Playoffs 2008

The 30/30 Division is having its semi-finals this weekend at Heritage and Community Park. DeePark XI take on the Panthers and Hustler XI take on MWCA. The Panthers are a talented side but may be the slight underdogs against a very strong DeePark XI. The other game is between a young and talented MWCA and an explosive Hustler XI with Hammad making a strong statement in the playoffs. Both games should be quite closely fought and full of entertainment.

The Division 2 playoffs continue this week with the Quarter Finals. Number 1 seed Eagles take on the young and spirited Madison team who squeaked in the next round. Eagles are a very good all round team with deep batting and bowling line ups. Madison is a young team with a lot of potential, but they will have to fight hard to overcome the Eagles who are going to be moving to Division 1 next year. Evanston vs Jaguars is likely to be the game of the week. Evanston has a good bowling lineup and can be explosive on their day, but the Jaguars may be the most talented batting line up in Division 2 and maybe even the entire league. This game is likely to be won by Evanston's bowling or the Jaguar's batting. Next up are the highly under-rated team of IIT versus the enigma known as Arena. IIT is a perrenial playoff team and always near the top of the table. However, this year they have flown under the radar. This team has the potential to go all the way and is a match for any given team in Division 2. Arena on the other hand is a difficult team to plan for. They may or may not show up with XI players. On somedays their bowling is very disciplined and incisive, and on other days they can put up big scores. It all depends on which team shows up to the ground for this weeks game. The final game in Division 2 this week is between AAA who are looking to regain their place in Division 1 and the Jolly Rovers. AAA, like IIT is capable of beating any team on any given day, depending on if their stalwarts like Abdul and Adam decide to dominate. On the other hand, Jolly Rovers is truly a team of XI who can all contribute and get the job done whether with the bat or ball. All the matchups are extremely good ones and it is very difficult to find much to separate the teams. However, with an eye set firmly on the prize of getting to Division 1, it's a question of who can outlast the opposition in a game of pressure!

Finally, Division 1 playoffs are here as well. Last week there were some very exciting games to finalize the playoff teams. Phoenix has finally made the playoffs in their third year in Division 1 while Peoria has done it in their very first year. The Bears are back in the playoffs are a short hiatus. The Challengers, Pak Gym, United, Milwaukee, and Saint Louis continue their streak of playoff appearances. Number 1 seed Challengers take on Number 8 seed Peoria. This is likely to be a battle between Peoria's very strong and very deep batting line up against the Challengers excellent bowling options. Whoever wins this battle should win the game. Peoria's bowling is not to be taken lightly, as is the Challenger's batting, but the reverse battle is likely to decide the outcome of this game. Number 2 Pak Gym take on Number 7 Saint Louis. On paper this may look like Pak Gym has an advantage with their strong batting lineup and attacking bowling options, but Saint Louis has some very good batsmen and the wiles of Tehsin Ahmed who can turn a batting lineup on its head. Number 3 United take on Number 6 Bears. United is likely the team to beat this year. The last time United lost, they played with 9 players. The time before that was against Milwaukee in the middle of July!! They play a very determined Bears team who have fought hard to make the playoffs despite all odds. The Bears have some very good players like Adeel, Shaid, and Hammad, and they will rely on all of them to fire to beat early favourites United. Finally, Number 4 seed Phoenix take on Number 5 seed Milwaukee. This is a rematch of a game played a few weeks ago in Milwaukee where Phoenix went in and against all predictions dominated Milwaukee on their home ground. Phoenix will need to contain Romesh, Kabir, Asif, and the rest of Milwaukee again if they are to keep their season alive!

Some really good games on the cards in all three Divisions this week. This is the business end of the season and everyone is fighting hard to be crowned the Division Champion!

