Ikhilikithi Noma Ibaseball—Uyini Umehluko?
Ngumlobeli wePhaphama! eAustralia
LAPHO iNdlovukazi yaseNgilandi uVictoria igubha ukuhlanganisa kwayo iminyaka yobudala engamashumi amahlanu ngo-1897, ingxenye eyodwa kwezine yezwe lomhlaba yayingaphansi kokulawulwa iBrithani. Manje, uMbuso waseBrithani owake waba namandla usekhona enkumbulweni kuphela. Kodwa, ngokumangalisayo, ithonya lawo lisabonakala futhi lisezwakala ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba namuhla. Elinye ifa elinjalo umdlalo waseNgilandi ohlaba umxhwele wekhilikithi.
Uyathandwa emazweni amaningi ayengaphansi kokulawulwa iBrithani, njengaseAsia, eWest Indies, naseAfrika—kodwa hhayi eUnited States, lapho ibaseball ingumakhonya khona. Nokho, kulelizwe elaliyikoloni kubikwa ukuthi okungenani kunamaqembu ekhilikithi ayikhulu. Kulabo abangakaze bayibukele ikhilikithi, ake sichaze. Iwumdlalo odlalelwa enkundleni enkulu emise okombhoxo, bonke abadlali begqoke okumhlophe, lapho abaphonsi bebhola bezama khona ukushaya, noma ukuphula, isigxotshana esivikelwe oshaya ibhola ngenduku. Kodwa sizothola okwengeziwe ngalokho kamuva.
Ingabe Ikhilikithi Iyefana Nebaseball?
Yebo iyefana kodwa futhi ayifani. Kwabaningi abathanda ibaseball, ikhilikithi ibonakala iwumdlalo othule, nonwabuluka kakhulu. Nokho, amanye amatemu ekhilikithi ayozwakala ejwayelekile. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izinjongo zalemidlalo nemithetho yokuyidlala kuhluke kakhulu. Nokho, ukuqonda lokho ngalinye iqembu eliqhudelanayo elidlala enkundleni yekhilikithi elizama ukukufinyelela kungashintsha ukukhungatheka kwakho kube ukuhlabeka umxhwele.
Njengakuyibaseball, ikhilikithi inamaqembu amabili aqhudelanayo. Iqembu ngalinye lakhiwa amadoda angu-11, nenye esebhentshini eyaziwa ngokuthi indoda ye-12. Lokhu kuyahluka eqenjini lebaseball elinamadoda ayisishiyagalolunye. Esikhundleni sokubiza oshaya ibhola ngokuthi “batter,” kusetshenziswa elithi “batsman,” futhi induku yomdlali wekhilikithi ihluke kakhulu endukwini yebaseball. (Bheka umfanekiso, ikhasi 23.) Futhi, lowo ophonsa ibhola ubizwa ngokuthi ibowler, hhayi ipitcher. Inkulumo ethi “scoring runs” ikhona kuyo yomibili lemidlalo, nakuba inqubo yokufaka amagoli ingefani. Itemu elithi “innings” lisetshenziswa kuyo yomibili lemidlalo. Nokho, ukuthi lamatemu ayafana akumelwe kumangalise; iEncyclopedia International isitshela ukuthi ibaseball yasungulwa ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19 leminyaka isuselwa emdlalweni waseNgilandi wekhilikithi, ihlanganiswe nomunye umdlalo owaziwa ngokuthi irounders.
Nakuba kunjalo, ngaphandle kokufana okungenhla, umehluko ophakathi komdlalo wekhilikithi nowebaseball mningi. Izimpahla zokugqoka nendlela yokuma kwabadlali, ukuklanywa nokuhlelwa kwenkundla yekhilikithi emise okombhoxo ngokungefani nenkundla yebaseball esadayimane, izindawo abadlali abama kuzo, nesivinini sokudlala kubonakala kunokufana okuncane. Nokho, naphezu kwalomehluko, labo abaqonda owodwa walemidlalo ngokuvamile abanankinga yokuqonda nokujabulela omunye uma nje sebechazelwe imithetho eyisisekelo yomdlalo.
