IGCSE FLE Narratives & Sample Responses

Punit's Magnetic Bat

"Thank you for explaining this to me Raju," said Punit

One month earlier

"Mom, where is my bat? I need it for my match," shouted Punit

"Didn't you forget that you broke it the other day while coming from home," replied his mother.

Punit was a very sharp child; he was very good at his cricket and his studies. He had always been a forgetful person and often forgot his things in a bus, rickshaw, or in school.

"Punit here take 10 rupees and get a nice bat for yourself," told his mom

Punit left for his match, being the captain, he reached first and tossed a coin with the town-side captain. Punit called out tails and it came heads, the town team fielded first as in the second innings the ball will have due and it will be tough to bowl.

Punit exclaimed in humor, "the coin of the town has some mistake; I will have to check the coin."

Saying this he excused him from the situation and cheered his team up. Punit and Mani opened the batting, Punit didn't buy his new bat in a rush, therefore he used Bhim's bat as Bhim comes later on to bat. Punit was a hard hitter and Mani was a steady bat.

Punit went on strike and the bowler took a fast run-up, a little leap, threw the ball which ended in a half-volley. Punit hitting the good balls always well, couldn't miss such an easy ball. Punit went to play a cover drive, and last minute went for a hard six on the leg side, mistimed the shot and it landed in the wicket-keepers hand.

Seeing this he was aghast. Agitated with himself, he went back to the banyan tree (which was the pavilion). Punit was in his midst, so it is not suitable for him to sit on the banyan tree or on the ground. The players got a chair for him on which he could sit on. Soon wickets fell, and the score was 104/10 with 9 overs remaining.

The town–side won the game with 12 overs to spare and 6 wickets remaining.

Punit sadly, went strolling back away to his house thinking of how he played so bad. He prayed to god, that god gave him a better luck next game, because if he doesn't, then the coach will make him sit out next game and remove him from captaincy.

Suddenly a great magic happened, Punit was day dreaming about his bad game today and suddenly tripped over a bat. He fell straight on his bat and screamed as his butts were red. He then took a plopping glance at the thing on what he tripped. When he looked closely, he saw an old, tatty cricket bat. He thought how the hell did this land up here!

Then he took the bat with him as he already needed a bat, and on the bat Sachin Tendulkar's sign was there! Punit was a great fan of Sachin and adored him therefore he thought this is a lucky bat for him.

The next Sunday arrived and Punit couldn't resist one game more of cricket before getting down to angles in Math, letter writing in English and more unexciting things as he was way more courageous and confident.

Prem picked Punit up and they left for the pitch. Punit arrived first, with Prem and his team; this maybe a reason why they won the toss or the bat started showing its luck. The second option was true, as when this time he opened with Mani, he turned out playing better. He played straight and clean drives, and got out skying a diving catch at mid-off, and went back after making a great 63 runs. His team won by 38 runs and got the other team all-out on a modest 138 total. Punit was the man of the match and was the talk of the day.

"The bat was actually magical!" thought the boy, Punit went home happily and wanted to tell his mom that his bat was magical but couldn't as he knew his mom would not believe him. After he made big scores consistently, his coach had to select a team of 11 out of there 30 who would compete in a competition in Delhi. Punit was selected as the team captain of the 5 people who were capable to do so.

Punit was happy with his team and very happy to be the team captain. While leaving for his house he got a box of Motichur ladoo's for his parents from the pocket money which he gets every week.

In a few days, Punit took an application leave from school and left with his team to Delhi. For the first few days, they roamed in Delhi and saw the vivid monuments of it such as The Qutub Minar, The Humayun's Tomb, The Red Fort and The Old Fort.

Then it was their first match against the Hyderabad hunters and the bat showed its magic. Punit started with a straight shot rolling down the ground, passing through all the fielders going for a four. Punit hit such straight drives and mounted the score to 206/5 with scoring an unbeaten 87 in 50 overs. Prem and Raj bowled well with taking 3 wickets each. They all outed the other team on 156 and won by 50 runs exact and 5 overs remaining.

Punit's teams won the next few matches and were in the finals and also the table toppers.

Then there was a shocking moment. On the day of the practice session prior to the match, while leaving from the bus, Punit forget the bat in the bus. He was flabbergasted and was weeping with a pond of tears and didn't know what to do. Finally, Punit decided that he would run behind the bus. He ran for almost a kilometer but was out of the bus reach.

After going in all directions of Delhi, he couldn't find the bat. Then, he stood on every bus and checked if his bat was there but he couldn't find it even there.

Then after losing all his hopes, he only has a rupee left and sits on the bus back to their bungalow (which was rented by the coach). He was sitting sadly on the bus when a young- little boy walked towards him and asked him, "Are you sad about something?" Punit replied, "Yes, but who are you? What is your name?"

"I live in Delhi in a slum, my name is Raju." Punit interrupted "My name is Punit, and actually I have forgotten my lucky bat in a bus, and I can't find it anywhere, I roamed in all buses to check if it is there, I ran behind that bus for a kilometer but it went out of my reach and I lost all hopes that I would ever find it."

Then the Raju went back to his seat and removed an old, tatty bat and asked Punit, "Is this bat yours? Seeing the bat Punit jumped with jubilation and shouted with joy, " Yes, this bat is mine, thank you for giving me back this bat." Saying this Punit hugged him and thanked him infinitely.

Later, when it was time for Punit to reach the bungalow, Raju told Punit that, "Punit, the bat is not lucky; it is your confidence that you gained looking at Sachin's sign on the bat. This made you score the runs not the bat." Listening to this, Punit replied, "Thank you for explaining this to me Raju."

Later when Punit went home, he told his mom about the whole story and his mom was proud about Raju for explaining such an important thing to Punit which she couldn't, she also felt shameful for that.

The next day Punit went with full confidence and didn't depend on his bat, he now was independent. The crowd was full with every single seat filled as today was the finals and nobody wanted to miss it.

Punit tossed the coin, Colin, from the DCC team captain called heads and it came tails, Punit chose to bat first. When, Punit went on the pitch to bat, the whole crowd shouted, "Punit! Punit!" and Punit was very happy hearing his cheers. The bowler bowled the first ball and Punit struck it to mid-off and the ball landed in the crowd for a six. The next one for a four and the next for another four. On his 50 the whole crowd bowed down and appreciated him. Then he continued to hit successive and consecutive boundaries.

After hitting many beautiful shots he was on 94, and decided to do it in style. The bowler bowled a bouncer and Punit struck the ball towards the boundary and it was a six! Punit made a 100! He ran over the pitch hugged his partner and kissed his helmet, all the people in the crowd jumped with joy and this was the most exuberant moment Punit ever had, both Raju and Punit's mom were watching the match and both of them were very happy.

Punit's team made 248/4 which was a great total; Punit contributed 123 runs, which was the highest in the tournament of Delhi. Gracefully, Punit's team all out the other team on 128 and won the match and all of them took a victory lap around the pitch.

Punit got 3 trophies: the man of the series, the best batsman& the DCC trophy for the champions. Punit left for his village with all his 3 trophies and later on continued his journey in cricket and became an Indian cricketer eventually.....