Titan

Oswald Park II Spanked Back To Reality.

Paul Dharmendra Ramkissoon

On a hot Florida summer Sunday, with a "feels like" temperature index of 103F, Titans skipper TANmay won the toss and offered the top of the table visitors Oswald Park II to take first tan and field.  The word on the street was that they were good at chasing while their bowling lacked true variety.  That made the skippers decision to bat first all the more intriguing as he opted to play to their strength and look to beat them at their own game.  It was the first of many statements made on the day to the team that was supposed to be the best in the zone.

Chuck and Dalip produced another good start for the team, getting Titans to 88/1 off 14 overs before Dalip skied one and was caught out on 41 prompting a drinks break.  Anil was back in the lineup for this game, but he miscued one and was walking back having barely bothered the scorers.  Alastair also went cheaply right after and Tiki (15) and Chuck (51) buckled down for a few more overs, but before you could bat an eye...both were dismissed and Titans top order was back in the shed for 130 odd for 5.  With half the innings still to bat, the game was delicately poised...but luckily for Titans, the current skipper and the former skipper were at the crease and what followed was a counter-attack the likes of which illustrated the worth of good leaders and willingness to fight the tough fight.  In each their own way and with contrasting approaches, Tanmay and Paul, negotiated that tricky passage of play.  In all, it was a well constructed partnership with 200 reached in the 34th over with no further loss of wickets.  As the tempo was increased, Paul (29) would be the last Titans wicket to fall, as Atif came in an rotated the strike to Tanmay (68*) who beat the bowling to all corners of the ground to get the team to 260 off the alloted 40 overs.  It was a massive total on the big John Prince Park pitch.  The skipper and by extension his team seemed to be saying to Oswald Park II, "welcome to our home turf, let us introduce our batsmen to you, now go ahead and try and chase and win against our supremely talented bowlers...and good luck with that."

The chase was never really on as Anil got lift and carry & DK swung it big, to negate the marginal ability of their opening bats.  Both bowlers were unlucky not to cash in with more wickets than they ended with.  Still though, Oswald Park II showed a nagging ability to stick in the middle...so it was then, that spin entered the fray.  Deo bewildered the batsmen pryign out 4-24 in his 8 overs and Tanmay partnered him on the other end which saw those two bowlers go through an entire session nabbing wickets and conceding very little runs.  That all but sealed it, but still Oswald Park kept hanging in and hanging in, even though the hangman had already pulled the lever.  Credit to them for their fighting spirit, but all game it seemed to everyone watching, that they were nowhere close to the best side in the league...and slowly the realization set in to even them...that they would have to meet the Titans again in a few weeks with much more at stake.  To their credit they managed a smitten grin hopeful of a different result in that future encounter, but on the day, a masterful message has been sent to the league...look out for Titans and better hope you don't have to face them in the semis.

With this win, Titans is ensured at least the #3 seeding for the playoffs regardless of the outcome of next week's matches.  The loss to IU and tie with Ambassador no doubt still leave lingering regret, but last Sunday all of that seemed to be dispelled as the best team in the league was unveiled in smashing fashion and as the pretenders were exposed losing by 79 runs to the real contenders.  Final score: Titans 260/6 defeated Oswald Park 181/9 in 40 overs.  Congrats to the skipper and his team as a well rounded performance was finally turned in.