My Three Sweet Wickets at Mantinshire

Mantinshire (that's what we called the Kolej Tuanku Jaafar's Oval at Mantin)

It was a pleasant First of May, a public holiday for most of the people, even though it falls on Tuesday.

Anyway, it would be just another fine day for a game of 40 over cricket, wearing whites and using the red cherry ball. My team SPC XI (actually it should have been SPC X as one player was gone missing) lost the toss and was asked to field first.

We were up against the usual Abul XI selection, featuring all the well known and hard hitting batsman like Mat Jimie, Salman Zahari and Saufi. Whereas, SPC XI as always consists of mostly old timers (otais) and the not so impressive cricketers. This match was a part of an on-going rivalry sledging-happy kind of cricket match.

I was the opening bowler. In my hand was a brand new red cricket ball with a good shine on both sides. I measured my run up, approximately 18 paces from the batting crease.

At the other end, facing my ball was Mus (SMS Taiping, Perak), a diminutive but quite an elegant opening batsman who also happened to be my SO's classmate.

Anyway, I delivered the first ball of the inning. The ball was swinging like mad. Most probably because it was a brand new shining ball and the weather was kinda heavy. Mus cannot do much except to defend the medium fast ball.

Everyone in my team cheered a lot, because of the reaction seen taken by Mus in negotiating my first ball. Not at all that confident.

Next, my second ball. I delivered it a little bit faster. With the aid of the heavy atmosphere and the damp weather, there was a small swing slightly inwards. Mus tried to again defend the ball, but as the ball hit the bat, it deflected high towards slip area and easily caught by my team-mate Hj Salman. Hence, there it was my first wicket only in my second delivery.

In the subsequent two of my overs, I also produced another two sweet wickets, one was bowled out (Mat Jug, SESMA) and there other was via LBW (Saufi, SMAP Labu). I think that Saufi is a kind of bunny to me, as normally I could get him out, whenever I was bowling. 

Abul XI scored 185 runs and were all out by the 35th over. SPC XI won the match easily through DL (Duckworth Lewis) method by 88 runs, when the match has to be stopped earlier than scheduled because of the heavy thunderstorm in the afternoon.

My bowling figures read a miserly 6-0-14-3

I managed to remove Abul XI
top order batsman

Senja Berulang Rindu

This beautiful song by the late Sudirman really moved me. Reminds me of those innocent days of my childhood. Those lonely days.

Senja berulang rindu
Dan ku sebut namamu
Dalam suara yang bisu
Engkaukah itu

Dan ku ulang kembali
Sewaktu dalam sunyi
Nyanyian kata hati
Rindukah itu

Biarkan kemesraan berlalu
Bersama kesunyian yang padu
Akan ku sebut namamu selalu
Namun ada rindu yang lebih dari itu

Kasih di mana janji
Dan kau teruskah lari
Dari ku yang menanti
Engkau kah itu

Limit

The expression   in math means that function f(x) can be made to be as close to L by making x sufficiently close to c. In other words, if f(x) wanted to become like L then it must extend its x limits to be like c which belongs to L.

Someone said that there is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go, if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.

However, even though I don't mind at all who's getting the credit, I seems to be lacking in getting my xs even near to the required cs, as if they are always out of my limit in all my participation so far, notwithstanding my life and work experience. It's a kind of mystery, of which I'm not feeling awe at all.

As the narrator in The Outer Limits tv series said,  "...you are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind ..."

Here I am ...

I’m a very calm and deliberate person, and I really hate to move quickly or act hastily. I’m in fact a very practical man, every effort must count or I can't be bothered. I’m quiet patient, persistent and steady, but very I could very stubborn. There’s no way I could be pushed or pressured into anything. 

I seems to be more outwardly self-assured because I tend to repress my inner tension and turmoil. If you care to notice, I exude an earthy warmth, friendliness and charm. Yes, I demand comfortable surroundings and appreciate the good life (and good food).



To be honest, I’m extremely sensitive and emotional. I tend to absorb the emotions of others (whether positive or negative) like a sponge. Me at my best when I can structure my environment in such a way that I’m are surrounded by positive, upbeat people. I could be very helpful and understanding of the needs of others. 

