My Experience In The South City Premier League

My Experience In The South City Premier League

This year I wanted to watch the IPL in stadium but I didn't get the oppurtunity to do so but I got to participate something just as competitive and fun, the South City Premier League. The SPL was so popular that it appeared on the newspaper.

20 matches,11 teams(8 of them men's and the other 3 women's )but everyone's got their eyes on the trophy. It's a ground where different cultures meet and people are put on the limelight of Southcity to showcase their cricket skills.

The Auction

Let's get to one of the coolest parts of The South City Premier League. Associations from South City had bought teams and were contesting in an IPL-like auction to bid for players in their teams.

The Teams Were:

Men's Teams	Women's Teams
Manipal Guardians	Telugu Titans
Gujurat Titans	Maratha Challengers
Majestic Mavericks	Gandaberunda
Utkala Warriors
Jalikattu Juggernauts
God's Own XI
Royal Bengal Tigers
Pink Panthers

My dad was helping the team he got chosen in during the auction, which was the Manipal Guardians , which provided me with an oppurtunity to be part of the auction. It was one of the most fun things I've ever done in sports. I was allowed to raise the auction paddle for the Manipal Guardians. For one player, I was bidding till 60k so I practically had my excercise for the day for my hands covered within minutes. Luckily,There were snacks and beverages which helped restock energy after all the hand raising. I got to know all the different strategies teams used in the auction. Some teams went for big players while other teams played conservatively and some teams were trying to create teams in which they don't rely on one player but all 11 players were contributors. By the end of the auction, all teams were equal as players were divided into categories such as Solitaire,Emerald and Ruby for women and Diamond,Gold,Silver,Bronze and Bronze plus for men. I was ecstatic due to my participation in the auction. The main part of the Southcity Premier League was yet to begin. 

The Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony was an evening of jersey revealing with music and jokes. It was just like a fun get-together before the competitive clash begun. All the jersey's were so cool and I was filled with envy on why kids couldn't get to play but only adults did, I mean we are the ones supposed to be playing more than adults but I will get my idea through and make sure there's a kids SPL next time. When the Kerala team got their turn , they had brought Chendamelam and despite me supporting another team, I was cheering for them as the vibe was amazing. I spent the whole opening ceremony learning how to whistle so I could cheer for my dad's team the next day( and failed despite trying for about 3 hours).

Matches

I was filled with energy on the weekend. I was cheering for my dad's team.They won both their matches and stormed into the semi-finals. I was ecstatic whenever my dad got wickets and was even more happy that he and his team were in the semi-finals.Despite them losing their third match, they finished table top and were in the semis. My mom's team on the other hand faced a contrary fate, losing both their matches but they won their eliminator after a strong fight. I loved the sportsmanship that was there. Even when God's Own XI lost to Jalikattu Juggernauts, they played a Tamil song in the end which was a pretty evident sign of sportsmanship. In my mom's tournament they were friendly and congratulated each other even if they lost or won.

Semi-Finals

My mom's team played their semi-finals first and when my mom took a wicket I was filled with pride as my student had taken a wicket. I really am a good coach. My mom's team won(well mainly because of my coaching skills for my mom but I can still give her a bit of credit).They gave a strong fight which was an amazing and marvelous comeback after their previous defeats.Well, my dad's team played their semi-finals the next day and lost their match. It was a very unlucky day for them as Pink Panthers ripped through their middle order wicket after wicket and Manipal Guardians lost the match. 

Finals

My mom's team played the finals against Gandaberunda and my mom's team gave a tough fight despite losing. Again my coaching succeeded as my mom was the highest scorer in her team and her economy while bowling was also pretty low(3 runs in one over). My mom would get a medal so I was pretty happy. On the other hand, Pink Panthers and Gujurat Titans played the men's finals. Pink Panthers smashed each and every ball and set the highest score in SPL of 145. Gujurat on the other hand suffered with 26/5 after a few overs. Then suddenly it started raining and Gujurat Titans declared the match. Pink Panthers and Gandaberunda lifted the titles of the 2nd SPL.

My Journey As A Coach For My Mom

I played a big part in my mom's practice for the SPL. She didn't know Cricket. I taught her from scratch which is funny because she is usually the one teaching me.And silver lining, she used to hate cricket but now she loves it.  Now we practice batting and bowling inside our house at every break I get. Usually when I hit the fridge I get scolded, even if I close it slowly you never hear the end of it but this time we dented our whole fridge and my mom didn't shout a bit. I kind of think someone kidnapped my mom and disguised as her. That was the last thing I thought was possible. Before only my friends and I used to play with each other. Now our moms play together and they've also became friends.

Commentary

I was also doing commentary for a few matches with my friends. I guess I'm everything coach, commentator, bidder, fan and the list goes on and on. Well back to the point, commentary was extremely fun, we were taking turns in the microphone.

Perks Kids Get If Both Their Parents Are Playing

 If you have both your mom and your dad playing cricket, you are a lucky duck,here is why:

•  You can have so much free time in the weekend with no nagging of go study, do your homework. 

• They also get so tired that you get to eat out most of the time when they're matches go on and I got meals back to back from my favourite restaurants.

• And even if one parent loses, the other one still has a chance so you have double the chance of getting a medal at home.

• You can also roam around in the ground, play with our friends saying that you are watching their matches.

 So, to all the kids, make both your parents play cricket so you guys can have more fun.

___________________________________________________________________________________

The SPL was truly one of the most astonishing events in South City’s history—arguably even more thrilling than the IPL! What made it so special was the chance to watch our own parents play instead of just our favorite stars. That personal connection brought a whole new level of excitement.

As a viewer, coach, and bidder, I was on cloud nine throughout the tournament. Everything was astoundingly well organized—from the auction to the prize distribution, it was an unforgettable experience.

I absolutely loved every moment and am now eagerly waiting for the Kids SPL to keep the magic going!