The opinions expressed in this post are solely that of the author who, on occasion, had an out-of-body experience and was able to watch himself play.
Before we get to the season, here are some of the major characters we shall be hearing from as the season progresses:
Captain: Sohail Chaudhry
Someone once said that the WVUCC was a "one-man team". We beg to differ - WVUCC is a 3-man team. Sohail is the leading run-scorer, the leading wicket-taker, and his primary skill is actually that of a wicket-keeper. He is the rock of the team and the calmest person in the biggest of storms.
Vice-Captain and opening batsman: C.S. Manish
A stodgy, cautious fellow at the crease (in 2006 he had the lowest strike rate of any batsman who scored at least 100 runs in the PCA at a little over 65 runs per 100 balls), Manish more than makes it up with his mouth. Until the emergence of Arvind, many an opposing team had to endure a constant stream of mindless chatter from him.
Opening batsman: Arvind Thiruvengadam
Thin, wiry and articulate, Arvind likes hitting in the V and the cover region. Fielding at cover-point keeps him really close to the batsman and he does not miss a single opportunity to remind the batsmen of the enormity of the task ahead of him. In addition, he is turning into a very reliable bowler in the death.
Middle-order pillar: Abishek Muralidharan
Tall and upright in his stance, Abishek is one of the best looking batsmen in the league (and he himself is not bad-looking either) but 2006 was a series of Laxman-ish cameos. What he is missing is one long innings to show him what he is capable of. Once that key turns in the lock, the bowlers of the league better watch out.
Wicket-keeper: Ashok Varadarajan
By a far, far, far, margin Ashok is the best fielder I have ever played with, be it close to the wicket or out at the boundary. The safest of catchers, in the 4 years I have seen him play I can count on my fingers the number of catches I have seen him drop. And I am even counting the ones during our practice sessions! With the wicket-keeping spot opening up, Ashok volunteered and took to it as if he was born to do just that.
First change bowler: Amol Bhavsar
Bowling from a 2-step run up, when in song, Amol uses his huge shoulders to rate amongst the fastest bowlers in the league. A very good fielder off his own bowling, he probably holds the WVUCC record for the most caught-and-bowled dismissals. When he puts his head down, he can also be an effective late-order slugger.
Middle-order batsman: Sumanth Dommaraju
The quietest guy in the team, the last time someone officially heard Sumanth say anything on the cricket field, Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. As an infielder, he gives Ashok a run for his money and possesses a flat throw that is the envy of many a player.
These are some of the players who have already played for the team in the 2006 season. As the 2007 season progresses more players will be introduced to you. As that happens they shall be providing their own descriptions with their deeds.
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