Saturday, December 13, 2008
Lost against Mazda
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Facebook Panthers at Number 6
Battrick Panthers @ #2 in Twenty20
Nisar makes the difference for Agility Panthers
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Good but not Good Enough
Monday, November 10, 2008
Cement Pitch Bullies Flop on Turf again
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Facebook Panthers Reach Level 4
Panthers rapid ascent had already been highlighted by experts and competitors alike because of the well balanced team effort that was on display in all of their matches. The players backed each other up and the confidence that the each player got from his partner resulted in the all round stellar performances. On this momentous occassion, the board announced prizes for best performances. So lets go over to our Presenter 'Shakki Khan Shakki' who is going to present the awards.
SKS: Thank you, Dube Lal Naan-chunk-pandora-bhuttan for finally giving the mic to me, I thought you were going to take it home. Fans I am sure you want me to go right to the prizes as you are already yawning and looking repeatedly at the lunch table. There are 11 prizes to be given today, but I am going to speed things up, since I have an ample stock of eggs and rotten tomatoes at home. First of all I am going to call 'Samir Bhatti' on the stage.
FANS CLAPPING.
SKS: Samir Bhatti actually only gets one prize of the 11, for scoring the most runs in an innings. 225. The highest for Panthers XI. Samir how is it possible that you were able to score 225 runs in a 20 over match?
SB: Well I took my chances early on. The team was not so good so I told myself that I am going to bat the whole 20 overs, selfishly, and not going to let anyother batsman face these minnows. I backed myself, hit my shots and left everything else to God.
SKS: It was one amazing innings SB. So moving on to the next prize. I am going to call to the stage. Munir Faruqi. Oh WOW. With the applause I am hearing for him, it seems that you have woken up. It seems that the star of Panthers XI is Munir Faruqi and his performances show that as well. He is the highest run getter with 10,723 runs, he has the best average 57.04, best strike rate 197.55, most centuries 25 and most 50s 68. How do you feel Munir
MF: Well I had a scratchy start to this facebook Twenty20. But I knew that I will find my rhythym. My captain backed me up and spent time with me in the nets and concentrated on my fitness. And when I had doubt in my heart, my captain said don't worry, start taking English Classes, I know that you are going to succeed.
FANS GOING BONKERS....
SKS: Are you a bit sad that the only batting prize you didn't get was the highest score in an innings.
MF: Well I was at the other end when Samir Bhatti was involved in carnage at the other end. I was begging him to let me play a few balls but he flatly refused. I tried to get him run out a few times, but that didn't work out as well. Sucker played the whole 120 deliveries in the innings. I will get back to him. I have good relations with the captain, I know him personally, I will ask him to let me face the first delivery in all matches in Level 4.
FANS are trashing their seats. Calling for blood and immediate sacking of Samir Bhatti from the team. This is not a good sign for Panthers XI. But after all there are 11 Pakistanis playing in the team and its only a matter of time, when the team is going to self destruct.
SKS: Fans, fans lets move to the bowling awards. Please calm down. Now that you have thrown your seats at Samir Bhatti, please sit on the floors. Yes yes please. This what you deserve actually. So now I am going to call on to the stage, the charismatic Nisar Ahmed KHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN.
FANS are chhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeaaaaaaaaarrrrrriiiiiinnnngggggggg. FANS actually do know who their real heroes are. Nisar is rocking on towards the stage, with cool goggles, which he might have borrowed from his son. He is a babe magnet and girls are cutting their veins just to get one look from him.
SKS: Don't worry guys for all of your fainted dates, we have called the ambulances. Those who have cut their veins, I am sorry, we have no hope for them, for we live in a country where blood sucking politicians have already sucked all the blood out of us, so we have none to replenish you with. Land mafia have already occupied all the plots in the city, so either you would have to bury them in another country or you can burn them. If you can get petrol that is.
SKS: Okay so Nisar, you have almost captured all the bowling awards, you get the award for most wickets in an innings 7 Wickets for 16 runs, best per wicket average of 16.73 runs per wicket, most 5+ wickets in an innings i.e. 4 times. How do you feel?
NAK: aray kya bolta ray. Humko nahee maloooom wicket shicket. Hum aata hay, bowl phaikta hay aur baytsmaaan ko ghooorta hay. Baytsmaaan khud heee bhaag jaata hay.
SKS: Fans, he is saying that its not his Mendis turn but rather his stare that gets him all the wickets. Amazing, Amazing. First time a bowler is saying this. How did your stare get so much power???
NAK: aray Naakoooo. Bachpan say pracstissshh kya hay hum. aray paympar say hum larkeee log ko ghooor raaha hay. Abheee ackshpert ho gaya hay.
SKS: Amazing Amazing. He is saying that he has spent years, infact since he was in his pampers, he is practicing this art, standing outside a girls college in heat, staring at them. Now he has become expert in dish, I mean this. So now we are going to call... Nakooo Bhai you can go on your seat.
