Cricket is Funny Game ...

Cricket Cricket Cricket ... What do you think? What is cricket all about? Is it Batting, Bowling or Fielding? I think it’s about skills plus applying strategy and planning as well. You should know when to use which player and do lot of calculation and organize right from Team selection to Umpiring assignment

”Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.”

In FLT 10 over’s match, each and every ball bowled, each and every run scored are important. Forget about ball or run each and every decision counts. Last two weeks we saw lot of matches going to last ball of the match. After two weeks fight we have top 26 battling for FLT cup.

I had always heard Cricket is funny game and game is not over till the last ball is bowled. I witness the same during last week matches. Here is my experience.

I11 vs Titans
Two new teams, for me each and every player on both sides were Know friends, so no way I was going to be on losing side. I hope they learnt lot of things from the match. Extras and crucial moment over throws were turning point of the game. I11 chased massive score of 56 in style with massive six with just 4 balls to spare.
Experience of playing in TCA helped players like Ameya and Manoj to seal a first debut win for i11. While Blaster innings by Geen was worth watching

Chennai Veerans vs Panthers
Chennai veerans were in form team and looking really confident from the first ball itself. At the end of their batting innings few bad decision from umpire turned the tables on favor of Panthers. Chennai Veerans did not give up and fought till end to get decent score of 44. Panthers started strongly with Ajay Pal Singh and Sreenu holding on the fort, Chennai Veerans did not give up and fought like injured Tigers. Quick wickets by Vidi and some good catching brought Veerans back into the game. Game was not yet over, Knock from Hari brought Panters back in the game, last 12 balls 6 runs needed. Never give up attitude and good bowling helped Veerans to hold on to their nerve. It was Vidi and Kirti who made this impossible job possible to restrict Panters to 43 and book their spot in top 6.
At the end never give up spirit and some good captaincy by Ohm sealed a win and controlled the heat of the game between the players and against the umpires ;)
I would request all the people who are doing umpiring to be really alert on the field as any single decision here or there can change the result of the game.

“Team guts always beat individual greatness.”

Bonus point
In the email thread lot of people talked and expressed views about bonus point thing, I would not comment anything as of now on it. Everything has advantages and disadvantages; its how you use them and get used to these rules is the question to be asked to yourself? Will not get into bonus point system now, may be can talk about it in some other blog

Point to note is, if we did not had Bonus point into the picture and points were allocated on WINS and then DRR basis, then there would have been only change in top 26 Wolves replacing Chargers, yes ranking would have been changed bit up or down.
So, whatever may be the point system, we should focus on Wins and know how to use the point system.

“Commitment to the team - there is no such thing as in-between; you are either in our out.”

Hard luck Wolves
Do you know, how close were Wolves and i11 for spot 26. The DRR difference was 0.009. Imagine and seeing the scorecards I just found i11 lost the match in 9.4 over’s against Cheer cc. If they had allowed Cheers cc to score in 9.3 they were out of tournament and if, 9.5 they would have won 4 bonus points and reach at 23rd spot which would have given some hope to them as they would have not played their next match against Acers . Who cares, in cricket anything and everything possible, i11 are really looking positively to play against the Acers and create a history and another upset in the tournament.
Similar things goes for Wolves, if they hold on to their fort for couple more balls against Yuval XI they would have been in the race. Hard luck guys. This calculation was not in anyone’s hand.

“Anyone can support a team that is winning - it takes no courage. But to stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs you, that takes a lot of courage.”

Using the Bonus points
Another close DRR result was observed between Acers and Champs XI, if Acers would have scored their last chase against Mavericks in 5.3 over’s instead of 5.4 over’s they would have been gaining 4 bonus points and DRR advantage as well over Champs and make it to 6th spot with BYE game. I don’t think they will mind that provided they are getting extra game in FLT, who wont like that

Champion cc vs Sharks
First name comes to your mind is Jimmy Raja when you see Champion cc team. After our match lot of people just waited to see his batting. They were not disappointed. I was umpiring the match and told to one of my friend in Sharks, “ Believe me get hold on to this Guy catch in deep square leg, half of the game is won, if not then wait for the at least 3 more sixes.” Your wish is my command, Jimmy played on to deep square leg and catch was dropped by Satish right on the edge of the boundary. From there Jimmy went on to score 30 runs including 3 sixes and 4 Doubles out of the park both in off and leg side. Yes catches win matches was quite proved. Champion cc made 65 runs. They started bowling very aggressively picking up few quick wickets, but later on they knew game was over and fielded and bowled loosely and waited for 10 over’s to get over. As per me they had good chance to grab 20 points but lost the opportunity to be in top 6 and get the BYE game. Great bowling by Bhargav and Pallav helped them to restrict Sharks on 44 to get 2 bonus points otherwise they would have slipped down to 13 spot.

I will repeat “ Looser never Win, Winner never loose.”