LFL Match 4: AV Group vs Star XI

Brief Scores

Star XI:                9/178 in 20 overs

                        Rohan 39 (30)

                        Homanshu 38 (17)

                        Kamaldeep 4/21 (4)

                        Aditya 2/37 (4)

                       

AV Group:               9/174 in 20 overs

                        Aditya 73 (45)

                        Ajay 35 (38)

                        Rohan 3/19 (4)

                        Anuj 3/30 (4)

                       

Man of the Match:                   Rohan (Star XI)

Best Performer for AV Group:        Aditya

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

Match Report

The match was an intense affair

This weekend’s action began on Saturday morning with AV Group playing against a team that was coming to our ground for the first time: Star XI. We had no idea about the new players, or the kind of talent and passion for the game they were about to bring. This kind of scenario is always one that we anticipate highly. And the match did not let us down one bit! Rephrasing cricket’s favorite expression – ‘it went down to the wire’.

AV Group Draws First Blood with the Ball

AV Group won the toss and elected to field first, hoping to draw first advantage from the morning moisture. Star XI’s two opening batsmen got off to a steady start, though, with Prashant knocking Wasim and Dilshad for a couple of sixes early on. This forced an early change in the bowling, and it turned out to be a good one. Medium-pacer Aditya quickly struck a double blow to give AV Group the early momentum. Prashant and Jatin were both caught at the circle off lofted shots, in the 4^th and 6^th overs respectively. The AV Group bowlers kept things quiet after that, as Sumit and Rohan knocked the ball around, trying to consolidate.

Middle-over Consolidation: Rohan and Himanshu Set a Strong Platform

Rohan and Himanshu after their defining partnership

We have seen over time that T20 cricket is like a one-day game in fast forward mode, and batsmen are faced the constant need to hit boundaries and take chances. Sumit, batting on 20, did just that in the 9^th over, but his mistimed attempt to hoick Md Atik for six over square-leg ended with Sanjeev taking an excellent catch falling forward. 64 for 3 and the match could now go either way.

AV Group is one of those sides that relies on accurate medium-pace bowling to draw errors from the batsmen, but their lack of variety is a potential weakness, and Rohan and Himanshu wasted no time in exploiting it. They put together 58 runs for the 4^th wicket in 30 balls, with Himanshu racing away to 38 from 16. The highlight of his innings were 2 big sixes and 5 boundaries, all straight and leg side. Another momentum shift was round the corner, though, as medium pacer Kamaldeep got Himanshu to mistime an attempted six over long-on in the 14^th over, and Wasim safely pocketed a catch. It was all Kamaldeep for a few overs after that, as he also picked up Rohan (39) and Nitesh, and then affected a brilliant run out with a direct hit, flying in from mid on. AV Group is a decent fielding unit, bolstered by a couple of exceptionally athletic cricketers.

Big Hits at the Death

Kamaldeep was the star with the ball

At 7 / 149, it seemed like Star XI was about to be restricted to a manageable total for AV Group’s strong batting line-up. However, tail-enders Mohit and Kanishk (both seam bowlers) swung their bats hard for a couple of boundaries and sixes, giving the innings a final boost and themselves a plentiful total to defend – 178. Kamaldeep was the star performer for AV Group, picking up 4 for 21 from his 4 death overs.

Aditya Special – 73 (45)

AV Group had chased down 146 in 14 overs in the first game, and they reinforced their batting reputation after the early loss of Kamaldeep, who nicked one through to the wicketkeeper in the 2^nd over.

Aditya walking out after some big hitting

Ajay, their solid performer from the first game, stood like a rock once again as Aditya cut loose from the other side, stroking the ball with power and finding gaps with ease. Aditya has quick feet and impressive bat speed, and he is not afraid to go over the top and take on fielders. Kanishk, Mohit, Prashant and Sumit all got hit, as the score mounted to 101 / 1 from 10 overs. AV Group were firmly in command, and Aditya had reached his half-century. Rohan was the 7^th bowler to come on to bowl in the 12^th over, but the desperation for the bowling side transformed into delight as the dangerous Aditya edged one to the keeper off the 4^th ball. He walked away to a standing ovation from his team. Along the course of his 73, he had plastered 5 big sixes and 8 boundaries.

Momentum Shift – Star XI Seize Control

Openers ready to walk out to bat

Captain Dilshad, the opener from the previous game, became Rohan’s next victim in his following over, caught by Himanshu at long-off. AV Group were missing Kunj’s batting power in this game, and trouble became serious trouble when Ajay got bowled by Sumit for 35 off the last ball of the 15^th over. 48 were now needed off the last 30 balls, and there were two new batsmen at the crease. Sumit and Rohan kept the pressure on, bowling their medium pace with exceptional control, and picking up 4 further wickets in the next 4 overs. Even still, Wasim, Maya Shankar and Shravan had kept the scoreboard ticking. For Star XI, Kanishk and Himanshu were the stars in the field, holding on to catches that are often spilled at this level.

The Final Over

Last ball to go!

After 3 hours of intense cricket, the last over arrived, and the 3 results all appeared equally likely. 14 to win, 2 wickets in hand. Rohan sent the first one short and wide, and Vishal spanked a cut for four to loud cheering from his team. A wide followed, and then overthrows. There were nerves everywhere. Finally 5 off 2, and Vishal mistimed a hit to mid off. The batsmen set off for a risky run, but Himanshu moved forward with speed and took the stumps down with a dead accurate throw! Md Atik swung and missed on the last ball, and Star XI had finally won by the slender margin of 4 runs.

Rohan, the man of the match, with Aditya, the best performer

There was disappointment, undoubtedly, for the team in green, but they still stay alive in the tournament after their first win. Their last group game follows next weekend against the champions of the previous tournament, CSCA. Star XI must now consider themselves favorites to move on to the knockout stage. They appear to be a strong all-round side with depth in their batting and bowling. This match, especially, was won by teamwork rather than solo acts. However, Rohan clearly stood out as the Man of the Match for his 39 and exceptional spell of 3 for 19 in the death overs. For AV Group Aditya was the best performer, with his 73.