Deserving Bangla Gladiators knock out Super Kings
Bangla Gladiators 117 for 7 20 overs (Mahbatt 26, Andrew 18, Ravi 2 for 15, Jayanth 2 for 25, Jeevan 1 for 9 in 4 overs)
Super Kings 79 all out in 16.4 overs (Shiv 19, Badri 17, )
Having beaten Bangla Gladiators in the first round and with all 15 of us showing for this game, I was very confident that we will win this game although the game will be close. But what a disappointment in store. Seeing the inept batting display with five ducks made me virtually cry on a day I could not bat. An extremely sad moment for a captain to see the ship sinking with no fight at all. But again, Bangla deserved the win for their tenacity and perseverance and for the super way their captain led them from the front with bat and bowl while the Super Kings captains was limping in the sidelines. Great show Bangla Gladiators!!!
Bangla Gladiators batting:
Captain Mahbatt opened the batting and showed the way with a pugnacious 26 runs with four boundaries. It was really a stand out performance from a captain leading from the front as he realized that he needs to stay around to make a good score. Although am not putting down the rest of the batsman, their key batsman are indeed himself, Shivin and Andrew and it was so nice to see someone who understands his role. He was watchful when necessary and stepped out whenever he wanted to hit a boundary. Unfortunately things was my bowlers when he stepped out three to four yards in front duly bowled a full toss which were dispatched easily for boundaries.
Jeffrey and Ravi opened the bowling and bowled reasonably well indeed. Jeffrey is a wonderful bowler with the shoulder and when he hits the deck on off-stump length, he is very hard to get away and am all the more glad that he bowls with purpose and poise with the intention of getting wickets. Although he was not rewarded with any wickets, he could have easily had a few as he was threatening all through his four overs.
Ravi had the first wicket with a cleverly disguised ball to get their opener bowled but for some reasons became wayward in his second over, giving away 10 runs including of a rank half tracker which was taken full toll by Mahbatt. Its not enough to bowl five good bowls and then give a gift every over as we see time and again that the opponents hit boundaries of our bad balls. Again, we are new team and I can keep on giving excuses. But having had so many practise sessions, guys have to come up hard to avoid loose balls. If a batsman hits a good ball, its fine but to give easy picking is never a good thing and I hope that Ravi will step up even better in the next game by making the batsman earn every run. In fact he came back for his third over very well. In fact he bowled the 20th over and gave away one three runs taking a wicket as well. It was so wonderful to have the last over yielding only three runs and if Ravi can avoid those loose balls, it would so wonderful for our bowling line up since he also has the knack of getting wickets.
Mrinmoy came one down although he was not convincing at all as he was time and gain was inner edging to fine leg, stayed around to make 10 vital runs to take the score to 38 runs in the 7th over. That is exactly what you want from a top order batsman to stay around not to loose too many wickets and yet score runs at a decent pace. By not losing not more than two wickets by the seventh over, Bangla Gladiators showed their determination and will to succeed today of course with due thanks to their capatain.
Jayanth who came one change gave away 12 runs in his first over including of a gifted full toss boundary at Mahbatt charged at him. All it needed was to pitch the ball on the off stump at a length but for some reason he was charging in and ended up giving away three wides as well.
Jeevan was outstanding yet again giving away only nine runs in his four overs. No words to describe how nice his spell was as he ripped a few fliers off a short of good length as well. I think Bangla Gladiators being so smart just played him out by not losing too many wickets.
Of all the bowlers, I particularly like Karthik for the discipline with which he bowls. In more than one way, he embodies the spirit of simplicity in bowling as he kept tight line and length outside the off stump and gave away only 11 runs in 2 overs. He makes it easy for the captain to set the field by being so professional and goes about his business well indeed. Time and again, he has also shown himself to be a team man by being so understanding when he does not get to bat. Thanks Karthik for playing the game with such true team spirit and understanding.