NAK: Aray shit hay kidhar?
SKS: oh oh oh. Not Shit sir, seat seat. There are expensive persian carpets you can have a seat there. I will call on the next man on the stage. He is the captain, manager and owner of Panthers XI. He is Aaaaaaammmmmmmmaaaaaaaadddddddd UUUDDDDDDIIIIIINNNNNN. No Fans not yet, its not lunch time. Please stay in the hall. Those containers are empty. Yes yes, please come back, come back now. Please thank you. So Amad you have the higest number of wickets 212 and you have the best economy of 7.46 runs per over. You are also the captain and owner of the side, how do you feel.
AU: Well actually its amazing. Initially we didn't do so well, as we were playing individually and I told these guys that individual glory can only come after collective glory.
SKS: WOW amazing words. So after that they started pitching in.
AU: Well not really, actually I bribed each one of them. I fired all the extra players and told the main 11 that this is it. So the firing and bribing part was the key actually.
SKS: How do you feel about your bowling.
AU: It felt good to be amongst the wickets. Actually I would have a lot more wickets, hadn't been the sitters dropped by Nisar. yeah. Look he is still shaking his head and smiling. You won't be getting your paycheck sir. So keep on smiling. Yeah good. I would also like to ask all my team to come on the stage. Yes please, plese come on the stage. We will collectively bow out. Yeah come on come one. Thanks. Now I will ask Waqar Perwaize to lead them out quickly since there is no food in the containers and the fans might want to kill us for that. RUN RUN RUN!!!!!
SKS: Fans are chasing the team, and if they are alive, they would put up a better show on their way to reach Level 5. Stay tuned...
Sunday, April 27, 2008
VS Salmiyah - Baiztee
Had to be some kind of record: I bowled two overs in the match, one was the first over and the other one the last over. Is it some kind of record?
Where we lost the grip: They were 163 at the end of 18 overs and at the end of the 24th over they had reached to 240 runs meaning almost 80 runs in 6 overs. During this period it was all spin from bowlers whose only qualification was that they can rotate their arm slowly. In the presence of regular but faster bowlers, we might have restricted them to below 210. But as they say, hindsight is the best place to be.
Another Reliable Spinner?: Bilal impressed yet again, although he was a bit expensive in one or probably two of his overs. He has developed variety in his bowling and was able to control his flight to near perfection. But towards the end of his spell got either tired or predictable and went for runs. Might be a good option to use him in bits and pieces of 2 over spells. And also it would be good for him to develop a delivery which goes away and controls his wides.
Are pacers history?: I might be old school but I believe in the option of starting and ending an innings with regular fast/medium bowling, with bowlers relying on swing and seam in the beginning and on yorkers and change of pace towards the end. Spinners brought in the middle to dry out the easy runs and to get the overs in quickly. Also spin (but regular spin) can be used sometimes to change the pace of bowling in the start or even at the end. But most people in our circuit/league don't believe in it, although I don't know why. Especially our faster bowling proved this theory right in the Lawson finals. Where 4 of the 5 bowlers were fast/medium and we restricted them to a paltry 216 runs.
Wicky's Demonish Fast Bowling: Wicky bowled with freaky pace and got rid of the opener and the one down, both were clearly late in their shots. Although he too went for a few runs, but against a good batting line up, you can't expect to keep on bowling at 4-6 runs an over. The best defence against a good batting line up is wickets, which Wicky started to take and by the time, Nisar and Bilal came into action, their one remaining opener was too tired and the other batsmen were new at the wicket, and hence for the first time in their innings their run rate dipped to 7-8 from 10 runs an over.
Wicketometer: Initially we were not able to take wickets, the wickets tally started with Wicky's bowling and Bilal and Nisar were among the wickets as well. Bringing their run rate down. Contrary to popular belief their run rate dipped with fall of wickets rather than introduction of spin. After that they kept on hitting and the only wicket that fell was in the last over which I bowled.
Batting Disappointment: Although batting could not be blamed as chasing almost 10 an over was difficult with a good bowling line up, but nevertheless it was a disappointment. The first 2 wickets (Nisar & Samir Bhai both had ducks) fell with zero runs from bat and 1 run from a wide. Wicky came back with the score in 20s. Adnan was disappointment was once again. Asif held fort for sometime, but after two magnificent sixes on two deliveries got caught on the boundary and came back.
Cool Flick/Sweeps: Bilal impressed with some cool flick/sweeps to the fine leg boundary. And he kept on hitting it to prove that it was no fluke. Finally they had to put a fielder there to stop him. He cut ferociously as well, and when it connected it did go to the boundary. He failed to capitalize on his good start as he chose a wrong delivery to come out of his crease and got stumped.
What Did I Do?: Bowled 2 overs, got hit for two boundaries total and took a wicket. Took 2 catches and missed a boundary :( Useless feeling.
