Result: 12 Stars CC-1 – Won by 177 runs
Venue: ACC
Author: Rohan
https://www.crichq.com/matches/1023714/1st_innings
WARNING TO LIBERALS: This report will contain free flow of inner thoughts and could make some people uncomfortable with the use of pun, sarcasm, also references to BMI etc. Don’t take it seriously, I know you think the same but under the social pressure of being politically correct in todays world……you got my point—MOVE ON!!
May 1st (first) was the day, first game for Nemish as the one-day captain, debut games for Sarath and Satish in the same format. With many first on a happy note there was something which was not first —The opponents. Since ACC is our home ground. We can call it the Antwerp Derby (just to give it an intense feel). The name sounds intense, but 1 team made it a one-sided affair. The following report will depict the flow of events in a chronological order as much as possible but given the authors profound and bold thinking you don’t know what to expect. SIT ON THE THRONE AND ENJOY THE NEXT 5-20 mins (depending on your
reading capabilities –TAARE ZAMEEN PAR).
Bright day with members from 12stars reaching the ground on time. The usual small talk pleasantries, free advice exchanged as the ground was setup. Match was very well organised by the Match manager (special thanks to him). Setup done –> warm up –> catching as part of our process under the new leadership was done in that order #Prathishta, anushasan, Parampara. Only thing we missed before the game was Alok Nath’s blessing (BAUJI).
New leadership new things have started happening. We are winning tosses unlike the previous captain whom no one wants to remember as part of the tosses #EPIC FAIL. Using hashtags as part to get the millennials involved. We won the toss and chose to bat.
Opponents arrived as usual not much of a greeting exchanged, but mutual acknowledgement of their presence. They came with a coach chacha and few supporters. Their captain was injured and sitting out and while discussing with our captain, we came to a conclusion that there is something stuck up his…..(3 letter word with 2 S’s). He never smiles, always looks angry and forever arrogant with the body and face (takes some confidence; P).
Game started with our openers playing cautiously and targeting the lose balls. But with some small error in judgement both the openers were back in the dug out with 18 on board. With Ashish and Arsh on the field we were expecting to see a lot of running and quick singles, to our surprise our sardar started playing some aerial shots to spread the field. This is the kind of intent the previous captain kept talking about ……. At last, they realised or was it a plot in which he was ousted (YEH RAAZ BHI USI KE SAATH CHALAGAYA). Amidst all this our leg umpires told us that our beloved west Indians (GUJJU’s guy…keep up) sledged a lotwith citing the infamous last year saying the rain god saved us and mocking the team on their batting style and shots…and etc etc. I’m not sure if it worked but we lost Ashish with 40 on board. A come back for our gareebo ka Katappa maama…you keep coming back somehow every 2 years like a Fast and furious movie (ONLY thing fast is the title).
Arsh and the REAL GAREEB ( kowshi) came to the field and started rotating the strike. I need to give it the opponents that they are good at bowling one line and length…its commendable (don’t worry each appreciation would come back with 2 put downs..later).
Only way our temperamental sardar can get out is Run out and this is exactly what happened. Partner was fasting so we can say it was the fault of……you guys are smart put 2 and 2 together. Furious sardar came out and threw his bat and then realized it’s precious…I guess he wept a bitͧ ͨ ͩ ͪ . Luckily it missed a team man who was injured by his 2-year-old son a few days back. It is at this point I started thinking my match report is going to be very short, but both you and I were in for a surprise. Now it was the debutant Sarath with a poor partner (not skill wise). They started rotating sensibly and targeted the bad balls wisely and strongly. Our runs rate started climbing 3—4 —5 and we started cruising as kowshi reached his 50 with a Six and then went on to clobber two more in the same over. They hyped a part time bowler to bowl china man—-he was hit to china in his own right. This change in a usually lazy, fasting kowshi was brought in by the visitors. They poked the bear…and quite hard by sledging. To our advantage it kept him awake and talking the rest of the day. We were now 200 in 38 overs and kowshi inching towards his century. He scored the century with a single (overthrow double) the whole team standing, shouting and hooting. I asked him to make 150 now. Now we waited for sarath to reach his 50. In the meantime gareeb ran out of money and got out scoring 109. He was received with warm hugs and wet kisses from everyone.
215 in 40 and now walks in the man waiting for 25 overs with his pads on. It was me. I am not particularly fond of the west Indians residing in the region of Antwerp. These are the games when I let the beast out. I came in and waited for sarath to reach his fifty. What an innings…..if kowshi was KGF 2 box office….then Sarath was Pushpa. If you don’t understand please watch south Indian movies.
