Friends 11 cruises to comfortable win against Griffins CC

After the bowlers pack Griffins off for 98 allout, Jayaram Jayaraj complete comprehensive 7-wicket triumph.

Measured, clinical and professional all through its current season, F11 persisted with its virtues to secure a comprehensive seven-wicket victory in the 8th match of the season at John Ruskin on Sunday (June 19).

Griffins, batting by choice after Manunath Reghunath won the toss, and failed to apply itself. Eventhough the Griffins’ batsmen Shan Hussain and Sudheesh Rajan dominated the F11 bowling attack on the first four overs, a quick decession by the skipper to change the spell on the fifth over ruined the momentum of the openers, whilst the vice captain Justin Thomas took the first wicket for F11 by dislodging the middle stump of Sudheesh Rajan.

The uncompromising pace attack by Riju George kept the Griffins’ batsmen under great pressure and he dismissed Shan Hussain in the 8th over by an exuberant return catch. Riju George took another wicket in his 3rd over by an excellent outswing, where  Anish Raju didn’t had an option rather than surrendering himself into the gloves of the wicket keeper, Jayaram Jayaraj.

On the second change of the spell the skipper Arun Krishnan nominated himself and the ‘spear head’ Anand Sajeevan to bowl against the aggressive batting pair of Griffins, Dileep Narayanan and the skipper Manunath Reghunath. Both bowlers found great rhythm and the batsmen were tied with the pace and the swing combination and the pressure lead to the dismissal of Dileep Narayanan (6) in the 18th over. The skipper finished his spell in style (3 for 26 in 7 overs) by dismissing Jimmy George (12) by  LBW and Stanlee Varghese who got clean bowled, in two consecutive deliveries which was the last two balls of his spell.

The only danger left in the crease was the skipper Manunath (16) who got dismissed by the aggressive bowling of Midhun Sebastian in his second spell.

Anand Sajeevan Continued with his aggression and dismissed Samson Joseph and Ramees Hassan for a duck and finished the Griffins’ innings for mere 98 runs in just  24.2 overs.

A regulation chase was very much on the cards, and Jayaram Jayaraj and Sumith Surendran, F11’s openers, made full use of the flat surface devoid of any grass to knock off the paltry total in 19.3 overs. Jayaram Jayaraj who scored an unbeaten 69* off 50 played with composure to finish the second innings just before 20 overs. Jayaram displayed his elegant stroke-making ability by, driving the bowlers through the covers.

F11 finished the game in style when Jaimon Jacob hit a six through the long on and wraped up the game in 19.3 overs.

The consistency in the batting performance of Jayaram Jayaraj made the chase easier and lead to the 7th victory of F11. Jayaram Jayaraj is the 2nd leading run scorer of the league with 400 runs in 6 matches and with an Average of 66.66.

After the comprehensive win against Griffins CC, Friends 11 is on top of the league table with 148 points.

Report by :Arun Krishnan.