I’m quite shy, dreamy, romantic in nature with lots of intuitions and may be quite psychic. 

Yes, I’m a very freedom-oriented and must always be able to do what I wish. I’m like a true democrat … not a follower, but I enjoy being with those who are like-minded. I appreciate emotional self-control. 

I love to solve problems, including emotional ones, with my brains and intellect, not with my feelings. My likes and dislikes are strong and intense, never casual or superficial.

 However, I think that I must be emotionally secure in order to grow and develop. Only when I feel at ease with myself, I’m able to offer assistance to those who need a helping hand. 



I’m very aloof, independent and standoffish.

 I dislike normal everyday routines and chores.

 I’m extremely interested in anything deep and mysterious.

 It's not in my nature to seek out many casual acquaintances in my daily round of activities. I feel much more comfortable with a small, close-knit group of people those with whom I can relax and work toward known and clearly defined goals. 

My loyalty to a person, once given, is forever.

My Birthday's Today

What I Need Now ...

What I need now is to reset my life
I need to start again from the beginning
Everything from my dos and my don’ts
Negating the bad habits and the mazmumahs
Try to reduce them to zero if possible
Inculcate the mahmudahs and the good traits
Maybe secluding myself a little bit
Be a nobody in this very world
These are the things I need right now
And they already started

Sweating Sundays

Sunday mornings ...

Normally, yourstruly with a group of guys will go to Kolej Seroja at UiTM in Shah Alam for a few hours of cricket practice or usually known as netting.

I will bowl the cricket balls for a number of overs (1 over equals 6 balls) to the batsman in the net. Thereafter, when it was my turn to bat, I’ll put on the helmet, batting gloves, the pad and most importantly the box (to protect the most precious 😂).

Sweating Sundays

Some Random Photo Stories: Lahore's Splore

I'm a a man of letters as I like to write and expressed myself fondly with a pen. I had two pieces of Mont Blanc Meisterstuck pens previously and got another one given as a birthday present from the wife. There's a saying that the pen is mightier than the sword unless it's a real sword, and to make it worst ... held by the wife on your neck.

Playing street cricket

I'm playing with shadows and lights in this 400 years old building. Blindness and sight, wrong and right are nothing but delight  

The Palace Guards

The answer always within you

I have been longing to visit Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) since the year 1987 ... and here I am after 30 years

someday

someday
maybe
someday

Must Have Some Connection Before

You and I must have some connection before
Otherwise, this heart isn’t enraptured just like that
We must have some past connection
Otherwise, no one would enrapture a heart like that

Whether you know it or not
Whether you agree or not
We must have some connection before
Otherwise, this heart isn’t enraptured just like that

That moment seems misty
Here or there, who knows where it took place
You and I have met somewhere before
This is what my heart tells me when I saw you


Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle (from the film Aa Gale Lag Jaa)

RIP Shashi Kapoor

Shine

As a medium pace bowler, I love to bowl with a new ball when it is still shining, especially if the weather is a bit overcast.

If one side of the cricket ball is shinier, or smoother than the other side then with the right speed, and the right pitch temperature and moisture, as well as with the right bowling action it can be made to swing, all these are perfectly explainable according the theories of aerodynamics.

The medium pacer in full action

Normally I'll use my dripping sweat and sometimes my own saliva (a bit gross right) as forms of lubricant to further polish the ball on part of the trousers. This action will sometimes making a red patch on my white trousers.

An old cricket ball will not have the shine anymore, and it will not gives you that swing action, unless you are some all time great bowlers.

What about the shine on one's face?

In our everyday encounters with people around us, if we care to observe their faces, for some of them they have abundance of shines coming from their faces. Their faces are full of radiance, notwithstanding whether they are good looking or otherwise. It could be very pleasing and soothes the heart just by gazing at them.

There are some with no shine at all.

when an introvert introjects ...

I am a person with very less of spoken words.

Most of the time, I'm more like the "socially awkward penguin" who most of the time will be lacking in its social skills. It seems that all the things that I would want to say, will not be suitable in the current context of the ongoing conversation. Thus, I'm kind of reluctant to even speak out. I rather then, keep myself quiet, with very less to say.

The other being, I stutters a little. Yes. My brain works faster than my verbal articulation. If one care to observe.

