Things looked bright for the visiting Phoenix Cricket Club as they won the toss and elected to bat.

The first wicket came when Maurice Mcghie was called for a leg before wicket, out at an impressive 38 runs. He scored the most runs for his side behind his powerful aggressiveness. He hit PCC’s most fours (6) and their only six of the innings. Off of just the 26 deliveries he faced, put him and his strike rate at a whopping 146.15. But aggressive batting giveth and taketh away as he was the day’s first man to walk back to the sheds.

Although Srujan Pinamwar fell for a duck, the rest of the team shared the burden of putting runs on the board, with seven men putting up double digits for their side although Mcghie was the only man to break the 30 run mark.

Even though PCC was bowled out in the 33rd over, they were able to put up a very respectable 202 runs, giving the Patriots a lot of work to do.

After the innings break, things were still looking good for PCC as the Patriots lost their first wicket before a run had even been scored. Bipin Raju scored two runs only to have the new man at the crease, Naveen Reddy, go out for a duck, leaving the Patriots in huge 2-2 hole.

While this early scare was a real one for the Patriots, it was Bipin’s day as he carried his side batting 88 not out. His batting was steady and consistent, batting with a strike rate of 90.72.

During the innings, I commented to the Patriots captain Srikanth Meka that losing Bipin’s wicket would be a huge blow. He said in a very calm and confident manner, “But that’s why he’s not going to get out,” and boy, was he right. While wickets fell around him, Bipin stayed calm in the crease and continued to produce.

In the later part of the innings he was joined with first innings bowling hero Leela Lakshman Gurram who put up a lofty 40 runs off of just 35 deliveries, hitting for 5×4 and 2×6. But soon, even his wicket fell to a beautiful delivery from Nageswara Rao Kankanala.

Slow and steady definitely won the race today as the winning runs came off of a boundary just to punctuate the day.

PCC has a lot to be proud of, but in this tight match the victory went to the Patriots.

Cricket Arizona’s Man of the Match is Bipin Raju.