Bush hit by bouncer and fooled by googly

After all the security concerns surrounding President George W. Bushีs visit to Pakistan last week, he was first hit by a bouncer then fooled by a googly.
It all happened when Bush tried his hand at cricket.

Bush, an avid baseball fan, batted and bowled several times on a practice cricket pitch set up in the grounds of the United States Embassy in the capital of cricket-mad Pakistan.

He got a quick lesson on how to hold the bat from Shaharyar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

าHeีs teaching me the difference between baseball and cricket,ำ said Bush, the former owner of a Texas baseball team.

Salman Butt, a member of Pakistanีs cricket team, along with Inzamam-ul-Haq, the team captain, coached the president.

One ball was pitched short, a าbouncerำ in cricket terminology. It bounced off the turf, striking the president on the shoulder. Luckily, they were playing with tennis balls, much softer than rock-hard cricket balls.

Bush was bamboozled again by a าgooglyำ, a ball that turns back towards the batter after it bounces.

าI was fooled by a googly,ำ he joked later.

Bush saved the best for the last, walloping the ball high into some trees. าNot bad for a first-timer,ำ one observer said.

Bush, in Pakistan on the last leg of a tour of South Asia, was modest about his cricket debut.

าHavenีt quite got the skills yet,ำ said Bush, the sleeves of his blue shirt rolled up.

Pakistanีs most famous-ever cricketer, former captain-turned-politician Imran Khan, spent the day confined to his home where authorities detained him to thwart his plan to lead a march to protest Bushีs visit.