Playoffs - Week1

This week is the first week of playoffs. Only Div 2 though, but should be just as entertaining. The pre-quarters for Div 2 are as follows:

- Collinsville vs Jolly Rovers
- Springfield vs Arena
- Jaguars vs Q.C. Kings
- Lucky XI vs Madison

Jolly Rovers and Arena could easily have been one of the top 4 teams but lost out NRR. They both have better records this year than any of the other teams playing this weekend in the Div 2 playoffs. But, they are both away teams and Chicago has not been favourable to travelers during the playoffs. QC Kings and Madison are very talented teams. QC has a lot of playoff experience having lost a couple of close games over the past few years in the playoffs. Madison has done very well when traveling to Chicago and look to continue their winning streak. Both Lucky XI and the Jaguars are explosive teams and can take down any other team on any given day. They both have the capability of putting up big runs and bowling tidily. Springfield and Collinsville made it with losing records but these teams can still end another's Championship dreams. It's anyone's game and one of these teams may be heading to Division 1 with the Eagles at the end of this season. The last team to have to play in the Pre-Quarters and who ended up making it to Division 1 was Phoenix back in 2005.

Speaking of Div 1, this is the final week with some key games to determine which teams can make the playoffs. There are 3 spots to play for and 6 teams fighting for a spot. Bears and Saint Louis control their destiny - a win secures them of a playoff spot. Muslim Gym too is in the same position, but they need to win and comprehensively enough to increase their NRR. Peoria is left waiting and watching and hoping that they have done enough to be in the playoffs. The Wildcats are waiting and watching too, but a number of things need to happen for the opportunity to fall their way. Meanwhile the Flames have one game left which they need to win, and then to hope that their ideal scenario plays out. Whatever happens, the dust will settle this week and we will know what the Division 1 playoffs will look like. Until then, it's just a matter of waiting and watching.

Good luck to all playing this weekend.

The Playoff Primer - Division One

Pak Gym, Challengers, United, Milwaukee, Phoenix - 32 points, and thus already assured of their playoff berth.

That leaves 3 spots open, and for those there is an increasingly intense fight among 7 contenders (Purdue, after suffering what sounds like 2 heartbreaking losses this weekend, has now been eliminated). The current situation amongst the contenders is as follows:

Peoria: 28 points, 1 game left vs Milwaukee United
St Louis: 26 points, 1 game left vs Royals
Rogers Park: 26 points, 1 game left vs Flames
Wildcats: 24 points, 1 game left vs Purdue
Bears: 26 points, 2 games left - vs Challengers and Advancers
Muslim Gym: 24 points, 2 games left - vs Phoenix and Royals
Flames: 22 points, 2 games left - vs Rogers Park and Miluwakee CC

For the first time in a long time, 32 points will not be needed to make the playoffs this season - 30 and a good run-rate will suffice (and 28 and a good run-rate may be sufficient for someone, though thats a much longer shot).

Peoria has their fate in their own hands - win and theyre at 32 points and in. Somewhat similar for Muslim Gym, though a much harder task - they need to win 2 games back-to-back to reach 32 and automatic entry. The Bears, if they win their 2 back-to-back games, actually can get to 34 points and automatic entry as well.

St Louis and Rogers Park can both get to 30 by winning their one remaining game. Flames can also get to 30, but they need to win 2 back-to-back. Wildcats can get to 28 by beating Purdue, and might have a chance with their decent run-rate only if things fall their way in other games.

The most likely scenario IMHO - if Peoria wins at home against MUCC, they get to 32 and in.. which leaves 2 spots open. Muslim Gym probably has to win both games to reach 32 and make it, one loss will almost certainly be the end for them (with their poor Runrate). It is fairly likely that there will then be a log-jam at 30 for either 1 or 2 spots (depending on Muslim Gym's results).. with probably St Louis, Bears and Rogers Park or Flames (both cannot get to 30)... as of the moment St Louis and Flames have positive NRR's, Bears have a better NRR than Rogers Park. The Wildcats need a lot of things to go their way - they need to win, and then have MuslimGym lose a game, and then for no more than 1 team to reach 30 points (ie either Bears lose both or St Louis Rogers Park and Flames lose one).

It will be very hard to actually finish the season next week..no less than 5 Division One teams have 2 games left - finding grounds for all that will be very hard. But if everything does get scheduled for next weekend and it rains... well, then, I refuse to try and figure out what the various permutations for the playoffs will be in that case :-)

-- By Sadiq Yusuf