What we achieved today perplexed me in a sense that we were magnanimous and handed our opposition the kind of victory they needed to boost their morale and the kind of defeat that we didn't need, which has, to say the least, made us look stupid. I mean where would a team find strength and discipline (or the lack of those) to dig deep deep deep inside to find an impossible defeat when the odds were so much in favour of our victory, I don't know! Think this for a moment: We needed 7 runs in 10 balls with 4 wickets in hand, against a mediocre bowling with Mani and I at the crease and looking very good to finish it off in the penultimate over itself. What followed in the next few deliveries could only be described as madness or probably utter foolishness. Mani skied behind, Jagan skied over deep cover, Suresh skied back to the bowler and KV (you can't blame him seriously) caught behind with only one added to our score when I could get just a single off the first ball of the last over, again that can be called foolish too considering that was the last pair and I should have had the strike no matter what (should not have taken that single) but as fate would have it, we presented a bittersweet victory to Dinesh's team.
As it happens many a time, Idli lost the toss. Dinesh elected to bat first and at that point we had just 8 guys and waiting for Mani, Suresh and Raghu to show up. They made it just in time and we started 5 minutes past 4 pm. Started off with Jug head and Suresh and we effected a run out in the very first ball at my (keeper's) side. Great start and it ended there except for a few glimpses of brilliance here and there. Sridhar bowled three overs on the trot and the I thought the last two of his overs were very impressive. Mani's second over was again brilliant as he got back to back wickets including that of Sriram. He too bowled 3 on the trot though he was panting at his last. Sriram had minimal impact with his batting. Raghu kept after the initial four overs and he did a decent job. Its time Raghu nursed his healing arms and stands in the deep, he can deliver more over there. Dinesh still managed 73 off 12 overs. Our fielding was again a lot to be desired. Mani (he was standing deep) and KV dropped sitters, both of the opening batsman (a new face) and he capitalized brilliantly. Kaipilla dropped three or four. Fortunately we didn't give away many over throws.
Disastrous start to our innings with Kailash pulling one back to the bowler in the first over. Sudarshan played a decent innings and he didn't waste any delivery. Idli chose to get out than score runs and so did Raghu and Kaipilla. Sridhar played a good hand and I guess I didn't fair badly as well, at least I didn't waste deliveries and probably got 10 odd runs. When Sridhar got out caught and bowled Sriram, Mani came in next and had an immediate impact with free scoring. We were well on target to score 74 until we catastrophically misfired.
Please please please cooler heads need to prevail. Hopefully next week. Same opponents.
Cheers.
As it happens many a time, Idli lost the toss. Dinesh elected to bat first and at that point we had just 8 guys and waiting for Mani, Suresh and Raghu to show up. They made it just in time and we started 5 minutes past 4 pm. Started off with Jug head and Suresh and we effected a run out in the very first ball at my (keeper's) side. Great start and it ended there except for a few glimpses of brilliance here and there. Sridhar bowled three overs on the trot and the I thought the last two of his overs were very impressive. Mani's second over was again brilliant as he got back to back wickets including that of Sriram. He too bowled 3 on the trot though he was panting at his last. Sriram had minimal impact with his batting. Raghu kept after the initial four overs and he did a decent job. Its time Raghu nursed his healing arms and stands in the deep, he can deliver more over there. Dinesh still managed 73 off 12 overs. Our fielding was again a lot to be desired. Mani (he was standing deep) and KV dropped sitters, both of the opening batsman (a new face) and he capitalized brilliantly. Kaipilla dropped three or four. Fortunately we didn't give away many over throws.
Disastrous start to our innings with Kailash pulling one back to the bowler in the first over. Sudarshan played a decent innings and he didn't waste any delivery. Idli chose to get out than score runs and so did Raghu and Kaipilla. Sridhar played a good hand and I guess I didn't fair badly as well, at least I didn't waste deliveries and probably got 10 odd runs. When Sridhar got out caught and bowled Sriram, Mani came in next and had an immediate impact with free scoring. We were well on target to score 74 until we catastrophically misfired.
Please please please cooler heads need to prevail. Hopefully next week. Same opponents.
Cheers.
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