A Match to remember.....

Spartan’s 15-match unbeaten streak was halted by the invincible Maharajas. This was also our first win over them. A resurgent and determined Maharajas stopped the Spartan juggernaut by handing them an 8-run defeat. This was their first defeat since beaten by Twenty20CC in November 2008.We can say that this was their first defeat this year.

Niloy lost the toss not much to our liking however when we are destined to win the championship these small things won’t make a lot of difference but the batting problem continued …..


MAHARAJA’S BATTING

1-5 Overs

Sandeep and Bipin opened the inning for us before Sandeep got a peach of delivery to be caught at first slip. Manish was promoted up the order for his good performance in the last match before being caught at first slip for 1. He went for an expansive drive through the off side but ball swinged away from him to catch the edge. Next, Bipin was bowled to a perfect yorker and the score read 5/3 in 5 over’s.

5-10 Overs

Walked in the captain with the same determination to again pull it for us and he started in some style. One of his cover drive went for four... such was the timing and power of the shot...If you think that was it ….nooo there’s a lot to come. Buland was sent in at 3rd down to up the tempo and the moment he started striking the ball the field was spread up…he played a shot towards long on which looked as it was six but was caught just before the boundary line…Though Niloy played a marvelous inning but for me the hero of the match was Girish …The way he meddled the ball was a treat to watch….he just dented them deep and it showed up in their fielding as there were many over throws and misfield…and for every misfield we had something to say ….Am I right Manish Sir??? After 10 over’s the score read 26/4…

10-15 Over’s

Niloy and Girish had a partnership of 29 runs which had brought us back in the game with the score reading 42/4 after 14 overs. Girish was playing great before being caught at long on just before the boundary line but he had done his job by then …Next came Vijay. He needs some luck going his way and the day that luck is on his side he is going to make us win the match single handed which he has done in past ….Then came the wall of our team Abhisek to nudge the ball around which frustrated them to an extent …..The score was 47/5

Final 5 Over’s

In order to up the run rate Niloy and Abhisek perished ….Our inning folded for 66 which was a good total to defend with the bowling attack we have…

MAHARAJA’S BOWLING

0-5 Over’s

Amit and Buland were right on money from the first ball…They frustrated their opening batsmen ……Rajat would have been out in the 3 rd over if I would have held to a top edge ….anyways we didn’t had to wait long for the first break though as Manish took a very clean catch behind the stump off Amit….Girish was brought in the 5 th over and straight away they were on the backfoot….Score read 17/1

5-10 Over’s

I was brought in the 6th over and to rectify my mistake I got a another chance to get rid of Rajat of my own bowling and the way Amit shouted Anoooooooop I knew if I drop this one I won’t be playing the next game,in the 8th over we got rid of their best batsman to a good catch taken by Bipin at wide slip. Vijay was brought in the 9th over and straight away he got rid of their captain and there was panic in their team. After 10 over’s there score was 31/4 and the game was wide open.

10-15 Over’s

Vijay continued his good spell of bowling after the break with Amit bowling the 12 th over and they both kept the pressure going, Girish was brought back in the 13th over which just put them in the backfoot and to get there condition worse Girish took a good low catch at mid wicket to make the score 41/5 and to break them completely. Girish ended his spell with a maiden over to turn the match in our favour.

15-20Overs

Buland got the key wicket to make the score 46/6 and to add to their wound Sandeep had a direct hit from fine leg to make the score 51/7.Vijay was brought and the very first ball was a controversial decision of a no ball which stopped the match for almost 15 minutes but in that scorching heat it proved a good break for our bowlers to rejuvenate their energy as we got a very crucial wicket of Anal who seemed determined to take it away from us. Bipin took a good low catch at wide slip again to make the 55/8.In the17th over we got another wicket and we were just one wicket away from one of the biggest victory in Maharaja’s history.Buland was brought in to bowl the 2nd last over and only the first ball was enough for him to get the match wrapped up……

And we won by a narrow margin of 8 runs…..It was one of the greatest match I have ever played ….We played like a team as there was a lot of performances from every player…. What a co incidence...all of our bowlers gave away 13 runs and the extra’s count 13 as well