The division 2 encounter between Ceylon CC and Metro Indians at Cibubur on Sunday provided one of the most thrilling encounters, where the fortunes of both teams kept swinging wildly like a pendulum, before Ceylon CC eventually clinched victory by 2 wickets.
Winning the toss and batting first, Metro got off to a dream start when it reached 110/0 in 12 overs. Introduction of Rajeev Kumar into the attack set the cat amongst the pigeons in the Metro batting camp, when they lost all 10 wickets in the second session to be all-out for a below par score of 171 runs. Relying on a disciplined line and length, and bowling wicket to wicket, Rajeev Kumar’s immaculate effort was rewarded with the season’s best returns of 8/32, figures that most bowlers can only dream of. For the Metro Indians, Kirubasankar scored 78 runs, while Saktinarayanan remained unbeaten on 51 runs.
Chasing 172 runs to win, Ceylon CC started well through a fine opening partnership between Nalaka Kodituwakku (24 runs ) and Mohammed Mufasel (22 runs) that yielded 62 runs. At the fall of these two wickets, Ceylon continued to make merry through a strong partnership of 84 runs between Gaurav Kapoor’s half century (53 runs) and Baba Sivasankaran (24 runs). At 146/3 it all seemed all over bar the shouting for Metro, when they suddenly pulled things back reducing Ceylon to 151/5. With Ceylon painstakingly moving to within 4 runs of the target, there were further drama when Sabu Joy produced one of the best spells ever when he took 3 wickets in one over to have Ceylon reeling at 168/8. However Celyon eventually managed to cross the line to become victors by 2 wickets, just as the heavens opened up. Sabu finished with figures of 4/12 supported by SaktiNarayanan’s 2/28.
Thanks to Marten Eddy & Corbon Loughnan from Fez Rebels for umpiring the game.
