Grand Finals - Manchester Divided vs. Vatican Victors

ZoraxDoom

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The Grand Finals


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vs.
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45 league games, 4 semi finals, twists, turns, surprises, controversies, scandals, heartbreak and triumph, and it all boils down to this. 2 months down the line and we've reached the Grand Finals of PCPL 3! Manchester Divided vs. Vatican Victors, 3 games, winner takes all.

As in the semis, everything and anything can happen here. The form book goes out of the window, past records stand for nothing. All that matters is the 120 overs of cricket to be played over the next 6 days. The only thing standing in these team's way, is each other.

Man D's path to the finals has been a story of sheer dominance. 41 mill spent in the Nat auctions, only 3 games lost in 17 played, and the second most popular team in the league. There have been no half measures from this side, who have been shown all the traits of true champions - Skill, Planning, and Luck. Every player has raised their hands at different times and everyone has contributed to a win. Man D have had their eyes on this trophy right from the start after a humiliating PCPL 2, and they'll be damned if they don't win it.

Vatican however have made their way to the final not by dominating performances, but by picking their games and stealing wins at the right time. Having spent just 3.5 mill in the Nat auctions, about 1/12th of the amount Man D did, they are right at the bottom when it comes to budgets. However, that hasn't stopped them from being one of the only 2 teams to maintain a positive NRR in the leagues - Man D being the other. Lead by the canny mind of KI, Vatican's success has lied in their fantastic bowling attack and in making full use of their home advantage. And while their batting has failed the repeatedly, it was the reason they made it in the semis with a storming win the in the second leg after a typical tight, clever win in the first. Vatican have slipped more or less unnoticed through the league, despite being the third most popular side, and sides have paid the price for underestimating their capabilities. They'll be hoping Man D do the same, and having made it this far, don't be surprised if they come out of nowhere to usurp the title.

The first two games will be home and away, and if needed, a third game at a neutral location with a random pitch will be played.

I'll flip a coin to decide who plays at home first. Man D is head, VV tails. The coin is flipped...and it's tails! So the first game will be held in The Pope's Backyard, and the second at Monkey Park.



Round 1 - Vatican choose pitch type
Pitch in by 1:30 PM GMT 25/12/2009
Lineups in by 3 PM GMT 25/12/2009

Round 2 - Man D choose pitch type
Pitch in by 1:30 PM GMT 27/12/2009
Lineups in by 3 PM GMT 27/12/2009

 

treva

ICC Chairman
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Lets kick some Manchester ass boys. I can see this being a home win a piece and it going to down to the neutral venue (Somewhere in the Sahara desert?).

Would be an amazing achievement if we won this year after we spent so little on Nats. C'mon Vatican!
 

ZoraxDoom

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C'mon Man D. This is the. The final games of the tournament. And everything we've done till now will mean diddly squat if we don't win this. We've got to win this. We've got no choice.

Lineup to be declared once VV select a pitch, but if they're going Green, we'll go with:


Don Tallon (+)
KBC
Viv Richards
Covvy
Amiya (*)
Harris
Zorax
Robo
Syd Barnes
Dr. Pepper
WHM
 

Prithvi

10 years at Planetcricket
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RCB...
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Good luck Vatican. You've defeated us in Semies. So, you win it.
Good luck both the teams:thumbs:)
 

Kshitiz_Indian

Executive member
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Location
New Delhi, India
Zorax, appreciate the write up mate! :)

So this is it then, the finals. Badum-dum-tish! Having spent just 3.5 million in the auctions, I'm delighted that we made it here! From now on, we only play our hearts out, and play for the game, for our fans, and for ourselves, and leaving the title to fate and the best of our cricket abilities.

EDIT - Actually, I just changed my mind. Last minute snap decision you know. We're going in with a Hard pitch. :)



Kshitiz_Indian
Kapil Dev
gudduthemaster
shan111
blake
sohum
WORLD CHAMPIONS
Treva
Bob Massie
Abhas
Vince Van Der Bijl


Lets do this.
 
Last edited:

The Spin

Panel of Selectors
Joined
Sep 24, 2005
Hard pitch?

That had better mean I get to play! I don't want to miss such a massive event!
 

ZoraxDoom

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Hard pitch. Hmm, gonna do a lot of testing for that, but the tentative XI:



Don Tallon
KBC
Zorax
Viv Richards
Covvy
Amiya
Harris
The Spin
Roborocks
WHM
Pak Cricketer
 

The Spin

Panel of Selectors
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Just to point out that Man D vs. Vatican was the play-off last season, when Vatican won in the end.

Our turn to win, I suppose!
 

harrisb

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aah damn, i won't be able to get onto the internet on the 27th, i'm going skiing, and i'll miss the 2nd leg of the final.
 

ZoraxDoom

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Goddamn you KI and your bloody hard pitch! :p

What I would do for a good fast bowler now...anyways, the best lineup we can sum up, after quite some testing, is the following:


Don Tallon (+)
KBC
The Spin (I'd bat at number three, but going by testing, I'm going to be very important bowling wise...)
Viv Richards
Covvy
Amiya (*)
Zorax
Roborocks
Arslaan Khalid
Pak Cricketer
WHM


Sorry Harris about being excluded for this game, but spinners suck on Hard pitches, and we don't need the extra batting in good batting conditions, so I went for the better spinner as he'll go for less runs. Shame we don't have any more seamers, Dr. P and Syd are mediums and get hammered on hard pitches.
 

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