Part: 1 - CRICKET 🏏
🔢 Unlucky Numbers:
Usually the words sports and superstition are poles apart, but the word superstition on the field of sports seems to be complementary. There are some bizarre superstitions among many renowned players of the world. Many famous players are involved with all their fascinating superstitions. If you keep an eye on the tennis court you will see Serena Williams still drops the ball on the court five times before first serving. Twice before second serve. Opponent players are often annoyed at her. But, the black beauty does not care at all!
And Rafael Nadal once ate the same food twice a day during the 15-days tour of 2017 US Open. The hotel staff had memorized exactly what food to serve to Rafa's room.
And in case of cricket, there is no exception, many cricketers can be called superstitious in a word. As we all know that Cricket is called gentleman's game. But gentlemen can't be superstitious, who said that!
There are so many superstitions and fanaticisms hidden in the twenty-two yards of cricket. Among them, 'Nelson Number' is one of the most popular superstitions in the world of cricket. Let's take a look at the myth of 'Nelson Number' —
Nelson Number
Almost every cricket fans have heard the name of David Shepherd. However, David Shepherd was seen standing on one leg when the England team reached the score of 111 at the Oval against Australia in 2005 (it was his last international match of as umpire). This scene is certainly not unfamiliar to cricket lovers. The 'Nelson number' is one of the most talked superstitions in cricket. 'Nelson number' means the number 111 — this is a special number. Not only 111 but also 222 (known as Double Nelson) or 333 (known as Triple Nelson) or 444 are considered as unlucky numbers. Now there is disagreement in this case that why this 111 number or its multiples is considered as an ominous sign. Many people think that the number 111 is ominous because in cricket, a team's or a batsman's score of 111 means three stumps without a bail, which brings bad luck to any batsman or any team.
On the other hand, some people think that the origin of this 'Nelson number' is due to the loss of one eye, one arm and one leg of Admiral Lord Nelson, who was a British naval officer of eighteenth century. Which almost became a myth (although history says Nelson never lost a leg). This terrible superstition was later introduced in the twenty-two yards of cricket by the famous cricket umpire David Shepherd.
This misfortune is thought to be avoided if no part of the body is on the ground while staying at this number. That's why David Shepherd used to stand on one foot or jump on the field at this time to avoid the evil forces, Most of the time it turned out as an entertainment for the cricket lovers of the world. David Shepherd has followed this rule since his playing days. Except for a few of his close ones, no one knew anything about it. Cricket experts first noticed the matter when he was umpiring in the Edgbaston Test in 1995. Once someone sent a short note to the famous commentator Brian Johnston at that time — Just watch the 'idiot' on the field when the score reaches 111!
However, as per records, very few wickets fall in the score of 'Nelson Number', but the most wickets fall in zero runs. There are also more amazing myths regarding this 'Nelson Number'. To know that we have to take a flight to the 'Kiwi Islands.'
There was a team called ‘Nelson’ in first-class cricket of New Zealand. They played from 1874 to 1891. But the interesting fact is that, they were strangely all down for 111 in their first innings in 1874 and in their last innings in 1891! Both matches were against Wellington. New Zealand's first-class cricket match was then two days long.
It is worth mentioning here that before 1947, there were some two-day first class matches. In 1947, the Imperial Cricket Council, now the International Cricket Council, or the ICC, banned first-class matches with less than three days.
In the first match on March 2, 1874, the Nelson Cricket Team played 50 overs and in the last match on December 26, 1891, they played 41 overs. The first match was tied and in the last match they lost by one wicket.
Then time passed according to it's rules but superstition did not change so much. The panic of 'Nelson Number' has also been seen in recent years. The Cape Town Test on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11) at 11:11 a.m. — Coincidentally, South Africa needed 111 runs to win the match against Australia. The spectators on the field and the umpire of that match, Ian Gould, stood on one leg for a minute at that time!
Devil's Number
After England and New Zealand cricket, let's come to Australia. The number '87' is similarly treated as the 'Devil's Number' in Australian Cricket. Many people say that it's '13' less than 100, so the number '87' is called ominous, since the number '13' is a sign of misfortune to many. Anyway, to find out how the myth of this 'Devil's Number' started in Australian Cricket, we have to travel back almost 90 years through time travel.
