Match Report by
Ravi Suri
Batting first, JECC were all out for 217 in 40 overs. HCC chased the target in 36.2 overs losing only 5 wickets.
This summer has been extremely kind for cricket enthusiasts,
I mean the ones who play in NJ leagues and not the ones watching Indian team
put up a spineless display in England. You remove the alphabet e from spineless
and even then the statement would be apt “a spinless display” our spinners
can’t get a wicket and Moin Ali a non-spinner gets wickets by the buckets. In
any case this is more about a NJ summer than an English summer. The
temperatures have been moderate and permit a game of cricket without having to
drench in sweat. We dint lose too many games to rain, the wickets too have
therefore been at their best, outfields have been as good as they can be. All
in all a great summer for cricket.
Toss: Dhanu stepped in for Dilip who got caught up in NJTP,
we won the toss and opted to bat in ideal batting conditions.
Batting: We opened with the usual combination of Dhanu and
myself. The very first ball I faced was short and I went for a pull, ball came
much faster on the bat than anticipated. Immediately realized this will be a
good fast and bouncy track as against the one played last week. This sort of a
track is ideal for cricket and brings the best in a batsman and the bowler. We
got off to a good start, Dhanu played his trademark pull, lofted drive to mid-off,
over the cover. I played the pull, the lofted shot to point. The wides always
help more so when we are batting it’s a great feeling to see the wide. We put
on 58 in about 11 overs at which point I got out. Ananth survived a close LBW
shout, Dhanu got out next over to put us in an awkward 65 for 2 from 58 for no
loss. Just a word of caution / suggestion for the batting lineup. When a wicket
falls try and extend the partnership for a few overs. If you get out to a good
ball no complaints, but try not getting out to lose shots. My last report I
wrote a lot about game awareness, which at the end of the day is the difference
between winning and losing.
Would like to point something out at this stage of the
report. I am saying this more because I can’t resist commenting on a good
cricketing aspect. Anytime I notice something good I can’t hold back. The
huddle is a recent trend in cricket, by recent I mean maybe last 10 years.
Earlier days it was team meetings and discussions the day prior to the game. I
have played with many captains, for many teams, and have been part of many
huddles. I must say I never heard anything sensible in these huddles except the
usual common boys we must fight, this is a crucial game, bowl line and length,
or play your natural game blah blah. However Dilip said a few things which
caught my attention and had an impact when I was batting. After the toss Dilip
told the openers to play out 5 overs and not play rash shots during these 5
overs. He said as a captain he does not like to see an early wicket fall and
give the momentum away. The reason I say this was a good huddle is the captain
laid down a “specific” expectation. He did not generalize by saying play your
natural game, get a good start etc. Rather he told that batsman what he wants
off them.
I left a lot of balls alone
during my innings, we were getting about 5 runs an over, at same I was not
chasing outside the off stump. So was the case with Dhanu he was also
cautiously aggressive. I felt the captain’s words and setting up of expectations
helped us both in the process of giving the team a good start. This apart Dilip
was switched on the whole game letting batsmen and bowlers know what to do and
what is expected. While fielding too when things were not going well the
captain dint allow shoulders to drop. When a bowler bowled a bad ball the other
members of the team let their frustration come out but Dilip was controlling
his emotions lot more than others. His field placements and general handling of
the team are extremely impressive. He may be naughty at times as in “colored
pads saga” he may be colorful at times as in asking Ananth to umpire per
“certain standards” he may chide on wides not being given but on cricketing
terms I like the approach of Dilip and what little I saw of Chinmay.
Back to the game. Naga joined Ananth and played Rohit most
comfortably. Of all the batsman on display Naga’s foot work and the ease with
which he played Rohit was most impressive. Rohit mixed a quicker one with his
looped flight and made batsmen work hard to read him. Naga was playing him
effortlessly, the leg glance to fine leg was an outstanding shot. Naga’s
approached rubbed off on Ananth and he started to stroke the ball brilliantly.
The lofted shot for six over long off was a memorable one and a summer special
so to say. The Naga-Ananth partnership was laying the opponent flat as both
were well settled and taking the game away. At this point I had to give Naga
LBW to a ball pitched outside the off and hitting the wickets but the point of
impact was outside the off stump. Given what happed till then as in a nobe
ball, the prior LBW involving Ananth I had to make a decision in favor of the
bowler. I still feel terrible about it and apologized to Naga. Oh the pains of
a balancing act the umpire faces in a
game!
