Enigma Premier League :- ( MY FIRST EPL)
The tournament I would always cherish to play and keep my memories for life time. It all started way back in 2010 when one of my senior Ramakrishnan had started the tournament but we played at 2011 as we missed the first edition of EPL.
Our first tournament was about to start and it was more like IPL where players from different classes mixed together and auctioned to play for a team. I was quite eager to see the proceedings happening around and I was not picked by any team in the first auction but later on, I was picked by one team named CHENNAI SPARTANS.
It's a great feeling to play a cricket match with that environment where students from my class and senior class came and watched. We also had the commentary going on. Faculties also play in our team for one or two matches. It was good going all around.
We are a better side in that tournament and went on to win that edition with captain Ranganathan (one of the hard hitters of the cricket ball). We haven't lost a single game in that edition.
Our first tournament was about to start and it was more like IPL where players from different classes mixed together and auctioned to play for a team. I was quite eager to see the proceedings happening around and I was not picked by any team in the first auction but later on, I was picked by one team named CHENNAI SPARTANS.
It's a great feeling to play a cricket match with that environment where students from my class and senior class came and watched. We also had the commentary going on. Faculties also play in our team for one or two matches. It was good going all around.
We are a better side in that tournament and went on to win that edition with captain Ranganathan (one of the hard hitters of the cricket ball). We haven't lost a single game in that edition.
My Second EPL Tournament:
This one was more relaxed than in the previous edition and I played under Amarnath (One the cool captains and true sportsmen).
We got some good players with us , we had the good mix of players in that EPL (Arun Pandy, Mohandoss, Amarnath, Manish, Vinoth Varman and Ram Prashanth). My team MUMBAI BLASTERS.
We lost the first match with the Vellore Veeras but came back strongly in the second match by beating CHENNAI SPARTANS.
As the tournament progress, I have played my best part to the team and everyone gave their best to reach the finals.
Final as we say normally has to be a low scoring game but one that day it was different. First 3 overs it was around 11-12 and CHENNAI SPARTANS went on to reach 60+ by 7 overs. Can't do much when Ranganathan was in great form.
I still remember the moment after the first innings we all came back to drink water and everyone was nervous. But still, Myself and Manish used the same statement - VANDHA MALLA PONNA MASURU, I told the openers Amarnath and Ram Prashanth to give a good start and not to lose wickets. We have played a good tournament so far, let's try to win this one. The fielding positions were easy to score runs as every player in the opponent team was in deep, nobody had to stop 1s and 2s and they have used to strategy to stop boundaries.
Amarnath gave a good nick and Ram carried the game and played his best innings, after Amarnath got out, it was Arun pandy's turn to knock the ball for a sensible play. (But I have to tell you people, Arun pandy have only one way to play though he looks lean he can hit the ball a long way and one the great cricketers I have played with ). After Arun perished with quick 10-15 runs in 5 balls, the game got closer. I stepped in and turned the 1s into 2s and finally in the second last over, I was given as a run out (which was not a wicket actually) by KARTHIK. Everyone knows that it was not out but still match was stopped for about 20-25 mins and finally the decision was reviewed as not out.
Last over and 7 runs needed, I hit the first ball four (thanks to miss field by Raja Sahadevan), second ball I lofted in long on the direction and Mashoodh missed the catch (difficult one) we ran 2. So 1 run from 4 balls and I hit a boundary in next ball and that's it the match was over. Everybody in my team was in the high moon but the delay of 20-25 mins in between the game had slowed the enthusiastic feel in us. But still, it was a great tournament to remember. Ram Prashanth was declared man of the match and I went on to get the player of the tournament award.
We got some good players with us , we had the good mix of players in that EPL (Arun Pandy, Mohandoss, Amarnath, Manish, Vinoth Varman and Ram Prashanth). My team MUMBAI BLASTERS.
We lost the first match with the Vellore Veeras but came back strongly in the second match by beating CHENNAI SPARTANS.
As the tournament progress, I have played my best part to the team and everyone gave their best to reach the finals.
Final as we say normally has to be a low scoring game but one that day it was different. First 3 overs it was around 11-12 and CHENNAI SPARTANS went on to reach 60+ by 7 overs. Can't do much when Ranganathan was in great form.
