Finally the big day was here, I would be lying if I said I wasn't anxious all of saturday and I know most of my team-mates shared my feelings. We had decided that we will be chasing if we won the toss. As it turned out we didn't win the toss, so it wasn't our call but Squared Leg decided to bat first and we were happy to be bowling first. Chasing is not really our forte but we were riding high on confidence after our chase against Hattrickers in the semi-finals.
It being the finals, there was a lot of support for us, spouses, families joining in the action. But with more support comes more pressure and we were keen to go out there and just enjoy the game. We knew we had to stick to the basics. So here it goes...
Anand and Sreeram were going to open the bowling for us, no surprises there, its been the norm for the playoffs. Anand bowled an excellent first over as usual conceding just a run. Sreeram bowled a tight second over. There was one big moment in that over, that didn't exactly go our way. Srinivas pushed uppishly to gully off Sreeram, where Puneet took a brilliant catch, but unluckily for us leg-umpire didn't think the catch was taken cleanly.
Srinivas and Prasanna, the openers were their best bats, so we knew the importance of making early inroads. Soon after, Sreeram produced a perfect ball to get rid of Srinivas, a beautiful yorker, straight and fast, a crucial breakthrough, Squared Leg now 13-1 at the end of 4 overs. Karan and Nimish were brought into attack and they started well by bowling good tight first overs. Karan got rid of Chandu in his next over, 7th of the game, Kunal taking a nice low catch, Squared Leg 16-2 in 7th over. Nimish bowled a maiden over next up and the score after 8 overs was 19-2. At that point, we were looking good and were in a great position to restrict them to maybe 60.
But our bowlers lost the plot in the next 5 overs. Kunal and Mohit were introduced in the attack to bowl the 9th and 10th over, but things didn't go well and 12 runs were taken of the last 2 overs before the break, Squared Leg now in a reasonable position to launch a massive counter-attack, sitting nicely at 31-2 at the end of 10 overs. Kunal was unlucky to not pick a wicket in his first over, Anand losing the ball in the sun, else would have been an easy catch.
We knew the importance of seizing the momentum after the break but we were clearly not able to do so. Nagesh was introduced in the attack to bowl the first over after break and he suffered at the hands of the umpire who called 2 good deliveries on off-stump as wides, which forced Nagesh to go around the wicket, who bowled a long hop next up which was punished for a 4, 9 runs coming of that over, they were 40-2 after 11.
Karan was brought back in the attack but was taken for runs, 6 coming of the 12th over but he got an important wicket of Yoga, a simple catch to Nimish at long-on. Nimish came back from the other hand, Vasu hit one nicely on the off-side but was in the air and a difficult chance for Gokul who couldn't get a hand to it in the end. Our ground fielding today wasn't our usual, there were a few fumbles, some overthrows, couple of tough chances not taken, so all in all we were having a bad day as far as our fielding department was concerned.
6 runs came of the 13th over as well, Squared Leg now 52-3. Karan in his next over picked up the well-set Prasanna to bring us back in the game, a massive wicket at that stage, because the game was slipping away from our hands. Karan finished his spell with figures of 4-0-15-3, pick of our bowlers as far as wickets were concerned. Nimish bowled a tight next over to finish up his spell, 4-1-10-0, at the end of 15 overs Squared Leg were 59-4.
Mohit came back into the attack and bowled a perfect over, giving just 3 runs. Sreeram bowled the next over, but was taken for runs, 7 coming of the 17th over. Mohit on the other end was bowling beautifully, hardly giving anything away, 3 coming off the 18th over. Sreeram bowled a great 19th over but for one ball, which was pulled away for 6, 79-6 at the end of 19th over. Another tight over from Mohit made sure that Squared Leg ended their innings at the score of 82-7. Given that it was a 360 ground, we were fairly confident of chasing down the total. Mohit ended his spell with figures of 4-0-15-1.
Champs batting:
Anand and Kunal were going to open the show for us. Both of them started positively as we knew if we were to chase down 83 we needed a quick solid start. Couple of wides first up helped our cause. We were 5-0 at the end of 1st over. With just 2 runs coming of the 2nd over, we were 7-0. A new bowler was introduced and straight-away, Anand decided to attack him, 2 crisp boundaries in the fine-leg region was the out-come and Champs were away, 15-0 after 3 overs, a near perfect start for us.
