Result: CTCC won by 58 Runs
There are days when nothing goes wrong. That day was today for CTCC. People will say its a case of "Too little too late". Who cares? Our aim was to finish the unfinished business on that ground. And it was duly accomplished. It definitly was a flawless victory. It all started when CTCC called right and elected to bat.
CTCC Innings
Sathish and Samar started the proceedings for CTCC. Things didn't start well as Samar was bowled to a low ball in the second over. Score read 1/4. Sathish and Amit stabilized the innings. They added valuable 22 runs for second wicket. Sathish doing bulk of scoring while Amit defending from other side. Sathish hit HydCC best bowler for 3 consecutive Fours, which made HydCC captain Zaki to bring himself on. That change immediatly bore fruits as Amit was bowled on another low ball, 2/26. Santosh joined Sathish on field, but Sathish fell shortly in next over, 3/32. And then CTCC saw something which people who were not there will never believe and we will never forget. Kapil and Santosh gave a partnership of 50 runs. That was the highest partnership ever made for any wicket for CTCC. Were they doing anything extraordinary? Extraordinary, NO. Spectular, YES. They just stuck to the basics and kept on rotating strike. Bowlers came and went and score kept on ticking. For the first time CTCC was 82/3 in 16th over when Santosh was runout stealing a quick single. He made 23. Next over Neeraj got himself run out trying to get single which was not there; 5/86. Chandresh joined Kapil, but Kapil didn't last long after that and was unfortunately given LBW. Good innings, 6/92. Vinay and Chandresh started getting quick runs. Chandresh took a single to bring 100 for CTCC for the first ever time. Vinay celebrated that with a four next ball. But poped the next ball in the air, only for the WK to take a simple catch; 7/104 Chandresh was run out on a direct hit. Vijay, Srinivas and Chander contributed 2 runs each and CTCC innings came to an end in 23.3 overs. Score 118.
HydCC Innings
HydCC had a good start. Both the openers playing openly took the score to 25 in first 4 overs. It was then Vijay stuck, when Samar took a breathtaking catch in slips. (And here started the story of Samar and 7 wickets). Srinivas bowled Sajid in next over on a beauty, 2/29. Samar and Vinay replaced Vijay and Srinivas. Samar stuck in his second over when Vinay took a great catch running backwards. And then he bolwed Tanveer next ball. His slower balls with disguised spin, made the batsman to go over the head and throwing wickets on their way. Kapil took another great catch to get rid of Seraj in Vinay's first over; 5/38. Samar next over saw two more wickets falling. Sathish caught Jawad behind wicket and Samar bowled Zubair. Every over of Samar was yielding wicket. And he wiped the tail with the last ball of his spell and finished with figures of 7/16. Amit took another of great catches at silly point in that over. HydCC all out for 60. And that was the victory CTCC had always waited for. Wish it had come in last match. But it was good to see Santosh and Kapil coming back in form. And Specially Samar, find of the series. (I don't know why I remember that it was me, who promoted him as bowler). Good job guys. Hence Proved, what stuff we are made of.
Funny Moment of the match : "Last man (Mujahid) said, how come a HALAWA bowler like Samar took 6 wickets. And got out next ball from Samar."