Corridor of Uncertain Tea - WGCC vc TGCC (10th July 2010)
There are a few clashes that always gets sports fan across the globe excited in the cricket world – India vs. Pakistan, Australia vs. England in Ashes; to name a few.
But if you ask the core members of the WGCC club to name the best clash they would give an arm for, it would be the battle between WGCC vs. TGCC. Period.
One may ask innocently what makes this clash so exciting. Why such hip hoopla about it?
Well, let me generalize it and answer philosophically that any clash is only exciting if it has some history behind it.
And by now, it is a common knowledge around the Piedmont area that WGCC and TGCC guys doesn’t share the brothers-in-arms type camaraderie.
Now, divulging in the details about the history between these two clubs is worthy of separate blog space, so we will leave it there and will concentrate on the match details.
Picking the playing X I for the match was easy, as the nature of the match automatically picked the players who so badly wanted to settle their own personal score in some way or the other against TGCC, and we all agreed that the best way to do it was by performing to the best of their ability and let our play do the talking.
Both the teams arrived at the ground by 10 am and amongst some cold stares and casual hellos the pitch was ready by 10 30 for the match to start. The umpires called for both the skipper for the toss. I was representing my team for the same, and Mayuresh walked in from the other side, after a serious brainstorming with his team to decide whether to call heads or tails during the toss. Halfway into the ground, the umpires mentioned that the coin being used for the toss had Yes/No on either side to be called. Chaos ensued and a panicked Mayuresh frantically called in for Sanjay to ask what to call during the toss now, as I disbelievingly looked on, while controlling my laughter all along.
A flip of the coin and I won the toss, and immediately letting the umpires know that WGCC would bowl first.
A pumped up, raring to go WGCC team took on the field, and Biv started the proceedings for us. He flew in from Kansas City for this match, as it was impossible to imagine him missing this match for anything.
The first ball from Biv was dispatched to the point boundary and the opposite camp immediately erupted into cheers, as if they thought those were the winning runs for their side. They immediately started with some sledging and banter until the 5th ball, when WGCC picked their first wicket. Satish was the first victim. The following batsman came in and immediately counter-attacked by hitting Kanwar for a few boundaries in the next over, and all this while the cheers from the opposition camp getting louder and louder.
Biv’s next over was very eventful where being hit for a boundary off the very first ball with a mindless slog from the batsman, Biv unleashed a fury of bouncers over the batsman who succumbed to it and lofted one high over the mid –off region; a moment of anxiety for WGCC, deep silence and a determined Amar holding on the a difficult catch to get rid of the 2nd wicket. Enough emotions were shown and that put us in top gear for the rest of the match. Anirudh from other end still kept going hammers and tonks before I came in and took him out on the very first ball of my spell, with Mayur completing a regulation catch behind the stumps.
It was a sweet revenge for us and ironic in a way that the first three wickets for WGCC involved Biv, Mayur and Amar in some way or the other; all very important catalysts in the history between TGCC and us.
Mayuresh was the next one to follow and as Satya put it very rightly in his mail; the way Sunny celebrated after picking him up would put Sreesanth to shame.
Rohan and Sanjay came in next and did what they are best known for; stalling the match and drying up the runs. This time it was sweeter as we were not playing with them; but against them. Watching Sanjay bat would put the cricket’s inventor to shame and we fully exploited his inability to pick runs. Rohan was clueless (as always!) against our bowling and was soon picked by Mo; which he mentioned was the only wicket he wanted. Shamshuddin came and played a little cameo briefly; but soon fell putting TGCC further into a hole.
We bundled them for 169 in 28 odd overs, boosted by 35 extras that we conceded during our bowling.
During our innings break we celebrated Kanwar’s bday by cutting a cake and feasted on the salt less biryani (I personally liked it :P) cooked by Mayur and Kanwar.
Now the time was to hunt the target, and chasing 170 is always tricky as it is not a small target to be relaxed, nor a big one to go all guns blazing at once.
Rahul and Mayur opened the innings for us, and Rahul fell soon in the second over.
Gaurav and Mo also fell in quick succession leaving us for 47/3 in 10 overs.
This brought Ramanji on the crease and he immediately started rotating the strike and taking pressure off Mayur. There was a initial caution mixed with aggression as they picked the odd boundaries and we were 87/3 during drinks break after 15 overs.
Soon after the break, Raman and Mayur looted Rohan for aplenty by hitting a six each in the same over; with Mayur’s hit falling way over the tennis court. Nothing could better that site for us for a long long time to come. Kiran, their “magic man” and Shamshuddin, their “best bowler” also struggled to control the runs. Soon Mayur completed his half century which was quickly followed by Ramanji’s 50 runs; which also brought their 100 run partnership. By this time, the opposition were tired and slient with their shoulders stooped and a demeanor suggesting surrender.
We won comfortably and convincingly with almost 5 overs to spare and nothing could have been a better answer to all the bickering and nincompoopery that TGCC has shown in the past. This also establishes our supremacy in the cricket field against them and we are sure to cherish this win for a long long time to come.
Let me sum up by saying that the only good thing that has come out of having differences with TGCC is the inception of WGCC; which has brought a bunch of great guys together and I am sure that in the years to come, we will develop a culture instead of only a cricket club and would fondly and proudly call ourselves WGCCian.
