JECC lost to Gymkhana Cricket Club (GCC) by
26 runs
ScoreCard: http://www.dreamcricket.com/clnj/scorecarddisplay.aspx?gameid=8149
GCC won the toss and elected to bat first on a moist conditions and scored 200/9 in 40 overs. JECC were all out for 174 in 38 overs.
Man of the Match: Siddharth Jayakumar (Sid) for a classy and fighting 71 runs that kept us in the chase till the very end. It was a very valiant effort by Sid to take us within striking distance of the target fighting cramps and exhaustion. He was the last man out attempting a big shot.
Bowling: Good bowling conditions meant we were looking for swing and some early wickets to get things going. Venki was right on target from first over and kept a very tight leash on things. He got the opener bowled with a Yorker that ripped out the middle stump. Dhanu was introduced into the attack replacing Sid and got the other opener out caught at deep cover with a spectacular catch by Venki. Dhanu followed it up with another ripper that bowled another GCC batsman. GCC were 36/4 at this stage in 10 overs.
Murali came on to bowl some tight overs and got rewarded with one great caught and bowled. We looked in great shape at this stage with Murali getting another wicket when Vijay got hold of a swirling high catch.
After the power play overs, I came on to bowl some legspin and got into rhythm getting some good turn and bounce. A few tight overs ensued with myself and Chinmay not conceding any runs.
With the pressure building, Chinmay got to dismiss one of their dangerous batsman when I held on to a tough chance a short cover. We were at a good position now with 65/6 in 21 overs. I was bowling some good tight overs and built up the pressure with Sid and Venky coming on from the other end as well. We missed a few half chances and some catches at this stage. A stroke of bad luck occured when my finger got injured trying to catch a full blooded drive and I had to step off the field with 75/6 in 26 overs.
The decision to continue with spin with Jay and our new comer Prasanna backfired in the space of two overs. The batsmen who were struggling against spin launched into the two bowlers as they were trying to get their length right. We also missed a couple of catches there and conceded 30 runs to go into the break at 98/6 in 28 overs.
These two big overs gave the two GCC batsman good momentum and they attacked our bowlers from this point. With some amazing hitting, they were tearing apart our frontline bowlers for some quick 50 runs. Just to change things up, I came on to bowl again and got rid of their set batsman Mani who scored 64, off a good catch by Sid. We breathed a little then at 148/7 in 34 overs.
Things went from bad to worse in the next 6 overs with some great hitting by their other batsman in the batting power play. In between this chaos, only Dhanu managed to bowl some tight overs, getting a wicket too and not conceding any boundaries. Venky , Sid and Chinmay got roughed up by some good slog hitting.
With a last ball six, GCC ended up scoring 200/9 with 102 coming off the last 12 overs.
Batting: With 201 as the target, Dhanu and I set out to build a good partnership against what we knew was a good bowling attack. In the second over, I hit six over cover and got things rolling along with some ones and twos. Dhanu got his eye in and launched into a couple of sixes over square leg. 30 came in no time when their bowlers settled into a nice line and length and kept us quiet.
I got out for 15 trying get a big shot going. With Ananth settling in, Dhanu went on to hit some glorious shots a.k.a sangakkara..a couple of flicks for sixes followed by some crisp drives got us moving at a good rate.
Against the run of play, we lost two quick wickets - Dhanu got out to a pull shot for 29 and Ananth immediately followed him trying a cut shot off a short pitched delivery.Sid and Chinmay came in to play out some quiet overs, a few of them were maidens, but atleast we were in stabilizing mode. Sid played very intelligently rotating the strike and cutting out any risk taking shots. Chinmay struggled to get his timing right against some quality bowling but hung in there to keep Sid company.
With the asking rate climbing and a loopy spinner introduced, Chinmay went for a release - big shot over mid wicket, which unfortunately went straight to the fielder in the deep. Murali came in and ran some quick runs with Sid but couldn’t resist the big shot against the spinner and got out bowled. Vijay too got out quickly to the spinner as well and we were reeling at 65/6 in 21 overs.
Jay came in to support Sid who sensed the urgency and went for some big shots. With the right/left combination, things started chugging along. Sid unleashed some big hitting interlaced with classy flicks and drives to rotate strike and keep us in the hunt. Even with cramps limiting his running, he still managed to take ones and twos and kept the pressure on the bowlers just when Jay out out for a well made 21.
We were now 148/7 in 34 and took the batting powerplay with Sid and Venky at the crease. Things were looking great with Sid in ominous touch and passing his 50. Power play was going good when Venky got out and prasanna soon followed him. 168/9 off 38. With only Srinath as company for the last wicket Sid went for hitting, but got out as the last wicket for a exceptional 71.
The effort and fighting spirit of Sid counted more than the 71 runs he. It lifted our morale but unfortunately none of our batsmen could stand to support him.It all came down to our last 10 overs vs their last 10…we gave up atleast 30 easy runs in the end overs. Two of their batsmen scored 60's which dented our bowling attack. We should come up with a strategy and bowl with a set plan for the slog overs.It was a tough loss against a good team, but let’s hope that things improve with all our other players striking form soon.
