DCL Plate Quarter-final: Vedic Naturals vs Software One

Brief Scores

Vedic Naturals:                        9 / 274 in 20 overs

                                                            Cristy Joshi 100 (49)

                                                            Sumit 71 (30)

                                                            Sangu 3 / 52 (4)

                                                            Manoj 3 / 68 (4)

                                                                                                                                               

Software One:                        7 / 187 in 20 overs

                                                            Himanshu 36 (22)

                                                            Rakesh 34* (12)

                                                            Arun 2 / 31 (4)

                                                            Sumit 1 / 14 (3)

                                                                                                                                   

Man of the Match:                       Cristy Joshi (Vedic Naturals)

Best Performer Software One:          Himanshu

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

Cristy Slams 100, Powers Vedic to Big Win

After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Software One got their most promising start of the tournament. They dislodged the top 3, including Devraj, in the first 9 balls. All three catches were pocketed safely, two of them of exceptional quality. However, it was indiscipline in bowling that cost Software One on the day. Vedic Naturals’ iconic opener Cristy walked in at number 4 for a change, and feasted on the errors in length and line. While he completed an unlikely hundred in rapid time, he got tremendous support from the hard-hitting Sumit. Though batted out of the game, Software One responded with verve, tying their highest score of the tournament at 187.

Openers Dislodged, Cristy Rebuilds

If Cristy had relinquished the opener’s job to sit back and sip tea for a few overs, things did not go to plan. Binoo saw a ball in his hitting zone and skied a catch to extra cover first ball of the match, and NP Singh promptly followed next ball, sent back by Sahil’s sharp catch at short cover. The cricket gods had given Cristy a cruel grin. Once again, he was out in the middle in the first over, but this time, the score read an alarming 0 / 2. He was unperturbed, however, and he got to business immediately, crashing a couple of boundaries in the eventful first over – both his trademark lofted off-drives.

Devraj helped himself to consecutive pulls for four off Samarth in the 2^nd over, before miscuing a third one straight to Rahul at square leg. The 3 wickets brought delight to the Software One camp, but no respite in run scoring. Arun stroked a couple of boundaries in the 4^th before Cristy spanked a cut off Sangu in the next over followed by a flick and a full, swinging glance for six.

Cristy and Sumit Make Software One Pay for Inconsistent Bowling

Cristy scored his first hundred at BST

Manoj misfielded twice at mid on in the 6^th to gift Arun a couple of boundaries and Vedic Naturals had raced off to 69 / 3 after the Power Play overs. Unusually, however, the run scoring actually got a rapid boost after the field spread. Cristy in particular scattered boundaries and sixes all round the park, devouring the happy feast of very short and very full deliveries.

Manoj conceded 17 in the 7^th, including two Cristy boundaries and 5 wides, before Arun edged to wicket-keeper Imran and the gloveman completed an excellent catch diving to his left. Pradeep leaked 10 runs off the bat and another 10 in wides in the next over, and then Manoj came back only to be driven for three sixes by Cristy, who completed his fifty in the over.

There was no break in the pattern till Gagandeep was caught off a thin edge to the wicket-keeper in the 12^th. The score had already touched 150 by then. There was a lull for a couple of ovrs, as Sumit got his eye in. Once he was settled, however, all hell broke loose. Vedic Naturals slammed a stunning 106 in the last six overs. Sumit slapped a couple of boundaries past mid-wicket in the 15^th, before ruining Rakesh’s day with three big straight sixes in the 16^th over. Cristy added the cherry to the cake, swinging a drive past long on and way past the property’s boundary wall to complete 29 off the over.

Cristy finally reached his 100 off Sangu in the 18^th over before being caught by Sahil the very next ball. Sumit was the next to go in the 19^th, edging to the wicket-keeper off Shitij, but he had already done considerable damage, slamming six straight sixes on course to a 30-ball 71.

Himanshu and Rakesh Top Score for Software One

The chase was never on, but the Software One batsmen still gave a decent account of themselves. Several batters got starts, and had any of them scored big, they would have comfortably got their tournament’s highest total. Imran punctured the off-side ring six times in the first 3 overs, before falling to Sumit’s medium pace for 25 in the 4^th. Sahil followed six balls later, slicing a catch straight to Gagandeep at short third man.

Himanshu, walking out at number 5, stroked an attractive 36 in the middle overs, highlighted by two mid-wicket sixes off Charan that got him off the mark and a delightful square drive off Shwet in the 13^th. Rakesh followed Himanshu’s act with an aggressive unbeaten 12-ball cameo that produced 34, including 3 sixes.

The match ultimately produced 461 runs, and the Man of the Match went to Cristy for his sparkling century. Himanshu was the Best Performer for Software One for his 36, and on a morning dominated by the willow, Sumit ended up being the most economical bowler with his figures of 3 – 0 – 14 – 1.