Delivering the first ball of the over he whispered, "Blindfold!"
Senri squinting his gaze studied the ball which vanished an appeared like switching a light on and off, "A blinking… leg break?" he observed amused and surprised at the same time, instantly stopping the ball with a dot return. "Huff… that took me off guard." he looked up. "Haha, your tricks weren't finished?" he winked at Zaki, "To think you would bowl me a leg spin delivery."
Zaki grabbing the ball gave out a piercing gaze. "My tricks? Senri Ibn Daud, Sorry to say, but you are the one finished this time." he threatened.
"Haha… he's cross." Senri realized with a gulp. Tapping his bat on the crease he looked ahead.
Delivering another ball, Zaki whispered, "Deep cross."
"A slider now? Why does his finger spin look like a wrist spin every time? Even if it won't spin and slide into the wicket…" Senri thought. As soon as the ball impacted the pitch it spun rather than sliding. "Counter of Nothingness… Halt obliterate Nothingness." he called as he struck the ball straight.
Abruptly bending down, Zaki caught it threatening him to remain at his position.
Senri raised his hands standing at the crease trying not to offend. "I was right…" he thought, "A leg break is acceptable but an off spinner to bowl consecutive leg spin deliveries it isn't. Not until he is exceptionally rare. The matter of confusion is his stance, it is awfully familiar to a leg spinner."
Feng narrowed his gaze cautious, "So this is how highschoolers play. What a weird tension the atmosphere has now. I better remain on guard."
Going a few steps back, Zaki rubbed the ball soon setting its grip. "That ability to nullify all spins is a nuisance like always but he is losing his mood now as well. Just the way he is taking my deliveries lightly, I can sense that…" he thought.
Senri poised and ready, waited as Zaki bowled. The ball leaving his grasp, Senri observed. Hitting the pitch it instantly deviated from the off-side to the leg-side away from him. "Is it a leg break again…?" he thought however, immediately realizing he stepped forward and swung his bat hard towards the off side, towards the deep cover point. "No… it is my favorite delivery." he smiled instead looking at the ball. The ball full of power sailed outside the grounds and into the audience's stands.
"Whoa!!" the crowd cheered elicited.
"Oh my god…" Zain, (the unlucky reporter) uttered at a loss of words. Heart thumping out of his chest, he blinked at the ball which fell before him like a blazing meteor.
"Ah!! Is it gone? It didn't hit me or anyone else right, chief!?" Erum screamed strangling him by his neck shocked and petrified at the same time.
Zain unable to breathe slapped her arm irritated, "Let go…! You gorilla woman! It didn't hit or else you wouldn't still be standing here shouting!"
The crowd squirming before his seat took the ball, fighting against each other soon throwing it back to the ground.
"What in the world did I do to deserve this…?" Zain thought speechless as he tidied his shirt and hat, gathering his notebook next as he glanced at Erum who was once again cheering. All her fear instantly vanishing! (What sudden change of emotions was that?!) He sighed in disbelief.
"A mighty six! And here goes Senri Ibn Daud once again! For he has claimed his wonderful fifty in his very first match. 51 runs on 30 balls…!" the commentators went.
"Yahoo!!" Adam cheered clapping Ryan's and Azazel hands delighted.
"After Kenzo it was his turn to shine." Helios remarked pleased.
The highschoolers standing up clapped their hands alongside the middleschoolers. Proud and contented smiles casing their faces.
"Well-done Senri!" Orion remarked.
"Yeah! Great job!" Noah added.
Rauf revealing a faint beam settled down. Evan and Haruf too shared gratified smiles as Alan clapped his hands. "Well done, Senri." he whispered proud.
Senri raising his bat up high acknowledged the cheers and applauds made for him. "Haha, way to go Brother Senri!" Feng praised clasping his hand warmly, "I knew you would do it! Just how cool was that, a fifty with a six!" he praised jubilant.
Senri chuckled, ruffling his hairs. "Thank you, Feng…"
Feng blinked, "Thank you…? For what?"
"For playing with all you've got and hanging on." Senri told.
Feng remained silent.
"Now then… shall we finish what we started?" Senri winked.
"Hm!" Feng nodded. Heading back to the crease Senri got ready for the third last delivery of the over. Zaki, feeling devastated from the continuous hard luck changed his balling grip. His gaze focused, he whispered, "Obscure Domain…" Stepping on the popping crease and delivering the ball, he aimed a full toss delivery at Senri's feet.
