The following write up may seem a bit exaggerated but, hey, thats how I like to view it and thats how i shall put it up!
I'm speaking of the Association Cup Cricket tournament we have in college. The matches are held annually, between the students from 4th year to first year and cricket matches are held between the teams of these years, belonging to the Compsciz family.
Yesterday ( November 20th, '07) was the day we had our match with the 4th years.It was our first match in the qualifiers and there was too much pressure on our team, facing the seniors.
The day was off due to some need-not-be-mentioned problems in the college and we spent the first half registering for the 3rd semester university exams(truly, thinking of it gives me creeps!)
After loitering around the campus for the rest of the day without any specific purpose what-so-ever, came the moment we were eagerly waiting for.
The match started at about 11.45 or so( I was not there to see it commencing). The 4th years were to bat first and the match was scheduled for 12 overs. Our team came up fairly well with about 30 extra runs and as we watched the batters put up a appreciable score of 96 runs from 12 overs at the loss of 7 wickets. It is indeed an unassailable total to chase for the team to bat next, or so did it seem at that time.
A small drinks break followed and soon the second innings began. Our team incurred the loss of two early wickets as the score board ticked staggeringly.
But soon the situation changed as Jerry came on to bat as number four in the order. The team was losing wickets at one end, while at the other Jerry stood like the rock of Gibraltar, picking up one's and two's and converting them to three's whenever such a situation was provided.
The score boomed towards the end of the innings as the target now became 30 runs from 18 balls. Another batter was lost and we were clinching to the final straw of hope. 10th over and the one following it proved good for the team and as we entered the final overs of the match the win was attainable at a run per ball.
The dramatic situation grew unbearable and all of us, the viewers, were standing impatiently as each ball was thrown. Jeers and cheers accompanied each good ball and each good drift.
The match reached its climax with the runs levelled, or in technical terms, at a draw. We had another ball to face and another run to chase and none other than the blaster Jerry was at the batting end.
The final ball of the match pitched and swivelled to his legside, what seemed to us the onlookers as a wide, but Jerry the Stakhanovite had forced his bat to give it a nice little flick as it raced towards the fine leg fielder. The crowd( not many, about 30 or so) erupted and ran into the ground, hoisting Jerry and Ashith( batter at the other end) up in air.
It was one hell of a match and the tension had paramounted so much that it eased in this show of victory. We all headed towards the canteen in a processsion and the talks on the exciting finish continued there as well, all the while sipping soft-drinks and sip-ups.
Jerry had hit a massive 44 in our pile of 97 runs. It was truly an exciting finish to an enthralling match!! Rest of the team had put in their two penny as well as none of our batters were dismissed on a duck and none of our bowlers returned without a wicket!
Three cheers to US!!
P.S: the day was quite special for other special reasons as well!!
