Result: TITANS won by 14 runs

After a heart breaking loss last week, TITANS were eagerly waiting for this game to use it as a launch pad, to jump onto higher seedings. With history to back us up, Kapil back in the team and playing on the home ground, there was no reason why TITANS cudn't repeat the last year's performance when they bundled out TIGERS for patlry 15 runs. Well the WIN did come by but left a lot to be desired. Vijay won the toss, first time this season and elected to bat, looking forward to a big score.

TITANS Innings
Stalin, making debut for TITANS, opened with Sunil, playing his last game for TITANS. Both the openers showed no urgency and started playing calmly. Sunil was clean bowled in the 4th over of the innings when score read 6. Not a dream start TITANS were looking for. Krishna went up the order and started hitting all over the ground. One shot in particular over covers fielder for 4. He got out caught at point trying to repeat the shot, mis-reading the slower delivery. Stalin gave the simplest of catches to the keeper in the next over. Abhay replaced him and was clean bowled on the very first ball he faced, second duck in a row, and left TITANS gasping at 22 for 4. And soon after, Bhaskar lost his wicket to another low ball when TITANS were 24. In gap of 2 runs, TITANS lost 3 crucial wickets, 24 for 5. Thats when Kapil and Abhilash, showed all the experience they have, and started building TITANS innings. A 23 runs partnership in 5 overs was finally broken by a ball which bounced outside leg and took the leg stump, Abhilash couldnot believe it. But Kapil, the king of partnerships, immediately got into the resurrection act with Bhuvan, who showed great temperament to stick at the wicket and still keep scoring. Another 18 runs were added in the next 5 overs when Kapil played a slower one too early and was caught at mid-wicket. Score 65 for 7. Vinay joined Bhuvan on field. Bhuvan slogged one to long leg, trying to increase the run rate but was brilliantly caught there. A fine innings coming to an end. Vijay came to the field and soon got out. Score 71 for 9. Amit was left with the task of seeing off last 2 balls of the 21st over. He played one good cricketing shot to open his account. Vinay from the next over started trying to hit everything, missing more than hitting and still was able to get one boundary, but was bowled out at 79. (Vinay was dropped at 71 otherwise the game could have been really close). So TITANS innings ended pretty short of what Vijay would have liked.

Tigers Innings
A target of 80 runs in 25 overs was not an easy one. Tigers playing their first game this season, that too against quality bowling of TITANS, this task was more daunting. Krishna had something else planned for Tigers. He opened the bowling and only on his 3rd ball, plumbed the batsman right in front of the wicket. 4th ball, pitched outside the off stump, batsman left it for keeper, ball turned sharply in and took the off stump, batsman watching in amazement. Within 2 balls he was on hat-trick. 5th ball, pitched at same spot, batsman's same reaction and same result. KRISHNA became the first TITAN to ever register a HAT-TRICK. TITANS were right into the game. Bhaskar shared the ball with Krishna and one hasty run and good throw from Sunil got the batsman run out. Score 4 for 4. That was the time to press for aggression and repeat the history, but Vijay brought in new bowlers to give openers some rest. Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Tigers. The opening batsman scored some brisk runs in those 6 overs to take score around 20, when Krishna took a one handed blinder off Amit to bring down the 5th wicket. Bhaskar bowled the over before the break to get rid of the opener. After that TITANS lost all the initiative, Tigers took score from 25 for 7 to 51 runs only in few overs. The bowling changes were not working and the batsmen just hitting the bad ones. Bhaskar in his last over removed one more batsmen to leave Tigers at 51 for 8. Still 29 runs to win, Tigers seemed to be closing in to the target which at one stage seemed immpossible. Finally Vijay got the 9th wicket down when Sunil took a diving catch. And Vinay wrapped up the innings on the first ball of his second over getting Tigers captain caught at the long off boundary by Srinivas (substituting for Stalin).

A win but not a satisfactory one. Everyone knew we could have done better than that. But there has been a big improvement for sure. Lot of cricket left this season and a lot to accomplish.
Sporting moment of the match : "Krishna in his very first over registered a Hat-Trick (LBW, BOWLED, BOWLED), and thus became the first TITAN to do so."