We spoke to not target their only good bowler and rest of the overs were bonus where I was waiting to use my hammer. Sarath got out immediately after his 50 then came in Ani…the bowling pair on batting now. I asked ani to stay until 50 overs and let me hit, so I did. 2 big sixes and one massive over cover and 3 boundaries…I’m sure none of the visitors wanted to touch the ball as they would have left without fingers had they attempted. With some injuries in their team due to unstable BMI which resulted in their ankle taking too much weight, they started feeling the heat and started crumbling. Once we reached 250, I
told ani this target is beyond their reach ( in nice Hindi—yeh inki shamta se bahar hai). I got out and We reached 286 with some blows from ani and well supported by satish, vishal and cheeka.
END OF PART 1
Thanks to Subbu for getting custom made Jain food which all of us relished. This was one thing we all agreed on that the food was good. To our surprise the opponent captain had a smile as if the food had released the stuck part from his body and he was at peace.
Coach chacha was walking up and down and asking himself why he is here and what is he doing, then he realised food was good. We started the proceedings with cheeka. This is how the handover of responsibility happens as I did not bowl the first ball in 9 years. Heart wrenching…..wipe your tears and get back in the story. Nemish left me to handle the unruly, directionless hrithik ( cheeka ) from LAKSHYA. We spoke before the game , during lunch and I asked him to be patient. He will get the wickets but needs to wait like a tiger for his kill at the right time. My voice and arms intimidated him and he did just what the doctor ordered. Good length and making batsman think. From the other end I kept putting pressure and as AICC is, they were scared to get to the ball as the ball was talking to their chests. Shri set it up well and I told him in my 2nd over I will get the first wicket………..ALAS!!! all went well ball to the fielder and where I wanted, and somethings don’t change…..straight catch was dropped. It was SATISH usually a safe fielder….all I could say is that he learnt the tricks of the team to deny me wickets….BAHUT AAGE JAOGE:P :P. in his next over shri took 2 and then 1 in the next. I as usual scared them with my chest and biceps and went wicket less as ball
flew between and over the slips. They had no clue of what we were doing with the ball. All this while Kowshi and slips kept sledging them so hard that we couldnt stop laughing. This continued till the last ball.38 in the first 10 over with 3 wickets down was a good start for them….they could have been 6 down if my teammates were more friendly towards my fading career.
Talking about fading careers. Ani got the ball with sarath as first change. Pushpa, and Vin diesel (stocky version with hair) in his yet another comeback with yet another operation came to bowl. Pushpa bowled an excellent line and length and took 2 amazing wickets with proper leg break. Ani took his first wicket but it was the catch which was the highlight. It was better than any international level catch I have seen or taken ;-). A random shot top edge, ball going high and towards square leg, you hear kowshi saying mine …. moment froze for everyone except him…..he ran and ran and took a plunge….in the air 175 degrees to be precise. Mostly parallel to the ground took the catch in the air…its etched now…….the opponent supporters left after this saying time for chai and kharka…that is better. Rohan kept shining the ball so well…as learnt from the legend Nauman who was also there on the field with his glasses on and swag matching his cute, golu physique of a 6 year old well fed boyͧͨͩͪ . Ani was able to swing the ball…bananasss even at 20th over. As history repeats, I was still applying pressure with the ball literally and Ani taking the wickets. The ball came to me diligently wherever I was to shine from the captain. Ani sung, swung and took 5. Highlight remaining the number 9 leaving the ball and off stump uprooted. Ctrl C + Ctrl V from 2014-2016 era. 5 for ani, 3 for shri and 2 for Pushpa………..nothing more to say…..kind words and appreciation for me. The last wicket is worth mentioning as ani and I came together and set a field and I told arsh you will take this catch and end the game ….2balls later arsh caught the ball with his mouth as it came there….Experience……GAME
DONE!!!
The real Hero of the match was Vishal who even after getting beaten by his son and having a bad back injury came to make sure we didn’t fall short and was supposed to open the bowling and making his debut in DIV 1 supported the team by fielding all day. Hope you get fit for the next match and bowl…and as history goes you will get the wickets!!
Satish opened up, nerves gone as he batted, bowled and dropped my catch as per the process and plan of the captain. First win for nemish, excellent captaincy good field setup and calmness on the field. OF COURSE, he would be calm when he has 2 ex captains playing the game for him!!
The opponents were heard saying “ THIS IS PAINFUL TO WATCH”. Indeed it was meant to be painful. Overall good setup for the season….keep this in my mind the right intent and process will take us places. Skill wise we are good. Only person I missed was maybe sazz but a lot was spoken about him the last 2 weeks…so its OK. 😛
“When things go well you don’t see the real character….when things don’t go well that is
when you need to control your demons”
MOM – Kowshik for his century and catches
Sarath and Ani great performances. These are the days when I feel happy we won but sad that at 35 I have flat abs, great hair and good looks but its worth nothing as the universe conspires against you. So you stop thinking and move on….heart touching yet again.
BABU MOSHAI I HATE TEARS RE…………..for the west Indians
THIS IS MY EID GIFT TO YOU
EID MUBARAK!!!