Having all 15 guys playing the game, I had to get Madhav also in the game and asked him to bowl two overs. His bowling indeed a lot tricky since the comes off so slowly and mostly the ball dips and will be certainly hard for lower order batsman. But unfortunately bowled more than one full toss as he was hit for a two boundaries and sixer. However, he has the captain Mahbatt stumped smartly by the agile Shiv who also had two more catches behind the stumps. Am sure that with more practice, Madhav will not bowl those full tosses and will show himself to be an asset, especially with the lower order.
That sixer was something and it was hit by the big hitter Andrew who usually opens the batting as he thumped it over covers for a gigantic six. It was some hit indeed. Again, it was smart by Bangla to have kept Andrew lower down as he made a very vital 18 runs in 10 balls.
Krishna had his very best spell to date as he gave away only 12 runs in two overs and also had a wicket as well. Am all the more happier that he bowled well as he is another great team player who has the will to do anything for the team to win. Always having a smile and gentle nod to whatever the captain says. Although I should have let him bat today, he understood that we have 15 players and gladly sat out, without mumbling a word. Thanks buddy and its because of players like you that I still continue to play cricket.
Jayanth came back to bowl two more overs and had two wickets. He has time and again showed that he is good death end bowler. Usually during those spells, he just sticks fuller length balls on the off stump and that is exactly what he need to focus on not trying too much like he did in first over with the newer ball. Even here, he bowled a full toss with no mid-wicket protection which went for a vital boundary. As a captain, I should see to it that we don't give such boundaries especially in the last four overs as need to have three guys patrolling the leg side.
Special mention about Shiv's wicket keeping which was indeed spot on as he took two smart catches and also had a good stumping. In the previous games, he showed a tendancy to move more towards his leg side and hence could not reach some of the edges which come to right side. But today, he moved very well to the right side and had those nice catches indeed. Great work Shiv!!
Bangla Gladiators ended up with 119 for 7 which was about 15 runs more than what I hoping to concede. To a large extend this was because of those 5 or 6 loose balls which were dispatches for boundaries. Take way those runs, they would have been well under 100. But again, that's the beauty of cricket.
In the first legue game, they scored 114 and we were able to chase easily mainly because we scored 67 runs by the 9th over losing only two wickets.
Super Kings Batting:
Needing exact six RPO, all it needed was for the top order batsman to stay until the 10th over, kocking around scoring 50 by the tenth over without losting not more than two wickets. I had all the top six batsman next to me and precisely gave this message. It was simple common sense batting and was hoping that atleat three batsman will stay and do the job.
Shiv as usual batted very well to score nice, fluent 19 runs off 22 balls. There was one stand out lofted shot through long off which very nearly went for a six and he played positively and smartly. But just when it was really needed, he got out the same fashion he was been getting out, caught on long off. I know that this is his favourite shot and he will very well thing that that ball needed to be hit there. But the point is that he is the settled batsman and really needed to stay. He has been scoring close to 20 runs in every outing but is not making it count to staying longer. With the kind of batting depth we have, if we were to win games, he needs to stay longer. I know that it is easier said that done especially instintive batsman like Shiv. But, as a captain, I can only hope that he will be more selective in the coming outings and will stay longer. But to his credit, by the time, he got out, our score was 60 for four in 11 overs and he has done more than his job. Well played Shiv.
Sagar and Pras came and went. What can I say, Although I do know that they are not top order batsman, have given enough chances to show their talent. For a top order batsman, it is vital to show positive intent and also show determination since more often than not, they will be at the receiving end of good, capable bowlers with the new ball. But time is running out and unless they focus on improving themselves in the nets, it will be hard to promote them at the expense of overall team efforts.
Althouth Neeraj was padded to go two down, since we have lost two wickets too quickly and since Mahbatt was bowling really well with the new ball, did not want to expose Neeraj and hence asked Badri to go two down.
Badri, although he consumed lots of balls in scoring 17 runs in 36 balls, fact of the matter was that he was fighting and was really showing lots of determination. Although he scored 12 runs in his last 10 balls, he has to score at a better clip at the start of the innings also. But gain, he did not play the last game and also missed out practice and went two down at a drop of a hat, fulfilling the captain's request. By the time he got out, we were sinking as the score became 65 for 7 in the 13th over.
