Tuesday, May 16, 2006

For a class project
The Jumper and The Hat

In our country(England) cricket has always been romanticised as a symbol of English idyll. The meadow game with the beautiful name. A cricket match on Sunday with men in white flannels on the field, the sound of leather hitting the willow, the ladies in the pavilion drinking their tea and eating cucumber sandwiches and scones followed by a subdued applause at the fall of a wicket or a good shot. These are some of the images that come to mind when one thinks about the game. But for me, the two things that are missing here are the classic windproof cricket jumper with it shallow V neck and the crisp white cricket hat. The sport cannot be the same without them.

It does make me sound a little old-fashioned but last week when I came across these two items when I was at Lord’s for a match I realised they are still very much part of the game and I developed a connection with them, again.

Nowadays, the cricket sweater is spotted on fashion runways and not just on the cricket field. Ralph Lauren has its own version; in fact almost every major clothes apparel has one. It does have a quintessential British feel about them but is popular in other countries too because of the aesthetic quality attached to it. Compare it to the basketball jersey for instance, which does not have any character and is useless without all the bling bling and boxer shorts. The cricket sweater goes with anything, or just about anything. It’s smart, suave and for a cricket enthusiast is just more than a mere fashion statement.

During the match I came across a blonde woman, whose back has facing me wearing this vintage jumper and I was smitten. A few minutes later, she turned around, and I was awed by her and especially the sweater, obviously it helped that she was pretty but for me it was the sheer elegance of the sweater. It just made her even more noticeable, she was one in a million. It was the first time I had seen a woman wear it, and now I wish more of them do. I felt like a schoolboy who had just developed his first crush. I couldn’t stop looking at her and that image will forever be in my head.

Then at the interval, I made my way to the shop where they were selling cricket souvenirs and some apparel as well. This time, the England Cricket Team’s long white hat caught my fancy. After some initial hesitation, I caved in and bought it and even though it didn’t really suit me and I was too much of a sucker for it. I wore it for the entire day; even on my way home much to the amusement of everyone on the tube. A few odd glances made me conscious and I compared the hat to the hoodie, what would happen to me if I came across a gang of them right now? During the cricket match I fitted in with the crowd so gracefully with every fifth person wearing one and now I was at the other end. Unlike the sweater it cannot be worn anywhere. I might as well wear a Bowler hat or a trilby. But that doesn’t take away from the beauty of the hat. I am going to look after it and the same goes with the jumper, though when I get one.
But for now, they will remain in my room but I know that when I get old, and spend my summers watching county cricket games with a dusty score sheet and a pint of premium ale, they will come in handy.

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