Result: TITANS won by 35 runs

TITANS have never had any success against this team in past seasons. This year would have been no different only if few of the TITANS had not decided to give them a taste of their own blood. Abhilash single-handedly snatched the game from Crusaders (17 runs, 3 wickets for 4 and 3 catches). Abhay's bowling added feather to the cap by taking last three crucial wickets. Vijay won the toss yet again and elected to Bat.

TITANS Innings
Stalin and Bhaskar opened. Bhaskar pulled the opening bowler Ravish for a huge six over square leg boundary. 12 runs came of the first over. Bhaskar also got a life in that over when ball landed in no-man's land, thanks to the wet outfield. Stalin played sensibily taking singles and giving strike to Bhaskar. Stalin lofted one in the second over towards mid-off trying to place in gap and Yash took a simple catch. Score 15/1. Abhilash joined Bhaskar in the middle. They both added 11 runs in 2.4 overs when Bhaskar was found plumb in front. Score 26/2. Kapil was next man in. Over the time Kapil and Abhilash has become a nemesis for most of the teams. When they both are together in the middle, runs keep flowing to the frustration of the bowlers. They did the same thing again and Crusaders captain finally used his fifth bowler, Shastri. Shastri came in and got rid of Kapil, caught and Bowled. Score 50/3. Krishna replaced Kapil. By the time break was taken, TITANS were sitting pretty at 61 for 3. Run-rate over 5 an over. Things changed drastically right after the break. Good disciplined bowling by Shastri and some lose shots saw TITANS lose all the momentum gained before the break. Abhilash cleaned bowled in the first over. Krishna caught at covers in next and by the time Abhay got out on duck, TITANS had just added 9 runs in 5 overs at loss of 3 wickets. Then Srinivas and Sreeraj took the game in their hands and decided not to get out. They scored 20 runs between themselves which included a perfectly timed shot over long-on for a six. They took TITANS to the slog overs without any further loss. Sreeraj was caught behind in the 22nd over and Srinivas followed right after. Score 93/8. Vinay trying to hit a full toss for maximum, mis-hit it into his stumps. Score 100/9. Vijay and Bhuvan, made sure that no further damage is done and finally TITANS completed a rare feat of batting until 25 overs. TITANS ended at a healthy 107. Given the batting of Crusaders, still a lot was required from the bowling guns.

Crusaders Innings
Sunil and Shyam opened for Crusaders and Krishna for TITANS. Krishna won the initial battle, getting Sunil nick one to Abhilash. The ball came too fast and Abhilash fumbled before completing the catch. Krishna got another wicket when Shyam tried to clear covers but Sreeraj denied. Score 3/2. Vijay brought Vinay as first change, but he was hit for a 4 on the very first ball. Abhilash started from the other end and got rid of Venkat who popped a simple one for Krishna. Vinay removed Suraj in his next over caught by Abhilash at Square Leg. Abhilash showed sharp reflexes to complete a jumping caught and bowled to get rid of left-handed Arvind. Abhilash removed Yash cleaned bowled. Next ball Ravish chipped a one on log towards short fine leg, where Vinay made a mess of simple catch. But made up for the drop by getting a direct hit to find Ravish out of crease. Score 28/7. Shastri came in to bat facing Vijay and hit him out of attack with a huge six and two fours. By the time break was taken, TITANS were in commanding position, with Shastri looking dangerous. After the break Shastri started his on-slaught on Vinay. Hitting him for 15 runs in his 3rd. Bhaskar and Krishna on the other hand were bowling with great concentration. But not getting wickets. Shastri and Shashi played next 7 overs added 37 runs without any loss. Thats when Vijay looked towards Abhay. Abhay on his very first balled yorked Shastri and TITANS smelled victory again first time since the break. Score 65/8. In the 21st over, Abhay needed just 4 balls to wrap up the innings of Crusaders. They ended at 72 in 20.4 overs.

A good victory against a good team. Everytime a TITAN bowler go for runs, some other TITAN replaces him with better performance. Abhilash and Abhay did exactly what Vinay and Vijay couldn't. These extra bowling avenues discovered during this game will go long way in TITANS success. A word of applause for Shastri from Crusaders, whose bowling restricted the TITANS score to atleast 20 runs short. And his batting, scoring 31 studded with 3 sixes and two 4s almost took the game away from us.

Crucial moment of the match : "Shastri was hitting every TITAN bowler over the rope, thats when Abhay took matter in his hands and removed last 3 wickets in 1.4 overs, including the dangerous wicket of Shastri on his very first ball."