Ngakho, Ake Siye Emdlalweni Ngokwawo!
Inkundla ekahle yekhilikithi yinkundla esambhoxo noma ecishe ibe amamitha angu-140 ububanzi namamitha angi-150 ubude. Eduze nemaphakathi lenkundla kunepitch (indawo yokudlalela), engamamitha angu-20 ubude namamitha amathathu ububanzi. Emidlalweni yeqophelo eliphezulu, ipitch iwutshani, obugundiwe futhi bendlalwa ngokucophelela. Kweminye imidlalo kungase kube usimende noma ubumba olomile olwembozwe ngokusatshani. Ohlangothini ngalunye lwepitch kunamawicket, enziwa izigxobo ezintathu zokhuni ezingamasentimitha angu-71 ukuphakama nezihlukaniswe ngesikhala esingamasentimitha angu-23 ububanzi. Ngaleyondlela, ibhola alikwazi ukudlula phakathi kwezigxobo. Amabail amabili amancane, noma izingodo ezicijile, angena eziseleni ngenhla, athintane ngengemuva, avundle phezu kwalezigxobo ezintathu.
Imigqa emhlophe, ebizwa ngokuthi amacrease, idwetshwa inqamule ipitch amamitha angu-1,2 ngaphambili maqondana nesigxobo ngasinye. Lemigqa iphawula izindawo ezilondekile ngabashayi bebhola lapho ibhola selidlalwa. Ophonsa ibhola akumelwe eqe lomugqa lapho ephonsa ibhola; kungenjalo kubizwa ngokuthi yibhola elingaphonswanga kahle futhi uhlawuliswa ngokuthi iqembu eliqhudelana nelakhe liphiwe iphuzu.
Ngokuphonsa uhlamvu lwemali emoyeni, okaputeni bamaqembu aqhudelanayo bayanquma ukuthi iliphi iqembu elizoshaya ibhola kuqala. Ophumelele kungaba ukuthi iqembu lakhe lishaya ibhola kuqala noma athi elinye iqembu alishaye kuqala uma ecabanga ukuthi ngenxa yesimo sezulu noma ipitch, iqembu lakhe lingase lizuze, noma okunye ukucabangela.
Abashayi bebhola ababili baya emigqeni emhlophe—omunye ame ngapha omunye ame ngale kohlangothi lwepitch. Bobabili bagqoka okokuvikela imilenze nomzimba namagilavu okubamba induku yokushaya ibhola, futhi eminyakeni yamuva abashayi bebhola abaningi abangochwepheshe bagqoka izigqoko eziqinile. Bonke abadlali beqembu elingashayi ibhola ngobuqili bamiswa kuyo yonke inkundla ngamabanga ahlukene ukusuka koshaya ibhola eliphonsiwe. Ogada izigxobo (umbambi webhola, okuthiwa iparlance kuyibaseball) ovunule waphelela ngesivikelo uma ngemuva kwesigxobo soshaya ibhola, ngenjongo yokubamba noma iliphi ibhola elidlula kophethe induku kanye nokuzama ukumbamba noma ambekele inselele lapho esengalé komugqa omhlophe.—Bheka ibhokisi, ikhasi 24.
Abaphonsi bebhola ababili bakhethwa ukaputeni ukuba benze lowomsebenzi ngesikhathi esinqunywa nguye. Ngamunye uphonsa amabhola ayisithupha ngokulandelana (ayisishiyagalombili eAustralia naseNingizimu Afrika) emi ezinhlangothini ezingafani zepitch. Lamabhola aphonswa izikhathi eziyisithupha abizwa ngokuthi ama“over.” Ngokuvamile eqenjini ngalinye kuba nabaphonsi bebhola abaningana, futhi ukaputeni uyanquma ukuthi kufanele kushintshwe nini kusukwa kubaphonsi abasheshayo kuya kwabaphonsa ngesilinganiso esiphakathi nendawo kuya kwabaphonsa ngokunwabuluka, noma kwabaphonsa ngokulenza lishwileke emoyeni. Ibhola akumelwe liphonswe njengakuyibaseball, kodwa oliphonsayo, kumelwe agcine ingalo yakhe iqondile ngaphandle kokugobisa indololwane kuze kube yilapho wonke umnyakazo usuphelile nebhola eseliphonsile.—Bheka ikhasi 2.
