Brilliant captaincy very nearly wins the game for Super Kings (MCC vs. Super Kings) - 17 July 2021, Saturday, Lincoln Park - Part 2

  MCC won by 12 runs

MCC 159/3 in 20 overs (Avinash 70 off 40 balls with 4 boundaries and 4 sixers, Nikhil 33 off 39, Chandra 0/16 in 3 overs, John 0/25 in 3 overs, Aditya 0/32 in 4 overs)

Super Kings 147/7 in 20 overs (Jeff 31 n.0 off 18 balls, Zubair 29 off 20 balls, Shiv 28 off 19 balls, Vikram 21 off 28 balls, Shikar 1/24 in 4 overs, Garuav 1/22 in 4 overs)

https://cricclubs.com/MilwaukeeRegalT20/viewScorecard.do?matchId=414&clubId=110

Chasing 160 at Lincoln is not a difficult task. However, the longer boundary coupled with a stiff breeze makes it a little more difficult today as the options for boundary hitting on one side (bowling from pavilion end)  are limited and really needs good running between the wicket to compensate.  

However, 160 to chase in Lincoln is a set play; score about 70/2 by the tenth over and then the required rate of 9 in the remaining ten overs can be easily accomplished, granted a couple of good overs and taking the game deeper (MSD way) .  At least, that’s what on paper is the manthra. . 

My thought process was that Aditya will have Zubair open with Vicki and then have himself Shiv and Jeffrey follow.  Like I said, 70 in then overs and with such a strong backend, we should be good.

 

I was totally surprised to see Aditya asking me to pad up first with Vicki.   I had requested him to not consider me to open unless absolutely necessary for this game.  In fact was thinking about skipping the game as I felt that some of the other players in the team are not getting their chances because of me.  Anyhow I padded up.  

Although I am opening after many many years, and as much as I appreciate Aditya giving me the opportunity to open in  four games so far, I have not really used the opportunity well.  In two prior games, I had given catching practice to lone fielders in the deep (squarish long on and deep square leg) and had scored only 44 runs in four innings, inclusive of a golden duck.  

 

Vikram, stylish and solid

Vicki, my opening partner,  is one of the newcomer to the team and unfortunately did not get off to a great start to the season a he was  getting out to single digit scores.  In practice, he looks such a compact batsman with solid defense and plays with a lot of bottom hand and packs a punch when he hits.  So, all of us in the team knew that he is just one game away from becoming a solid and consistent performer. 

Thankfully that’s what happened in the previous game against Punjab where he scored an elegant unbeaten 53 while chasing 93 to win.  I was his opening partner in that game as well, playing second fiddle, ensuring that he gets strike as he was playing really well.  I was so happy that a newcomer in the league got to get going with my partnership and was sure that he will do well today as well.

 

Vicki started solidly against Arvind Singh who has lost quite a bit of pace and was not as nippy as he used to be. In fact, during MCC batting while I was outside, we were talking about good old times when he mentioned that he is being hampered a lot with knee pain andis not able to accelerate his run up, which is so vital part of Armory.   

After scoring one run in three balls of a neat clip to mid wicket, I was out next ball, in fact the first ball from left armer, Ankit. The ball was short and wide of the off stump which I tried to hit over the top of the point fielder but ended up hitting straight to Kamal. Yet another catching practice and an extremely tame way for a opening batman to get out.  

We talk about cricket being a one ball game. There are players, who game after game, make it count by hitting tons of runs and then those in the other end of the spectrum who perish tamely and sadly that’s what is going on with me.  I know Aditya counted on a few boundaries from me and that I will score quickly and was very disconsolate for getting out so tamely again  9/1 in 2.1 overs

 

Zubair joined Vicki who played beautifully indeed, including a great upper cut boundary in the first over,  and  within no time  moved onto 21 when he was tragically run out, attempting a non-existent single when he committed too much for the run and  couldn’t turn back.   Seeing how Vicki bats with such assurance, Vicki will be one of the most consistent batman in the league as he has great array of shots and a clear mindset. 46/2 in 7.4 overs.  Not too much off target of 7 RPO by ten overs.

 

Z, Mr. Consistent

By this time, Z was also in his elements and was playing fantastically as well.  Z, ever since joining Super Kings, has been the most consistent batsman and it’s always guaranteed that he will score a minimum of 25 runs.  He is one of the few batsman that I have seen who has shot all around the wicket, picks the length and, more other than not, finds the gap.  Delightful batsman and a great team man, always willing and a captain’s delight.

However, this season, he has become one of the COVID victim in term of fitness and really struggles to keep his stamina.  Although he did his customary two gigantic sixers over mid wicket, one can see that he was finding it difficult to run many singles and still keep his stamina.  

