MATCH REVIEW: Haryana Strikers 7/204 in 19.3 overs (K. Singh 64, S. Dult 56, A. Joon 4/33) defeated Skills Warriors 200 all out in 20 overs (G. Rawat 56, A. Singh 39, K. Singh 4/26) by 3 wickets Toss: Skills Warriors (bat) This was another match that witnessed both teams scoring in excess of 200 runs. It turned out to be an inspiring chase by the Haryana Strikers, who managed to overhaul the target posted by the Warriors with just three balls to spare in a thrilling encounter. Earlier in the match, the Skills Warriors started off positively with the bat. The first over of the match went for 18 and the run rate never dropped below 10 an over from that point. Whilst Gurdeep Singh and Sandeep Dult bowled some corkers, the Warriors batsmen were always able to find a ball or two every over to put away for a boundary. The small square and straight boundaries didnt help either and meant that several players took turns to jump the fence to retrieve balls. At one point, the ball was ‘lost’ amidst grass & shrub for several minutes before it was eventually found. Such breaks in play didnt really break the concentration of the batsmen who continued to pile on the runs. The Strikers came into this match with a reputation of being a team to watch out for, but in the early part of this match- it was the Warriors that took the ascendancy. At 2/109 after 10 overs, it was the perfect platform for their batsmen to explode to a 220+ score. That platform had been laid by Girish Rawat who made 56 off 32 deliveries hitting six fours & four sixes in the process. However, the wheels came off towards the end. Barring the 16th over that went for 25 runs, the Haryana Strikers kept the ball in the right areas and only conceded 55 runs off the last seven overs. There was not much to separate the two sides. The Warriors played out 57 dot balls, while the Strikers had 58. The Warriors hit 13 fours, while the Strikers hit 14. And there were 16 sixes from the Warriors and 17 from the Strikers. On another day, this could have been a different result. The key difference however was one man – Kuldeep Singh from the Haryana Strikers. He came to the crease with the score at 5/105. The Warriors had just triggered a mini collapse taking three quick wickets for just two runs. The Strikers’ premier batsmen- Sandeep Dult was back in the hut after a Sehwagesque 56 off just 28 balls. If there was any pressure on Kuldeep, he didnt show it. He started off his innings in circumspect fashion with his first 14 balls only yielding 12 runs. His next nine balls though resulted in 35 runs as he swiftly moved into top gear. After 16 overs, Haryana Strikers were 6/158 still needing another 43 runs to win. At the same stage, the Warriors were ahead by 19 runs. But it was at this stage that Kuldeep’s six hitting prowess took the game away from the Warriors. His dismissal with 10 balls to spare gave the Warriors some hope. However Gurdeep Singh and R. Dhingra batted sensibly picking off singles and rotating the strike to guide their team to a three wicket win. Standing on the sidelines, the Haryana Strikers players and spectators made this match feel as though it was the Tournament Final. They clapped and cheered every run that took them closer to the target. And when the winning runs were hit, the players rushed onto the field and gave us their best version of a Bhangra dance. The only thing missing was a Yo Yo Honey Singh beat in the background. An electrifying finish to the match and the celebration by the players at the end only highlights the fact that the passion for cricket is alive and well at the grassroots level. MVP votes: 3 votes- Kuldeep Singh (Strikers) 2 votes- Sandeep Dult (Strikers) 1 vote- Girish Rawat (Warriors) For more statistics, including the full scorecards, analysis, wagon wheels for batsman and much more, please visit: crichq/#matches/171997
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 14:46:13 +0000
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