However, if suddenly I found myself speaking with ease and full of enthusiasm, even without myself realising, most probably I was very comfortable with the situation.

Allah knows best.

Dreams of a Child

There are dreams, whether sweet or not, that normally vanished once you wake up. Just like Rafeah Buang's Disebut Jangan Dikenang Jangan song:

Berlalu kisah di taman 

Bak mimpi diganggu siang 

Disebut diingat jangan 

Tak guna dikenang-kenang

And there are dreams that after more than four decades, still lingering and still keep on coming to you.

Henceforth are such dreams:

Dream Number One:

There I was, in a room. Or maybe I was outdoor and not in a room. There were no walls, not a single wall. Just translucent white laced drapes continuously waffling softly by the gentle summer breeze.

It was in the afternoon, or maybe late in the morning. It was bright and airy, and was very pleasant.

I was looking for my toys. I was barefooted and realised the flooring was made from wood. Very smooth and painted wood. I remembered that I left my toys somewhere here. There was a big bed in the middle of the room. I thought maybe, my toys will be somewhere underneath the bed. As with many other lost things that were to be found under the bed. After looking for some time, I found nothing.

I wasn't at all feeling despair as I'm about to venture to another place ...

Dream Number Two:

From the really pleasant outdoor room surrounded at all its four corners by translucent drapes suddenly I found myself climbing a really steep mountain. I felt that it was so steep that as if the mountain slope wasn't a slope at all, it's almost 90 degrees going up.

As I made it to the top with very less hassle, the first thing I felt was the smell of the freshest ever mountain air. The feeling like while you were sucking a black Hacks candy and drinking cold water at the same time. Try it to know what I meant.

These two pleasant dreams that I dreamt decades ago still fresh on my mind as if I just woke up.

Me, An Opening Batsman

Historically, I was never a proper batsman. Even though I could contribute to some serious runs whenever given the opportunity to bat. But still, I confess that I'm not a proper batsman. A good bowler maybe, but never a proper batsman. That's a fact.

Anyway, last Wednesday was a public holiday. I was playing a 40-over cricket match for Salman XI versus Jenal XI at the pristine Bayuemas Oval. My team lost the toss and was asked to field first. We managed to wrap up Jenal XI all out for 153 runs in the 25th over. I opened the bowling and bowled a miserly four overs spell but unfortunately without any wicket.

When it's time to bat, captain Salman asked me to open bat with Shahril (SPC), my STAROBA Tigers  team-mates. I was a bit nervous as never before I open the bat. For the first two of my overs, the bowling was good and the ball mostly coming straight and I just blocked the good balls.

After the 3rd overs, I changed my gears and began to have more intent in my batting. I managed to hit four 4s and one maximum 6 with a total of 30 runs within a span of 30 minutes with opening partnership of 54 runs. I was given a LBW and got out to Lehman's bowling.

That was a memorable knock.

We easily got passed the score in the 26th over and won the match.

Some Random Photo Stories: Nagoya in Autumn

This was my third visit to Japan. Incidentally enough, the first two visits were probably because I was working in a Japanese company called Yokogawa. I went to Tokyo, Yokohama and Chiba (for the Disneyland). This time around the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) was kind enough to invite me to attend the Aerospace Conference in Nagoya, all expenses paid.

This sumo-looking pig greeted the passengers arriving in Chubu Nagoya Airport by reminding them not to 'membabi buta' while taking their luggage from the carousel.

This will be my residence for a few days while in Nagoya, the room was slightly larger than what I used to before.

I thought this outlet was only in Bikini Bottom.

Like my daughter Awateef, I like the filet-o-fish without tartar sauce. I've been visiting McD outlets in almost all the countries I have visited.

One of the many train routes in Nagoya.

The Nagoya TV Tower at night. They have a park right in the centre of the city. No prize for guessing the name of the park.

There's a sketch drawing in my room, which I have no comment at all.

These two gentlemen Toshiaki Chishima and Soichiro Ito were from a company called Mizuhocraft, the lady beside me Atsuko Hirota was the interpreter.

These gentlemen were coming from Kikukawa based in Mie Prefacture. 

Saw the big fat Totoro ready for Halloween.