Ibhola lekhilikithi, ngokuvamile libomvu lase liboshwa ngesikhumba, linesisindo esingamagremu angu-156 futhi lithe ukuba lincane, lathi ukuqina-qina, lase lithi ukusinda kunelebaseball. Ukushwila umphonsi akwenza ebholeni, okuba khona ngokusebenzisa umphetho othungwe ngokusindayo, kuthinta indlela elindiza ngayo emoyeni futhi kunqume indawo elizoya ngakuyo ngemva kokuthinta phansi, ngoba ngokungafani nebaseball, ibhola ngokuvamile lithinta phansi kanye ngaphambi kokuba lifike kolishayayo. Kungezikhathi ezithile kuphela lapho ophonsa ibhola eliphonsa ngendlela yokuba lingathinti phansi, lelo umshayi walo angalifinyelela ngaphambi kokuba lishaye phansi. Umphonsi oliphonsa ngokuhlakanipha ukuze lishwileke ngokuvamile wenza kube nzima ukulishaya kunalowo oliphonsa ngesivinini esikhulu. Wenza ukuba lishwileke ngokuphendulela ibhola kungaba ngakwesokudla noma ngakwesokunxele, lapho nje eliphonsa. Lokhu kwenza ukuba kube nezinhlobo ezimbili zokulishwila, ezibizwa ngokuthi i“off break” ne“leg break.”
Umsebenzi Omkhulu Womshayi Webhola
Ngamunye wabashayi bebhola unendima ekabili: ukuvikela isigxobo sakhe nokugwema ukuxoshwa noma ukukhishwa ngezinye izindlela; nokufaka amaphuzu ebhodini lamaphuzu ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka. (Bheka ibhokisi, ikhasi 24.) Nokho, umshayi webhola oqaphe kakhulu ogxila kuphela ekuvikeleni isigxobo sakhe hhayi ekufakeni amaphuzu, uvame ukugxekwa ngenxa yokudlala ngokuvikela kunokuzama ukufaka amaphuzu ngoba lokhu kwenza umdlalo wekhilikithi ube yisicefe kakhulu.
Umshayi webhola onekhono uthembela ekusebenzelaneni kwamehlo nezandla kanye nezinyawo, ukushesha kwezinzwa, nokukwazi ukugijima kakhulu phakathi kwezigxobo. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho egijima ngokucophelela esuka kwesinye isigxobo eya kwesinye, eshintsha izinhlangothi nagijima naye, ufaka iphuzu elilodwa. Uma indlela ashaya ngayo ibhola iliyisa othangweni ngaphambi kokuba libanjwe, unikwa amaphuzu amane engawafakanga. Uma indlela ashaya ngayo inamandla kangangokuthi ibhola leqa uthango, njengasephuzwini elifakwa kuyibaseball, khona-ke kwenezelwa amaphuzu ayisithupha enanini lamaphuzu akhe.
Iqembu ngalinye lima emgqeni omhlophe wokushaya ibhola kuze kube yilapho abangu-10 balo sebekhishiwe, ngoba umshayi webhola we-11 ngaso sonke isikhathi ubizwa ngokuthi u“not out” (akaphumile), njengoba esala engenamuntu omphonsela ibhola. Iqembu okuqhudelanwa nalo libe selitshelwa ukuba lizame ukufaka amaphuzu engeziwe kunawaleloqembu eliqhuqelana nalo. Uma kuwumdlalo lapho oyedwa ngapha noyedwa ngale ethola ithuba lokushaya ibhola, ingqikithi ephakeme kunazo zonke yamaphuzu enqumayo ukuthi iliphi iqembu eliwinayo. Kodwa emidlalweni eminingi yeqophelo eliphezulu iqembu ngalinye liba nababili abashaya ibhola, ukuze umdlalo omkhulu wekhilikithi uthathe kusukela ezinsukwini ezintathu kuya kwezinhlanu, futhi iqembu ngalinye likwazi ukufaka amaphuzu angamakhulu! Abanye abashayi bebhola abavelele baye bagwema ukukhishwa izinsuku eziningi, befaka amaphuzu angaphezu kuka-400. Kungokwehluke kakhulu kuyibaseball, lapho ngisho nakuba kunabangu-9 abashaya ibhola eqenjini ngalinye, umdlalo ngokuvamile uphela esikhathini esisukela emahoreni amathathu kuya kwamane. Ngisho nangemva kwalokho, iqembu lingase liwine ngephuzu elilodwa eqandeni!
