SCC 3s started their 2024 campaign with an away game against Eaton Bray, new entrants to the SHCL. With unusually warm weather (hovering around the early 20s degrees Celsius) for a season opener, the SCC captain had little choice but to opt for batting after winning the toss. The message to the batters was simple: Let’s bat through 50 overs. Runs will flow. Play to the merit of the delivery.

First Innings:

S. Mathur and D. Pandey opened the innings for SCC. SCC had the worst possible start with D. Pandey caught at gully on the 3rd delivery of the innings. Vamshi Kummari walked in as No. 3 and joined S. Mathur in the middle. With accurate wicket-to-wicket full-length bowling from Eaton Bray, S. Mathur and V. Kummari stabilised the innings. In an attempt to boost the dwindling run rate, S. Mathur started searching for scoring shots. With a few singles and doubles, S. Mathur was looking good but got trapped LBW in the 11th over.

Prashanth Kammari joined his brother V. Kummari in the middle. P. Kammari played according to match conditions, curbing his natural attacking style and soaking in the pressure. Unfortunately, his vigil came to an end in the 17th over, adjudged LBW. P. Kammari showed his intent to stay in the middle and play according to the match conditions.

Ajit Joshan walked in as No. 5 and joined V. Kummari, who continued his watch. With no extras or loose deliveries from the bowling unit, AJ and V. Kummari continued their careful play until the 31st over. Although the scoring rate was just over 2 runs per over, it was important for AJ and V. Kummari to stay in the middle and set up nicely for the No. 6, 7, and 8 batters who could go big in the last 20 overs. AJ perished in the 31st over, caught at 1st slip. Nevertheless, it was good to see AJ spending time in the middle and getting a good feel with the bat.

Caleb Zeelie, promoted as No. 6, returned to the dressing room without troubling the scoreboard. Dilip Prathi walked in as No. 7 and joined V. Kummari. Both tried to step on the gas and boost the scoring rate. V. Kummari, staying in the middle for most of the time, dealt a few meaty blows. D. Prathi had his intentions clear, dancing down the track. With a strike rate of 70, D. Prathi took an aggressive route. With a quick 14 off 20 balls, D. Prathi was bowled by a straight ball. Jaspreet Singh (Jonty) and Manjunatha Reddy soon returned to the pavilion without troubling the scoreboard much. In an attempt to accelerate the scoring rate, V. Kummari attempted an inside-out shot only to be deceived by the flight of the ball, crashing into the stumps. Nevertheless, a crucial 41 off 134 balls from V. Kummari was the bulk of the scoring, staying in from the 1st over to the 43rd over.

Staring at 90/9 in the 43rd over, Luke McCabe and Revanth Giri were the last hope. Both L. McCabe and R. Giri displayed situational awareness and played to the conditions. They ensured SCC used its allotted 50 overs. In doing so, they stitched an unbeaten 23-run crucial partnership. SCC 3s ended their first innings with 113/9 in 50 overs, with V. Kummari as the top scorer.

Second Innings:

Defending a low score, SCC was after early wickets. M. Reddy and C. Zeelie started the proceedings as the first and second bowlers. Eaton Bray batters started cautiously without taking undue risks. With no wickets in sight and scoring at 3 runs per over, the SCC captain brought in the first change in bowling, with D. Prathi replacing M. Reddy. The decision reaped immediate benefits, with D. Prathi knocking over the opener’s off stump in the 9th over. SCC drew the first blood in the second innings.

L. McCabe, bowling as the No. 4 bowler, had success in his 3rd over, with M. Reddy latching onto a sharp catch at short cover. D. Prathi struck twice in the next four overs, sending back their star batter. From 30-0 to 51-4, Eaton Bray lost their top order in a span of 8 overs, thanks to D. Prathi’s tenacious bowling attack.

With two experienced batters at the crease, the SCC captain brought in bowling changes, replacing D. Prathi and L. McCabe with R. Giri and J. Singh. This decision showed immediate results, with R. Giri rattling the stumps in 4 overs. Midway into the second innings, Eaton Bray was 74-5, but crucially, all of their top order were back in the pavilion. Immediately after the drinks, J. Singh claimed his second wicket of the innings. This was followed up by R. Giri in his next over. At the other end, J. Singh continued to find his line and claimed 2 wickets in the same over, ably assisted by M. Reddy’s low forward diving catch at short mid-off. In a span of 4 overs, Eaton Bray was reduced to 75-9 from 74-5, losing 3 wickets at 75.

With 39 runs still required and 9 wickets down, it seemed all over for Eaton Bray. But the No. 10 and No. 11 batters had other plans. They managed to stay in the middle, block good deliveries, and score here and there, with the scoreboard ticking. Bowling changes from the SCC captain created a few chances, but SCC fielders couldn't latch onto them. With every run scored, the last batting pair of Eaton Bray grew in confidence and went past the 100 mark. Soon, they were in touching distance with 108/9. The SCC captain brought back J. Singh into the attack as the last throw of the dice. Four balls into the 42nd over, J. Singh bowled the batter with an inside edge, thus bringing down the curtains on Eaton Bray's chase. SCC won by 5 runs while defending a low score of 113 runs.

Summary:

1. Gritty, resilient batting from V. Kummari, holding the innings together.
2. Playing to the match situation, batting from L. McCabe and R. Giri saw SCC go past 100, putting some runs on the board.
3. Making it harder to score every run, ably backed up by good fielding from SCC.
4. A show of great skills and accurate bowling from D. Prathi and J. Singh saw us home.