After the full day meetings, I went for a quick snack at an underground shopping mall nearby.

my life right now ...

Waking Up to a 1970s Song

Kuala Terengganu, today

It was a fine afternoon. I was in the hotel room. 

I had quite an eventful sessions since this morning. I woke up about 5 minutes before the alarm on my iPhone which sets at 5.15 am.

After taking a rather cold shower and said my Subuh as soon as the azan was called, I was accompanied by my wife and dropped me at Subang Skypark. I had the morning flight to catch to Kuala Terengganu. 

After the meetings with the contractors in the mornings and with a State Government Agency right after lunch, I quickly made my way to check into the hotel.

I felt a little bit sleepy, and lied on the nicely prepared hotel bed, and had a wonderful siesta ....

... I woke up, feeling fresh to a 1970s song played on the Youtube. Ohhh, what a feeling. 

Imagine, when you're like 7 or 8 years old. When everything seems beautiful, seems pure, seems innocent. 

Last Day of Ramadhan 1438

My dearest mother passed away on 9th September 2015. It was the saddest day of my life. I remembered being the last person still lingering at the graveyard long after everyone else has left. 

My mothers's funeral

How could I leave ... I have no one else. My dear dad met his Maker a year earlier on 4th September 2014. I recalled back when I made the annoucement after the funeral prayers to those who came that whomsoever owes anything to either one of them please get in touch with me as I will repay them back. My body was all trembling, shaken and my eyes were subdued with tears.

I'm fond of giving money and gifts to my mother ever since I was studying. With the £305 I received for my monthy stipend from the Malaysian Government way back in 1988, I would put aside about £50 for my mother. I continued giving her when I came back to Malaysia and started to work in the oil & gas industry. I gave her monies and buy her things like jewelleries, wristwatch, handbags, and undergarments (yes, expansive brassieres). About 15 years ago, I started to give to my dad as well, even though he insisted not to.

Since 2016, together with the crumbling of the oil price, my career in the oil & gas industry has gone down to the oblivion. As if when both of my parents died, so was my high paying job. I had to start all over again. It's very difficult to be honest, only Allah swt knows.

It was about a year ago, I had a lucid dream of my mother asking me when am I going to visit her. I said to myself, the time has not come yet.

As in the case of previous years, during Hari Raya and balik kampung times, I rented a 7-seater SUV from Hertz. This time around they gave me an almost  a brand new car. On the last day of Ramadhan this year, I was on my way to Taiping with my wife to find prawns, as there's none available at the Kuala Kangsar market. 

The less than 4000 km new SUV

My wife said to me that surely in Sitiawan (my hometown) has aplenty, as it normally is. At that instant, I said back to her that Sitiawan is quite a distant, and I'm not planning to go there any time soon.

For whatever reason my rented car suddenly broke down. When I called Hertz, they said that they will fetch me with another car which will come from Lumut but I have to send the driver back to Lumut, whereas the replacement of similar type of car will only came late in the evening from KL.

Broke down on the way to Taiping

There I was, out of a sudden going to Lumut (and Sitiawan) for no reason. I was able to say the Asar prayer in congregation at the Sungai Parit Surau which is in front of the graveyard where my parents were buried. Right after Asar, I made my way to the graveyard and there I was again alone, crying my heart out at their resting place. This is all happened on the last day of Ramadhan this year.

I was there alone, crying (selfie using timer 10s)

My dad's grave

My mother's

Thereafter, I managed to buy more than a kilo of fresh prawns at the Sitiawan market and made my way back to Kuala Kangsar got the replacement SUV, and had enough time to break my fast with my wife and her family members.

Fresh prawns from Sitiawan

Replacement SUV from Hertz

The above episode is surely not according to my plans as Allah is the best Planner.

My Two Wonderful Overs at STC

It was a pleasant Sunday, when the weather was just fine for a game of 40 over cricket. My team SPC XI won the toss and chose to field first. I was the opening bowler and got to bowl 5 overs. The followings were my last two overs, which were quite dramatic.

Leman (SMS Taiping, Perak) is a stylish batsman who normally scored heavily, when he's at the crease while wearing the baggy green. However, this time around he's just making a comeback after spending much time in Korea.