Kunonompempe ababili, omunye uma ngakwenye ingxenye yepitch nomunye ame ngakwenye. Omunye uma aqhele ngebanga elithile ohlangothini loshaya ibhola, futhi omunye ame aqonde ngqo ngemuva kwesigxobo ohlangothini lophonsa ibhola. Izinqumo zonompempe zingujuqu. ‘Akukona ukuziphatha ngokuhloniphekile’ ukuphikisana nonompempe!
Ngokuhamba Kwesikhathi Uwuthanda Ngokwengeziwe
Ukuheha kwekhilikithi, kuyathelelana uma nje usuhilelekile kulomdlalo. UTom, owafuduka esuka eYurophu nomkhaya wakubo ngesikhathi esengumfanyana oneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye ubudala, wakufunda lokhu ngokushesha ngemva kokuba efike eAustralia. Wayengakaze ezwe ngalomdlalo, kodwa ngokushesha waba umthandi wekhilikithi. UTom uyakhumbula: “Njengoba ngangifunda ukudlala ikhilikithi futhi ngijwayela nemithetho, ukuyithanda kwami kwakhula. Ngokushesha ngafunda ukuthi umshayi webhola udinga ukuba neso elibukhali, izinzwa ezisheshayo, nokungaxhamazeli njengoba ebhekene nebhola aliphonselwayo elihamba ngesivinini samakhilomitha angu-150 ngehora.”
Njengoba ungase ulindele, kunamaphuzu amaningi amahle ekhilikithi angahlanganisiwe kulesihloko esifushane. Kodwa sethemba ukuthi esikhathini esizayo lapho ubona lomdlalo udlalwa, uyowubukela unokuqonda okwengeziwe, mhlawumbe ngisho nokuhlabeka umxhwele, njengoba ucabangela indlela enesibindi umshayi webhola alishaya ngayo nobuciko bokuhlakanipha bomphonsi walo.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 24]
Izindlela Ezimqoka Umshayi Webhola Angakhishwa Ngazo
Bowled. Uma ophonsa ibhola ephula (eshaya) isigxobo futhi kuphuma izingodo endaweni yazo.
Caught. Uma ibhola elishaywa umshayi webhola libanjwa ngaphambi kokuba lithinte phansi.
Stumped. Uma oshaya ibhola engaphandle komugqa omhlophe okumelwe ame kuwo futhi umgcini sigxobo ekhipha ugodo ngesandla esiphethe ibhola.
Leg Before Wicket (lbw). Uma ushayi webhola ethinta nganoma iyiphi ingxenye yomzimba wakhe ngaphandle kwesandla sakhe, ibhola unompempe alibheka njengebelizoshaya isigxobo ukuba ubengalithintanga.
Run Out. Uma umbambi wamabhola ephonsa ibhola futhi ephule isigxobo leso umshayi webhola agijimela kuso ngaphambi kokuba afike emgqeni wakhe omhlophe.
Hit Wicket. Uma umshayi webhola ephula isigxobo sakhe ngenduku yakhe noma nganoma iyiphi ingxenye yomzimba wakhe lapho ezama ukushaya ibhola.
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
Ukuthuthuka kwenduku yokudlala ikhilikithi emakhulwini adlule eminyaka
Indlela induku yesimanje ebonakala ngayo nangaphambili nasohlangothini
Isigxobo esinezingodo
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Umshayi webhola elishaya livela koliphonsayo. Phawula unompempe (kude kwesobunxele), umgcini wesigxobo (kude kwesokudla), nomshayi webhola wesibili, ukwehlela ngaku“pitch”