IISc pip Merchants CC, reach super-league

The worms (red: Merchants CC, green: IISc) show that IISc had the luxury 

to pace their chase knowing that the target wasn't stiff.

16 October 2011, IISc Gymkhana Ground, Bangalore: For the second consecutive season, the IISc cricket team has made it to the super-league stage of the highly competitive KSCA Metro Shield tournament winning four of their five league stage matches. The latest victims at their hands were Merchants CC who were defeated by three wickets in an evenly contested affair that showed how a low scoring match could still dish out edge-of-the-seat cricket.

Merchants started out confidently with some authoritative boundaries. But the hosts fought back through some disciplined bowling and agile fielding reducing the visitors from 33/0 to 75/4. Aneesh (41) and Ikram (35) arrested the collapse and ensured that the visitors had a decent total to defend with their famed bowling line-up. In a collective effort, Debajit (2/42), Teja (3/33) and Vikram (2/23) plotted the downfall of the opposition restricting them under 200. 

Knowing that the target wasn't stiff helped IISc pace their chase perfectly in the face of some stifling spin bowling from Merchants. Salil (22) and Kiran (19) ensured a steady start but in a dramatic turn of events the home team found themselves at 76/5 largely through a string of soft dismissals. The stage was set for Ashith (45) to play a captain's knock under pain and pressure, stitching crucial partnerships with Teja (37*) and Debajit (26) both of whom are fast developing into seasoned finishers. IISc romped home with three wickets and close to five overs to spare.

After all the grueling cricket in the past couple of months, team IISc now gets some well-deserved rest before their face-off with tougher oppositions in the super-league. While things seem to be clicking very nicely in the batting and bowling departments, they will be most pleased with their marked improvement in fielding and catching over the previous matches, touch wood.

Brief Scores:

Merchant's CC - 199 all out in 45.2 overs
(Saroj 22, Aneesh 41, Ikram 35, Debajit 2/42, Teja 3/33, Vikram 2/23)
IISc - 201/7 in 45.3 overs

(Salil 22, Teja 37*, Ashith 45, Debajit 26, Aneesh 3/25)

Result: IISc won by 3 wickets

Man-of-the-match: Ravi Teja

Full Scorecard

Newspaper Reports: 
"Deccan Herald"