Another bowling change, Srikanth, their best bowler was now introduced into the attack, 3 runs coming of his over, 18-0 at the end of 4. From that point we lost the plot a little bit, just 3 runs coming in the next 3 overs and a costly runout of Anand, 10(23). It was big moment for us, because Anand was looking in good touch, another runout for him. Pressure now beginning to tell, Squared Leg starting to get all over us.
Mohit played a loose shot and was dismissed for 2, a soft dismissal, 21-2 now. Puneet went in, next couple of overs produced a single here and a single there, Champs now 27-2 at the end of 9 overs. Next over was a huge setback in our chase. Rajesh, a left-arm spin bowler got rid of Kunal [8(24)] off a full-toss, who was unlucky to find the fielder. Nimish was promoted up the order (originally slated to bat at no. 11) to step up the momentum. Nimish got off the mark straight away, showing his positive intent. Next ball, Puneet top-edged Rajesh to give a simple catch and was dismissed for duck with Champs now in disarray at 29-4 at the end of 10 overs.
Nagesh joined Nimish, another important change in the batting order (originally slated to bat at no. 9). With 54 to get in the last overs, the two knew that it was reachable if they picked 4-5 runs for the next 4-5 overs. With that in mind, they started picking up 1s and 2s. With the off-side field standing in, it was easy to get 2s once the in-field was cleared, that is exactly what Nagesh and Nimish did on more than one occasion. 11 came of the next 2 overs, Champs now 40-4, with 43 more to get in the last overs. Nagesh, who came into this game low on confidence was batting beautifully thus far.
Rajesh, the left arm-spinner was brought back in the attack, and straight up, Nimish spooned one up in the air, but luckily for him, the fielder messed it up and Nimish lived another day, things were just starting to go our way. Rajesh helped our cause by bowling 2 wides in the over and somehow N & N managed to get 6 off the over. 37 now needed in the last 7. All of a sudden the momentum had changed and everyone in the dug-out started to believe that we can do it.
Squared Leg realized that this partnership was becoming a threat and so got Srikanth, their best bowler back in the attack. Srikanth produced a perfect over, with just 2 runs coming off it, Nimish playing and missing a few in the over. 35 needed in the last 6 overs, run-a-ball chase is something we had never done in the past. But what the hell, there is always a first time!
Next over, Nimish was out caught-behind, but off a no-ball, it was all happening for us, it was just unbelievable. Next 2 overs produced 9 runs, with the score now upto, 57-4 at the end of 16 overs. Both Nagesh and Nimish had ran well in this partnership, running hard for their 2's. 26 to get of the last 4, as interesting as it gets. With 6 wickets in hand, we definitely had the upper hand at that point.
The stage was set right for Sreeram to come in and smash the remaining runs. Sreekanth was going to bowl the 17th over, singles coming of all the first 5 balls. A pull-shot from Nimish off the last ball fetched 3 more and we had got 8 off the over. 18 needed of 18 balls.
Against the run of play, Nimish departed for a well-made 18(26), 15 needed of the last 15 balls. In came, Sreeram and straight away, of the very first ball that he faced, he launched a massive 6 over mid-wicket, quite an amazing hit, that really put us ahead in this chase. Just 8 needed of the last 2 overs.
Next up, Sreeram was out runout, trying to steal a 2nd run, 5 required of the last 9 balls. Gokul, our captain who was making a comeback in this game went in. Nagesh got a single of the next ball, 4 needed now, Gokul nudged the next ball to get a 1, but Squared Leg gifted an overthrow, now just 2 required off the last over. Gokul hit the winning runs of the first ball of the 20th over and Champs completed a dream chase, an unbelievable performance after being down and out at 29-4. Nagesh remain unbeaten at 22(31), indeed a match-winning innings.
Nimish was awarded the MoM for his all-round performance and Champs had won the platinum championship in style.
Everyone in the dugout went crazy, truly amazing scenes, I still don't know how we did it, but I am going to sit back and just enjoy the moment!!
Go Champs!
Composed by: Nimish!
