Stepping on the popping crease and delivering the first ball of the very first over Seraph whispered, "Infrasonic Glint: Wave 1!"
The seam upheld straight. As soon as the ball left his grasp it flashed through the pitch. Iosif gasped, unable to comprehend the sudden speed he kept his bat before his front foot stopping the with a dot return.
"OH!!" Seraph, Senri, Kenzo and Azazel went and so did the crowd.
"Close! Pretty close. Iosif timed the ball precisely before it could make any contact with the pads playing the first delivery bowled by the dangerous Seraph Awan; the speed star from Karachi kings balling order…" Maaz commentated.
Iosif staring at his bat that trembled from the impact gulped, "This strength…?"
Seraph grabbing the ball headed back. Rushing towards the popping crease, he whispered once more, "Infrasonic Glint: Wave 2!" This time the ball aimed slightly outside the stumps. With twice the speed the ball went past Iosif's bat and into Elias's (wicketkeeper) hands.
"OH!!" the fielders went once more.
"Good job. Good job, Seraph!" Senri clapped his hands passing him the ball once more.
Siraj on the non-striker end stared at him alerted. "Not good… he is dangerous." he thought.
"First aiming for an Lbw then an edge catch. His bowling length and stability is terrific. How much has he improved in just two days…?" Isa remarked surprised.
Gazing at Seraph, Zachariah reminisced about Seraph's strenuous daily routine which was the busiest one out of all. Practicing in the morning, studying in the afternoon, taking lessons with bowling coaches Musa and Yusuf in the latter half of the evening and once again implementing whatever he had learned in the entire day till late night until he was satisfied with his performance. Of course, he had worked hard.
The further three deliveries in addition to a wide secured only a run as Seraph headed back to deliver the fifth ball of the over. "His deliveries are very quick, a single mistake of the eye and we could lose our wicket. Hmph, I thought his strength was just for show who knew it'd be this fun…" Iosif thought interested, studying the fielding positions and tapping his bat on the crease.
Bowling the 5th delivery straight and swift, Iosif immediately studied it playing a leg glance. No fielders on the backside of the ground. Peshawar scored their first boundary of the second innings.
The crowd delighted, rose in joy. Seraph grabbing the ball once again headed back. Taking a single on the last delivery, the first over concluded with 6/0.
"Iosif Yaroslav, he is quite a famous rookie for playing against fast deliveries. It's like he isn't afraid of them or get underneath pressure while facing them." Seles told.
"He is cracked just like his face and head is. Seriously, how long I have waited to say that." Heber rolled his eyes.
"He is quite dominant as an opener. After facing four deliveries by Seraph, he stuck a four equaling the balls and the runs. This shows how much assertive he is to tackle them." Aaron observed.
"Tch, just you wait until Seraph blazes with fire." Adam retorted slightly annoyed.
Aigou and Alan smiled amused.
The second over, passed to Azazel. Azazel rubbed the ball on his sleeves. Slightly anxious amid the crowd and the field, he gulped.
"Azazel." Cassiel called. Azazel stuttered, "Y-es?"
"Don't be anxious. Just aim for the stumps. We'll handle the rest." Cassiel assured.
Azazel nodded. Delivering the first ball of the over he whispered, "Grave Knuckle!" A slow delivery aimed in the stumps, Siraj on the batting crease studied, ready to strike back. However, the ball in contact to the pitch immediately wobbled gaining speed as Siraj countered it with a front foot defense.
Azazel stepped forward and grabbed the ball heading back.
Scoring a single in the next two deliveries. Azazel delivered the 4th ball of the over whispering, "Grave Knuckle!"
Iosif on the batting line, sensing the ball's movement smirked. Stepping forward he raised his bat high and straight for a six.
"Wohoo!!" the crowd went as Azazel looked behind him stunned. His heart beating wildly. "He just struck a six…?" he gulped.
Tapping his fist against, Siraj's Iosif smirked at Azazel.
"Struck with valor! Peshawar Zalmi's first six of the innings! What a start after a silent over…" the commentators exclaimed.
"Come on! Come on!" Elias clapped his hands encouraging the boys. Retrieving the ball back from the stands, Gabriel rubbed it to his shirt polishing the shiny side soon passing it to Azazel. "Don't deliver slow balls every time. Change your variations from slow to fast, vice versa and add spin wheresoever needed repeatedly." he advised.