Go Team!
But if you ask the core members of the WGCC club to name the best clash they would give an arm for, it would be the battle between WGCC vs. TGCC. Period.
One may ask innocently what makes this clash so exciting. Why such hip hoopla about it?
Well, let me generalize it and answer philosophically that any clash is only exciting if it has some history behind it.
And by now, it is a common knowledge around the Piedmont area that WGCC and TGCC guys doesn’t share the brothers-in-arms type camaraderie.
Now, divulging in the details about the history between these two clubs is worthy of separate blog space, so we will leave it there and will concentrate on the match details.
Picking the playing X I for the match was easy, as the nature of the match automatically picked the players who so badly wanted to settle their own personal score in some way or the other against TGCC, and we all agreed that the best way to do it was by performing to the best of their ability and let our play do the talking.
Both the teams arrived at the ground by 10 am and amongst some cold stares and casual hellos the pitch was ready by 10 30 for the match to start. The umpires called for both the skipper for the toss. I was representing my team for the same, and Mayuresh walked in from the other side, after a serious brainstorming with his team to decide whether to call heads or tails during the toss. Halfway into the ground, the umpires mentioned that the coin being used for the toss had Yes/No on either side to be called. Chaos ensued and a panicked Mayuresh frantically called in for Sanjay to ask what to call during the toss now, as I disbelievingly looked on, while controlling my laughter all along.
A flip of the coin and I won the toss, and immediately letting the umpires know that WGCC would bowl first.
A pumped up, raring to go WGCC team took on the field, and Biv started the proceedings for us. He flew in from Kansas City for this match, as it was impossible to imagine him missing this match for anything.
The first ball from Biv was dispatched to the point boundary and the opposite camp immediately erupted into cheers, as if they thought those were the winning runs for their side. They immediately started with some sledging and banter until the 5th ball, when WGCC picked their first wicket. Satish was the first victim. The following batsman came in and immediately counter-attacked by hitting Kanwar for a few boundaries in the next over, and all this while the cheers from the opposition camp getting louder and louder.
Biv’s next over was very eventful where being hit for a boundary off the very first ball with a mindless slog from the batsman, Biv unleashed a fury of bouncers over the batsman who succumbed to it and lofted one high over the mid –off region; a moment of anxiety for WGCC, deep silence and a determined Amar holding on the a difficult catch to get rid of the 2nd wicket. Enough emotions were shown and that put us in top gear for the rest of the match. Anirudh from other end still kept going hammers and tonks before I came in and took him out on the very first ball of my spell, with Mayur completing a regulation catch behind the stumps.
It was a sweet revenge for us and ironic in a way that the first three wickets for WGCC involved Biv, Mayur and Amar in some way or the other; all very important catalysts in the history between TGCC and us.
Mayuresh was the next one to follow and as Satya put it very rightly in his mail; the way Sunny celebrated after picking him up would put Sreesanth to shame.
Rohan and Sanjay came in next and did what they are best known for; stalling the match and drying up the runs. This time it was sweeter as we were not playing with them; but against them. Watching Sanjay bat would put the cricket’s inventor to shame and we fully exploited his inability to pick runs. Rohan was clueless (as always!) against our bowling and was soon picked by Mo; which he mentioned was the only wicket he wanted. Shamshuddin came and played a little cameo briefly; but soon fell putting TGCC further into a hole.
We bundled them for 169 in 28 odd overs, boosted by 35 extras that we conceded during our bowling.
During our innings break we celebrated Kanwar’s bday by cutting a cake and feasted on the salt less biryani (I personally liked it :P) cooked by Mayur and Kanwar.
Now the time was to hunt the target, and chasing 170 is always tricky as it is not a small target to be relaxed, nor a big one to go all guns blazing at once.
Rahul and Mayur opened the innings for us, and Rahul fell soon in the second over.
Gaurav and Mo also fell in quick succession leaving us for 47/3 in 10 overs.
This brought Ramanji on the crease and he immediately started rotating the strike and taking pressure off Mayur. There was a initial caution mixed with aggression as they picked the odd boundaries and we were 87/3 during drinks break after 15 overs.
Soon after the break, Raman and Mayur looted Rohan for aplenty by hitting a six each in the same over; with Mayur’s hit falling way over the tennis court. Nothing could better that site for us for a long long time to come. Kiran, their “magic man” and Shamshuddin, their “best bowler” also struggled to control the runs. Soon Mayur completed his half century which was quickly followed by Ramanji’s 50 runs; which also brought their 100 run partnership. By this time, the opposition were tired and slient with their shoulders stooped and a demeanor suggesting surrender.
We won comfortably and convincingly with almost 5 overs to spare and nothing could have been a better answer to all the bickering and nincompoopery that TGCC has shown in the past. This also establishes our supremacy in the cricket field against them and we are sure to cherish this win for a long long time to come.
Let me sum up by saying that the only good thing that has come out of having differences with TGCC is the inception of WGCC; which has brought a bunch of great guys together and I am sure that in the years to come, we will develop a culture instead of only a cricket club and would fondly and proudly call ourselves WGCCian.
Go Team!
posted by ASB at 7:30 PM
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