“After losing our first two matches against Sparta and Qui Vive, today is a good day for a win!”
With these words echoing in both of their minds, both VCC U15 Blue and HCC U15 arrived at Westvliet, field 3, each team having lost their first two games against exactly the same opponents. Little did anyone know, that they were about to play a match that would finish in the most dramatic ways a cricket match can finish….
Starting on the back foot
The ghosts of previous defeats still haunted the VCC camp. The Sparta side originated from Antwerp, but they might as well have come from another planet, as they scored a humongous (record?) total of 330 runs, a mountain too high to climb for our team. Our team will also remember that warzone match because a staggering total of 17 sixes were conceded and… each time the ball had to be recovered from the bushes.
Subsequently, the second match at Qui Vive was characterized by showers and a strong wind and despite strong batting from some, that wind surely must have been the reason for the many wides that our bowling showed. But every defeat carries a lesson, and today would prove whether those lessons had been learned.
Building the Foundation
Winning the toss was a good omen and the brotherhood of Abhiram and left arm Rushi opened the batting, but it was the partnership of Abhiram (45) and Abran that created a platform to build upon.
Abran built his top score during 26 overs, welcoming five different partners to the crease during his marathon stay. His eventual retirement at 60 runs came only after a breathtaking finale – nearly half his runs cascading from the final 12 deliveries he faced, a perfect demonstration of patient batting and accelerating when it was the proper time for it.
Enter Audrey in the 28th over, with a mission. Recognizing that the middle overs had crawled along at a pedestrian pace (just 26 runs from overs 17-25, barely 3 per over), she injected the innings with rocket fuel. Her explosive cameo resulted in the highest strike rate of 125, decorated with two boundaries and a well-run double. The only casualty in this blitz was Muhammad, unfortunately run out in the mayhem, but such are the acceptable losses at the end of the innings, with two wickets in hand.
All in all, a total of 189 seemed like a very decent and defendable score after the 1st innings.
The Chase Begins
The second innings opened strong for the bowling side. Hridhaan struck in the fifth over, only to see Zayn bowling a wicket maiden over right after. At 32/2 after 8 overs with just 12 extras conceded, everything was proceeding according to plan and VCC started dreaming of an early victory.
HCC’s Gijs and Felix worked steadily on the score but the turning point came only in the 25th over, when the crucial fourth wicket of Gijs was taken through a run-out. HCC’s scorer issued a warning to those who heard it: don’t be too happy with this wicket, because he knew: now Sjoerd Wiesmeier will step to the crease.
Victory or Defeat?
At 139/4 with 51 runs needed from 33 balls (9.3 per over), VCC could sense victory within their grasp. Surely they couldn’t let this slip away … could they?
Fast forward to over 28 when Abran could remove this dangerman (18 from 13 balls), only to see him replaced by the next hard-hitter, who immediately hit a 4 and a 6! So in just 5 balls the score changed from 164/4 to 178/6. Two overs remained, 11 runs required. The spectators were getting quite excited now and the players could keep track of the score as the scoreboard was updated with each run now.
Abhiram kept his nerve in the 29th over, conceding just 5 precious runs, but mathematics remained cruel: 7 runs needed from the final 6 balls.
The Grand Final
Enter Jort, with the weight of the world on his young shoulders. Every VCC supporter offered silent prayers against the dreaded wide ball.
29.1: FOUR RUNS! Hearts sank as HCC needed just 3 from 5 balls. Game over?
29.2: Not quite! While Jort maintained his composure, HCC’s nerves cracked. Abran could create a run-out! The arm of the (HCC) umpire might have felt very heavy, as it took him for ages to elevator the finger, but he couldn’t argue with the strong appeal. Was there still hope for VCC?
29.3: Single. 2 runs needed from 3 deliveries. Anything could happen.
29.4: WICKET! Aarav pouched a brilliant catch. 2 runs from 2 balls required for HCC to win. All eyes transfixed on Jort.
29.5: DOT BALL! No runs scored. Could HCC still manage 2 runs? Please…. no wides!
29.6: The air crackled with tension as Jort released his final delivery. The striker’s stumps exploded in glorious destruction – the third wicket of the over and VCC’s heroic victory!
The Heroes of the Hour
With bowling numbers of 3/17 in 4 overs, bowling just 2 wides and last but not least; this heroic over, I have no doubt in calling Jort the Man of the Match.
Zayn deserves special mention for his wicket maiden over and figures of 1/5 in 2 overs, conceding just 3 runs from the bat. Meanwhile, Reuben seamlessly transitioned from wicket-keeper to strike bowler, surrendering only 7 runs (3 from the bat) across 2 overs.
Room for Improvement
The elephant in the room remains the extras column – 38 wides compared to HCC’s 20. Without these unnecessary gifts, the nail-biting finish might never have materialized.
Coach Henry Melville closely observed the match unfolding, already formulating the lessons that would transform today’s near-miss into tomorrow’s commanding performance. His post-match debrief was undoubtedly addressing the lessons to be taken. And, as he is also engaged in weekly training sessions, he will definitely see to it that the improvements will be made.
After the stressed end, all players enjoyed a luscious and healthy lunch in good harmony with the opposition. All of this in the true spirit of the game of cricket, that showed itself from its best side today.
Today’s thriller will be remembered and the U15 Blue team learned a lot about all the merits of each of their players. And: took a lot of valuable learnings to top up their game for the next opponents. Next up: Hilversum (away match).
Voeg reactie toe