LFL Match 24: Amity XI vs TCS

TCS:                                                     9 / 166 in 20 overs

                                                            Sumit 34 (16)

                                                            Manish 34 (22)

                                                            Rajat 2/6 (4)

                                                            Jyotiraditya 2/18 (4)

                                                            Dhruv 3/46 (4)

                                                                                                                                               

Amity XI:                                              8 / 166 in 20 overs

                                                            Jyotiraditya 42 (26)

                                                            Raunak 32 (23)

                                                            Praveen 3/29 (4)

                                                            Ritesh 2/20 (4)

(Amity XI won on bowl-out)        

Man of the Match:                                 Jyotiraditya (Amity XI)

Best Performer TCS:                            Sumit Sehrawat

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

Amity Play Another Dramatic Tie, Clinch Thriller in the Dark

Over the course of 23 league matches, we had been exposed to T20 cricket’s complete spectrum of drama and excitement, with a single exception – a tense rain-affected encounter. The last league game ticked that box, and driven by the zeal of players from both sides – who continued playing without complaint even as matches around the city were being called off for rain – it ended in dramatic fashion.

To qualify for the knockout stage ahead of their opponents, Amity needed to complete their chase of 167 in 12.1 overs. With a capable bowling unit facing them, it might have been easier to scale a 20-foot wall. Beside some desperate hitting early on, it was expected that the match would go the distance without much intensity from either side. The two hours of drama that unfolded, however, made a mockery of all predictions.

Abhinav and Jyotir Begin Positively

The blanket of dark clouds had already grown heavy and looked threatening by the time openers Abhinav and Jyotiraditya walked out to the middle. They ignored the distractions, however, and began with purpose. Abhinav, continuing his good form from the previous game, cracked three cover drive boundaries in the first two overs, and Jyotiraditya slashed over point in the next before taking 11 off Avinash’s second over, including a six over extra-cover. It was aggressive and it looked good, but it was not enough. Far from it.

Man of the Match, Jyotiraditya

Abhinav was run out in the 5^th attempting a desperate single, and immediately after that, the clouds finally opened up and the drizzle became a heavy downpour. At first it seemed impossible that play would go on, but the short burst cleared up rapidly, and when the covers came off after 45 minutes, the wicket still looked good and the lush ground had soaked up most of the water.

Amity Lose Qualification Hope, Chase Win

Jyotiraditya and Paras resumed the innings with 120 needed from 43 balls to qualify, but they kept falling further behind every ball. Paras finally found his touch in the 9^th over, slapping left-arm spinner Praveen for a reverse hit 6, followed by consecutive boundaries. It was too late, however, and he was out caught at deep cover off the last ball of the over. With 83 needed from 19 balls, Amity had to now give up their qualification hopes. The match, though, was still there to be won, and the fading light now seemed to be a far bigger challenge than anything the bowlers might conjure.

Praveen struck a double blow in the 11^th over, snapping up both Mohit and Rajat, and Ritesh followed up in the next over with the big wicket of Jyotir (42 from 26 balls). When Siddhant was out off the last ball of the 13^th over, caught by Praveen off the bowling of Anoop, Amity needed 59 from 7 overs with only four wickets standing. Light was fading rapidly, but Kunal and Raunak had not yet given up. They allowed a couple of overs to get their eye in, before both batsmen found the off-side boundary in the 16^th over.

Sixes in the Dark

37 were needed from 3 when Rohit came on to bowl. By now it was impossible to sight the ball from the sidelines. Incredibly, however, Raunak crashed a six over extra cover and a four past mid-wicket, taking 18 off the over. He then swatted Maneesh for a leg-side six in the next, before being clean bowled two balls later. His excellent knock of 32 from 23 balls had turned the game. Aditya walked out, and when 7 were needed off the last over, the sun had already set and we were on the brink of nightfall. Somehow Kunal was still sighting the ball and he began off-spinner Ritesh’s over with a boundary. With one run needed off the last ball, everyone had forgotten the chill and the dark, and loud chatting and excitement took over the ground. Kunal jumped out of his crease, missed the ball and ended up stumped. 

Bowl-Out

Amity had tied consecutive matches, and the spirit and fight they had shown by far trumped the disappointment of being knocked out of the tournament. Since it was too dark for a super over, the officials decided to complete the game with a bowl-out. Nearly 30 people, including both teams, officials and ground-staff, crowded the wicket, and as bowlers from both teams took turns to knock down the stumps, the atmosphere was akin to a football penalty shoot-out.

Maneesh and Himanshu Give TCS Explosive Start

Earlier in the day, the match literally began with a bang, as TCS openers Maneesh and Himanshu clobbered medium-pacers Paras and Aditya for 49 in the first 3 overs. Himanshu slammed Aditya for 3 sixes, once over point and twice over long on, before Maneesh carted Paras over point and long off. The wild hitting prompted captain Abhinav to bring spin on early, and he brought on his best bowlers, off-spinner Jyotiraditya and left-arm spinner Rajat, from either end.

Spin Duo Jyotir and Rajat Strike Back

The two tweakers made an immediate impact on the game. Jyotir cramped the batsmen for room from one end, while Rajat kept the batsmen guessing, varying his pace and consistently landing the ball just short of driving length. Jyotir forced Himanshu into a reckless shot in the 7^th over, with Raunak completing an excellent catch at long on, before Rajat picked up Maneesh in similar fashion in the next over, caught at deep mid-wicket. Ritesh and Asheesh also followed soon after, lured into false shots by the off-spinner and left-armer respectively.

Sumit was the Star Performer for TCS

During the eight overs that the two bowlers bowled in tandem, TCS compiled a dismal 24 / 4. Rajat completed impressive figures of 4 – 1 – 6 – 2. As expected, the pressure lifted as soon as the two were out of the attack. Vikram dispatched Raunak for a six over mid-wicket in the 12^th over, and after he was dismissed by Dhruv in the 14^th over, Sumit came out and, supported by Jagdeep, launched a rapid counter-strike.    

Sumit Plays Late-Over Cameo

Mohit was the first to take stick in the 15^th. After Sumit began the over with a boundary, Jagdeep tripled the tally, with a glance off his legs, then a cut past point. The 16^th was even bigger as Sumit went maximum, first over mid-wicket then square-leg. He punished Mohit for another big six over long-on in the next over, before the bowler struck back off his last ball, having him caught at the fence. Sumit had scored on 34, and during his short stay, TCS got 51 in 23 balls. Jagdeep was also out two balls later, but the late order added some useful runs, taking the total up to 166.

The drama continued on into the bowl-out, as there too both teams ended deadlocked, knocking the stumps down twice each. Finally, Amity got a much deserved win in the sudden-death, and the game ended with smiles all around and a fistful of memories that the exhausted players would keep with them for a long time to come. The presentation ceremony was completed in total darkness, as Jyotir was awarded the man of the match for his all-round effort and Sumit Sehrawat was declared the best performer for TCS for his late-over cameo of 34 runs.

TCS went through to the quarter-finals, and they left hoping for a more convincing performance, and less dramatic outcome in the next game.