Heartbreak for Asteroids in the season opener

The game began with the jaguars winning the toss and electing to bat. Asteroids struck quickly with 2 wickets as each of the opening bowlers, Arun D and Vishnu grabbing a wicket each. As Jaguars number 3 batsman, Randev was looking comfortable with some quick boundaries, Ajay provided the breakthrough with Akshay taking a good catch at long off. Going into drinks and immediately striking within the next over after drinks with the wicket of AJ, Jaguars looked in trouble at 54/4 in 15.2 overs. This is where asteroids began losing ground after a series of dropped catches, which let jaguars batsman Saket to jump to 40 runs. During this period Saket(40) and Monty(27) put on a good partnership 137/6 in 35 overs. Asteroids were finally able to get both set batsmen out by taking their catches of consecutive overs. Jaguars were reduced to 149/8 in 38 overs. This is when Irvinder(41) came in and swung for the hills. Some connected but many were skied only to slip through the fingers of Asteroids fielders. Nabeel put a lid on the runs from one end while runs were leaked from the other. Jaguars ended their innings at 211/9.

Asteroids began their chase confidently with Hari(34) playing his usual aggressive game and Rohan (20)playing a good second fiddle. Just as Asteroids were looking comfortable at 56/0 in 11 overs, the openers fell to some soft dismissals to have them reduced to 70/2 in 15 overs going into drinks. The winds were picking to probably what felt like 20mph .Abhishek(33) and Venky(18) stead the ship reaching 99/2 in 24 overs. Just as they looked to open up, two more wickets of Venky and Akshay ,left asteroids at 122/4 in 30overs. Abhishek and Arun batted sensible to get the score to 150/4 in 34 overs. Just then Abhishek lost his wicket after a well made 33. Then began an enterprising partnership between Vishnu(19) and Arun(34) that took the score to 190/5 in 41 overs. With Asteroids needing 22 off 24 , two brain-freeze moments off consecutive balls changed the course of the game. Vishnu was run out backing up too far on the non-strikers end when the ball was hit back to the bowler and Arun tried to slog one across the line and found his stumps knocked back. This left asteroids at 192/7 in 42. Needing 20 off 18, the game was in the balance. Priyakar was run out trying to steal a two and left Athul and Nabeel at the crease needed 15 to win off 2 overs. Nabeel played some smart cricket with a combination of 1s and 2s to take the game to the final over needing 8 runs. Athul took a single of the first ball and nabeel a 2 from the next. Asteroids required 5 off 4 to win. Couple of good deliveries followed off which no runs were scored. Needing 5 off two, Nabeel scored a 2 off the next ball. Asteroids needed three runs off the last ball. Nabeel mistimed his slog, and the ball went to a vacant infield area at midwicket, however Nabeel despite the quick feet found himself short by a few inches on the second. Asteroids lost the game by 1 run.

Positives :
Excellent bowling performance by all
Batting : Everyone got a start and batted sensibly till the very end.

Negatives:
Fielding: Probably cost us about 50-60runs.
Batting : The players who got a start threw it away just as they were looking good. Set batsmen must score the 80s and 100s.
Running between the wickets : 5 run outs
Losing composure at key moments.