Match: VCC 3 vs Quick 3
Venue: VCC Ground 2
Date: 25th July 2021 (Sunday)
Author: Naman Upadhyay/ RK
Match four of the season with Quick. The Quick team had three youth players and were still trying to find footing in the competition with a newly formed team.
We knew they weren’t the strongest opponents in the pool but didn’t allow complacency to creep in.
VCC won the toss and elected to bat first. We were without Jenagan and Navjot.
In Jenagan’s absence, Nitesh opened the innings with RK. They both started cautiously but at the score of ca. 20 Nitesh got a delivery that kept low and was dismissed. Naman entered and he played a steady hand and was spotless as always. The elusive big partnership of 153 runs came for which both Naman and RK had been hoping for. RK was dropped off the bowling of young Ayush (Vishal’s son playing for quick) ca. 43 runs. RK (56 runs) was dismissed in the 31st over. Naman (65 runs) also perished in the 33rd over whilst trying to accelerate the scoring. VCC score was 176/3.
The young ones from Quick were bowling well and well supported by their captain Ajay. Some good keeping and fielding was at display. Retesh made handy 6 runs and got out. Sono was soon adjudged lbw. The team is eagerly waiting to witness Sono’s flamboyant innings. We hope that he has been saving the best for the big occasion. Dinesh made the most of the given situation making 18 runs in less than run-a-ball. Ariff too scored a brisk 15*. Matt Birch of the opposition was really skilful and effective in his second spell that saw him pick 3 wickets. With limited overs remaining and accurate bowling, big shots were limited and in the quest to score a quick single Rohit Honrao got run out. Quick bowlers gave ca. 44 wides, 4 NB and other extras. Extras was the third highest scorer (60 runs) in the VCC innings.
VCC posted 225 in 40 overs.
Nitesh arranged a very nice lunch and the VCC team took to fielding soon.
Sono & Ashish opened the bowling together. In the 3rd over, Sono took 2 wickets in successive deliveries and unfortunately could not get a Hat trick. The wickets had come off tremendous catches in the slip by Naman. He confessed that he dreamt of taking catches at the slip that night. Sono finished for 5ov-1m-8r-2w.
Ashish was also economical and finished with 6ov-21runs-1w. After the 9th over, Vishal came to bowl and took his 1st wicket of the match, caught by Waqas in cover. After this wicket the Quick batsman Woning took the charge and made quick fire 36 runs with 2 sixes and 4 fours. Then our captain took the decision to change the bowling attack, Ariff and Dinesh were brought into attack. Dinesh has time and again cast an indelible impression of his skill on the matches, this time it was with bowling. Dinesh foxed the batsman who was scoring heavily and got him caught at long-on with Naman taking the catch in the 17th over. Dinesh finished with 3ov-5r-1w. As the dangerous batsman went back to the pavilion, the VCC 3 bowlers were eager to finish the match as soon as possible. Ariff took 2 wickets quickly and in the 27th over, Naman took 2 wickets, a run-out by the WK (RK), cleaned up the tail. Vishal finished with 4ov-23r-1w. Ariff finished with 5ov-29r-2w. Naman finished with 4ov-19r-2w.
In the end Quick team were bundled out for 110 runs in 27 overs.
VCC3 won by 115 runs and 3 wickets.
VCC 3 has won all four matches comprehensively and are at no. 1 spot in the ladder tables.
We hope to take on the next opponents with equal fervour and win.