Ananth followed Naga to the benches next over, again not
respecting game awareness. When a wicket falls, try and ensure next wicket does
not follow too soon. Double breaks brings the opponent back in the game with
double vigor. Sid and Avi started to stitch a partnership and undo the damage.
On hindsight after seeing how the game panned out, Ananth’s dismissal was the
turning point of the game. Sid- Ananth combination would have been a killer for
the opponent. Ananth has the capacity to clear any ground and the off side was
an invitation for Ananth’s stroke play. Sid’s role being that of seeing thru
the innings he played it to perfection.
Avi took a while to settle as he was
constrained by loss of Ananth right behind Naga. The spinners Ubaid and Anuj
bowled brilliantly and were troubling our batsmen. They slowed it down in the
air. This meant batsmen had to take chances, no short balls for the pull, no
pitched up balls to drive, that meant a squeeze. From a terrific position of
about 130 for 4 with 18 overs to go we were kept quiet for next 8 overs. A
momentum shift was going on, only after the drinks break the shackles were
broken to an extent. We lost Avi, Sid was playing extremely well with Vijay as
support. Vijay is the quickest runner in the team between wickets and he was at
his cheeky best. Runs started to come, but Sid got out to a shot which had six
written all over it. If ever there was a shot which dint deserve losing a
wicket this was it. We lost too many wickets after that and it was Dilip’s
cameo which put us at 217 a very good score on whatever wicket. Dilip came in
at #10 and played a lovely little innings.
Bowling:Chasing 217 is not an easy task and more so after we got the
first wicket very quickly. Venky opened the bowling and got us a quick
breakthrough. Their #3 batsman Anuj batted brilliantly. Sid’s pace was right up
his alley. On a quick wicket if the batsman is good and particularly can play
well of the back foot, it’s a huge challenge to the bowler. Anuj blasted his
way to 24 in no time and by the 3rd over Hightstown was off to a
rocking start, a blast from which we almost dint recover the rest of the game.
Anuj was out in most unwanted and unluckiest way for a batsman. Ubaid drove one
back to the bowler, Venky got his foot in the way, the ball ricocheted off his
foot and hit the stumps with Anuj a whisker away from the crease. No other
umpire would have given this out and hats off the umpire Sabya on this call. We
should have got back into the game from hereon but somehow the runs kept
leaking. Ron was brought in and he dint show the control the required from his
experience. He bowled too many boundary balls. It happens in cricket and no
complaints on any bowler for that matter.
Our bowling kept us afloat this
season and there is no way one can have any complaints. Dilip bowled
exceptionally on a batsmen wicket, the fielders showed a never say die
attitude. End of the day Ubaid, Ranveer, Anuj played very well and were
deserving winners. Ubaid was particularly on top of his game, dint give us a
chance and kept the score board ticking all through. His drives were extremely
well timed, had a lot of power and tested the fielders resolve to put body
behind. Ranver played extremely well, made most of any bad ball. His pulls to
the mid-wicket and square leg region were well timed and played in style. What
was impressive was that all through the chase they dint lose focus. They kept us on the mat and dint let their
foot of the throat, which is a lesson in chasing.
Unlike the game against Barons after which I could not sleep
for a whole week, I slept well last night as we lost to a worthy opponent.
Barons fought well and deserved to win, but I would say we lost more than they
won. Hightstown won fair and square and we were beaten by a team which batted
professionally. The spirit in the game was also very good given that there was
no official umpire. I loved the banter of the Hightstown team when they were
batting. Some smart clichés were thrown at our fielders all in good spirit and
lovely humor.
Cricket should not be boring, the fun element is as important, in
fact the banter from Hightstown team helped when I fielded as there was so much
humor. All in all a good game of cricket. A word on Jairam who was lively on
the field, had a rocket arm and enthusiastic all thru game. Avi was kept very
busy in the outfield and was very spirited all thru the game. Similarly a word
on Anuj, the guy kept wickets to begin with, bowled spin in the middle overs
and bowled an over of medium pace in the power play and to top it all played
the innings of the day!!
Till we all meet again, Cheers!
Ravi Suri.
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