We post ourselves a lot of questions when we get defeated and we come out with some sort of answers for the next match. What happens if we make the same mistakes? that means we are not learning. We might now say that this is like the worst period ever and we have gone for three straight games without a win. Let me reword this, we have been soundly beaten in the last three games. Even the match with Arun CC we managed to score considerably only at the end. This I say because before these games, our bowling unit looked like one of the best in the ground and batting was getting the job done atleast. Now we are giving away a lot more runs and getting back that many few.
It doesn't bode well when our main bowlers start leaking away runs. Sridhar gets the wickets but today he gave away quite a few runs. Jagan wasn't lucky at the wickets column tonight and also he bowled an awful over that went for 14 runs.
Let me summarize. The match was against Skippers. Start of a best of three match series. We have lost more than we won against them and this was a perfect opportunity to get the record straight.
Scoreline: Skippers 85 in 14 overs
'Da Freaks 64 in 14 overs
'Da Freaks for the day: Mani, Maddy, Raghav, Jagan, Sridhar, Yogi, Goutham, Balaji, Sudharashan, Anand and Vishwa. Its a given that it happened in alfonso. Should be more like 'Alfonso Diaries' or something.
We had decided before the match that we will start chasing scores for a few weeks as we wanted to improve our batting skills a lot more. Chasing would be tough and ideal. This seems to have gone well with everyone mainly because we will not be fielding in the second half when Earth feels more like Mercury.
Jagan and Mani started the proceeding and the Skippers were stroking along for 24 in 4 overs. Mani and Jagan were pitching it short mostly. The only highlight for us was that we managed to get one of the openers run out. Sridhar came one change and he immediately picked up a wicket but also gave away 7 runs. The momentum for the Skippers never diminished as the other half of the opening pair was on an assault mission. I was given the ball for second change and my first delivery resulted in a drop catch from Sudharshan at long on. I gave away 8 runs in that over including a four but the last four deliveries, I thought (and probably the only one) bowled well and with pace but somehow basically everyone thinks that I am a poor bowler. Goutham playing his first game after a while got to bowl two. I just don't understand this. It would have been ok if atleast the others were keeping it tight but runs were just flowing no matter who bowled. Only because of the last two overs where we gave away just 5 runs, we managed to limit the damage to just 85 runs.
Our ground fielding, overall, seems to have improved a lot and this is something that we should focus and do better as we seem to be dropping catches though. Sudharshan and Balaji today, the culprits.
There was a confusion when we started chasing. We settled on the first three as Yogi, Fred and Balaji. But Balaji and Fred opened the innings, which was just dull!! We managed to score just 5 in three overs and Balaji opting for an extravagant shot was bowled out. Freddie couldn't even hit a full toss in his innings and eventually got caught behind at the end of the fourth over. We read 8 for 2. Anand was given a chance ahead of Sudharshan and Goutham and he failed to capitalize on it. Mani got himself on but eventually retired as he was dehydrated. Vishwa tried and fell soon, but Sridhar and Yogi were battling hard as they got us into a decent position of 34 in 8 overs. Sri got out for a top edge to covers. Yogi got run out trying to force a fourth run but honestly no on-field umpire might have given that out except Jagan as everyone felt that Yogi had reached. Jagan got bowled out the second delivery he faced as the innings crumbled. Sudharshan, Goutham, myself and Mani tried some shots in the last few deliveries but it was all too late. We fell short by 21 runs in the end.
Again a lot of questions regarding bowling, fielding and batting. What we need to improve is our field placements. I think we are not anticipating correctly and seem to have wrong type of fielders in some places. I think if we can avoid the bad overs, got our positions right and hold on to the catches we can definitely reduce another 10 to 15 runs and that is huge. Batting as always in a concern. Mostly the opening pair. If we had made up our mind about the first few slots, lets stick to it no matter what. Also sometimes it is not practical to give a shot to someone just because he has not bowled/ he is there as a cover.
All is not lost guys. We can win the next match. Its just about confidence.
Cheers,
Madhavan
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