The beauty in the game of cricket comes to the fore when the battle between bat and ball is even, for it allows the game to see-saw back and forth multiple times. It is taken to a higher level when the quality of batting is matched by the quality of bowling. What makes such a contest even more mouth-watering is when the two teams involved have the fire-power to counter-punch; when they, on paper at first, and through their performance on the field secondly, make it difficult to predict an outright favorite. To witness the coming together of this is a sight to behold, to cherish those moments, to lock-up those memories forever.
The MPL 2012 final between the Incredibles and X-Men, was by far the best in the four editions of the tournament. It may even be the most awe inspiring match in the history of the MPL. Words may not do justice to the contest witnessed, for the emotions that rush in as I reflect on the match may not allow me to stay objective and capture every moment in here.
For the Incredibles, Chirag, Nachiket and Shreenath were complimented by Arun, Rahul, Dipesh, Krishna. Matt was spectacular in the field, as always. An astute captain in Ono helped as well. Chirag was rock-solid, while Dipesh was the embodiment of the “it’s not over till it’s over” spirit. An all-round team with a strong bowling line-up, but with an even stronger batting line-up. Arguably, the strongest batting line-up of the four teams.
The X-Men on the other hand almost had a ‘Sehwag’ like aura about them. They spoke more about biryani in the dressing room, but played hard on the field. The think-tank of Sidhu, Rafeeq had plenty of contributions from Himanshu, Ganesh K, Koundi, Yashwanth, Rohith and probably others as well – a democracy of many, that thought as one. They knew their strength and weakness, and played smart percentage cricket. Never did anyone on the team play for personal glory. Yashwanth and Rohith were their shining knights, but Sreeram, Ashish S, Himanshu and others stepped up with the bat. Their bowling though, was easily their biggest strength. Rafeeq was on song throughout the tournament, and Ganesh K was McGrath like. Sachin, Koundi, Yashwanth complimented them very nicely.
The fire-power each team possessed had become clear as the tournament had progressed. Clearly the two most deserving teams had made they way to the final.
A match that promised a lot, was shaping up as a one-sided affair at the half-way mark, in favor of the Incredibles. It eventually went their way, but not before nail-biting suspense, and buckets of tension. The Incredibles won the match, dramatically, off the last ball, with their last pair – Krishna and Abhijit – in the middle. Ono, their captain and last recognized batsman, had limped off 8 runs short of the target, with 10 balls to go; having aggravated an old injury, certain not to return. Krishna was once again thrown into the deep end of a pressure cooker situation – circa the MCC-2 vs. eCW NECA match from earlier in the season.
The X-Men won the toss and chose to bat first. The Incredibles drew first blood when Abhijit had Ashish caught behind for a duck, a maiden-wicket to start the match. When Himanshu was dismissed by Arun, caught by Matt at full-stretch and inches off the ground; the X-Men were 0/2, 1.1 overs into their knock, and the boat rocked early. Rohith and Yashwanth steadied the ride, with Rohith scoring the lone boundary of the inning.
However, they fell to a double strike, courtesy Dipesh, the former caught by Matt of a full-toss, and the latter losing his leg-stump. 19/4 after 6 overs, with their top two batsmen back in the hut.
Sidhu batted fluently, and gave the X-Men’s inning the momentum it desperately needed – 12 runs off 2 overs in the company of Shankar. Krishna bowled with pace, but without any wickets to show for. The bowling was a sight to watch, with plenty of ooo’s and aaa’s.
Dipesh, already with two key wickets, was far from done adding to his tally. He returned to dismiss Sidhu, caught by Chirag of a slog; and later returned the favor to Chirag, a diving catch to send Shankar back in the following over – 35/6 after 9 overs.
Koundi, Chaitanya, and Ganesh K played cameos as the X-Men looked to salvage some pride, but a magnificent Dipesh, and a witty Chirag wrapped up the tail. The X-Men were all out for 52, having not batted their quota of 14 overs, and having not scored off the final over. A stroll in the park for the Incredibles, or so many of us thought.
The X-Men had the bowling strength and depth, a mere 52 to defend was certainly sub-par effort by their batsmen. They needed quick and cheap wickets, 10 of them.
Chirag and Prasad got the chase started for the Incredibles. Chirag looking to anchor the chase, seemed comfortable. Prasad however, struggled; 1 of 11 balls, caught off another full-toss, a good running catch by Ashish S – 10/1 in 2.5 overs.
The talk during the innings-break, in the Incredibles camp, had been about avoiding complacency at all costs. With that in mind, Nachiket looked to step up the ante, and smashed one to cow-corner for the first boundary of the inning. The match was slipping away from the X-Men; the Incredibles 25/1 in the 6 over.
