Brief Scores
SRT XI: 8/190 in 20 overs
Sachin 41 (24)
Addy 37 (16)
Anuj 33 (28)
Sant Ram 3/29 (4)
Jannat 2/31 (4)
HDFC Bank: 165 all out in 19.5 overs
Sant Ram 50 (33)
Dharminder 26 (18)
Rahul 3/16 (3)
Sachin 2/31 (4)
Man of the Match: Addy (SRT XI) and Sant Ram (HDFC Bank)
Complete Scorecard: http://bit.ly/1tdyz0U
SRT XI Clinch a Thriller
HDFC
Bank and SRT XI had faced off earlier this month in a practice match. HDFC had
won a one-sided encounter, and followed it up with an emphatic win against
Shekh Sarai XI to start their LFL campaign. Their confidence was noticeably
high, and their players expected to bag this one without much fuss. They were
in for a surprise.
Sachin and Anuj Power SRT To
Solid Start
 |
| Sachin pulls one for six |
SRT
XI won the toss and elected to bat first. The openers Shivam and Anuj, as well
as most of the side were unchanged from the practice match, but in two overs it
was clear that this was not the same team. First Anuj and then Shivam cracked
boundaries off loose balls, and their team-mates applauded their intent
vigorously from the dugout. With the score 23 in the 3rd over, however,
Shivam squandered the good start with a loose pull shot off Manav’s medium
pace. He was caught comfortably at square leg, but SRT XI was not about to
throw this away.
Sachin
joined Anuj in the middle, and they constructed a partnership with a lot of
application. Both batsmen waited for loose balls and cashed in on every
opportunity. The Powerplay overs yielded regular boundaries. Sloppy fielding
helped their cause, and after 6 overs SRT XI were a solid 59/1. Anuj and Sachin
both have punchy techniques, and Sachin especially is not afraid to lift the
ball and take on fielders. He lofted off-spinner Raja for a big six – the first
of the innings – in the 8th over, and HDFC now looked worried.
Gurjeet
finally got the breakthrough his team needed in the 9th, as Anuj
(33) was caught at long-off going for his first six. Undeterred, Sachin
unleashed a six and 2 boundaries off the very next over, till Jannat eventually
cut his innings short in the 11th. A mis-timed hit landed safely in
the hands of the fielder in the deep. Sachin’s belligerent 41, however, had set
a launch-pad for the others.
Four Balls, Four Catches Dropped!
 |
| Sant Ram has Mohan stumped |
The
12th over was the most bizarre one of the match, and perhaps even
the tournament. Left arm spinner Sant Ram deceived the two new batsmen Rahul
and Mohan no less than 4 times in his first over. Each time they scooped the
ball for a simple catch, and each time the chance was spilled. The comedy of
errors began as Rahul lofted the first ball to long-off. The fielder tried to
catch it palm up, but the ball ricocheted off his hands for six. Rahul
top-edged the next ball for a simple return catch, but both bowler and
wicket-keeper called for it and the ball fell between them. Then Mohan lifted one
to cover, but the fielder lost the ball in the sun and backed away. Another one
was spilled at square leg off the last ball.
Late-over Rescue by Addy
Lifts SRT to 190
 |
| Addy smashed a rapid 37 |
Rahul
was finally dismissed by Jannat in the next over as Mukul managed to hold on to
a catch, and Sant Ram had the last laugh over Mohan, as he missed a swipe and
ended up stumped. 124/5 looked uncomfortable for the batting side, and they
desperately needed a counter-punch of their own. That is precisely what Addy
gave them, with some fabulous late-over hitting under pressure. He punished
Jannat, Gurjeet and then Sant Ram with clean hits straight down the ground. In
the 18th over – Sant Ram’s last – he hit a four and a six before
being caught off the last ball. His 37 came off 16 balls, and powered by that
effort, SRT XI reached an impressive 190.
Teams Exchange Blows, Match
in the Balance
HDFC
certainly believed in the chase. They had 198 in their first game, and in
Dharminder, they had one of the biggest hitters of the tournament. Raja started
promisingly with a four and a six, but he was bowled playing across the line by
medium pacer Devendra in the 3rd over. That brought the dangerous
Dharminder to the middle. He sounded a warning immediately, smacking a straight
six in the same over. He took 15 off Devendra’s next, and after 6 overs HDFC
were 54/1 and on track.
 |
| Sant Ram pulls one for four |
The
big punch came in the 8th over. Dharminder (26) planted his foot out
to off-spinner Gaurav and lofted one over long off. It was mis-timed, however,
and Sachin completed a safe catch at the boundary. Sachin, bowling from the
other end, followed up this effort with a fabulous one-handed return catch to
dismiss Prashant. The opener had looked solid and composed for his 25 but he
was out at the wrong time. Sachin got another breakthrough in the 11th
over, with Vivek caught at long on. At 92/4, HDFC needed a big effort from Sant
Ram and Gurjeet.
Sant Ram Thumps a Fifty,
Rahul Spins a Win
They
lifted their team’s hopes with a rapid partnership. The highlight was Sant
Ram’s 3 reverse hits for boundaries past point. Gurjeet began the 16th
over began with a four and a six, and the tide was turning in HDFC’s favor.
However, the third ball of the over gave SRT a crucial break. Gurjeet’s attempt
to clear long off fell in Sachin’s waiting hands.
 |
| Addy and Sant Ram (right) were the joint MoM |
With
30 needed in 2 overs, Sant Ram held all the cards for HDFC. However, he was out
bowled off Rahul’s first ball that stopped on him and turned. That began a
sensational spell of 4 wickets in 4 balls, as SRT sealed the match. Manan was
out LBW next ball, then Jannat was run out going for a second run, and finally,
Mukul was out caught. Rahul, mixing up off-spin and leg-breaks, had delivered
the final punch. Prashant was cleaned up by Mohan in the last over, concluding
one of the most dramatic games of our tournament.
Addy
and Sant Ram were adjudged joint Man of the Match for their impressive
contributions under pressure. With previous tournament finalists Stoners still
to play a game, Group C is now wide open.
No comments:
Post a Comment