I was in the second spell of my bowling. In the first spell, I bowled for 3 overs with no wickets.

13.1 Bad to Leman, no run, blocked

13.2 Bad to Leman, no run, in-swinging yorker, blocked

13.3 Bad to Leman, 1 run, outside off full, tapped and run

13.4 Bad to Malik, 1 run, ball too straight, glanced to leg side

13.5 Bad to Leman, OUT, the ball bounced higher, kissed the top of the bail

[Leman] bowled [Bad] 1 run 

Maybe again, he had too much of kimchi and K-Pop.

13.6 Bad to Mahno, no run, blocked

The score was 67 run for 5 wickets. After that, there were periods where there was a run fest, as the bowlers used were giving too many wide balls and easy pickings to the batsmans. The captain SPC said that this was merely tactical.

Saufi (Sekolah Agama Wilayah, Labu) the batsman from Abul XI has just raised his bat for a well deserved half century and the total score now is 198 runs. He will be facing my first ball in the 32nd over. I used to play once in Saufi's team Sydney Outsyders in the Last Man Standing League in Sydney, of which I took my first wicket in Australia. Saufi is an all-rounder, whom can bat deep and bowl fast. 

32.1 Bad to Saufi, OUT, an extravagant drive, in-swinging ball finds inside edge of the bat and hit the stumps

[Saufi] bowled [Bad] 58 runs

MKY will be the new batsman. He was from Mozac (SMS Muzaffar Shah, Melaka). My team-mate Milok (SMS Sultan Mahmud, Terengganu) jokingly said to me "Dari pengalamang aku, si MKY ni buleh tahan tiga bola je." Is it? Time to find out.

32.2 Bad to MKY, no run, full and straight, blocked

32.3 Bad to MKY, OUT, the ball coming too fast and hit the off stump

So the prediction was true, he lasted only 2 balls.

[MKY] bowled [Bad] 0 run

The last batsman in. He has to face 3 remaining balls from my over. Can he survive?

32.4 Bad to Era, no run, in-swinging yorker, blocked

32.5 Bad to Era, no run, full and angled in to the middle, blocked

32.6 Bad to Era, no run, full and straight, blocked

A two-wicket maiden over, what a wonderful piece of bowling from yours truly, the otai STAROBA Tigers bowler.

Abul XI scored 198 runs and were all out by the 33rd over. SPC XI won the match after easily overtaking the score in the 26th over.

Some Random Photo Stories

It was Summer in the Netherlands. After my work has finished, I took the time to visit  Zaanse Schans a  scenic tourist attraction with windmills and museums.

The year was 2010. Ayra was eight and Awateef was thirteen. We were in KLCC.

I just bought a sports hybrid car for my birthday in 2012, and still using it.

I love to see how my late dear mother casts her loving eyes on me.  I really missed you Mak.

Sharing the Umbrella

The other day, I came back early from the out-of-office meeting which finished earlier than scheduled. Since, I haven't had lunch yet and had a sudden crave to eat a beef steak (of all things, I'm really a lamb guy) ... and after almost 3 days of non-solid food eating as I was down with a bad viral fever, I thought maybe a visit to Tony Romas will not be such a bad idea.

I haven't actually gone to these sort of outlets (on our own, on kids' birthdays yes) since almost one and a half year ago, coincidentally when the oil & gas industry went into the drain. It was about the same time I also started a strange new hobby of home cooking and trying brave new recipes from YouTube and what not, from Jamie Oliver's best egg omelette to Gordon Ramsay's grilled salmon, and even posted my masterpieces on IG.

Anyways, as soon as I planned to have that nice late lunch at TR, I remembered my wife. I called and asked her to get ready so that I could pick her up, from the back entrance of the house.

It was raining cats and dogs, albeit heavily. Instead of just waiting for her to come, I thought maybe I should fetch her with an umbrella. That's what I did. 

Imagine this, it was raining heavily, I came out from the car.  I saw she's already coming out from the house with a piece of cardboard on her head. A very much delight brimming on her face when she saw me coming with an umbrella. 

So there I was, with my wife holding her tightly by my side while sharing the umbrella on a really heavy rainy Wednesday afternoon ... 

Happy Anniversary dear.