Biyas Muhammed writes on the prospects of the fifth year (HS13) team for the forthcoming Prem Ranjan Memorial Cricket Tournament.
HS 13 : ONE LAST HUNT FOR THE ELUDING TROPHY
Rewind to last semester’s Challenger Trophy Cricket match. The Rest of HS team, batting first against a strong Scholars’ bowling attack, is in a spot of danger after 3 wickets in the first four overs. Dilip and Sannihit unite for a partnership which turns out to be the key difference between the two teams on the day. It was indeed a monumental batting effort by the veteran duo as they piled up 171 runs between them in just 88 balls. In spite of the presence of such a destructive duo (they can make a significant impact with the ball as well), the team has failed to hold on to the Prem Ranjan Trophy even once. The answer to this irony lies in the inadequate depth of this team, both in the bowling and batting departments.
LAST YEAR’S STORY: SEMI-FINALISTS
Fielding first against the Scholars in their first match, a terrific opening partnership from Ratheef and Anil meant that the target for HS13 was in excess of 100. None of the HS13 batsmen could rise to the challenge and they were never in the game in the latter half. As it turned out, the finalists in the previous two editions of the tournament started off their 2017 campaign with a disappointing defeat.
Though their second match turned out to be a virtual quarter final, they were hardly under any pressure as their opponents were the weakest team in the competition. Restricting the HS12 team to a mediocre total of 60, HS13 later chased down the target in 5 overs without losing a wicket. Saba’s bowling and Sannihit’s all round performance were the team’s takeaways from the match.
The most famous rivalry in Prem Ranjan Tournament was in the limelight yet again in the first semi final. Unlike the previous years, only one team from HS14 and HS13 was going to play the finals in 2017. Probably for the first time, HS13’s bowling had the better of HS14’s batting in the first innings. Dilip and Sannihit were the stars with the ball as they gave away only 49 runs in the 7 overs between them. A target of 100 in 10 overs seemed just par even taking into consideration HS14’s formidable bowling attack. Having made 3 unsuccessful attempts to chase down HS14’s targets in the past, this was their chance to rewrite history. HS13’s chase started off slowly but safely with the required run rate under control. But, HS14 struck in the middle overs, taking the important wicket of Dilip and halting the flow of runs. It required a special innings to turn the match around for HS13 and Sannihit almost pulled off a memorable victory. With a magnificent 45 off 29 balls, Sannihit took the game to the last over but unfortunately had to settle for a defeat by 9 runs.A highly intense and dramatic match ends HS13’s journey.
THE TEAM
In Dilip and Sannihit, HS13 have two of the most technically sound and explosive batsmen in the competition. In a limited overs competition at a small ground like Sangam, a good performance from at least one of the two will seal the deal. But, that’s easier said than done, for these two batsmen carry the baggage of not having anyone to take the game forward in case they fail. This has often affected the free flowing nature of these batsmen and had resulted in their failures in key matches. Apart from the two, Rimil plays in the top three. There isn’t much of a batting beyond the three.
2017 is the year when they came up with a new and fairly effective bowling strategy. Apart from Dilip’s fast bowling, everything had changed. Sannihit transformed himself into a leg spinner and had owned his game ever since. Also, the team has been trusting Saba’s ‘baseballish’ bowling and Sidharth’s medium pace to fill in the roles of the third and fourth bowler. That they managed to restrict HS14 to just 100 in 10 overs in the Semi Final proves that this bowling attack can do the job. Rahul Nath and Piyush also offer bowling options.
HS13 is a team which has been hurt badly by dropped catches and poor ground fielding in the past. Dilip and Sannihit are also the team’s best fielders and either of them takes the wicket keeper’s job during the match.
PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR
Saba seems to be the bowler who could fit into the third bowler’s role in the team plans. If she can consistently hit the right line and length, it is difficult to score off her as she bowls at a very good pace. A neat bowling effort from the Dilip-Sanni-Saba trio would help the HS13 in chasing down gettable targets and defending par totals.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A fairy tale end is indeed a realistic dream for this team. A free and fearless approach from the team’s star duo could be the X factor this team is missing.
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