The Vikings pull one back - All round performance shows true potential of the team!!

 *Battle for the ages ends in a whimper*. - Guest piece by Manoj Menon

Weekend cricket in Palladian is a way of life. And what a life it is.!!
The scene was set as the two new franchises were settling down. The Infernos with back to back wins looking a much dominant side with their masterful captain HK eager to stamp their authority and the Vikings trying to get a their team together to fight back and get on the board which read 3-0 in favour of the Infernos.

For a change the Vikings assembled a full team. Plagued by injuries and missing key players for the past few matches had not help their cause this season. Today the Vikings problem was of plenty.

The Infernos had a stand-in leader today, the fiery Satya in for the ever calm and collected Karthik H. An over confident Karthik was leaving the team in the hands of his deputy as the Vikings picked their playing 12.
Satya called right and elected to bowl, trying to leverage the wet conditions and Karthiks presence as a bowler.
Vikings started steady under helpful bowling conditions with a new opening pair of Manoj and Raghu  against the right and left combination of experienced Karthik and young blood Ayush. The Vikings lost Manoj early but Raghu flourished in the company of Harsha who stabilised the Viking innings with some crisp hitting. The 2 gave the Vikings the much need explosive start.

The wily Shitendra playing his first match of the season broke the partnership and picked up Raghu and Gopi of consecutive balls.

Harsha was picture perfect and his innings were peppered with some late cuts, some well timed drives and explosive pulls. Ashish, the Vikings skipper played a few shots but was caught off the bowling of Satya. Next ball he induced a false shot of the ever dependable Sameer and  cut Anand in to half with a peach of a delivery that took the bails off.  A “hattrick” in the hallowed Palladian grounds and the infernos has rocked the Viking innings. 5 wickets had fallen in quick succession. The standin captain was leading from the front.
“cometh the hour, cometh the man.” Arjun watching his team squander a lovely start walked and took the inferno bowlers to the cleaners. The inferno bowlers lost the plot to the explosive Arjun and the watchful game of Sushmit who held one end up.

A freak run out ended Arjuns impactful innings. Susmit joined by Mark provided the much necessary finish for the Vikings. His innings was one of the best innings in recent times considering he came in when the Vikings had just lost a flurry if wickets. He began slowing stealing singles and finished of the Vikings innings with some lusty sixes. The vikings set  an imposing  target of 110 in 15 overs.

Chasing anything above a 100 runs is tricky in the Maidana. The infernos were with out the batting services of their Imposing captain. Often labelled as a one person team, the infernos had a point to prove.
The inferno innings started in a whimper loosing AK in the first over. Sameer wanting to make up for his batting bowled an impeccable line giving away just 2 runs and took the wicket of AK whose explosive starts were one of the striking features of the inferno dominance this season.

Enter Hari a little sore from being traded so early in the season and with partly auction returns. Hari showed why he was revered so much with some clean striking . Taking advantage of the fielding reprieve giving to him by the Viking fielders Hari came to the party to keep inferno run rate was at par with the asking rate. Hari’s dismissal against the run of play brought Samir to the crease. The Vikings fielding was found wanting again he was dropped early and he made the bowlers pay.

He perished trying to up the ante against some tight lines bowled by Sameer and Arjun.

The Vikings fielders who were found wanting earlier created some great opportunities in the field. Great teamwork by Susmit and Anshul to send back the dangerous Kiran. Shitendra perished of a  brilliant catch by Sameer off his own bowling.

Mark choked the free flowing Kingsly with his impeccable line and length and the writing was on the wall. The stand-in captain hit some lusty blows for a semblance of a fight back but it was not to be as the tail did not trouble the scorers much. The Infernos were all out for 70 odd runs.

The match had the writings of a classic.  Buoyed by the return of their mainstays, the Vikings prevailed. Though early in the season, the question continues be “Are the infernos too dependent on their captain ?”

*MOM* - Susmit for some great all round play.