Senri smirked thinking, "Oh~ if your delivery is nullified by the tap of the pitch why not deliver it to the feet, giving me no time to change its trajectory, is what you are thinking of, right? But a bold for me? In front of my junior? Not possible!" he immediately kept his bat before his feet, stopping the ball with a front foot defense.
Grabbing the ball back in his hands Zaki headed back.
"Come on, come on." Zhangli encouraged the infield fielders.
Zaki delivering the second last ball of the over, stepped on the popping crease. Senri once again reading the ball uttered, "Halt Obliterate Nothingness..." "A top spinner with an unusual spin, rather than guessing the spin it's better to nullify It." he thought stepping forward and smashing the ball once again high for a six however up to his surprise the ball a little bit higher aimed the upper half of his bat rather that the mid.
"What…?" Senri thought slightly cautious.
"Big! That's big! Once again!" Adam pointed.
"And high as well." Poseidon added.
"Will that be a six? No, there's a fielder there, on deep extra cover!" Noah gasped.
Senri took his hand to lips, squinting his gaze. "Mistake… was that a mistake…?" he thought unsure.
Zaki however smiled, his eyes turning golden he whispered, "Yes, it was definitely a mistake Senri, Obscure Domain shrink!" As soon as he said those words, the ball slowed down falling before the boundary line.
Feng stood bewildered. Reaching out a little higher to the deep cover, the fielder jumped and caught the ball safely in his hands!
"OUT!!" went the crowd together enthralled. The empire raising his index finger confirmed.
"Haha!" Siraj tossed the ball back to Ishaq celebrating with the team.
"Atta boy!" Nile dabbed his back proud.
"What a wicket this is!! A six for the stands remained a little short that ended in the fielder's hands! A brilliant high catch by Kamiluddin Siraj dismissing the man who did it all, Senri Ibn Daud on 51/30 marches back to the pavilion…" Wasim commented.
Feng clenched his fists as Senri headed back, "Best of luck, Feng Mir Ozer." he encouraged him, "I played my part. It's time you play yours."
Karachi's pavilion silent, Xavier stepped in the ground.
"Go Xavier… and teach them a good lesson." Kenzo said, his fist resting under his chin and eyes closed. Even if he didn't saw the sight, he could evidently imagine the atmosphere, from the cheers, from the commentary and from the pin drop silence their pavilion held.
Senri nodding at Xavier who headed to the pitch with a reassuring smile returned.
Upon his arrival, Alan clapped. Amid the soundless pavilion, only his applaud was heard. Kazuna followed next, and one by one the highschoolers, coaches and middleschoolers all clapped on his achievement and the role he played.
Senri smiled, "There's no need for this…"
"There is." Alan responded curtly, "You might think there isn't one but there is; thank you for giving us a blasting team 100, thank you for making us and Karachi Kings proud with your 50. Thank you for making Feng hit a boundary; thank you for standing up for us. We're glad to have you as our Captain this time."
"Yeah, you were great." Elias concurred.
"Moreover, the last delivery was definitely a skill was it not?" Aaron guessed.
"A skill…?" Helios repeated while Gabriel listened attentive.
"Yeah, it was. I held my guard down. It was entirely my mistake." Senri agreed settling down and removing his knee pads.
"Zaki created a domain out of nowhere and I couldn't even grasp it when. Who knows for how long he had activated that." Senri shrugged.
Nagi exhaled, "He shrunk the distance of your shot making it a catch. Since, you would remove all spin from his delivery this was the only thing he could do."
"Haha, he must be feeling devastated after all those meteors of fours and sixes you showered on him." Orion chuckled brashly.
Senri shook his head amused. His attention turning to the ground where Xavier and Feng now played. He narrowed his gaze slightly concerned.
"Both of them are playing dot balls and taking singles now." Cassiel briefed.
Mikael however, smiled nonchalant. "Don't worry, those two have their own plan in mind now." he assured.
"You have seen them play together before, right Helios." he asked. Helios smiled, "Seen…? I have played overs against them in the Inter academy Nationals. And to tell you the truth… they are trouble."
"Senior Senri, you must have come back but the moment you did, we've sent him another senior, don't worry." Ryan secured.
Senri glanced at Kazuna uncertain.
"The end of 13th over, Karachi Kings accumulated 109 runs with the loss of 3 wickets. Xavier Ibn Zain and Feng Mir Ozer now on the defensive, we have a new baller from Peshawar's side Nile Dawood…" the commentators went.