Bitter childhood experiences can play a role in defining one’s future. That better explains how a girl, though not born to a well-off family, who took a locally-made cricket bat just to give company to her brother who was a hardcore cricket fan, evolved into a seasoned all-rounder.
Today, Asha S Joy, belonging to Peroorkada, is thankful to her brother Anoop Joy, as the basic cricketing lessons that she learned from him has helped her hold her nerve during big matches and even knock at the door of the national team.
Asha, as she reminisces, was to face the fury of fast balls hurled at her by her brother and later had to roll her arms over to give her brother some difficult time with the bat. The harrowing time in the field later turned into a mischievous hobby and finally took the shape of an earnest passion which reached a high point when she scored a hard-earned century against Andhra Pradesh, the first recorded one by a Kerala woman player. If she can carry on with her good form, then a call from the national side wouldn’t be too long, feel cricket pundits.
“The best quality of the girl is that she can play all the cricketing shots with ease. I haven’t seen a player who bats so aggressively in my 20-plus-year stint with the team. Though she plays her shots, there is minimum risk involved in them as she treats each delivery on its merit. Her bowling skill is also commendable and she has all chances of getting into the national team,’’ says Kerala women’s team selection committee chairperson Resmi R, who was with the side during the match against Andhra in the inter-zone tournament.
Asha, however, feels that she still has to improve her game to get into the national side. “I had been to the national camps earlier, but could not make it to the team. However, after my recent performances, which have been quite good, I am hopeful to make it to the national squad,” says the all-rounder, who prefers bowling leg spin to batting.
Using a profile picture featuring spin maestros Anil Kumble, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill in her Facebook account, Asha makes it amply clear what her forte is. But when asked to name her favourite of the three, she prefers MacGill, the less popular of the three. Of course, she has reasons for naming the less fortunate Aussie who had to live in the shadow of the spinning wizard Shane Warne as her favourite. ‘’His style, approach to game, bowling action, all have made him my poster boy,” says the employee of South Central Railway in Hyderabad.
Asha is now back in Kerala to attend a Twenty20 cricket camp organised by the state cricket association.