Chapter 24: Bhopal U19 [Pt 3]
Innings Break
The umpire removed the bails, signaling the end of the first innings.
Most of the Bhopal U19 fans stared at the electronic scoreboard which displayed a total many weren't happy with.
Mumbai U19: 240/8 (50 Overs) vs Bhopal U19: Yet to Bat
"Hey, say, that player is good," one of the spectators said, pointing at Aryan who was walking off with his bat.
"Yeah, he single-handedly turned around the innings with that cameo," another added. Aryan's batting performance had been etched into the minds of the spectators.
Inside the dressing room, Coach Kulkarni was rallying the troops.
"We have a decent total, but on this pitch, it's par at best. We are 50 overs away from widening the gap in the points table. Give your all in this final session. Do you hear me!!!"
"Yes, Coach!" they replied.
Aryan, who was drinking water at the back, was approached by Coach Kulkarni.
"You did well with the bat, Aryan. Now do more with the ball in the second innings," he said before turning away to speak to the opening bowlers.
The players returned to the field from their dressing rooms. Because it was an away zonal game, traveling fans for Mumbai were almost non-existent.
The Bhopal U19 fans tried to intimidate the young players as they took the field. The sounds they were making—drums, horns, and chants—were deafening.
Aryan looked around a bit after stepping onto the turf and smiled before going to his fielding position at cover.
The umpire signaled play, and the Bhopal openers walked in. The match continued where the intensity had left off.
The Bhopal openers played the ball around the Mumbai fielders who were getting annoyed at their opponents' solid defense.
10 overs had passed, and Mumbai hadn't seen a wicket. The possession—or rather, the momentum—was 80-20 for Bhopal U19 by Aryan's estimation, as they were 60/0.
Aryan, who got the ball from a fielder, decided to initiate a change in energy. As the Bhopal batsmen were subconsciously getting comfortable, thinking the bowling lacked bite.
Coach Kulkarni signaled for a bowling change. Aryan was called to bowl. He took off his cap and handed it to the umpire.
Aryan, after marking his run-up, sent a signaling glance to Vikram (Wicketkeeper) behind the stumps.
Aryan ran in. He bowled a quicker delivery, skidding off the surface.
The Bhopal opener, Kuldeep, tried to cut it but was cramped for room.
Kuldeep tried to adjust his shot, using the pace to guide it to third man.
He turned the face of the bat, poking at the ball.
Aryan, seeing the batsman commit, had bowled a leg-cutter. The ball gripped the surface.
Kuldeep, realizing the ball wasn't coming on, tried to check his shot, but the edge flew high towards the slip cordon.
Manoj (Mark's counterpart), who had been quiet all day in the field, rose up in the air to meet the ball.
Coach Kulkarni and most of the Mumbai players had their hands up in celebration, but what happened next made their faces turn sour.
Manoj fumbled! He juggled the ball once, twice... but somehow, he managed to pin it against his chest as he fell.
"Out!" The umpire raised his finger.
It was a crucial breakthrough.
A few overs later, Mumbai got a corner—I mean, a chance to apply pressure via a fielding setup.
The new batsman was struggling against spin. Aryan was brought back into the attack to exploit the weakness.
Aryan took the ball and set his field. He placed a fielder at a specialized short-leg position.
Aryan stepping back raised his hand to see if the fielders were ready.
Manoj had come from the slips to short-leg to try his luck.
Aryan, spotting Manoj's eagerness and how the batsman seemed to be shuffling across, decided to bowl at his pads.
Aryan sent a very good inswinger to the leg side. The batsman, seeing the ball coming his way, tried to flick it.
He mistimed it! The ball popped up off the bat-pad. Manoj didn't disappoint and rose to the challenge, diving forward to catch the ball inches from the ground.
Manoj pointed to Aryan who had bowled the perfect trap ball before jumping to hug him after he was near.
Aryan caught Manoj, and Manoj was surprised by his core strength.
The other Mumbai players also came to celebrate and jumped on Aryan, finally causing him to stumble on the pitch.
The celebrations got cut off by the umpire who looked annoyed by the Mumbai players' excessive celebration.
Aryan and a couple of Mumbai players noticed the umpire's reaction to their wicket but kept quiet.
They already knew it was 13 against eleven from the start of the match (11 players + 2 umpires).
It seemed that the Bhopal U19 heads had influenced the officiating.
The Mumbai players returned to their positions.
The umpire signaled play, and the Bhopal players came out aggressive.
One would think they would lose morale after losing 2 quick wickets, but that only fueled their morale.
The Bhopal players played patiently this time around, rotating strike, waiting for a chance to score boundaries, and they finally got their chance in the 40th Over.
Because of a momentary lapse in concentration by the bowler, Varun, a Bhopal batsman made a charge down the track.
After the player connected with the ball, he smashed it to the long-off boundary.
Manoj tried to clear the ball—field it—but the ball spun away from him.
Aryan ran back from mid-off and tried to relay the throw but was obstructed by the non-striker running in his line.
The Mumbai players raised their hands to draw the umpire's attention to the obstruction, but he didn't act.
The Bhopal batsmen, taking advantage of the lack of concentration and the umpire's silence, ran four runs—an all-run four due to the fumble.
One opponent player came out of the crease and tapped the pitch, signaling aggression amidst the confusion.
After they drew closer to the target, the Bhopal players didn't celebrate excessively; they quickly went back to their crease to keep the run rate up.
Coach Kulkarni couldn't handle it anymore and went to the fourth umpire standing on the touchline to complain about the obstruction.
The main umpire, upon seeing this, decided to give the Coach a formal warning (Yellow Card equivalent in conduct).
Coach Kulkarni saw that there was no need to continue this as he would complain to the BCCI refereeing committee later.
Aryan was a bit frustrated by the umpire's actions and why he was behaving how he was behaving.
Over 48
Bhopal needed 20 runs from 18 balls.
Vikram (Keeper) passed the ball to Aryan after the restart. Aryan, after receiving the ball, polished it on his trousers.
The Mumbai players tightened the field. They tried to dry up the runs.
The Mumbai players looked at the scoreboard and the overs remaining.
Mumbai U19: 240 | Bhopal U19: 225/7 (48 Overs)
The players on the bench had gripped onto their seats because the game was going down to the wire.
Some of the players were praying for dot balls, and others were praying for wickets.
Aryan came on to bowl the 49th over. He came one-on-one with the Bhopal captain, Kuldeep, who tried to smash him.
Anticipating the player's move to step out, Aryan fired in a wide yorker.
The batsman missed. Dot ball.
Aryan, seeing this as an opportunity to attack, quickly walked back to his mark.
Vikram, after collecting the ball, threw it back to Aryan.
The next ball. Kuldeep tried to paddle sweep.
Aryan saw the movement. He didn't look at the stumps; he just felt the line.
He delivered a slower ball, a knuckleball.
Kuldeep was deceived. The ball dipped.
Kuldeep, skillfully, tried to adjust, but he was too early. The ball hit the toe end of the bat.
(To be Continued)