blake
School Cricketer
"C'mon Kruger, had you hung on for another 2 overs, you could've made 175. You've thrown it away again" - This is a standard statement you hear in Queensland when Kruger gets out in a one-sided game.
"Kruger, kya yaar! Ghanta greatest batsman hai tu. Great batsmen don't get out on 10 runs when the team needs them - This is a statement you hear when Queensland, in dire need of a magical Kruger knock is disappointed.
Statements, poles apart, like the one's above, put forward a contrasting view to people about Queensland's opinion about Nick Kruger. Why is this so, people often wonder? What is it about playing for Queensland which makes it extremely tough for a player to keep up to the public's expectations?
This genius is the pride of our state, our biggest icon, just like England has Ravi Bopara. The amount of expectations riding on his shoulders is bigger than the gross population of some countries combined. The moment this man steps onto the field be it the Gabba in Woollongabba or the Allan Border Field in Albion, you can hear deafening chants from the entire crowd in unison- "Kruger Kruger...." !
People just don't bother to notice the color of the jersey. All they notice is the masterclass he oozes, the precision with which he times the ball, the shots he hits and the remarkable ease with which he scores runs, time after time after time.
Its been 7 yrs and this man is still going strong, still willing to learn, still willing to improve his game and his drive to reach the next level is what the legend is all about.
Not a single tantrum, not a moment of exaggeration, not a single angry glance, not a word spoken, not a word heard... this man has the cleanest record among arguably this entire generation of cricketers. You abuse him, you insult him, he won't even look at you. The next ball will however end up 150 metres from the square and you will be left thinking, "Why did I have to say that to him?"
He's not bothered about who you are and what you just said to him or the bouncer with which you made him jump around. He thinks the best way to silence the opposition is with the bat. And he does a mighty good job at it.
He's also a bowler with the golden arm. Team in trouble, no one being able to break a partnership, opposition getting away... there is always one man you can goto- Nick Kruger.
At the age of 26, he's still an amazing fielder, always in the thick of things, always the person who will not think twice before making a dive which will get his team a catch and ultimately win them the match.
Comparisons to Kruger have been more than the duration for which the game has been played. Most people say Ricky Ponting doesn't have the numbers of a Kruger but is a better player than him. What those people fail to see is that the same Ricky Ponting comments publicly in the international media- "Kruger has set benchmarks for guys like me to chase him and get as close as we can. If I had to last 7 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair".
You are a friend, you are a foe; you are an acquaintance, you are an adversary; you just can't help but notice and comment on the greatness of this man. The way he plays his game, the way he concentrates, the hunger he has despite playing for 7 years and the sheer joy on his face when he leaps after scoring a century or leading his team to victory... these are moments to savour.
This is what cricket is all about. Loving the game is something everyone can learn from this legend. Among all the moments etched in my memory, I will always remember the joy with which he leapt and his arms pumped after Queensland and the West Indies drew. "This is a very, very special hundred. Cricket is a lesser thing compared to what happened on the field and we are with those who lost their dear ones." What he scored wasn't just a 100. What he scored was his way of healing hearts, his attempt of replacing pain with joy!
He is not just a cricketer. For us, he is the ideal rolemodel. Someone who everyone idolizes. Someone who everyone aims to be, whether they play cricket or not. He is a benchmark, a surreal deity and one of the greatest sons of our soil.
This is Nicholas James Kruger for you. Or should I say Noodle Jack Kitten?
I asked something yesterday and I ask it again- "Nick Kruger, are you God in disguise"?
"Kruger, kya yaar! Ghanta greatest batsman hai tu. Great batsmen don't get out on 10 runs when the team needs them - This is a statement you hear when Queensland, in dire need of a magical Kruger knock is disappointed.
Statements, poles apart, like the one's above, put forward a contrasting view to people about Queensland's opinion about Nick Kruger. Why is this so, people often wonder? What is it about playing for Queensland which makes it extremely tough for a player to keep up to the public's expectations?
This genius is the pride of our state, our biggest icon, just like England has Ravi Bopara. The amount of expectations riding on his shoulders is bigger than the gross population of some countries combined. The moment this man steps onto the field be it the Gabba in Woollongabba or the Allan Border Field in Albion, you can hear deafening chants from the entire crowd in unison- "Kruger Kruger...." !
People just don't bother to notice the color of the jersey. All they notice is the masterclass he oozes, the precision with which he times the ball, the shots he hits and the remarkable ease with which he scores runs, time after time after time.
Its been 7 yrs and this man is still going strong, still willing to learn, still willing to improve his game and his drive to reach the next level is what the legend is all about.
Not a single tantrum, not a moment of exaggeration, not a single angry glance, not a word spoken, not a word heard... this man has the cleanest record among arguably this entire generation of cricketers. You abuse him, you insult him, he won't even look at you. The next ball will however end up 150 metres from the square and you will be left thinking, "Why did I have to say that to him?"
He's not bothered about who you are and what you just said to him or the bouncer with which you made him jump around. He thinks the best way to silence the opposition is with the bat. And he does a mighty good job at it.
He's also a bowler with the golden arm. Team in trouble, no one being able to break a partnership, opposition getting away... there is always one man you can goto- Nick Kruger.
At the age of 26, he's still an amazing fielder, always in the thick of things, always the person who will not think twice before making a dive which will get his team a catch and ultimately win them the match.
Comparisons to Kruger have been more than the duration for which the game has been played. Most people say Ricky Ponting doesn't have the numbers of a Kruger but is a better player than him. What those people fail to see is that the same Ricky Ponting comments publicly in the international media- "Kruger has set benchmarks for guys like me to chase him and get as close as we can. If I had to last 7 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair".
You are a friend, you are a foe; you are an acquaintance, you are an adversary; you just can't help but notice and comment on the greatness of this man. The way he plays his game, the way he concentrates, the hunger he has despite playing for 7 years and the sheer joy on his face when he leaps after scoring a century or leading his team to victory... these are moments to savour.
This is what cricket is all about. Loving the game is something everyone can learn from this legend. Among all the moments etched in my memory, I will always remember the joy with which he leapt and his arms pumped after Queensland and the West Indies drew. "This is a very, very special hundred. Cricket is a lesser thing compared to what happened on the field and we are with those who lost their dear ones." What he scored wasn't just a 100. What he scored was his way of healing hearts, his attempt of replacing pain with joy!
He is not just a cricketer. For us, he is the ideal rolemodel. Someone who everyone idolizes. Someone who everyone aims to be, whether they play cricket or not. He is a benchmark, a surreal deity and one of the greatest sons of our soil.
This is Nicholas James Kruger for you. Or should I say Noodle Jack Kitten?
I asked something yesterday and I ask it again- "Nick Kruger, are you God in disguise"?