 

Just when Super King was looking pretty, Zubair got out to a lofted shot with no real power, to be caught at long on off a skier.   Only seven runs short of the target of 70 by the tenth over but have lost the crucial wicket of Zubair. 63/3 in 9.5 overs.

 

Now comes the busy end of the run chase and Super Kings were in a good spot with Aditya, Shiv and Jeff batting with Rahul to slog at the end (Rahul cameo was so instrumental for the tie against Panthers a few weeks back.

 

Shiv, stable as ever (28 off19 balls)

The captain (Aditya) and the vice-captain (Shiv) played sensibly by knocking singles and keeping the run rate manageable.  They had a wonderful partnership of 41 runs off 27 balls, which included two fantastic sixers by Shiv over the mid-wicket in the 14^th over bowled by Muhammed.  Unfortunate as it is, just when Super Kings were considering a comfortable victory, Shiv perished to an ungainly, against the wind lofted shot,  to be caught on long on off the bowling off Shikar for 28 runs off 18 balls. 

The teenage sensation was bowling well from the pavilion end and it was always going to be tough to clear the long boundary, considering such stiff breeze.  But again, with Aditya still there and with Jeffrey next to come and needing 56 of 39 balls, nobody can blame Shiv as he had played brilliantly, not only in this game but the entire season despite being demoted from his favorite opening spot. Shows the leadership skills of Shiv to sacrifice his favorite spot  and that’s where the culture of Super Kings, which I fought hard to mold, lives and as the ex-captain gladdens my heart so much. 

 

Absolutely need to talk about the teenage sensation, Shrikar Sudha. I think he must be in the mid teens, probably fifteen or sixteen. But what a wonderful spell of bowling.  Shrikar bowled unchanged between the 8^th and 15^th over and had fantastic bowling analysis of 4 overs for just 24 runs on a day when the asking rate was 8 runs per over and getting the prize wicket of Shiva.  It didn't look as though he is a teenager, playing only his second game. Such maturity and that too such composure against good batsman is very commendable indeed and sky is the limit for such unbridled talent indeed.

Shrikar, teenage sensation, 1/24 in four outstanding
overs of spin bowling 

It was remarkable to see such an youngster, understanding his role to bowl to bowl a tight line and forcing the batsman to play against the stiff breeze.    Shrikar bowled beautifully, tossing the ball up and having the ball dip and slanting towards the leg.  Can't help acknowledging the MCC team (and Shaker bhai) for backing the youngster and my admiration for Shaker bhai went so much higher for continuing to bring in so much of fresh, young talent to the league.  It was interesting to note that Shaker bhai himself was of similar age when he got to bowl in Lincoln in the mid nighties and he was so happy to see history repeating and he being instrumental of writing such a glorious chapter in our league.

 

Apart from Shrikar, Gaurav also bowled brilliantly and in fact gave away only seven runs each in in the crucial two death overs (bowling from the river end where wind was helping leg side shots) and also prizing out captain Aditya in the 16^th over.  His spell of 4 overs for 22 runs with Aditya’s wicket was outstanding indeed and he is really a very special bowler as he is a good understanding of his limitations and bowls to the field, not too flashy but very methodical.

 

Aditya got bowled going for a wild slog and am sure would be lamenting that shot at a crucial time in the game.  With Jeffrey having just joined and since he is capable of monster hits, Aditya would have been thinking about playing second fiddle and taking it deep until that unfortunate split second when he went for the hoick.  Such moments define a game and again it’s hard to fault Aditya as Super Kings needed 45 runs of 25 balls, with asking rate close to 12 (115/5 in 15.4 overs). 

 

Anyhow here we are. 45 needed 25 balls when Rahul came in and could only hit the ball straight to point off the master Shaker, who replaced Shrikar. 

Shaker, brilliant captaincy,
grooming young talent 

Very soon John also perished, run out attempting a non-existent two to keep Jeffrey in strike. Although Jeffrey following his breezy 33 off 13 balls in the previous game with another unbeaten 31 off 18, 160 was a little too much to chase as Super Kings ended up short by 12 runs.

 

Special mention about Arvind Singh who bowled the last over with Super King needing 20.  He bowled the last over well, tucking the batsman with yorkers as well as following the batsman and gave away only eight runs.  Although I have my off and on tiff with him here and there, I really wish Arvind Singh well as he is one of the colorful and very competitive player in the league.

 

In the final analysis, it was such brilliant planning and execution by Aditya and Super Kings today and had the game slipping away only by the last few balls of the match.  As much as the long boundary and the stiff breeze played a big role during their chase, the 21 wides certainly played a big part. 

MCC got to 159 because of two good overs which went for 18 runs each where Avinash pummeled the off side boundary, fully utilizing the breeze.  Super Kings needed similar overs and that didn't materialize today.

Either way, glad to be part of yet another absorbing game of cricket

 

Despite losing , Super Kings can be very proud of a great game against the champion MCC team indeed.