Friday, 20 February 2015

DCL Match 8: Opto vs Flamin Starz

Brief Scores

Flamin Starz:                         8 / 120 in 20 overs
                                                            Vivek 52 (37)
                                                            Deepan 23 (24)
                                                            Gagan Sodhi 3/6 (4)
                                                            Ravi Dixit 3/15 (4)
                                                                                                                                   
Opto:                               2 / 124 in 13.4 overs
                                                            Sohail Rauf 68* (44)
                                                            Varun Anand 23* (20)
                                                            Anjeev 1/20 (4)                                                 
                                                           
Man of the Match:                        Gagan Sodhi (Opto)
Best Performer Flamin Starz:            Vivek
JOSH TALKS Impact Performer:         Sohail Rauf

Complete Scorecard:                     http://bit.ly/1DxO0Yn


Opto Seamers Gagan and Ravi Star in Thumping Win

After finishing finalists in the LiveSport Festival League, Flamin Starz were all set to get off the mark in the Delhi Champions League with a blockbuster encounter against a strong Opto side. In reality, though, the game did not turn out to be as competitive as anticipated, and credit for that goes to Opto’s terrible twosome, quicks Ravi Dixit and Gagan Sodi, left-arm and right-arm respectively. Bowling with spicy pace and impeccable control, they left a strong Flamin Starz top order floundering at 19 / 4 after 7 overs of dead precision.

Left-Right Seam Duo Bag 3 Wickets Apiece, Vivek Fights Back

After Ravi dismissed Anjeev off a feather-edge to the wicket keeper in the 4th, Gagan took out Naveen and Vivek Bedi off consecutive deliveries in the next over, before removing Kaushik in the 7th over. One-down batsman Vivek, who trains in Yuvraj Singh’s academy, was the only batter who took the fight to the opposition, cashing in on the spinners and scoring an impressive fifty against the run of play.

A punchy batsmen with attractive strokes and quick feet, who typically plays with a straight bat, he launched his onslaught with a boundary off leg-spinner Shankar in the 9th over, before picking left-arm spinner Ajit for consecutive fours in the next, the first an exquisite cover drive, then a cut. Growing in confidence with every over, he slammed successive sixes off off-spinner Kane Joshi in the 13th. He reached his fifty with a six off Ravi Dixit in the 19th, before being clean bowled next ball.

Deepan and Rishab (23 and 20 not out) provided some support from the other end, saving Flamin Starz the blushes and lifting the side to a reasonably respectable 120 / 8. Deepan picked up a couple of sixes, before Rishab took 16 off the last over bowled by Kanwar, including a six and a four.

Sohail Rauf Stars in Opto Chase

The total was never going to be enough, however, and Opto completed the chase in under 14 overs, batting without pressure. Ishneet got them going with 3 boundaries in the 2nd over off seamer Gurdeep, before both openers were sent back within the Powerplay overs. Kanwar was clean bowled by Anjeev in the 3rd, and Vivek Bedi completed an excellent catch running back from mid on to send Ishneet back in the dugout in the 6th over.

Those turned out to be the only two moments of cheer for Flamin Starz in the innings, as Sohail Rauf, an experienced batsman who combines brisk footwork with timing and all-round stroke play, shut them out with a classy and aggressive 68 from 44 balls. His knock consisted of 11 fours and 2 sixes, including three successive boundaries off Rishab in the 11th over. Varun Anand ended with a safe 23 not out, and Opto announced themselves as favorites for the title with this convincing win.  


Gagan Sodhi walked away with the Man of the Match award for his top class opening spell of 4 – 1 – 6 – 3. For Flamin Starz, lone rider Vivek was Man of the Match for his fifty against the run of play. Opto is now almost through to the quarter-finals, while Flamin Starz have all to play for in their next game. 

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