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Villanelle : The Cricketer’s Hakka : « How’s Zaat ! »

Balls thud into pads bats gloves or whisk past batsmen
At bowler’s end or square leg umpires stare stand
« How’s Zaat ! » yell players game’s holy silence broken

Two umpires two batsmen players eleven
All rivet eyes on five half ounzes ball leather bound
Balls thud into pads bats gloves or whisk past batsmen

Main aim of the game ball must be struck by batsmen
Who guard Holy Trinity wickets honour bound
« How’s Zaat ! » yell players game’s holy silence broken

The idea’s to score more runs to secure win
Leg before wicket brings down batsmen standing grand
Balls thud into pads bats gloves or whisk past batsmen

Matters not a whit if ball on pads make bails spin
Mighty yell in unison must umpire confound
« How’s Zaat ! » yell players game’s holy silence broken

Yell must at all costs contradict the truth even
Force umpires to doubt their own judgement to withstand
Balls thud into pads bats gloves or whisk past batsmen
« How’s Zaat ! » yell players game’s holy silence broken

  
Note : The batsman can be given out in various ways , but it’s the umpire who decides whether the batsman’s « out » in the following cases : « leg before wicket » (where the bowled ball is stopped from reaching the wickets by the batsman’s pads), ; « run out » (where the batsman during play stands with his bat outside the creases at the wickets) ; « caught » (where the ball bowled by the bowler is caught by any fielder after it ricochets either from the bat or the gloves) ; « no ball » (where the bowler delivers the ball while his foot is outside the crease at his end), ; « hit wicket » (where the batsman even accidentally strikes the wickets with his bat) ; « wide » (where the bowled ball is reasonably out of reach of the batsman) ; « no ball or throw » (where the bowled ball is delivered while bending or hooking the elbow). 
	It is the custom – at least, in the old days – that whenever the above-mentioned irregularities occur during a match, the players on the fielding side all in one voice yell : « How’s Zaat ! » (How’s That !) and look at the umpire for his verdict in an attempt to intimidate him - just in case he was inattentive at the crucial moment. Likely as not, it is also the custom to yell out even if there was no case to be made out in their favour. 

(The wording is mine : the official description of the rules might differ from my definitions which are formulated from my own experience as a player.)

© T. Wignesan – Paris,  2016
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