Handing Over the Match on a Platter

DC United squared up against this year's 40 over champions, Washington CC. With Washington CC being 0 - 2, this was a real chance for DC United to bounce back from the loss to VA Lions. DC United lost the toss but was put into bat. The batting has been very reliant on the openers with no one making any substantial contributions in the middle. Sri missing his first game of the season and Venkat getting out in the first over was to test the fickle middle order.

Jeril came in at the fall of Venkat's wicket. Puneeth who went in opening played some glorious shots including a memorable pull for six. DC United scored at a fair clip in the first half of their innings. Jeril perished pulling a short ball. Beenish came in and played a couple of well timed shots but he too fell playing the pull shot while lobbing an easy catch to the bowler. CP was the next man, he struck a couple of meaty blows but fell to a good catch in the deep.

100 for 4 at the end of the 13th over was not a bad start but DCU imploded. 32 runs in the next 7 overs is not a sign of a team trying to be one of the teams to contenders for the title. Insipid running, extravagant shots, overall complete hara-kiri compounded in DCU falling 20-30 runs short of the intended target.

The bowlers were greeted by the long handles of the Washington batsman. The batsmen kept swinging and the fielders kept dropping them. CP brought about some sanity to the proceedings as he grabbed 2 quick wickets. Jassi bowled, he troubled the batsman. Neeraj bowled a quick fiery spell and picked up 2 wickets in 2 balls.

DCUs bowlers did their job, they bowled in good areas, fielders were placed in specific areas for the catches but the balls went through the butterfingered DCU fielders. 4 catches were offered in a Beenish over and DCU managed to hang onto just 1 of them, this just showed the lackluster performance put in by the fielders. Run out chances went abegging too, baring Venkat and Lokesh, no other fielder can claim to have done his job.

The team needs to soon find someone to step up and bat well in the middle overs, otherwise even the starts provided by the openers will go waste. This is the second match in a row, DCU put in a lackluster performance in the field. Catches win matches but they have so far for the other teams.

DC United has a double header next weekend, potentially the last cricketing weekend of this season. This is DCU's chance to end the season on a high and sign off with two victories and who knows, if luck is on their side, a semi final berth may be in the offing.

 

Puneeth Shivaraya / Ramnik Bajaj (10/17/2011)

 

Views expressed in this report belong to the abovementioned members and do not represent the views of the club as a whole