Scorecard TITANS vs Canton

Result: TITANS won by 22 runs

Canton approached this match with a must-win attitude in its attempt to reach the Round 2. We knew that if we won this match, we would be more or less sure of reaching Round 2. So, this match was important to both teams in their scheme of things in DCL’04.

On a cloudy day with forecast of rain starting noon, Canton won the toss and elected to field.

TITANS batting
Titans opened the batting with Shilpan and Vinay. Vinay was the first to get out, given out leg-before. Next, Shilpan was caught while trying to turn the ball to the leg-side. Score 11 for 2 after 3 overs. Abhilash was the next to lose his wicket when he was caught as he tried to turn a full toss to leg-side. Score 17 for 3 after 6 overs. Kapil was the next to go – caught unable to play the ball down. Score 24 for 4 after 8 overs and Titans in a precarious position.
Srinivas and Abhay then put up a partnership that stopped any further loss of wickets before the mid-inning break. At the break, score was 31 for 4 in 12 overs. Srinivas was the next to get out – declared lbw – in the 14th over with the score on 34.
Satheesh was promoted up the order in an attempt to accelerate the run-rate. Although the run-rate did not exactly upsurge as much as we would have liked, Satheesh provided company to Abhay as they frustrated Canton and took advantage of extras as they took the score to 52 in 18 overs.
That’s when we lost both Satheesh and Abhay in quick succession as the pressure to improve the runrate finally got to them. Satheesh was bowled and Abhay was caught by the wicket keeper as he tried to go over the top. At that stage, Titans’ score was 56 for 7 in 20 overs.
We knew that we had to get the score past 70 for the score to be considered respectable. And the need of the hour was to bat out the next 5 overs and get the maximum out of them.
Sandeep and Ramana then got together on the crease and put up a magnificent partnership that helped us put up a challenging score. They combined some lusty hitting with some fine running between the wickets to take the score to 73 before Ramana got out in 23rd over. Vijay then provided able support to Sandeep for the remainder of the inning. When Vijay got out on the last ball of the inning, Titans finished with a score of 83 for 9 in 25 overs. Sandeep stayed unbeaten at the other end. The 27 runs scored in the last 5 overs provided the appropriate thrust to our scoring rate and helped us set up a challenging target for Canton.


Canton batting
We knew that we had put up a good total and that the only way we could lose the match from hereon was by giving away extras and by dropping catches. The pitch had developed variable bounce and was getting slower; the rules of the day meant that hitting a boundary was very difficult. Extras needed to be controlled and all catches should have been taken.
Satheesh started the bowling with Abhilash. Satheesh started with a fiery spell of pace bowling – fast and right on target and troubling both the openers. Every fielder was charged up and was putting pressure on the Canton batsmen. However, atleast 4 sharp catches were dropped in the initial overs. As a result, Canton progressed to 13/0 in 5 overs.
In an effort to accelerate the score, the Canton openers tried to take some quick singles. And poor running between wickets resulted in first blows in the form of runouts. Ramana and Shilpan effected the runouts of both openers with exquisite direct throws to the stumps. Canton captain promoted himself as a pinch hitter but did not last long as he was caught by Sandeep at mid-off in an effort to hit Abhay over the top. From 13/0 in 5 overs, Canton had slipped to 24/3 in 10 overs
The mid-inning break was taken at 12 overs and Canton had reached 32/3 by then. In the next 13 overs, it needed 52 runs with 7 wickets in hand.
We continued our controlled bowling and good fielding after the break. Each dot ball added to the pressure on Canton. It reached 35/3 in 14 overs. That’s when the fourth wicket fell as the batsmen hit Abhay straight down the throat of Satheesh at short mid-wicket. Canton 37/4 in 15 overs – still 47 short with 10 overs to go.
The new batsman didn’t last long. Under pressure from a rising Reqd Run Rate, as he took the aerial route to counter the discipline of Ramana’s bowling - only to find the ball land in the safe hands of Vijay. Canton 38/5 in 16 overs – still 46 short with 9 overs to go.
The pressure was now really getting onto Canton guys. Their only hope was either for our bowlers to lose their way and bowl wides or for the tension to get to our fielders. However, none of this was going to happen.
From here on, Vijay took over one end and reached on his years of bowling experience and his armour of outswingers and slow balls along with a controlled line and length to shut the door for Canton. Vinay and Ramana kept up the pressure at the other end. The Canton guys really had no way to counter the controlled bowling in the last 10 overs - led by Vijay who took 4 of the last 5 wickets with Vinay getting one wicket - and the prodigious fielding, led by Shilpan who took 2 excellent catches and effected an excellent runout. Under constant pressure, Canton wickets tumbled one after another. Sixth wicket fell at 43, Seventh at 49, Eighth at 58, Ninth at 59, Tenth at 61.
We won by 22 runs as Canton got all out for 61 in 22.5 overs.


Turning Point of the match : Excellent catch by Vijay at long on boundary, running backwards. After that he produced a beautiful spell to remove 4 of the last 5 wickets, 3 of which came in his last over.