The Final Match: Stoners vs CSCA

October 26, 2014. Our field was buzzing with anticipation and nervous energy. Players from both teams looked focused and determined, as they warmed up and discussed their final strategies. The most heartwarming part for us as organizers was to witness the passion for the game that these cricketers had brought to the field for the month-and-a-half of the tournament. 

Stoners in a huddle

Here are players who have jobs, commitments and families, and yet they dedicate every Sunday morning to cricket. This is why we love what we do!

Stoners won the toss and elected to bowl first. It was a smart decision. Bowling is their strength and they were banking on restricting Team CSCA to a manageable total. CSCA, on their part, have proved to be an adaptable side, and they are led expertly by Raman. They are constantly willing to alter batting and bowling orders, depending on the match situation and opposition.

Devender hit a rapid fifty

This time Devender and Rohit walked out to bat, and as expected left-arm seamer Rakesh, Stoners’ best athlete and quickest bowler, had the ball in his hands.

Devender punished a couple of boundaries in the first over and that set the tone for their innings. The two openers gave their team the best start of the entire tournament, putting on 97 for the first wicket in 8 overs. Devender raced away to 57 from 26 balls, before he was run out in the 9^th over. That brought wicket-keeper Bhaskar out to the crease, another solid batsman. CSCA were looking at 200 plus at this stage. However, the one thing we know about Stoners is that they fight, and it is hard to write them off. Left arm spinner Rachit came on to bowl and struck a double blow in the 10^th over, getting opener Rohit (38) and Sandy off consecutive deliveries.

Rohit on the attack

With 3 wickets out in quick succession, Stoners pulled the run rate back a bit, and CSCA started playing more cautiously. They still had enough fuel in the tank, though, for a final burst, and Bhaskar (33), Amardeep (23) and Ajay (23 from 14 balls) pulled them up to an impressive 188 from their 20 overs. Rakesh (0/23 from 4 overs) and Rachit (3/27 from 4) were the best bowlers for Stoners.

Stoners had their work cut out. They needed a big score from Ayush and fighting performances from the others. They sent pace bowler Rakesh out to open the innings with Akshar. They hoped that the left-right combination would throw fast bowler Abhishek’s radar off a bit. Abhishek had taken 4/9 in the group game against Stoners. This time the batsmen were prepared for his pace and he didn’t get those many wickets up front. Nevertheless, he kept the batsmen on a tight leash, and he finally sent Rakesh’s middle stump cart-wheeling in the 5^th over. This was an impressive sight! 

Abhishek, a genuine quick!

That brought Ayush out to the middle. He held the key to the Stoners’ innings, and as usual, his first few balls were likely to be his most nervous moments. Sure enough, Abhishek beat him outside the off-stump four times in his over. Left-arm spinner Ajay came on to bowl in the 6^th over, and after conceding a boundary, he too struck, with Akshar caught off the last ball. Stoners looked in serious trouble at 2 for 29 at the end of the 6^th over. But, crucially, Ayush was still there. His contest against Ajay was a highly anticipated one. These were the two front-runners for the Man of the Series award, and we knew that this would be the decisive moment of that battle.

Man of the Match Devender

Ayush, having seen off a few deliveries, smacked a six off Devender, and once again the ground was buzzing with anticipation. There was to be no stand-and-deliver punishment this time, however, as Devender had him caught in the deep in his next over. At 4/47, in the 9^th over, that sounded the death knell for Stoners. Ajay ran through the middle order once again, picking up Sumit, Mustafa and Kartik in quick succession, and no one offered any further resistance. Stoners capitulated to 90 all out in 14.2 overs. Ajay got 4/16 from 4 overs, and Devender got 3/36 from 4. Abhishek, impressive with his pace once again, bowled a miserly 1 for 10 from his 3 overs.

CSCA:                         6/188 in 20 overs

                              Devender 57 (26)

Rohit 38 (27)

Bhaskar 33 (22)

Rachit 3/27 (4)

Rakesh 0/23 (4)

           

Stoners:                      90 all out in 14.2 overs

                              Ajay 4/16 (4)

                              Devender 3/36 (4)

                              Abhishek 1/10 (3)

                             

SPARTAN Man of the Match:     Devender

Stoners had lost the game, but they had reason to be proud of their effort throughout the tournament. They had a couple of crushing victories, and they had held their nerve and come through a tied game in the group stage. Ayush with 238 runs from 5 innings, including 3 fifties, was clearly the best batsman of the tournament. His imposing presence had given many bowlers lumps in their throats over the last month and a half. For future tournaments, Stoners need their other batsmen to make bigger contributions.

Bhaskar, the best wicketkeeper

All-rounder Devender, wicketkeeper Bhaskar, captain Raman, fast bowler Abhishek, and Man of the Series Ajay were the star performers for Team CSCA. Devender and Ajay, especially, are feisty competitors, and apart from their skill with bat and ball, they are smart cricketers who read the game well and are prepared to make rapid adjustments. As a team, CSCA were by far the best fielding unit of our tournament. They did not drop any catches to speak of, and wicketkeeper Bhaskar, who walked away with the Best Fielder of the Tournament award, impressed everyone with his technique and quick hands. Without his reliable presence behind the wicket, Devender, Raman and Ajay would not have picked up so many wickets. CSCA walk in as the favorites for the LiveSport Festival League, our white-ball T20 tournament that begins next Saturday. Good luck!