Match Report: JECC vs Parsippany Panthers @ Far hills, 08/30

Play Offs: Quarterfinals

JECC bt Parsippany Panthers by 71 runs.

Batting first, JECC were allout for 88 runs in 30.1 overs and in reply, got Parsippany Panthers allout for only 17 runs in an exhilarating spell of swing bowling for 11 overs.

Score Card: http://www.dreamcricket.com/clnj/scorecarddisplay.aspx?gameid=2662

Man of the Match: Rushi Amin for taking six wickets in 5.2 overs for 11 runs and effectively ripping out the batting lineup for the Panthers. It was a treat to watch as he made the ball swing and curve that left the batsmen just shaking their heads in disbelief.

Batting: The less said the better. Losing the toss, we were put into bat on a bit of damp conditions on a very heavy outfield. Except for a couple of good balls, the rest of the batting line up was out to rash shots and lazy footwork. The slide started with the second over when Preetham got out looking for a big hoick, but only managed edging it to short third man. Suneel followed him, chipping a shot to short midwicket and Mital was soon out LBW.

Les and Rushi steadied things a bit with some big sixes, but with the slow outfield, ones and twos were difficult to get. Rushi was out bowled and Les got a couple of chances, but was soon out too to a big shot in the deep to their ‘chuckie’ off spinner, who took four wickets. Rajesh tried get things into order and played out some tricky overs before launching into a couple of big sixes, but was also soon out caught behind. Amit and I got out to the offie and we were staring down the barrel with barely 70 on board. Dhanu, Himanshu and Asif tried to put up some resistance but couldn’t prevent the damage and we got allout for 88 runs.

Bowling: With such a small total to defend, all our bowlers were very much warmed up during the break and all of us were charged up. None of us wanted the season to end this way and this showed on all the faces. We knew run scoring would be difficult on the heavy outfield and with a strong bowling line up as ours, it would take some effort to win this game, but everything depended on a good start and quick wickets from the opening bowlers.

Suneel took the new ball and started out a typical unplayable first over with a few close calls. Rushi’s first over was much more eventful. After a couple of full tosses, he found his length and got the ball to land on a perfect spot that curved into the batsmen ripping out the middle stump. The very next ball was a LBW that the batsmen assumed would go outside off but it moved in at the last second to catch him plumb in front.

With 2 wickets in the second over, we were all rearing to go and the fear showed in the batsmen’s faces. They couldn’t middle a ball yet and were very fortunate to not edge any. Suneel got two wickets in the very next over - a caught behind and a bowled to leave the panthers at four wickets down, with almost nothing on the board.
A couple of unplayable overs later, Rushi got another 2-for (2 wickets in an over) with a bowled and sharp catch in the slips by Suneel. Another brilliant over by Suneel followed it up where he bamboozled the batsmen with big swing. The batsman left if as wide outside leg, but he ball curved in at the last minute to hit his foot in front of the wickets – plumb LBW!
In between all this mayhem, Rushi missed a wicket too! –a bowled off a no ball.

The last wicket was another gem – a quick catch by preetham at short leg off Rushi that wrapped up the innings in about 45 minutes and 11 overs, almost like a highlights package.

Verdict: It seemed as if our batting and bowling were like from two different matches altogether. Suneel and Rushi would be the best bowling pair in NJ and are a threat to any opposition in any league. Although the caliber of the Panthers batsmen wasn’t half good to face this quality bowling, the way these two bowled was good enough for any batting line up. It left the umpire, batsmen bewildered and the fielders breathless for joy!

It was like a competition between the two bowlers with the Panthers at the suffering end. Suneel’s banana outswingers were matched up by Rushi’s in dippers. It was like the bowling pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in tandem that we watched on TV!

The batting was a disappointment indeed. Their bowling was simple and nothing great but our batsmen lacked the responsibility and approach that is to be shown in a playoff game. We have to practice hard and look to play 40 overs when we step out to bat, moreso in playoffs where the quality and intensity of the opposition is very much a step up.

We are only 2 games away from the championship, so we need all the practice and support we can get.

Match report: JECC vs Brunswick Braves@ Piscataway, 08/23

Div 2/3 Play offs 2009: Pre-Quarterfinals

JECC bt Brunswick Braves by 7 wickets

Batting first, Brunswick braves put on a fight but were all out for 131 in 37 overs. We chased down the target in only 19.3 overs for the loss of 3 wickets with initial fireworks from Preetham and a classy finish by Les and Rushi.

Man of the Match: Dhanushka for taking 4 wickets in an excellent spell of 8 overs for 17 runs at a crucial stage of the game where the match tilted in the opponents favor. He could have got a couple of more wickets had we not dropped some easy catches.

Toss: We had to relocate the ground to Piscataway (provided by the league) early morning as Far hills wasn’t in playing condition.
Even Piscataway was damp and with a wet outfield, the start was delayed a bit. With such conditions, we would have opted to bowl first anyway. We lost the toss but the Braves opted to bat first as they were only playing 10 players. It was a wise decision in the end as they didn’t have to toil in the field for the entire day with our explosive batting line up.