The non-striker backing up aggressively had been a trademark of the Incredibles, something that had brought them a lot of success. However, on this occasion it cost them Nachiket’s wicket. Chirag played it straight to Rohith in the covers and took no more than a step in his follow-through. A good throw from Rohith to the bowler, Rafeeq, who in turn broke the stumps. Nachiket who was well down the wicket turned, charged and dived, but was still well short. 25/2 after 6 overs. A good breakthrough, but was it too late?
28 runs required in 8 overs, as Shreenath joined Chirag to wrap-up what seemed like a formality of a chase. Chasing in a big final has it’s own challenges – Shreenath looked off-color and for the first time in the tournament, not as fluent.
The X-Men, through Rafeeq and Yashwanth, kept it tight in the field. Runs, off the bat, were difficult to come by; extras though were, uncharacteristically, generously and periodically provided. The Incredibles had progressed to 36/2 in 9 overs. 17 runs required of 5 overs, with 8 wickets in hand. A walk in the park, a mere formality, we thought.
Rafeeq came on for his last over, and got the break-through the X-Men were desperate for. Chirag was dismissed, caught and bowled. It brought Rahul to the middle, and 2 runs came off the over. The X-Men not yet ready to surrender the trophy. Their chances hanging on the thinnest of threads. 38/3 in 10 overs. 15 required off 4.
Shreenath was itching to get on with it, and danced out to the first ball of the 10th over. He missed, but fortunately got an inside-edge for a single. Rahul followed up a brisk 2 with a pull off a short-ball towards cow-corner. The shot was on, but Koundi was ready as well. He ran in from the boundary to take a good catch – he slipped and fell on the damp outfield, but didn’t let go of the ball. The match result didn’t seem to be guaranteed anymore. 41/4 in 11. 12 required off 3.
A conference later, Koundi was given the ball. The sun was setting and the light was deteriorating quickly. That’s when the match swung, and how! Dipesh, again backing up aggressively, was sent back by Shreenath. Koundi seemed to fumble the throw from Yashwanth, and it looked as if Dipesh was back safely. The X-Men pleaded with and pressured the umpire, who gave it out. Dipesh wasn’t impressed, and the Incredibles in some trouble now. Ono walked in, aided by Nachiket as his runner
Shreenath, feeling the heat, looked to take charge, but only managed to sky it to Sachin at long-on, who took a calm catch. 41/3 had become 42/6 in no time. The game had turned on a dime, and it was not done turning.
Arun now on strike, hit the ball towards mid-on and took-off for a single. Ganesh K in turn charged in, picked up the ball and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Arun was safe and had over-run. Nachiket meanwhile decided to go for the over-throw and called Arun through. Rohith picked up the lose-ball and threw it at the striker’s end. A direct-hit, and Arun was gone. 3 wickets in the over, 4 wickets in the last 8 deliveries and 3 runs added in this period. Drama in full flow, with Ganesh K to bowl the penultimate over.
Krishna joined his captain in the middle, with 9 runs required of 2 overs, probably having thought that he’d not have to bat in the chase of a meager 53. As if it weren’t already bad enough for the Incredibles, it got a lot worse. Ono, played a flick towards square-leg, but in the process aggravated his knee injury. Down and in wincing pain, he had to be carried off. Matt, with a hamstring injury walked-out with Shreenath as his runner.
A couple of singles were followed with Matt being bowled, while looking to cut a good-length ball that was cutting in. 7 now required of the last over as Abhijit walked out.
After yet another long discussion, the decision was made to entrust Koundi with the ball. Koundi had played a number of cameo’s for the X-Men and had bowled well, and hence it looked to be a sound decision. With 7 runs to defend against the tail, X-Men were suddenly the favorites.
The team that had been sharp with the ball all season long, however, had conceded 8 extras so far. That was to get worse, for Koundi started the over with back to back wides. Clearly, Koundi was feeling the heat. With Krishna taking a single of the first legal delivery of the over, the Incredibles required 4 runs required off 5 balls.
A pep-talk from Rafeeq seemed to calm down Koundi as he delivered a dot ball. 4 required off 4. He, however, followed that up with a no-ball. Fortunately being a no-ball for height meant there was no free-hit coming up. 3 runs required off 4 balls.
Another single meant that the Incredibles were within touching distance of the trophy – 2 required off 3. The game was in the balance, but once again looked to be slipping away from the X-Men. But Koundi found another gear within himself, and delivered 2 dots in a row. 2 runs required now, off the last ball.
Just when it seemed like we were heading for either a tie or a win for the X-Men, Koundi delivered another wide, and had lost the plot completely. With just one to win off the final delivery, Krishna, calmly hit the ball towards mid-off and scampered through for the run.
A famous win for the Incredibles. A gut-wrenching loss for Koundi and the X-Men. So close yet so far.
The scorecard crowns the Incredibles as the MPL 2012 champions, winners of the final by 2 wickets, but the X-Men cannot be whisked away for they deserve to be spoken about in the same breath. The performance put in by the X-Men was nothing short of inspirational heroism.
A match that was a great advert for the game of cricket. A match with memories for the ages.
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