ScoreCard: http://www.dreamcricket.com/clnj/scorecarddisplay.aspx?gameid=8149
GCC won the toss and elected to bat first on a moist conditions and scored 200/9 in 40 overs. JECC were all out for 174 in 38 overs.
Man of the Match: Siddharth Jayakumar (Sid) for a classy and fighting 71 runs that kept us in the chase till the very end. It was a very valiant effort by Sid to take us within striking distance of the target fighting cramps and exhaustion. He was the last man out attempting a big shot.
Bowling: Good bowling conditions meant we were looking for swing and some early wickets to get things going. Venki was right on target from first over and kept a very tight leash on things. He got the opener bowled with a Yorker that ripped out the middle stump. Dhanu was introduced into the attack replacing Sid and got the other opener out caught at deep cover with a spectacular catch by Venki. Dhanu followed it up with another ripper that bowled another GCC batsman. GCC were 36/4 at this stage in 10 overs.
Murali came on to bowl some tight overs and got rewarded with one great caught and bowled. We looked in great shape at this stage with Murali getting another wicket when Vijay got hold of a swirling high catch.
After the power play overs, I came on to bowl some legspin and got into rhythm getting some good turn and bounce. A few tight overs ensued with myself and Chinmay not conceding any runs.
With the pressure building, Chinmay got to dismiss one of their dangerous batsman when I held on to a tough chance a short cover. We were at a good position now with 65/6 in 21 overs. I was bowling some good tight overs and built up the pressure with Sid and Venky coming on from the other end as well. We missed a few half chances and some catches at this stage. A stroke of bad luck occured when my finger got injured trying to catch a full blooded drive and I had to step off the field with 75/6 in 26 overs.
The decision to continue with spin with Jay and our new comer Prasanna backfired in the space of two overs. The batsmen who were struggling against spin launched into the two bowlers as they were trying to get their length right. We also missed a couple of catches there and conceded 30 runs to go into the break at 98/6 in 28 overs.
These two big overs gave the two GCC batsman good momentum and they attacked our bowlers from this point. With some amazing hitting, they were tearing apart our frontline bowlers for some quick 50 runs. Just to change things up, I came on to bowl again and got rid of their set batsman Mani who scored 64, off a good catch by Sid. We breathed a little then at 148/7 in 34 overs.
Things went from bad to worse in the next 6 overs with some great hitting by their other batsman in the batting power play. In between this chaos, only Dhanu managed to bowl some tight overs, getting a wicket too and not conceding any boundaries. Venky , Sid and Chinmay got roughed up by some good slog hitting.
With a last ball six, GCC ended up scoring 200/9 with 102 coming off the last 12 overs.
Batting: With 201 as the target, Dhanu and I set out to build a good partnership against what we knew was a good bowling attack. In the second over, I hit six over cover and got things rolling along with some ones and twos. Dhanu got his eye in and launched into a couple of sixes over square leg. 30 came in no time when their bowlers settled into a nice line and length and kept us quiet.
I got out for 15 trying get a big shot going. With Ananth settling in, Dhanu went on to hit some glorious shots a.k.a sangakkara..a couple of flicks for sixes followed by some crisp drives got us moving at a good rate.
Against the run of play, we lost two quick wickets - Dhanu got out to a pull shot for 29 and Ananth immediately followed him trying a cut shot off a short pitched delivery.Sid and Chinmay came in to play out some quiet overs, a few of them were maidens, but atleast we were in stabilizing mode. Sid played very intelligently rotating the strike and cutting out any risk taking shots. Chinmay struggled to get his timing right against some quality bowling but hung in there to keep Sid company.
With the asking rate climbing and a loopy spinner introduced, Chinmay went for a release - big shot over mid wicket, which unfortunately went straight to the fielder in the deep. Murali came in and ran some quick runs with Sid but couldn’t resist the big shot against the spinner and got out bowled. Vijay too got out quickly to the spinner as well and we were reeling at 65/6 in 21 overs.
Jay came in to support Sid who sensed the urgency and went for some big shots. With the right/left combination, things started chugging along. Sid unleashed some big hitting interlaced with classy flicks and drives to rotate strike and keep us in the hunt. Even with cramps limiting his running, he still managed to take ones and twos and kept the pressure on the bowlers just when Jay out out for a well made 21.
We were now 148/7 in 34 and took the batting powerplay with Sid and Venky at the crease. Things were looking great with Sid in ominous touch and passing his 50. Power play was going good when Venky got out and prasanna soon followed him. 168/9 off 38. With only Srinath as company for the last wicket Sid went for hitting, but got out as the last wicket for a exceptional 71.
The effort and fighting spirit of Sid counted more than the 71 runs he. It lifted our morale but unfortunately none of our batsmen could stand to support him.It all came down to our last 10 overs vs their last 10…we gave up atleast 30 easy runs in the end overs. Two of their batsmen scored 60's which dented our bowling attack. We should come up with a strategy and bowl with a set plan for the slog overs.It was a tough loss against a good team, but let’s hope that things improve with all our other players striking form soon.
