CAPTAIN – SURAJ
13 March 2019. The tournament’s second semifinal is being played in the Sangam Ground between HS14 and HS17. HS14, who would go on to win the championship, is going rampage in their first innings, with Biyas and Monish going all guns blazing, sending HS17 fielders on a leather hunt. They end the innings with a whopping 172/2 in 12 overs, with both the aforementioned batsmen scoring half centuries. With the bowling lineup that HS14 has, and with the sheer enormousness of the task at hand, nobody expects a significant fightback from HS17, expecting instead a cakewalk for HS14, probably aided by a swift batting collapse from HS17. But that was not to be. John, ably aided by Manjith and Suraj, had other plans. While HS14 ended the night with a 39-run win, they were made to fight for the win, with the match witnessing sights of heated passion on the field.
Such is the spirit of HS17. A team full of natural athletes, their never-say-die attitude is invaluable on any sports field. Can they spring a surprise this time around?
Last Year’s Story: Semifinalists.
HS17 had their best cricket year in 2019 which saw them go into the semifinals as the second team from their group. In their first match, attacking innings from openers Suraj and Shankar saw them post a huge total of 139 for no loss. They went on to win the match by 65 runs, riding on the back of good bowling performances by John, Suraj and Shankar.
In the second match, with HS15, a dramatic reversal of this batting firepower was seen. Lethally disciplined bowling performances from HS15’s capable battery saw them crumble for 63 runs in 9.3 overs. The only batsmen to score double digits were Suraj and Manjith, and four batsmen did not trouble the scorers. The bowling did not help either, as HS15 crossed the target in 5 overs, with tournament top scorer Aswin hitting a blitzkrieg 43.
In the semifinal, HS14 defeated them by 39 runs, although John’s allround performance and the team’s fightback came in for much praise.
The Team.
HS17 looks like a much more balanced team now in their third year, although they will be short of Manjith’s services this time around. John, Suraj, Shankar and Varsha make up a potent bowling attack, with John’s wicket taking ability and Suraj’s marvellous economy boosting their chances. They are a decent fielding side as well, with many safe pairs of hands taking the field.
In the batting department, their hopes rest on the same people, with the trio of Shankar, John and Suraj expected to carry the team through. Shankar can make any boundary seem short with his power, while Suraj lends stability and John is a multi-gear batsman. Add to that capable contributions from the middle order consisting of Bala and others, and HS17 can put up good scores. However, if last year was anything to go by, HS17 needs consistency in their batting and bowling performances to proceed to the knockouts after facing last year finalists HS15, semifinalists PhDs, and an uncapped yet potent HS19 side.
Player To Watch Out For.
Sreesankar is a born hitter. He can whack the ball over the straight boundary, the longest in Sangam, with definite ease. Last year was mixed for him, starting big against HS18 (54*), before settling for scores of 6 and 4 against HS15 and HS14 respectively. He would be raring to put the disappointment of his last two innings behind, and start afresh for his team. He can also roll his arm over, providing his team with a capable third bowler. If he is on song, HS17 may well demolish bowling lineups.
Final Thoughts.
HS17 does not have an easy draw this tournament, with matches against finalists and semifinalists in the group stages. However, they have the quality to triumph over odds and good sporting ability. This may well be on show this time around.
Article by Deva Nandan H.
Article 19 