Unfortunatley Neeraj was out first ball, played on. It was a great shocker indeed since even in practice sessions, he hates to loose his wicket and certainly pulled as back a lot. He has been doing the bulk of scoring after he came back and one can't expect him to deliver everytime and frankly specaking, I thought it was good fullish length ball to face first up. Unfortunte indeed.
But what happened next was something totally unexpected. Jayanth, Jeffrey, Madhav and Ravi just went and came back with next to nothing. It was an extra-ordinarly collapse indeed and frankly took me by total surprise. To each of these batsman, I had given special instructions to knock around and play the ball straight for a few balls. But we had two bowled and two LBWs as we lost five wickest just like that.
Badri did his very best and all it needed was another batsman to stay around. At the request of the captain, Badri tried to accelearte and perished and in hindsight, if he has stayed longer with Jeevan, we might have made a run for the win. But gain, which captain will expect wickets to fall left and right in a matter of balls. Very disappointing.
Jeevan who went in at # 8, stayed around not out scorping 8 runs in 17 balls as the last batsman Abhijit got run as were bowled out for 79 in 16.4 overs. Mind you! this was inclusive of 27 wides as well. We had six batsman who were duck out which tells the sad story of the game.
Bangla Gladiators were the deserving winners as they simply outplayed in all departements. Their captain Mahhatt led from the front in opening the batting and bowling as in addition to scoring a vital 26 also had the first two wickets to fall. But the vital man who made the turn of events happen was Shahnawaz Ali who got the four wickets within no time (two bowled and two LBWs). It was indeed a match wining spell and decisively turned the match upside down since Super Kings were coasting to victory at 62 for 4 in 10 overs.
I did not bat all which might be puzzling for quite a few folks. When a game where what one needed was another batsman to play straight and knock around, I could have very well fit the bill. But the unfortunate captain just could not bat since an MRI only two days back had indicated that he is likely to have a ruptured shoulder cuff.
It was indeed a demoralizing defeat. Since this was a first match of the second round and since we are playing the other new team in the league, it was all the more important that we won this game. We were certainly so well placed but lost it just like that. I have no idea what happened to the batsman who went lower order. For some reason, they were just frozen and became lame ducks for straight balls. That's the beauty of cricket where time and again, determination and the willingness to win will matches for you. Sadly Bangla Gladiators exemplified this today and my dear Super Kings were found wanting and simply caved in without a fight after being in control of the game for a significant part of the game.
We bowled well to restrict them to less than 120 although we gave a few loose boundaries. We were coasting well with good batting by Shiv and Badri but caved in meekily. We have been practicing hard and can't fault anyone since it was a collective batting failure. We can wonder about so many iffs and butts but the fact of the matter is that we have lost a vital game. We have six more games in the second round where we have to beat the experienced teams. As a captain, I back each one of you to come harder and make us win the coming games.
Just as in life, there are aspects for winning viz., talent, hard-work and determination. Not everyone is blessed with abundant talent and ultimately the winners are the ones who take a combination of two of the above three. If you have the talent and determination, ofcourse you will make it count. But what inspire and motivates me in life is to take hard-word and determination. I cannot doubt the determination in every one of you nor the hard work you put in. But when it comes to winning matches, determination should come out through. In this game, all it needed was another batsman to be determined and not willing to give away his wicket. For some inexplicable reason, it did not happen. May the bowler bowled well but again, with the kind of team spirity and hard work we are putting, I was expecting atleast one of us to fight against him. It just did not happen. My humble reqest to each one of you to reflect on this game next time and show determination and courage to fight till the end. I know we can do it. But it requires determination from each and every one of you wheter you are bowling when you must avoid bad balls and while batting showing postivity and spirit not to loose your wicket.
Regal 2016: League - WI Bangla Gladiators won by 40 runs (06/25/2016)
WI Bangla Gladiators: 119/7(20.0 overs)
Super Kings: 79/10(15.4 overs)
