Well this is one single post for two games. Just had no idea what to scribble after the last game. No words could describe the humiliation. One game, I wish, best not mentioned and forgotten for good(without even for the so-called learnings).
But still....opening the wounds... Against the Warriors, while bowling - we gave away the highest score in the league so far(163). While batting - we were 42/9 well in sight of the lowest score in the league (44), but some how the last pair saved us that ignominy. Still the end result of this enormous gap was that we ended up on the receiving end of the heaviest defeat in terms of runs in the league(111 runs). The so-called raging bull was not only tamed, but slaughtered and instead of goring it meekly surrendered. The most frightening aspect of that match was that we were on mute throughout the match. No noise at all. No cheering for a wicket. No cheering for a shot. No encouragement for a good delivery. No appealing. No enthusiasm. No fight. Just resigned to our fates.
Bowlers simply walking back to their designated fielding positions at the end of their over after getting thrashed. Fielders destined to either spectators or ball-boy duties collecting the balls from boundaries. Batsmen returning heads down to cool their heels. Just want to forget that day. To make us feel better we devised a chain reaction theory for the debacle - we had thrashed the Terminators so they were all pumped up and thrashed the Warriors(they were the ones who made that record low score of 44) so they in turn were pumped up and took out their ire on us.
The second game against the Crusaders. Well what to say. Before the match there were talks of abandoning the idea of playing in the league. Of scrapping the Chandler Bulls team or of trying to get merged with any other lowly good-for-nothing teams like us. And then one win changed everything.
Now I know what the word "morale boosting" victory means. We were down and out, finally. Totally a hope less, defunct team. And this win has been a pleasant feeling. Suddenly there were smiles everywhere. Fielders supporting the bowlers. Cheer for every run, every save.
We did had unexpected wins against top teams in the past. But we credited the pitch for it. But this time around it was a tight finish and we won not because of the pitch or any other factors but purely on the tremendous individual skills displayed by some of our guys especially Keshav and Prashant. A word here for Keshav- he seems to be the "South Ka Bachchan - Rajnikanth" Sukrit has been praying for to do a miracle for this team. From being the guy who played the entire 20 overs only to see the side lose in our nail-biting league opener on this same ground to returning here again to take the bat through the innings in another close finish but this time ending up as the undisputed match-winner in a victory. The only thing expected of him to do would be to win
a few of our remaining matches and wipe out that unwritten "Niche Se No. 1 team" tattoo on our forearms.
This surely has been a tide turner. That hope-arousing, all-inspiring, morale-boosting, confidence-building, team-motivating result. Most importantly we have started believing in us. We fought. Everyone fought. And that for me was the most important part than even winning. Well we may get thrashed in the next games again, but we have the belief we can win. The confidence has rose so high it may even last till the next season and we believe we will play as Chandler Bulls next season also, although I am not sure if some of us will still be there.
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