"Okay." Azazel nodded.
Delivering the 5th ball of the over he mumbled, "Grave Knuckle!" The ball this time aimed slightly slow, wobbled on the pitch's impact immediately turning fast. Iosif not even the slightest bit of moved, once again stepped forward and timed the bat towards the off side for huge six. A sudden thump leaving Azazel's chest he stared at the ball baffled. "Again…" he thought, heading back.
"Huge! 95 meters! Back to back sixes by Iosif Yaroslav!" the commentators exclaimed thrilled.
Iosif and Siraj clapped their fists delighted. Delivering the last ball of the over and two more runs accumulated Azazel clicked his tongue.
"Good job. Don't be too hard on yourself it's alright." Cassiel assured, dabbing his back.
Senri studying the field gestured Ren and Nagi from his hand, left and right the three talked with their sign language.
"21 with no loss, what a massive up rise in the second over 15 runs with 2 sixes. Peshawar's middleschoolers are in no mood to let go of the powerplay advantages…" the commentators analysed.
"Seraph, catch." Senri called handing him the ball for the third over.
"Aim for the stumps, Seraph. Don't let them take the initiative to score." Xavier advised.
"Of course." Seraph agreed.
Going back towards the 30 inched circle, Seraph rushed towards the popping crease. His grip leaving the ball with turn and swiftness. With an instant tap of the pitch, it landed outside. Siraj on the batting crease taking advantage of the out swinging delivery moved his bat slightly away hitting the ball with the edge for a leg glance as it travelled towards the boundary for a four.
"No, oh no goodness." Maaz commented.
Seraph, kept his hand on his mouth speechless as the fielders looked at each other in disbelief.
"This is the last mistake they want to make at the moment. What exactly is happening?" Jones commented. "Unlike their previous match Karachi Kings today feel like they are all over the place today." Wasim added, "Could the problem lie in highschoolers inclusion…?"
"Tch! They probe in too much!" Orion gritted annoyed, "The match has just begun."
"They aren't wrong as well. I don't see any teamwork whatsoever." Isa debated.
"Just give them some time." Haris added with a sigh, "The pitch, the ground, the atmosphere and their team mates. Everything has changed for them. They are not only playing against Peshawar. They both (highschoolers and middleschoolers) are batting against their odds as well."
Rauf exhaled, crossing his arms.
3 more runs accumulated in the last 4 deliveries. Seraph stepped on the popping crease striking the ball hard on the ground. Short and high it went as Siraj ducked low evading the delivery. The umpire immediately signaling an above shoulder height wide, Elias threw the ball back to Seraph.
"A bouncer above the head." Helios interpreted.
Seraph grabbing the ball headed back. His expression unseen. "Is that frustration?" Aigou asked Alan.
Alan nonchalantly shrugging responded, "It's hard to say. In all his past inter-academy matches, Seraph consistently stood out as a wicket-taker, 2 wickets, 3 wickets, 4 wickets, they were like his trademark for his title; 'A Second's Game changer' However, in the recent matches, despite being in peak physical condition, he hasn't been able to grab any early wickets. Naturally, this situation must be bothering him."
Aigou exhaled mumbling, "Left arm Pacers do have it hard…"
The third over concluding, Peshawar Zalmi's accumulated runs were 29/0 with the run rate of 9.6. "A Great start. I was worrying for nothing." Abaan exhaled relieved.
Don't pass comments too early." Hafiz smiled.
"What do you mean? Are you scaring us?" Orhan asked shiftily.
"Haha, I am not scaring you. I am just recalling you that tides can still change. It's just the beginning, right Suleiman?" Hafiz glanced aside. Suleiman remained response less.
"But the fact that we are off towards a good start is assuring because we ae currently ahead of our required run rate (8.52) which makes things easier for us." Uzair told.
Azazel taking the fourth over, Senri shuffled the fielding positions; with Seraph taking the Short fine leg and Xavier the second slip.
"Azazel…" Senri called him closer. "Yes?" Azazel inquired.
"Bowl slow but flummoxing." Senri advised with a convincing smile.
Azazel blinked, "P-pardon?"
"You'll get my point once you bowl, now go." he patted his back.