DCL Match 23: UCOL vs Flamin Starz

Brief Scores

Flamin Starz:                         8 / 147 in 20 overs

                                                            Kaushik 31 (14)

                                                            Dishant 30 (13)

                                                            Jerry 3/34 (3)

                                                            Aman 2/22 (4)

                                                            Sanjay Saini 1/19 (4)

                                                                                                                                   

UCOL:                               0 / 94 in 8.1 overs (target: 89 in 12 overs)

                                                            Shubham 72* (31) 

                                                            Amanjeet 21* (19)

                                                                                                                                   

Man of the Match:                        Shubham (UCOL)

Best Performer Flamin Starz:           Dishant

Complete Scorecard:                    http://bit.ly/1Evyf60  

Bowlers, Shubham Earn UCOL Their First Win of the Tournament

UCOL, playing back to back matches on the day, seemed determined to give a better account of themselves during their last league game. Flamin Starz came out to the park equally determined to avoid another batting collapse. Both teams achieved their objectives, but in retrospect, Flamin Starz batted a bit too watchfully for a bit too long and they did not have the bowling firepower to defend a small yet fighting total.

Seamers Rupesh and Dinesh handcuffed Flamin Starz opener Naveen, star of the previous outing, with grand success. Bowling a tight off stump line combined with a length that had the opener prodding forward from the crease and blocking everything, they sent down a maiden each in the PowerPlay overs.

Sanjay Saini was the day's most economical bowler

Vivek, equipped with a wider range of strokes, tried to seize the initiative with a straight six off Dinesh in the 2^nd over, followed by consecutive boundaries off Rupen in the 5^th. Runs, however, came at a crawl, and after 6, Flamin Starz had only managed to inch up to 22 / 1. To make matters worse, Vivek was out  LBW to spinner Aman in the 8^th, as the tweaker proceeded to deliver the 3^rd maiden of the innings.

Satish and  Sitesh both fell soon after, leaving Flamin Starz reeling at 38 / 4 in the 12^th over. Left arm spinner Sanjay Saini and Aman were bowling beautifully in tandem, and it was now left to Kaushik, the most attacking batsman in the Flamin Starz middle order, to lift the total. The batsman opened his account spectacularly, unfurling two straight sixes off his first four deliveries. The hits were the first gasps of oxygen for the suffocated batting side, and from that point onwards, Kaushik and then Dishant loosened the UCOL choke-hold and had their side breathing (i.e. scoring) freely.

After Jerry removed the stalling Naveen off his first ball in the 14^th, Kaushik swung big again, smoking another straight six. A fourth one followed in the 16^th, before Jerry finally had him caught in the outfield for 31 off 14 balls. The momentum was set, though, and the next over by Ujjwal turned out to be the most productive of the Flamin Starz innings, as Rishabh and Dipen clubbed three leg side boundaries to gather 16 off the over.

Dishant stroked an aggressive 30 for Flamin Starz

Dipen’s wicket in the 18^th brought Dishant to the crease, and the late order power hitter played 13 of the last 15 balls, picking up 30 including a six each off seamers Dinesh and Rupen in the last two overs, both over extra cover. Served effectively by the late histrionics, Flamin Starz piled up 59 in the last 4 overs, ending with 147 from their quota of 20.

Chasing 148 for the second time in the day, UCOL avoided the banana peel this time. Having faced the heat against Gagan and Ravi in the previous game, the gentle medium pace of Hoshiyar and Dishant was a happy proposition for the openers. Shubham carved out 3 boundaries in the first over – a leg side swat, a classic cover drive and a copy book square cut. Amanjeet flicked a six and a four in the next over before Shubham once again strung together 3 consecutive boundaries. Rain finally intervened, halting the UCOL charge at 46 / 0 in 3.3 overs.

When the covers came off, the target had been revised down to 89 in 12 overs. The break did not disrupt the momentum for the batting side, though. Shubham continued from

Shubham was the Man of the Match

where he had left, scattering boundaries around the park. His drives and cuts were as good as any we have seen all tournament, as he compiled a rapid 72 not out (31 balls). UCOL cantered to their target in the 9^th over with a Shubham six, all ten wickets still in the kitty.

Shubham’s fluid innings earned him the Man of the Match award, while Dishant walked away with the Best Performer award for Flamin Starz.