Post date: May 2, 2016 2:15:34 PM
Match against: Spartans Cricket Club
Venue : Titans Home Ground
Time : 30th Apr 2016 11 AM
Toss : Titans Won the toss - Elected to Field
Team: Sourav, Varun, Madhu, Srinu, Mansoor, Rajesh, Vineet, Shanmug, Pavan, Suresh, Vidya
Perfect weather for cricket. We won the toss and put the opponents to bat. Obviously, there was some thoughts why we chose to bowl first. Spartans started well with their batting, picking and choosing to hit right balls. From our side Varun and Shan opened the bowling. Felt like we should have done some bowling on the side lines, little bit rusty when we started the bowling in the middle, bowlers please remember this from next time. Couple of overpitch balls were hit to the boundary initially, however, there was pressure building up with the bowling unit since we couldn't get any wickets till 7th over, when their score was 42. 8th over, we had first change, where Pavan bowled beautifully, he was getting nice late swing and hitting the right areas, opponents who had not lost any wickets felt that they need to accelerate the runs, and they tried to hit a good length ball, miss timed and handed an easy catch to Vineet in mid-off. Pavan took another wicket in the same over, this was a slog hitter, who tried to swing Pavan but gave easy catch to Varun at gully. This was really a good come back for us, well bowled by Pavan. Next over Suresh chimed in, in his usual style took the wicket of first ball he bowled, Ball nicely dipped in front of the batsmen and he had no clue.. in the same over he took another wicket with LBW, a well set opening batsmen, Panic situation created one more wicket in the same over in the form of runout. This left hand batsman, wanted to take single and he tried to take on Sourav, (who's case study of "Benjamin Button"), he fielded brilliantly and in a flash throwed ball to Keeper, who did the rest. From 42/0 opponents were crushed to 49/5 in the span of 2 overs. They were pushed back and our bowling dominated, not giving any runs for next 4-5 overs. Vineet replaced Pavan, and he started his magic, with nice variations. Situation demanded opponents to go for runs, but hardly any bad balls were bowled, Vineet bowled a flighted ball seeing batsmen come out of the crease, he missed it and Vidya our new keeper stumped batsman to add one more wicket. Another flighted ball from Vineet, though batsman wanted to hit out of ground did not wanted to leave the pitch itself, Vineet tried a caught and bowled attempt but ball popped out, again Sourav from nowhere came behind and took the popping catch. In pressure situation a well set batman Venkat Alluri, who was batting patiently till then tried to take Vineet again, was caught at long-off by Madhu. Srinu bowled the fastest over, just giving 2 runs, except for wicket keeper no one else was seeing the ball. Varun came back and took a seluted caught and bowled catch. Last wicket was a runout. Spartans scored 83
Though 83 was not a big score, we have to play good to chase it. Mansoor opened the innings with Vidya, both took time to get settled, did not risk it to take any unncessary shot or singles. Spartans opening bowlers were bowling good at good length. Vidya after careful start started to unleash, he hit a lofted SIX over covers where many even have not scored a boundary, next SIX was on mid-wicket boundary coming nicely under a short pitch ball and timing it to perfection, he did not really over-hit the ball, that is the best thing about it. Many of our guys moved their cars after that hit, which could have dented their cars badly. One more lofted SIX straight behind the bowler, with-in no time we were 49 for no-loss in which Vidya scored 38. He got out trying to force hit the ball in mid-wicket area, Madhu joined Mansoor in the middle, and both started to take singles which were abundant, Mansoor who was quiet till now, suppressed the noise of opponents by hitting a clean SIX of a spinner. Titans lost couple of wickets after that, but did a comfortable chase.
Vineet is Man of the Match by getting 3 wickets for just 5 runs. However, Vineet/Suresh/Pavan all three of you guys did an amazing job.
Few points to be taken:
1. Felt rusty while bowling initially, we did not practice our bowling actions in side lines. We need to do it going forward.
2. Keeping calm when wickets are not coming and bowling at right areas. We are a good bowling side, we need not have to go for wickets, if we just keep the dot balls, at the other end we will get the wickets, thats the mantra. If you see we do not have and fill-up bowlers at anytime.
3. Started batting very cautiously and took time to adjust to the pitch and situation. This always gives us good basement to build our innings.