Match summary - WAMU (28 Jun 08) and BBQ

I made it to the ground by 9:30 or so and by that time our side had finished the inning scoring 52 in 20 overs. Or more accurately got all out in 19 overs scoring 37 runs with 15 bonus runs as extras. Were our bowlers up for the challenge? 52 in 20 is hardly a score to defend. We'll find a bit later how we did. To recap our batting ( Disclaimer: I didnt witness it. I was tucked in my comfy comforter while the team was struggling to prevail the wrath of the pitch. I've got to make it up for this sometime!), Ajay started off confidently but was unlucky as he slipped on the pitch and got run out. Quite an expensive wicket! Seetharam couldnt quite get comfortable, Paul still trying to come to terms with changing batting syle between tennis and leather ball. The pressure of low score and falling wickets got the better of Srini when he tried to repeat his long six but got caught at point instead. I am not sure how others played but there were quite a few run-outs and stumpings. HIghlight of the inning I hear, however, was Feroz's knock of 7 runs in 31 balls!!! Everyone during evening BBQ seemed to be picking Feroz on it :-)

Anyways, we started off bowling pretty well. Srini and Raj started well with both of them getting wickets. If I remember correctly, Srini got a maiden wicket in his second over. You can always depend on Srini to deliver the goods, just as Feroz is always associated with run-outs :-) (sorry Feroz, I just couldnt resist the temptation!!) Wamu got a few boundaries and among falling wickets and occasional singles they reached 30 in 6 overs....much to my surprize as the bowling was quite tight. First change of bowlers brought Gautam and Srini Salluri in. Boy-o-boy, this was the spell to watch. It was literally a spell and the batsmen were spell bound! Ironically, one of the batsmen was "Jadu" and he seemed to be petrified with Gautam's spell :-) Gautam was unlucky not to get his wicket. But the stage was set for the next bowler and Jadu was caught behind. (I dont remember who got his wicket). Next couple of overs were very tight with wickets falling at intervals and during the end we just needed 2 wickets to win. But we didnt have any runs to defend too and they just needed 3 runs to win. They got the runs. Plenty of over remaining. No complains from our bowling. We did well. Not to toot our own horns, but considering how we bowled, WE HAD GOT THEM BY THEIR BALLS!!!.........almost!!

Many thanks to Ram and Feroz to organize the BBQ.The BBQed food was great....or was it fried!! Hard to tell :-) But sure as heck, it tasted awesome...kudos Ram. We should have a couple more of this before the summer ends this year.

Cricket match review - Rockers Vs Royals

Great victory today! Some excellent bowling and fielding saw us through victorious at the end.

After winning the toss Feroz opted to bat. Gautam and Shanky started off well with quick running between the wickets. Gautam lost his wicket in 3rd over when he tried to glance a ball down to fine leg, mistimed it, got caught in short square leg. We were 19 by the end of 3 overs. Shanky continued to connect well with Sitaram on the other side of wicket. First change of bowlers put a significant break to the flow of runs. Too many extras from Royals and catch drops helped keep our runs ticking. At the end of our innings, we were 89 in 20 overs. Shanky was the highest scorer with 19 runs followed by Srini at 14. Sitaram, Gautam, Senthil, Paul, Feroz, Ram and I chipped in.

Gautam opened our bowling and struggled a bit to get his rhythm in the first over. The pitch kept deteriorating as it lost moisture due to the heat. It didnt help the cause either causing a number of no balls due to the extraordinary bounce. Srini and gautam bowled next 4 overs conceding only 6 RUNS!!! Both the bowlers got couple of wickets. Senthil and I came as first change in bowling. I struggled a bit with the extra bounce resulting in no-balls. With my slower balls, the batsmen managed to rotate strike. Senthil's balling was controlled and he got a few wickets in his first spell. Ram came in as the fifth bowler. The unpredictable pitch didn't help him get good line and length. Batsmen exploited it. At the end of 14 overs, Royals needed 19 runs to win with 4 batsmen remaining. I don't remember the exact over by over details, but I, Senthil and Srini bowled the next 3 overs. I wasn't successful in getting wickets. Senthil got a few in his last over. It was 17th over with 9 runs to win and 2 wickets remaining. Srini struck again and got both the wickets!!!!

Some of the other highlights were extra-ordinary catches by Paul and a clever stumping by Sitaram. Prasad missed being the claimant of winning wicket when his throw missed the non striker end just by and inch. Batsman was yards away. A high jump catch by Senthil kept the pressure on.

On retrospection, we should have won this match convincingly as we boast of a good bowling line up and 90 run in 20 overs is a good defend-able target. And that too against the team which is not the among the strongest in the league.........but hey a victory is a victory!!!!!