LFL Match 13: TCS vs United Eleven

Brief Scores

TCS:                                                     7/181 in 20 overs

                                                            Vikram 43 (21)

                                                            Jagdeep 40* (17)

                                                            Ritesh 32 (35)

                                                            Kishore 2/36 (4)

                                               

United Eleven:                                     141 all out in 18.2 overs

                                                            Rahul 48 (24)                                        

                                                            Jagdeep 3/17 (2.2)

                                                            Maneesh 2/4 (1) 

                                                            Rohit Bajaj 2/18 (2)

Man of the Match:                                 Jagdeep (TCS)

Best Performer United Eleven:             Rahul

Complete Scorecard:                            http://bit.ly/1zk0P6x    

TCS Flex Batting Muscle, Tick Off Win 2

TCS had put in a strong performance with the bat in their first game and scraped through by 2 runs. They came in needing another strong performance against a team that was a totally unknown quantity. United Eleven were playing their first game at our ground.

Deceptive Medium Pace Spells Trouble for TCS

Jagdeep plays it fine for four

United Eleven is a team that relies completely on medium pace bowling, and the TCS top order rapidly made the mistake of underestimating them. Maneesh and Himanshu Sharma were both out off loose shots in successive overs (3^rd and 4^th), and Ashish followed suit by top edging one to the wicket-keeper in the 6^th over. 38/3 at the end of Powerplay spelt trouble. Sumit, coming on to bowl in the 9^th over, augmented his team’s advantage with an excellent bit of fielding off his second ball. Himanshu C mis-timed a hit and saw it loop up towards cover. The bowler sped to the ball and caught it with outstretched hands. After 10, TCS were a dismal 59/4, and their innings seemed to be heading south.

Vikram launches a six

Sumit, however, delivered a cameo that jump-started the TCS innings. He struck three big slogs over mid-wicket, all off his namesake, racing away to 18 in 4 balls. He then punctured the field for a couple of boundaries before Kishore had him caught at long on off a slog in the 13^th over. He was out for 28, but Ritesh (32) was still there, building a smart innings. Just when he started to look dangerous, however, he missed a Sumit full-toss and saw his stumps rattle. 97/6 in the 15^th appeared dismal, but this was a T20 game in which the advantage can turn in a flash.

Jagdeep and Vikram Deliver Late-over Demolition

Vikram and Jagdeep decided unsurprisingly that attack was the best policy now, and they cut loose no holds barred. Vikram prefers the arc between the bowler and mid-wicket, while Jagdeep played some eye-catching punches and cuts. The 16^th and 17^th both yielded 14 runs each, with either batsman helping himself to a six. Vikram plundered two more in the 18^th over (straight and mid wicket), launching a spell of 4 sixes in 5 balls. The last over of the innings, bowled by Tushar, was the most destructive, yielding 21 runs.

Rahul scored a fighting 49

Vikram was out of the penultimate ball for 43 (21 balls). Jagdeep punished the last ball for four, finishing with 40 off 17. Their partnership had yielded 80 in 33 balls, and between them they had cleared the ropes 7 times. TCS ended with the exact same score as their first match – 181.

TCS Bowlers Seal the Deal

TCS sealed their advantage in the 2^nd over, with Rohit snaring Varun and Anil off consecutive deliveries, both caught in the circle. Kiran looked dangerous, slapping two sixes and two boundaries, before he was caught at mid-off by Himanshu off the bowling of leg-spinner Maneesh. Puneet followed two balls later, and after 6 overs, United Eleven were 40/4. The batting side never looked like recovering, as none of the batsmen showed the application or form needed for the chase. At 98/9 in the 14^th, the innings was set for an early close.

Rahul Plays a Lone Hand

Jagdeep, the Man of the Match

However, Rahul, who had walked in at 63/7, was not about to put up his hands just yet. With some clean hitting, he showed his earlier batsmen just how this attack could be taken apart. His valiant 48 (24 balls), however, turned out to be a case of too little, too late, as he had no support from the other end. He did take his team to a respectable 141, though, boosting the net run rate in the process. He also walked away with the Best Performer award for his team (he also had bowling figures of 3-0-9-0).

Jagdeep was deservedly the Man of the Match. His late order blast was backed up by figures of 2.2-0-17-3, including the wicket of Rahul. Himanshu C earned himself a record too with 4 catches in the innings – the most in an innings this season by an out-fielder.