Redemption at it's BEST!!! Saturday CC Vs Islanders

Posting on behalf of Ashish who wrote this very nice report:

Chill weather was unexpected at this time of the year in SV, especially inlands. Harvey Park, Fremont was the match venue for second game of the first round. We anticipated this match to be a tough contest. Islanders are an upcoming team in TCA and have some good allrounders. We had played them in 2004 League in a very picturesque setting in Alameda. The team think tank (all 11 payers :-) ) was wondering whether to Set a target or Chase one and indeed it was a tough choice to make. Guess, loosing the toss put to rest that argument. Islanders put Sat CC into bat.

Parag and Sanjay started the innings on a slow but steady note. Parag looked in great touch hitting some nice drives but unlucky to find gaps. Sanjay on the other hand had to yet to open his account and he was keen to do so. Sanjay played a nice lofted drive straight down the throat off long on and was back into the pavilion for an unlucky duck. Naresh the most dependable of Sat CC batsmen took his stroll to the wicket with a task on hand. Islanders bowled a nice line and length and their orthodox spinners were quickly able to run through their overs. Naresh and Parag could not increase the scoring rate and even the craftiness of Naresh proved futile. Parag departed trying to up the scoring rate and Viral was sent in. It was Viral's second match and boy what a situation to walk in. Viral has a stock of nice shots in his batting arsenal and the Sat CC camp hoped he could get those out today. Viral too failed and got out cheaply. The score read 14/3 at the end 9 overs. Ashish who was sent in next could not build an innings scored 3 runs and got out cheaply giving an easy catch to long on. The 10th over fetched 5 runs (most runs since over 1) and at the break the score was 19/4 !!! (lowest score at the break for Sat CC in its rich TCA history). Nadeem joined Naresh who seemed to get back to his usual form but lost his way and was out. Madan walked in and he had a uphill battle of not only scoring runs but to keep his wicket as well. Both Madan and Nadeem displayed great technique and kept the score board moving. Madan was lucky not be given run out and boy he rode his luck in the game to the full. This partnership of 23 runs sailed Sat CC out of troubled waters and just before they could capitalize Nadeem departed with a well made 14 runs. Abhay, Shiv and Ahmed gave support to Madan who by now had created tremors in the Island of Islanders with his cracking drives and lofted shots. It was a great contest to watch between Islanders and Madan. Mind game was the name of the game being played there and Madan always had the upper hand. Sat CC score read just 63/9 with one ball to go.

The last ball of the over had Madan's name written all over it. Madan coaxed the bowler into giving him a short pitch ball and it was gone out of Harvey Park for a huge six!!! Sat CC needed those runs badly and everyone in the pavilion rushed into the field as if the match was won already.The adrenaline was so high that Ashish lost Madan's engagement ring in the field. The ring was found much to the relief of Madan :-)

69 to defend against Islanders was going to be an uphill battle for Sat CC especially without the likes of Wasim, Shankar and Kedar M. Abhay and Madan opened the bowling and Madan stuck the first blow in his very first over. The bowlers were backed well by everyone in the field and the Islanders could not sail off the Island.

Kedar B and Viral took the bowling attack from Abhay and Madan. Viral was very excited and his emotions were high costing a few wides but he claimed 2 good wickets. Kedar B took a very well judged catch on the run. Kedar B was at this best from the other end. I believe this was one of the best bowling performances I have seen of Kedar B. Spin bowling and looping deliveries at its best. Islanders had no answer to him and even one of their all-star Samay could only see the ball spin past his off stump. Kedar's bowling was very refreshing and Sat CC needed him to deliver today and boy he did so in great fashion. Things had tightened up for I'ders by this time and Ahmed hammered the nail further down by bowling Samay out on his very first delivery. Fall of his wicket just tightened Sat CC's grip on this match and victory now looked probable. At the end of 10 overs Islanders were 16 for 5 loosing one of their finest batsmen.

Overs 11-16 have always proved ineffective for Sat CC and we seem to loose our way during these overs. Wonder if there is any curse on Sat CC for these overs? Islanders batted with determination and with a purpose. Slowly but surely they clawed their way back into the game and by the end of 17th over the equation read 13 runs of 18 deliveries with 2 wkts. Islanders definitely had an upper hand (though slightly). 4 runs came of the next over with 1 wkt. Islanders now needed 9 runs in two overs. Abhay produced a gem of an over under pressure and gave just 2 runs and it all came down to the final over. 7 runs needed of 6 delivers with 1 wkt in hand. Madan was handed the bowling baton. The first ball was magnificently lofted straight down the wicket for 4 runs and it all seemed so blurry suddenly. The next delivery that Madan bowled was fast bowling at its best. It was an express deliver right in the block hole and even before the batsmen could react his off stump was sent flying. What a way to come back !! This day belonged to Madan and this win will go down as one of the finest individual performance in the history of Sat CC.

Madan was undisputably awarded the MoM for an unbeaten 24 and 2 wickets. Time and again bowlers have won matches for Sat CC, can the batting deliver in crucial games is the million dollar question ?

GO SAT CC !!

- Ashish