MBCC Sunday XI v Chelsea Nomads 9th August 2015
M & B recorded a convincing 8 wicket win over regular Sunday opponents, Chelsea Nomads, in a game which barely exceeded half the standard allocation of overs. Opposition skipper Junaid Asad had no hesitation in batting upon the winning the toss. He may well have regretted his decision as Gunbarul ran through the top order, like a knife through butter. Admittedly he required the first few deliveries to find his radar, after delivering a few wides. Opener Sisley had no answer when he located the target though as he departed playing down the wrong line. The no.3 played a terrible shot across the line and was castled. No4 Francis looked the part but unfortunately received a peach of an in swinging Yorker and was comprehensively bowled first ball. The cry of "oh no" from the non-striker suggested he may have been there main batsman ! Opener Fitzgerald and Smith repaired the damage to an extent, by increasing the score from 9 for 3 to 33 before the obdurate Fitzgerald was again casted in Gunbarul's last over, to prevent him totally ruining the game, his solace figures of 5/0/18/4. Despite seeing his first ball dispatched over mid off for 4 Squirrel soon exacted his revenge as he tempted Smith down the wicket and got him caught in the covers by Will Cunliffe, as the batsman failed to get to the pitch of the ball. At the Road End Callum Phillips bowled a controlled away swinging line without much luck to record figures of 8/1/27/0, to be replaced by senior spinner, Colonel Sanders. Despite starting with a few buffet balls he surprised the batsman with a straight one which bowled him ! The dismissal of Husnain summed up the Chelsea innings, after playing a beautifully controlled lofted off drive for 6 off Squirrel, he then took a wild swipe at the next delivery and missed and then came down the wicket to the next ball took a wild swing, missed and was stumped. Squirrel took another wicket with his final delivery before being removed from the attack, with figures of 6/1/22/3, to allow Alexander LeClerq a trundle. Le Clerq's short pitched wide deliveries and Colonel Sanders juicy morsels allowed the last wicket to post 28, as Armstrong set attacking fields. Sejaad hit a pie to Phillips to allow Colonel Sanders to claim figures of 5.2/1/24/3, which rather flattered him. The net outcome 117 all out in 27.2 overs.
Regular Sunday opener William Cunliffe was joined by Sunday stalwart Atif Amin, in the pursuit of 118 for victory. What little chance Chelsea had was quickly extinguished in the 2nd over as Cunliffe hooked Husnain for 4 and then attempted to repeat the stroke next ball only to hit it straight down square leg's throat, only for the catch to be dropped. From then on Cunliffe smashed the Chelsea bowlers with gay abandon through the covers, both on the ground and in the air to all the vacant areas. Amin perished trying to follow suit by hitting over the top, only ended up being yorked ,as he departed for 5 out of a partnership of 68 in 10 overs. Any thoughts of Cunliffe getting an unexpected century were dashed by Yusuf Qureshi, who smashed Ajad for three 4's in an over before departing in the next over, attempting to hit the spinner out of the ground, only to be stumped. In the end it was left to colt Todd Lindley to accompany Cunliffe to the winning line, in the process stroking one exquisite boundary through the covers for 4 to show his grandfather he could actually bat. Fittingly it was left to Cunliffe to put the icing on the cake as he hit 3 4's in the16th over to bring victory and leave him on 90no, which included 16 4's and 1 6, and M & B 121 for 2.
Gunbarul = Arul Appavoo
Squirrel = Thomas Allen
Colonel Sanders = Chris Butler