Conclusion: Hope to have a better day soon.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Pictures To Cherish
Following are the pictures from the finals which I would like to remember forever. If you want to check the complete list visit the offical Pic Site of Khurram: http://www.flickr.com/photos/khurramkhan/sets/72157604403535347/
Me In Action
Anees Bhai In Action
Nisar With His Power Throw
Tumbling Over
Basharat's Power Throw From The Boundary
Rizwan and his pouch
Celebrating an important wicket.
Basharat In Action
Suresh Bhai making his presence felt
Waqar In Action
Ahmed's drop catch. One amongst many dropped catches by us.
First time with a slip in place
Nisar spinning his web
Ahmed's spell completely dried the runs in the middle.
Team Huddle. Great to be part of the team
Preparing to start our reply
Spectators
Samir Bhai's solid defense
Ahmed Meditating
Asif's forward defensive stroke. No Gap for the ball.
Asif's power cut
Samir Bhai in another solid partnership
Our new slogan...
Ahmed the new 'finisher'?
Rizwan's solid defenses.
Instant Jubilation.
Mazda's hanging heads
Muslim celebration. Pepsi instead of Champagne
Match Saving Partnership
Our Whole Team
Brothers In Arms
Mazda hanged!
Waiting for the Cup
Man of the match Asif
Losing Captain Tanveer
Winning captain Waqar
Lifting the Cup
The whole team with their awards, none special than the cup
How We Feel
Rizwan Javed (Wicket Keeper, Batsman) "It's like a dream come true" | |
Waqar Perwaize (Captain, Batsman, Bowler) "I was thrilled with the performance of our team and the outcome of the match. As discussed before the finals, we played according to our strategic planning, I was extremely pleased with our team unity alongside everyones contribution as a whole and moral support for each other. Our players made it extremely hard for Mazda (KAICO) and quite comfortably won the Finals" | |
Amad Uddin (Bowler) "Besides enjoying our first cup, I really cherished, the great Team Work and the effort put in by everyone. Right from the first ball we knew what we have to do and executed our plans to perfection. Alhamdolillah. I look forward to playing tougher teams and beating them with similar co-ordinated team work, Insha Allah" | |
Rejin Geo Varghese (Bowler) "Running out into the filed cheering the victory, lifting up Ahmed and Rizwan… Believably unbelievable moment, Should I say! A moment filled with a lot of emotions and joy when all our short practices and hard work paid off well and we lifted our first trophy. It’s a day to remember for the rest of our lives and to hope for more in the future. All of us had the winning spirit from the start as we knocked out our opponents to a small total in order to grab our first win. The moment of delight came when Waqar received the winners’ trophy and all of us lifted it up together cheering for Agility. This is just not a beginning, but the race to be the best among the best. " | |
Nisar Ahmed Khan (Vice Captain, Batsman, Bowler) "The taste of victory is truly amazing. Being our first season in this League, I feel we have achieved a milestone. As I always say "lets play to win" and indeed we did. Congrats to all that supported us, especially our families. " | |
Asif Mirza (Batsman) “Well, first of all congratulations to everyone, it was a nice team work; although we dropped few catches but it paid off well in the end. The crowd was excellent. It is a memorable match for me and will rejoice it for a long time. Thank you to everyone for their support on field and off field. Working hard & together as one team will always pay off well.” | |
Samir Bhatti (Batsman, Bowler) “I still remember that day when I sent an email to Bastaki requesting for our team to play his tournaments; I was a little skeptical as we are Corporate team (of young lads with the exception of me) that he might not include us. Well… Here we are holding a kick ass Trophy of Lawson final in our hands. Gentlemen: Job well done and the word is reaching out to everyone that “Agility team are Die Hard Fighters” | |
Adnan Shaikh (Batsman) | |
Khurram Khan (Bowler) “Being part of Agility Team is always great. Agility has proved that no matter how in-experienced you are, your hard work, thrust for success and “Agility” can give you everything you want. Agility’s success is like a dream come true. I remember when we started of as novice then turned into underdogs and now champions, a legacy proud to be part of. Some say “Fortune favors the brave” others say “Fortune favors the bold” but the combination of bold and brave can be called as “Team Agility””. | |
Anees Majeed (Bowler) “I think it is a great achievement overall for the team which is only one year old. We played few tournaments this year, where we reached one quarter final, one semi final, and when we lift the Lawson Trophy especially from a team like Mazda, which has a history of winning last two tournaments, it’s an amazing feeling. We had once dreamt that we could win the Lawson Trophy and to fulfill that dream is just a great feeling. We have won the Lawson trophy and hopefully we will win many more (inshallah). We have the caliber of players to go on and win big games. We showed it to all in the last game.” | |
Bilal Saleem (Batsman) It have been just 12 months we all playing together and in this time we have matured and hope to carry on with our good performances till the season ends. We have certainly gained a lot of experience and we think we can use that. I am happy to be a part of the team and on our first trophy and hope to lift a lot more with this great team and team players. Good Luck as we should aim in playing at Ahmadi’s”. |