Season 7 begins - Infernos continue to throw their weight around !!

The start of Season 7 of the Palladian Cricket League probably had a lot more riding on it that ever before. The chatter, the perceptions, the misgivings, the trade window that ensured team changes, it had it all. 

Sample this....Get ready for the PCL's season opener. It's not just a game, its a cracker of a cricket opera. Two balanced teams clash in a riveting contest ensuring more drama than a Netflix series. 

Or another one...The night before a new season. A fresh start. Full of possibilities and promise of dreams...

The stage was rightly set and with a record group of 26 in attendance, for a change the question was, how can we get everyone to play. 

Anyway before the game start, we felicitated the Infernos for their crushing season win. 

Following which we had the MVP awards and the special one to choose our Young Cricketer of the season. As HK and Vicky put it, there were a number of potential candidates but it was birthday boy and newly minted teen Ayush that walked away with the award. Proud father Kiran and mother Swetha were watching!!!

It was now team for the big game to begin. MVP for Infernos and new captain called right and had a easy choice to make. He asked the Vikings to bat considering the wet and dewy conditions. 

Vikings knew that they need to try out a few options and while season openers are the best statement of intent, there was probably not going to be a better time. Kishore opened the batting with Kings. Ayush opened the bowling and quickly scalped Kings which brought Chaitanya to the crease. While Kishore was watching the ball closely, Chaitanya started unfurling the most gorgeous shots in the book. While it was a slow and watchful start, it started going downhill when Chaitanya mistimed a full toss and was out caught at the boundary. Vikings tinkered with the batting line up but it soon become a procession. 

Satya, Kishore, Arjun, Hari , Dhruv, Piyushand Sameer were out even before you realized what was going on. Harsha was trying his best to get back into some batting form but was clearly not timing it and the weight of the wickets falling around him playing on his mind. 

Pranav and Ayush bowled extremely tight spells with Pranav even getting the better of his old man that would have surely made him a happy person today. Susmit and Shiten were their parsimonious selves but the Vikings batting self ignited. 

Gopi and Ahaan tried to force the pace but was soon gone too. The score was 38 with the last pair of Eshaan and Bipin at the crease and the ignominy of an under 50 total staring boldly. Shiten tried to get some of his irregular bowlers a look in and that finally gave Vikings a small avenue to maximize on. Bipin playing in a rather unusual position for himself took it upon himself and what a little gem of a knock he played. After hitting Vicky for a few boundaries, Shiten brought HK in to bowl to end the innings. The next four balls where absolute mayhem. 4.4.4.4. and you suddenly had the Infernos worry for the first time. HK got his man off the 5th but thanks to that piece of savagery by Bipin, the Vikings ended at 68. 

There was now something to play for and the Infernos also knew that they had to be smart about the chase. Piyush opened the bowling for the Vikings and got the ball to zip. The openers Raghu and CP took their time and used every scoring opportunity to get some runs. With an asking rate only around 4, the Infernos knew that they would master the chase as long as they had wickets in hand. Raghu played a calming innings and CP got his eye in before being run out by that man Kishore. A few more close run outs went begging and the Infernos rode that luck. A few wickets later, the ask was 22 runs needed in 5 overs. Clearly in favor of Infernos but a wicket and that too of HK could open up possibilities. However HK as he has now shown in his last 3 innings, has become a chase master. He soaks in all the pressure knowing fully well that the bowlers will falter. 

Game, set and match Infernos. 

MoM : Pranav for bowling with guile and venom.