph ke 21 aur Campbelle ke 18 runs ne yeh saabit kiya ki West Indies ke paas bhi talent hai jo badi teams ko challenge kar sakta hai. Yaad hai 2017 ka Women’s World Cup, jab West Indies ne apne aggressive batting ke dum par sabko hairaan kiya tha? Usi spirit ke saath, yeh team Taunton mein bhi kuch alag karne ke mood mein thi. Agar baarish na aati, toh shayad yeh match ek dilchasp mod le sakta tha.
Taunton ka maidan cricket ke liye hamesha se khaas raha hai. Yahan ke County Championship matches, jaise Somerset vs Sussex ka woh match jisme Craig Overton ne apne all-round performance se sabka dil jeeta tha, hamesha yaad kiye jate hain. Aise maidan par jab England aur West Indies jaisi teams aamne-saamne hoti hain, toh fans ke liye yeh ek festival se kam nahi hota. Is baar bhi, England ke fans apni team ke sixth win ke liye excited the, aur West Indies ke fans apni team ke comeback ka intezaar kar rahe the.
Lekin cricket ka yeh jashn ek baar phir baarish ke haathon ruk gaya. Jab umpires ne covers laane ka ishaara kiya, toh maidan par sannata chha gaya. Yeh wahi mayoosi thi jo 2009 ke T20 World Cup mein England ke fans ne mehsoos ki thi, jab baarish ne kai matches ko affect kiya tha. Taunton mein bhi yeh match shayad usi list mein shamil ho jaye, jahan baarish ne cricket ke jazbe ko thodi der ke liye rok diya. Kya yeh match dobara shuru hoga, ya fir ek aur adhura kissa ban jayega? Yeh toh waqt hi batayega.