I still remember the moment after the first innings we all came back to drink water and everyone was nervous. But still, Myself and Manish used the same statement - VANDHA MALLA PONNA MASURU, I told the openers Amarnath and Ram Prashanth to give a good start and not to lose wickets. We have played a good tournament so far, let's try to win this one. The fielding positions were easy to score runs as every player in the opponent team was in deep, nobody had to stop 1s and 2s and they have used to strategy to stop boundaries.
Amarnath gave a good nick and Ram carried the game and played his best innings, after Amarnath got out, it was Arun pandy's turn to knock the ball for a sensible play. (But I have to tell you people, Arun pandy have only one way to play though he looks lean he can hit the ball a long way and one the great cricketers I have played with ). After Arun perished with quick 10-15 runs in 5 balls, the game got closer. I stepped in and turned the 1s into 2s and finally in the second last over, I was given as a run out (which was not a wicket actually) by KARTHIK. Everyone knows that it was not out but still match was stopped for about 20-25 mins and finally the decision was reviewed as not out.
Last over and 7 runs needed, I hit the first ball four (thanks to miss field by Raja Sahadevan), second ball I lofted in long on the direction and Mashoodh missed the catch (difficult one) we ran 2. So 1 run from 4 balls and I hit a boundary in next ball and that's it the match was over. Everybody in my team was in the high moon but the delay of 20-25 mins in between the game had slowed the enthusiastic feel in us. But still, it was a great tournament to remember. Ram Prashanth was declared man of the match and I went on to get the player of the tournament award.
My Third EPL Tournament:
We started this edition with new captain SURYA. And my new team was VELLORE VEERAS. Playing under Surya is always a good feeling, very cool and easy going player and he enjoys what he does on the ground. I was picked for this team in last minute as 2 teams wanted to pick me and finally landed on this team with 5000+ rupees real money. ( Not a great feeling when you are bought for 5000+ rupees because the pressure is high on me but I want to give the best I could ).
We played against a better side in the finals. we have only scored 30+ runs in 7 overs and it was kind of redemption match for us , we have to win this match because we played well all through and we spent more for this team. So all things keep going in mind, it was a hard match for me physically ( I had some problems in my body) , Last over came and we kept the match alive as opponent need 4 runs from 6 balls, It was Arun time to deliver his best and yes he did by bowling a maiden against Anirudh ( one of good players of all time in EPL). we jumped in joy and I shattered the stumps and the day ended great, probably the second most pressured EPL finals after the previous one.
Arun pandy won the player of the match and player of the tournament. And I ended up getting my third consecutive EPL title.
We started this edition with new captain SURYA. And my new team was VELLORE VEERAS. Playing under Surya is always a good feeling, very cool and easy going player and he enjoys what he does on the ground. I was picked for this team in last minute as 2 teams wanted to pick me and finally landed on this team with 5000+ rupees real money. ( Not a great feeling when you are bought for 5000+ rupees because the pressure is high on me but I want to give the best I could ).
We played against a better side in the finals. we have only scored 30+ runs in 7 overs and it was kind of redemption match for us , we have to win this match because we played well all through and we spent more for this team. So all things keep going in mind, it was a hard match for me physically ( I had some problems in my body) , Last over came and we kept the match alive as opponent need 4 runs from 6 balls, It was Arun time to deliver his best and yes he did by bowling a maiden against Anirudh ( one of good players of all time in EPL). we jumped in joy and I shattered the stumps and the day ended great, probably the second most pressured EPL finals after the previous one.
Arun pandy won the player of the match and player of the tournament. And I ended up getting my third consecutive EPL title.
My Fourth EPL Tournament:
No more senior players in the team, I was about to play with all my juniors, I captained the team and it was good playing with younger players. We played some decent games all around just losing 1 match against Arun pandy's team in the league ( sorry I forgot the name of the team). We went on to reach the finals and it was not our day, tosses win matches some times, if I would have won the toss the scenario might be different but that's the way it is , we have to take whatever we got. We scored better 40+ in 7 overs but against a very strong team, it was not enough they played better cricket on that day. And this was my First defeat in finals in four editions of EPL.
No more senior players in the team, I was about to play with all my juniors, I captained the team and it was good playing with younger players. We played some decent games all around just losing 1 match against Arun pandy's team in the league ( sorry I forgot the name of the team). We went on to reach the finals and it was not our day, tosses win matches some times, if I would have won the toss the scenario might be different but that's the way it is , we have to take whatever we got. We scored better 40+ in 7 overs but against a very strong team, it was not enough they played better cricket on that day. And this was my First defeat in finals in four editions of EPL.