A close game, and a not-close game

Our second set of Saturday fixtures of this ECS were against Catalunya Red, and again we had incredible availability. The games were to be followed by our 2023 prize-giving ceremony, so there was a good crowd in (including club legend Ted!). 

Game 1
Red won the toss and chose to bat, but lost their captain second ball as Vishesh Gajjar had him caught at long-on by James Bentley. Vishesh and James managed to keep the powerplay relatively inexpensive (despite Shriram Bhosale’s best efforts) and they were 36/1 after 3. Anish Shindore, making his ECS debut, had a brilliant first over going for just three runs and getting his first ECN wicket. Zeeshan Dildar kept the pressure on next over with another wicket, a bail-breaker, before dropping a very high caught-and-bowled opportunity. Sam Phillipps would be next to get a wicket, combining once again with Imran Fareed in the deep. There would be another drop later in the over when James “well he has sticky fingers” Bentley pushed one over the bar for six instead. The next three overs would prove a bit more expensive, as Red pushed to try and get a defendable score. James (2/11) pulled it back in the final over, conceding just four runs and getting two wickets (as well as there being a run-out last ball). Red finished on 118/8.
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Their below-par score was just what our out-of-form batting line up needed. As he often does, Imran went out to open with the wicketkeeper, in this case Jack Jewson. Imran got us off to a reasonable start, and we matched Red’s 36/1 powerplay score, with Jack having just been bowled attempting to flick one into the legside. A quick 40-run partnership formed between new bat Umer Razi and Imran before the latter was caught and bowled for 44 off 20. As has often happened this week, the middle order failed to fire. Ever the clubman, Damien McMullen retired hurt before fellow Aussie James toe-ended one and was caught at long-off. With the penultimate over going for just seven, we needed 23 off the final over. The second ball being a no-ball and going for two runs, before the free hit went for six helped and we were looking good. Sadly Shriram missed the next ball and was run out after Umer attempted a single to the keeper. Another dot ball killed the game despite another six next ball, and we finished on 111/5. It was another game where we fell antagonisingly short.

Game 2
This time we won the toss and Shriram decided to bat. We were gifted five wides off the first delivery but soon Imran was bowled around his legs and Anish, promoted to open, was bowled in front of his legs. In the third over, we were gifted five more wides, and four byes but lost the services of the Bentley to leave us 34/3 at the end of the powerplay. The next over saw some big hits from Umer and went for 15, before the runs really dried up in the middle overs once again. Umer’s batting partners came and went before he was finally dismissed at the start of the last over, caught in the deep (40 off 24). Shriram became only the second batter to reach double figures batting almost one-handed with two quick fire boundaries before the third shot couldn’t clear the rope. A high no-ball off what should have been the final delivery was swatted for four by Vishesh before he was run out off the final ball. With that four, we had at least scrambled past 100, finishing on 103/9. 
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Red were clearly looking to finish it quickly and get the bonus point. Their captain Sandal, having got a duck in the first game, was smashing everything everywhere. Despite the wicket of his partner in the third over to James (following a great catch by Vishesh), they finished the powerplay beyond halfway to the score on 59/1. Absolutely no one could keep the scoring rate down, although Vishesh would get a wicket off his own with an inswinging slower ball that hit the top of middle. Dave Martin came on to bowl what would turn out to be the final over, and was cruelly denied a wicket following a controversial height no ball call, but it mattered little. Sandal would stay til the end finishing on 66, as they completed the chase in 5.4 overs and claimed the bonus point. 

We packed up and headed upstairs to award the prizes from last season, before heading out for some food. We’ll be back on Tuesday against Royal Barcelona, now rooted to the bottom of the table. We have just six fixtures left, all against strong, in-form sides.

​Sam Phillipps

Together 'til the end. Photo: Diana Oros, European Cricket