ICICI Crowned CRY Cricket Challenge Champions

British summer can be many things these days, but if the current geometrical regression in climate is anything to go by, gone are the days for serene and sunny summer days – you either succumb to its force, or you take a corner to sulk and moan.

That was not an option though for the last remaining teams at CRY cricket challenge. Week after week they showed up, put up a cheerful face against the unpleasant weather odds and gave us a game.

The semi finals were played between Infosys, ICICI, HCL and NIIT. NIIT and ICICI progressed into the finals and the match for third place was played between Infosys and HCL. The semi finals were played in the morning and the matches for the winner and third place went well into the evening.

These matches were interrupted thrice due to adverse weather conditions – downright downpour and the park that looked like more like a front line than a crown property pitch. But still, gamers gave us the game in all its glory. Back somersault and stunts were seen throughout the game.

Semi Final: ICICI v Infosys

Infosys won the toss and batted first. They made 73 runs for 9 wickets in 15 overs. ICICI was on a kill mode: making 73 runs without a loss. Rakesh from ICICI was the man of the match.

Semi Final: NIIT v HCL

NIIT won the toss, elected to bat first and eventually won the match. They made 122 runs for 3 wickets in 15 overs. HCL made 92 runs for 5 wickets. Sumit Ganju from NIIT was the man of the match for being the top scorer with 50 runs not out.

Third Place: Infosys v HCL

HCL won the toss, batted first and eventually won the third place. They made 132 runs for 9 wickets. Infosys made 103 runs for 9 wickets. SHM Siddique from HCL was the man of the match.

FINAL: ICICI v NIIT

ICICI won the toss and elected to bat first. NIIT batting second made 86 runs for 9 wickets and clinched the second place. But it all went ICICI’s way when they comfortably scored 115 runs for 4 wickets and seized victory away from 15 other clashing titans, well almost. Man of the match of this final game was Vivek from ICICI.

Awards

Peta Viner from Connect Communications, one of the co-sponsors of the Cricket Challenge gave out awards and trophies to the players and the winning teams.

Aakash Desai, ICICI’s captain took the winner’s trophy and the entire team received medals. Runners up NIIT players received medals and a trophy.

Last year’s winners TCS were given a replacement trophy for handing over the rolling winners’ trophy to the victorious ICICI.

CRY’s Nina Munshi made the first speech, thanking everyone involved. Richard Hastings from Cadence took the floor and jokingly blamed Nina for taking all the good speech lines.

Few eye candies during the game included the cry volunteers Toni and Tracy – whose brilliant efforts in selling, at times by force, the raffle tickets to anyone who dared to go near them raised a neat £ 125 for CRY.

It was all about the “passion and the spirit of the game” that got Aakash Desai, the winning team’s captain to take the plunge and raise some money for a cause. The 8th CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge 2007 was accomplished, with almost everyone involved looking forward to a round of similar stunts and antics next summer. We can only hope global warming will hold its breath and let us play in peace.