Cricket. A sensational bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of eleven players. The game is played on a circular field with a central pitch where bowlers deliver the ball and batters aim to score runs. Worldwide, today, cricket is one of the world’s most followed sports, and is played in various areas, including central Texas.
In 2022, high schoolers in Central Texas formed the USA High School Cricket League. In 2024, Liberty Hill ISD opened its brand new high school: Legacy Ranch HS. As an only freshman campus, building up to a full school by the 2028 school year, LRHS had many opportunities, such as creating a cricket team, which my friend Laksh Ravi accomplished. And thus, LRHS Cricket was born.
Quickly starting up, small practices were held to train. Officially joining the league in September, LR Cricket debuted in friendly matches. LR proved the skeptics wrong by holding 1st place in the table in the friendly leagues, crushing other experienced teams. In January came time to compete for the USA HS Cricket Cup, and LR continued dominating the pitch. I played my season debut in the first game, LRHS VS Round Rock High School Game, in which we won by a landslide.
Making it through the bracket, finishing in 2nd place, LR qualified to move to the semifinals against RRHS. Beating Round Rock again, Legacy Ranch High School, the brand new rookie freshman team with barely any experience, reached the finals versus Westwood High School. As the defending champs, a team with a roster filled with experienced 10-12 graders, Westwood was not going to give an easy challenge.
LR VS RR
On April 12, 2025, in Lakeline Park, at 4:30 PM kicked off the final match. Off to the side lay the big and bright golden USA HS Cricket Cup, and next to it the silver 2nd place runners-up trophy. Adding to the team’s crowd of support, LHISD School Board President Megan Parsons and her husband, Mr. Parsons, and Sergeant Lemenager, the Wrangler & Panther Cadets instructor (whose class I am in), came to watch the game. Parents were scattered around the park, and everyone was eager to watch.
Westwood won the toss and chose to bowl, leaving LR to bat. Bhargav Naidu and Sarvin Agal opened the innings. Bhargav fell short and got out early, and Captain Laksh Ravi walked onto the pitch. Sarvin and Laksh carried a 100+ run partnership and brought the team to 115 runs. Laksh got run out, so vice-captain Nikhil Rammisetty walked onto the pitch to finish off the game. LR finished with 123 runs in 15 overs for 3 wickets.
During the break, we boys huddled and were fired up for a second inning. In this war, every ball would be crucial to win. Westwood wouldn’t let their batters miss any ball and kept a strong fight. Our bowlers, Sarvin, Nikhil S, Nikhil R, and Laksh, performed really well, getting shocking wickets. I got a short-stop run out by hitting the wicket too. As tense as the game was, we celebrated each wicket.
In time, the game became super pressurized, coming down to Westwood needing 1 run in 1 ball. They score, they win. Sarvin paced up to the crease and threw the most heart-pounding ball of the game, and it struck through the wickets: BOWLED OUT!
The score tied, meaning for a tie break, both teams would each play a super over, 6 balls to score the most runs. Round Rock went out first and scored 12 runs. LR going in fell short to only 6 runs in the first 3 balls with one wicket too. Nikhil Rammisetty went in for big shots, but in the end, Legacy Ranch scored only 11/13 runs needed to win.
One run short, short of the USA HS Cricket CUP. The team was heartbroken. As the teams lined up, LHISD Board President, Mrs. Megan Parsons, presented trophies. Legacy Ranch got the 2nd place cup, and Round Rock boasted the golden trophy, screaming and jumping around with joy.
It was a hard-fought game for the Legacy Ranch Wranglers. A surprisingly spectacular performance, too. Not only were we an all-freshman rookie team, but we also made it through teams with all kinds of crazy experienced players in the season, and had a neck-to-neck fight with the best team in the league, Westwood High School. Even though it wasn’t an appreciated loss, Legacy Ranch had made its mark in the USA HS Cricket League. This wasn’t a loss. It was the start to a LEGACY.
Wreck ‘Em Wranglers.
The Kartik-Sphere 