Kiran Muppala – MVP of HCL Finals and MVP of HCL Playoffs
Match Report by Oz Khan
Houston Cricket League 2010 Summer League Championship on October 17, 2010 saw one of the best HCL Championship games in recent history. The 2010 HCL Championship game was basically a rematch of 2009 final but this time it was played between Houston India Cricket Club and Triggers Cricket Club Spartans team at Paul Rushing Park West field, adjacent to the East field where their sister team Triggers Cricket Club Titans had won a one sided final match against Houston India Cricket Club a year ago.
The match started on a somber note when players from both clubs, HCL officials and all those in attendance observed a minute’s silence to pay respect to HICC player Bhavesh Patel, 34, who had passed on due to cardiac failure the day before. Bhavesh was a well known member of Houston’s cricket community and most of us will fondly remember him for his friendly and jovial personality.
It was a perfect day for cricket, temperature was in the low 80s and there was a light cloud cover as well. With over 150 supporters in attendance to support both sides, TCC Skipper Birendra Patkunarajah won the toss and decided to bat first. Owen Brown and Devon Small were the two umpires as the game got underway at the scheduled time.
From the very first over, TCC batsmen were forced on the back foot by lively new ball bowling from HICC bowler Chaitanya who exploited early morning conditions and the new ball to good effect. He had the in form opener and dangerous batsman Asad Sheraz pull at a short ball straight down the throat of the deep square leg fielder in his very first over. The other opener Kiran Muppala was also dismissed in the next over by HICC skipper Kuldeep Patel. Chaitanya struck two more blows in his spell by dismissing Srini Koneti and Jeeva Chinnusamy cheaply.
With the TCC score at 23/4, Ashok Kumar and Ruchir Chhabra came to their team’s rescue. Both batsmen launched a brilliant counter attack to a spirited and aggressive HICC bowling and started finding boundaries regularly. Ashok was finally dismissed by Niraj for a solid innings of 42 that consisted of 6 boundaries and a six. With Triggers in trouble at 96/5, TCC all rounder Imran Khan joined Ruchir who was looking ominous and had comfortably negotiated all HICC bowlers so far. However, Ruchir’s stay ended when he was adjudged caught behind off Ankit for a well played 45 that consisted of six boundaries.
Skipper Biren joined Imran at 126/6 and the two continued to play smartly, keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Biren hit a massive six and a four in his innings of 22 and just when he was starting to look dangerous, he was caught at the long on boundary off Kuldeep. Taha was the next man in and he joined a well settled Imran at the crease and the two carried on batting with purpose and took the score past 200. Imran fell for a brilliant 49 (3 fours and 1 six) in the 35th over when the TCC score was 209.
Osama was the next man in and he teamed up with Taha as the two launched a flurry of fours and sixes. Triggers took the batting power play and used it to maximum effect with Osama scoring 35 (15 balls) with 5 fours and a six and Taha scoring 26 (3 boundaries). Both batsmen fell when the score was well past 250. Osama was the last man out in the 40th over, caught at long on with the score at 261.
Triggers had set HICC a stiff target and their bowlers fancied their chances of winning at the half way mark. Taha started brilliantly for TCC and removed both openers in his first two overs. Kishan was the first one to go LBW and Saurabh was caught at mid on by Srini. Amir Nanji and Ankit came together for HICC and started scoring at a brisk rate. Osama struck in the 10th over of HICC innings when Ankit hit the ball in the air to deep cover boundary where Imran took a beautiful running catch.
The score read 70/3 but HICC was scoring at a brisk rate and needed 192 runs in 30 overs with 7 wickets in hand. Nanji was playing very sensibly and putting bad balls away for boundaries while negotiating the good balls cautiously. He survived a few close LBW shouts from Kiran and Osama but maintained his composure as he and Niraj dug in. Niraj was also looking good as he hit a six and four and the two batsmen took the score to 121.
Then the drama started as Kiran Muppala who had been bowling brilliantly got the ball
to jag around dangerously and had Niraj nick behind to Ruchir who took a wonderful diving catch. Next to go was Arun Douglas for nought, as he inside edged to the keeper and finally Kiran completed his hat trick when he had Prasanth caught in the slips again for nought.123/6 and HICC was now staring down the barrel.
Sirish kept Nanji company for a few overs as the latter reached a very well made hundred. A good bowling change from Biren saw Ruchir come on to bowl his off spin and had Sirish hit one out to deep extra cover where Kiran took the catch of the day when he ran in from deep point to hold a stunner.
HICC were losing wickets and their asking rate was starting to climb. At 156/7, HICC fast bowler Chaitanya came to the crease with a runner but his stay was brief as he was the next to go when he hit Zuhaib to Kiran at long on when the score at 226. HICC now needed 36 runs in approximately 4 overs with Nanji batting superbly as HICC Skipper Kuldeep joined him at the crease.
Zuhaib and Ruchir were both maintaining an excellent line and length and the asking rate was starting to climb. With three overs left, HICC needed 32 to win, Ruchir bowled a wonderful over conceding only 2 runs. In the next over, Nanji decided to take Zuhaib on and ended up hitting him straight down long on where Manas (sub fielder) took a good catch to end any hopes of HICC victory. Nanji had played a great innings of 134 and got a standing ovation from the crowd.
HICC Captain Kuldeep gave his team a glimmer of hope when he hit a straight six to carry the score to 244, however, in the 39th over, Ruchir clean bowled the last HICC batsman as an ecstatic Triggers Army invaded the field in celebration of a very hard fought victory.
It had been a close high scoring game as both sides had contested a very intense and competitive final with Triggers Cricket Club emerging victorious by 17 runs. Kiran Muppala won both TCC Man of the Playoffs and MVP Final awards for his wonderful all round performances as TCC Skipper Biren lifted his second Champion’s Trophy in two years.
Both HICC and TCC skippers dedicated the match to the memory of Bhavesh Patel, may he rest in peace!
The victory gace TCC it’s second consecutive HCL Summer Championship and also had the double delight of TCC Titans winnning 2010 Division I Championship to go with TCC Spartans winning the HCL 2010 Championship.