Match Result/Report (Lanka vs Melbourne tigeroos) - 17th May 2009

Match played at Lori Place Oval, on 17 May 2009: 10:00am - 1:30pm

Max Overs: 20
Toss: Won by Melbourne Tigeroos who elected to bat first
Result: Melbourne Tigeroos won by 5 runs

Summary (based on scorecard accuracy)
Tigeroos – 8/136
Jeet 31(28), Vicky from 2 innings 22(16), Ankit 16(21)

Lanka – 5/131
Milinda 40, Manch 32
Harry 1/17 (4 overs)

Note: official scorecard to follow...


Match Report: The game finally got underway just after 10am, with the Tigeroos allowed to bat by default (due to incomplete numbers).

The game began horribly for the Tigeroos with the openers involved in a bout of confusion, which although humorous at first, led to the bizarre run out of Savya. Vicky and Kevin settled to add quick runs for the second wicket, with Vicky being the aggressor. His four over extra cover was the highlight of the partnership. But another couple of unnecessary runouts, first Kevin and then Vicky, really dented our momentum. We were beginning to play and run like headless chooks at that stage.

Enter Jeet. With assuredness in his batting strokes and especially his calling, he and Ankit formed a solid partnership when one was desperately needed. Ankit was bowled in trying to up the ante and his wicket was quickly followed by that of Amit, caught behind straight after hitting a lofted boundary over cover. The innings was precariously poised and it was the smart running between the wickets by Nav and Teji and some lofty blows by Harry and Vicky (in his second stint) that accelerated the Tigeroos score to 136 after 20 overs. It was a good score given our horrible start and a tricky one to chase.

The disciplined opening bowling by Harry, Jeeth and Vicky ensured a fantastic start for the Tigeroos. The scoreline after 5 overs read 0/14. Our tails were up and we could sniff a hint of victory. This proved to be premature. The Lankan openers were still at the crease and started to open up by rotating the strike aggressively and hitting the odd boundary. Our depleted number of fielders (we were 2 short) did not help our cause. Amit did his best to make the match more interesting by conceding a 6 and then a 4 in his only over. Just when the Lankan opening partnership of 68 was threatening to take the game away from us, Ankit made the first breakthrough by bowling Manchi (the aggressor) for 32. Vicky, in his second spell, pegged Milinda’s (the other Lankan opener) middle stump. All of a sudden we were back in the game. The bowlers picked up extra pace and kept things tight. A couple more wickets fell at regular intervals (taken by Nav and Teji) and the equation had become 16 required from the last 2 overs. It could’ve gone either way, but for Harry’s excellent second last over (1/5) and Vicky’s great last over (conceding just 5 runs).

All in all, our bowlers were disciplined and Kevin did a great job behind the stumps. However, bowlers were not supported ably by our shoddy fielding through a couple of dropped catches and missed run-out opportunities. Nevertheless, it was a good effort in the field given that we were 2 fielders short.

It was a good game of cricket (and thanks must got to the Lankan's sportsmanship for allowing us two of our batsmen a second go) Keep up the good effort boys.

Report courtesy of Amit Sharma