Match Report: JECC vs Middlesex, 05/02/2015 @Weston Rd

Match Report
by
Ravi

JECC lost to Middlesex by 65runs. Middlesex Cricket Club:230/7 in 40.0 Jersey Eagles Cricket Club:165/10 in 37.0

ScoreCard: http://www.dreamcricket.com/clnj/scorecarddisplay.aspx?gameid=9434

Not our day is how I can sum up the 2^nd game of our season. Middlesex won the toss and opted to bat.

Bowling:

We had them in deep trouble at 25 for 3. Venky was outstanding as usual, Dhanu gave great support. Dilip kept wickets for a while and took a very good catch as the edge was climbing. Dhanu had an LBW upheld, Venky had the 3^rd wicket well taken by Manoj. But from thereon we let the game slip to a combination of our old foe the wide’s and good application from Middlesex batsmen. 

In this phase we bowled about 15 wides to let Middlesex reach a safe 80 for 3 at the break. We badly missed Sid because of which the bowling combination had to be juggled. Manoj and Bhaskar did their best but it is not easy to bowl in an odd game and bowl six good deliveries. Manoj was unlucky too as he had an edge drop well short of me at slip. The rub of the green was also going the Middlesex way. 

Ali batted brilliantly and scored a century, one of the best knocks I saw against our bowling. The best part of his batting was his patience and waited till we tired. He capitalized on the wides we bowled as the run rate kept moving well thanks to the extras. In all we bowled at least 30 wides if not more. Dilip bowled reasonably well, he could not afford to flight regularly as runs were leaking from both ends.  All in all not a good bowling day for us, we were left to chase 232.

Batting:

Chasing a huge score is feasible if we get a good start. We could not as we lost Dhanu soon and after a very short partnership I was out too. Avi and Bhaskar stitched a small partnership but both of them got out and we were about 50 for 4. 

Chinmay and Dilip joined and played brilliantly. They ran very well between wickets and kept a run rate of about 6 per over. Chinmay stroked the ball beautifully and as mentioned in my last report, I sense this could be Chinmay’s batting season. If he can build more confidence in his ability and trust his batting more, he can be a huge asset for us this year. Chinmay is timing the ball and playing the best I have seen in him 3 years. Dilip was cool and calculated and hit the loose balls to the boundary and took singles and doubles regularly. 

Middlesex bowling was very disciplined and hardly bowled any wides, they varied the pace very well and used the slower ball to good effect. Chinmay scored 54, Dilip scored 39 and their partnership though dint end up in a winning cause; it bodes well for the season. What it shows is when Ananth and Sid are back, we will have a very strong middle order and if the opening combination can put on a better show we will be a difficult side to beat.

Chinmay and Dilip batting as well as they did will now mean we will have a lower middle order which is in form and close the deal. Chinmay played all the shots in the book; drives, pulls, cuts, deftly placed singles. Dilip was his usual cheeky self, his customary pull shot, and drives to cover region showed he is good touch. The chase was too steep, we could have done it with our full batting force firing.

Comments / Suggestions: Coming to the ground in time is essential and sets the mood and tempo. For one or other reason however justified it may be, coming late to the ground puts too much pressure on the captain. We started the game 20 minutes late. Last game we were able to jog, stretch and set the tempo as such. This game we bowled under time pressure, umpire was strict about completing the 40 overs in time. All of these add to the pressure on the bowlers and captain.  

Don’t we forget at this ground the batting was from both ends which met more time between overs for fielders to move to their positions. It also meant we would get tired by the time our turn to bat came on. Dilip was under pressure of finding 8 members at toss time, for the first time I saw him go to toss and come back uncertain if he won or lost the toss. He would have been under stress of team not showing up in time. If we want to win and be competitive we have to be on the ground no later than 10.15 AM.

As regards the wides we need to get back in control as we did the last game. Wides killed us in most games last year. We just cannot afford that again in the coming games. Good wakeup call early in the season. Boys, let us show we are better than this as the season rolls on.