Bowling: Suneel and Rushi opened the attack and made use of the conditions very well. They were totally unplayable and it would have taken better batsmen to even get a nick in their bowling. After a customary maiden first up, Suneel got one to swing from outside leg to get the first wicket, which brought their main batsman Ananth to the crease. He was pretty good to give due credit but not good enough to take on the swing form these two. Some couple of loose balls were duly punished but the run rate was very much in check. We couldn’t get past the initial wickets and bowling changes were on the cards. Mital and Himanshu bowled very well too, keeping a tight line, but were unlucky as we dropped a couple of easy takes in the outfield.
The Braves only lost one wicket by the first break and were looking set for a big score. Change of bowling – enter Dhanushka and he took a wicket in his first over, that too of their set batsman Ananth. A couple of overs later, another wicket came off a tame catch to point and with a stumping off my bowling, the Braves were in serious trouble. They nudged along with 3 runs per over and we kept taking wickets at regular intervals, even with the dropped chances. Rushi got a stumping in the end and Suneel wrapped up the last two wickets. He is on a hatrick for the next game.

Batting: Continuing where he left off in the previous game, Preetham was on fire launching into the attack and taking 15 runs off the first over, including a huge six that deposited the ball across the stream near the boundary. Mital gave him support but was subdued and saw off the good balls. Preetham was out for 19 trying to cut a ball that rose on him. Rajesh replaced Preetham and hit a huge six to start off but was out soon after to an attempted pull. Mital followed him too and it was left to Les and Rushi to get back things into order.

Les took the charge and played freely. With his gifted timing, Les played the ball to all parts of the ground using his repertoire of strokes. The heavy outfield stopped many boundaries but he still was in prime form and demoralized the bowlers. Rushi, after playing himself in, showed the Braves what a classy player he is. Getting into position quickly, he pounced on anything marginally short and hit some magnificent sixes. Both ran very well between the wickets and completed the chase in emphatic fashion by the 20th over. Les finished at a well made 50 and Rushi at 30, both not out.
Had it been our batting in the first innings, a score of 250+ was definitely on the cards with Les and Rushi set for huge scores.

Verdict: Glaring errors yesterday were the catches we dropped. Six to Seven ‘catchable’ ones were dropped as the fielders didn’t take a start or judged the take poorly. Time and again, we have to support the bowlers as a dropped catch or a life demoralizes the bowler and the team.
It didn’t prove too costly, but we saw how two games were lost because of dropped catches. Let us learn from the mistakes and concentrate on the field.
Fielding was OK, but we could have been more energetic. Agreed that the humid conditions didn’t help the cause, but a little more energy can save us some runs. Dhanushka was a chatterbox on the field and kept the batsmen and bowlers in check!
Amit was very good keeping wickets with 3 catches and two stumpings. He dropped a catch off Dhanu but the rest of the dismissals were very clean and there was quick glove work behind the stumps.
It was a fun day with us and some supporters cheering our batting, but we should not be complacent as the next games might have some better bowling attacks.

Scorecard: http://www.dreamcricket.com/clnj/scorecarddisplay.aspx?gameid=2646

Match report: JECC vs SomCav@ Far hills, 08/16

JECC bt SomCav by 8 wickets.

Man of the Match: Preetham/Mittal for their excellent batting/bowling.
Special mention to Dhanukshka for his continuos talk on the field. Keeping us on toes on the field and frustrating the opponent batsmen all day.

Easy victory for the Eagles in a must win to go to Division 1.

Toss: We lost the toss and fielded first in a very hot conditions and damp outfield.

Bowling: There isn’t much to write here as everyone bowled exceptionally well. Suneel opened the bowling with Rushi and bowled economically and Rushi picked up the first wicket. Then came Mittal and Himanshu and tightened the screws further. Dhanu and Preetham followed and bowled brilliantly. Somcav were all out for 107 in 37.1 overs. They would have been well short of that score if we picked up our catches.

Batting: Preetham opened the batting with Mittal and both took only couple balls to get their eye in and started there expansive drives and pull shorts. This is how to play, wait for the loose ball and dispatching that ball. In the mix calming down your adrenalin in playing shots is very important because that will make you go for the shots on good balls. Their calling and running between the wickets was excellent. We finished of the target in 18 over’s with couple wickets down.

Improvements: We have already discussed this but let me remind you again.
I understand that the conditions were too hot but
1) Fielding: Catches win matches. We dropped too many easy chances and couple of run outs. If this was another team that will definitely haunt us.
2) Batting: No complains except one, finish the job.
3) Bowling: 17 extras in the score of 107 should be tightened going forward.

Verdict: All in all we played as a team and won the must win game to go to Division 1 next year. We achieved our 1st goal and let’s get on and finish what we started for, to win the championship.

Score card: http://www.dreamcricket.com/clnj/scorecarddisplay.aspx?gameid=2050

Video: JECC vs SomCav @ Far hills - 08/16

Video By RUSHI:

http://vimeo.com/6322299

Somcav won the toss and elected to bat first. Somcav's 107 all out in 37.1 overs. Some economical bowling by Jecc bowlers. JECC scored 110/2 in 18.4 overs and won the game easily by 8 wickets. Some amazing shot by preetham palle who scored 40 runs.Mital and Preetham had a partnership of 96 runs.