In 1929, 10-year-old Keith Miller saw Sir Don Bradman got bowled out for 87 in a Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Victoria. The incident is said to have been ingrained in little Miller's mind, and so the myth of 'Devil's Number' in the Australian dressing room since he started playing cricket for Australia. On the other hand, many say that former Australia captain Ian Johnson was once dismissed for 87 in domestic cricket and this myth was a result of that.
Since Second World War, the myth of this 'Devil's Number' has become an iconic cricket legend. Although it was later revealed that Bradman was actually got out for 89 that day; MCC scorers forgot to add two runs next to Bradman's name in the scoreboard. But the superstition of '87' remained same. And surprisingly, the records show that, most Australian batsmen got out for around 87 runs!
Is everything a coincidence or a mere fictional superstition? We can't surely say that whether bad luck can be avoided by standing up on one leg or the number '87' is really ominous, But who has ever shown the courage to avoid superstition!
🏷️ When Handkerchief Brings The Good Luck:
Steve Waugh's "Security Blanket"
Cricket fans must not have forgotten the famous 'Red Handkerchief' of the legendary Australian captain Steve Waugh. He used to keep a red handkerchief in his pocket for most of his cricket career. Waugh used a red handkerchief given to him by his grandmother (another source says it was given by his elder brother) to wipe his sweat while batting in the fourth Ashes Test against England in Leeds in 1993. He batted well in that match and scored an unbeaten 157 runs.
From that onwards, the red handkerchief remained an integral part of his cricketing life, as a symbol of good luck. Waugh once said that this handkerchief was his "Security Blanket!"
🙄 Even Commode Also:
Neurotic Neil Mackenzie
Speaking of superstitions will be incomplete without Neil Mackenzie. Neil Mackenzie's superstitions were perhaps the most bizarre.
He used to go to the toilet every time he went to bat, but not for his personal use. He used to go to the toilet and put the commode lid down, then flush out! Mackenzie's blind faith was so important for him that if there was anyone in the toilet, he used to force him to get out of the bathroom so that he could perform his bizarre rituals.
Hail Neil Mackenzie! If any competition is held among the superstitious cricketers, this Protea batsman is undoubtedly the claimant of the greatest of all time.
🥴 Touch Brings The Luck:
Jayasuriya's Touching Theory
His average in Test and ODI cricket is 40.07 and 32.13 respectively. The number of centuries and half-centuries is 42 and 99 respectively. Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, who has such impressive record, also believed in some superstitions. He would take off his helmet once before playing each ball, then tap on the pads and gloves one by one. In other words, the bowler had to wait before every ball to bowl for his superstitious rituals.
He has played 25,895 balls in the three formats of cricket (excluding domestic cricket), then readers please calculate how many times Jayasuriya had touched his batting equipment before facing each delivery!
😘 Good Luck Kiss?
Kiss & Run-up
Jayasuriya's another teammate, world's many best batsmen didn't have the answer for whose fiery yorker — Cricket world knows him as Lasith Malinga. Malinga has a strange nature. He kisses the ball every time before starting the bowling run-up.
However, he also explained it. He said that this cricket ball has brought him all the fame, respect and everything, he loves this ball very much and he does this to show his respect and gratitude to the cricket ball.
Now only King of Yorker knows whether it is just a show of respect for the cricket ball or a superstition!
🦆 Duck Meat: The Recipe of Success?
Steve Smith's Double-ton 'Duck'
There is a kind of superstition about ducks in cricket world, which is very common. When a batsman gets out for zero (0) runs, the sign of a 'DUCK' next to his name is shown or the batsman is said to have 'Duck Out.'
As a result, to most cricketers, Duck is known as evil sign. Australian captain Steve Smith also had a superstition about this thing. Earlier in his cricket career, Steve Smith refrained himself from eating duck meat before any cricket match to avoid misfortune.
But his perception changed in 2015. This time Australia comes to England to play Ashes series. The night before the start of the Lord's Test, Smith ate a delicious recipe of meat at dinner and found out that he had actually eaten duck meat.
Although he was little bit upset, the Aussie captain had nothing else to do. Smith, accepting his fate, went down to bat next day and fortunately scored a favoulous double-century in that match.
He scored an unbeaten 215 runs, which was his best score in Test cricket. From then on, his thoughts on eating duck meat changed.
[To be continued...]
✍️ Subham Dey
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