We knew that this could be the last midwest game we'd be playing this season, if we lost, even before the game had begun. We felt this wouldn't be the last game after having scored 193 runs batting first. We were more than sure that this wouldn't be the last game when University of Kentucky CC(UK) required 23 runs in the last 12 balls, more so because we had lost a close game already this season. The odds were so much against us losing from there. I had more reason to believe so because i was going to bowl the last over of the game if we got there for UK had just 2 wickets left. It required only 9 balls including a noball and a wide in the penultimate over for them to score those 23 runs. Their number 8 batsmen hit 3 fours and a six in the space of 7 balls that he faced out of those 9 balls and took them home.
The game was closer than what it was after 33 overs in their innings. They needed 29 in 24 balls. T bowled the 32nd and gave just 2. I bowled the 33rd and gave just 4. K decided to bowl himself and this time there was no reason to believe he was wrong. He had bowled his previous over pretty decently. The first ball which was pitched a little fuller than good length on the middle stump was whacked atleast 20 yards over the midwicket boundary and right then we knew we could lose. It was too good a shot for a lower order batsman to play. The next ball was a little shorter and was pulled one bounce into the midwicket boundary for four. It could have been stopped but wasnt to be. 13 from 10 balls with 2 wickets in hand. It was anybody's game now. I was already starting to worry about the last over and wasn't sure if it'd get there for different reasons this time! A wide. 12 from 10. A single. 11 from 9. The number 10 batsman managed to pick up an easy single. 10 from 8. A noball over the waist was pulled to deep square leg for four more. 5 from 8. A dot ball through to the keeper. 5 from 7. Another ball through to the keeper and the batsmen risked a single. The keeper could have walked to the stumps and taken the bails off but he panicked and threw the ball. It missed the stumps and more importantly number 8 would be on strike when i bowl the final over. 4 required from 6 balls. After having taken a good look at what had happened, I knew i had to bowl a good length ball outside off, way outside off rather. I did but it was a little shorter than what i had expected to bowl and the batsman proved to be a class act for he managed to cut it for four with an exquisite timing. I finished with figures of 6.1-0-29-1.
Earlier, our batsmen did a great job to post 193 from being 92/5 after 22 overs. I did not get to bat.
The scorecard for the game is here. Our team stats for this season can be found here. My stats in midwest league can be found here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
Sad da Ram. :(
More so given that this might be your last match.
Hard luck Gopala. Adutha varusham corporate cricket-a?
:( very sad ram.
k7- yeah :( - only consolation if any would be that i bowled the last ball for my team :D
Jammy- hope i keep playing cricket in some form!
Sri- yes, it is.
All of u- innoru tournament irukku involving 10 teams. So, i'll be playing cricket until september end atleast, hopefully.
Hey apo super ram.. All the best. :) Next match nana valadi game win panidu :)
btw naraya new features in ur blog..y concerned??
Sri- thanks. reason laam kekka koodaadhu :P
B- Thanks. Cricket maadhiri oru sportey kedayaadhu maamu ^:)^ - but kavala padaadha...Sri comments laam paakara illa...draw inspiration from them...onnume theriyalennaalum pesalaam cricket patthi :D
Ram has the entire community teamed up in pulling my legs :((
Sri- hehe. take pride cos u r the center of attraction :P
Ram,
It could have gone either way...but it was indeed a terrific game. What you should probably know is that, the #8 batsman vasu was padded up to come in #3. But we decided against it. As you have observed, he is a much better batsman than a #8. But we like to have him there to win matches when they get close. He was instrumental in our next win in the pre quarters as well.
I thought you guys did a great job with the bat...and you got my wicket, so I am going to keep that in mind :)
Dinesh- thanks for stopping by. If it gives u any pride, u were the ONE wicket we badly wanted and i was very happy getting u ;). Vasu...man, what a knock. He was looking like a pukkah tailender in the 33rd over that i bowled to him. We were infact surprised when the other guy sacrificed his wicket in that over for he was playing better than Vasu until then. But then, all i can say is "Poor Kaustubh". He was guilty of bowling that one noball and a wide, but otherwise all the shots were very good played with such ease.
Saw that you guys are through to the QF now. Goodluck there with Cincinnati- get Ragin early and the game is yours :D, although personally i can never digest a "Ragin failure"!
Post a Comment