Round 12 - 28th October 2000

Saracens v. Islanders at KCC
Result: Saracens won by 67 runs

No report received.

At KCC: Saracens 160 (B Shroff 42; C Bridges 4-52, J Iqbal 3-14) beat Islanders 93 (N Hameed 60; R Sharma 3-19, Y Vachha 3-19) by 67 runs at KCC

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Round 11 - 21st October 2000

Saracens v. Witherers at HKCC
Result: Match abandoned due to rain.

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Crusaders v. Kai Tak at KCC
Result: Match abandoned due to rain.

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Round 10 - 14th October 2000

Saracens v. Kai Tak at KCC
Result: Match abandoned due to rain.

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Round 9 - 7th October 2000

Saracens v. Crusaders at KCC
Result: Crusaders won by 51 runs

This was it the first KCC derby game of the season which both sides needing to win desperately. The Knights welcomed back into their ranks Singalongasandpit and Mr P (Travis) both fresh from their medieval computer screens. The KCC Persians had all guns available and included the four V's, Vachha, Vachha and Vachha - with Shiroy counting for two.

As ever Captain O could not win the toss and the Ravster inserted the Red Cross. On reflection it may have been a good toss to lose as the think tank was undecided and may have opted to field, due to Rahul's batting and the fact that the wicket was north of the artificial strip, slightly damp and had been played on three times in the previous two days (two HK squad nets with our NZ Knight member). The Captain's fears were realised when a stopper from Watercress resulted in his Early (caught Pereirra) exit. Greenie had by this time been offered a few short balls which he had gleefully deposited to the boundary, but was also finding the going tough. Scanners on his arrival at the crease also found the bowling and wicket to be tight and troublesome respectively. Earl the Swirl and Yarman worked well in tandem and with good field placing the Crusaders advance was being checked so much so that at the drinks break a score of 170 was looking likely. After the break both batsman tried their luck and while Scanners perished to a good catch at long off Greenie rode his luck (two catches and a stumping) and once again achieved another 100, which all in the ground clapped except one notable person. Brewbags got another questionable decision and is himself wondering if the umpires have a crusade this season to give him out if the ball hits him above the knee roll and going down leg side. After Swirl had completed an excellent spell Mr P joined the ever flagging Greenie and added valuable runs to complete our innings ate 238. This core was attributable only because of Greenie's batting which was master like considering the pitch and the bowling attack and even Sir Richard on the Boundary applauded him (apparently Hadlee played a season in Tasmania, so enough said there).

We all know that Rahul can get any score required and therefore Captain O pleaded with all bowlers and fielders to try as hard as ever to repel any on-slaught from the Arabian, via Rajahstan, Master Blaster. Gareth Mini-B (smaller version of Beefy) Bousfield got lucky and had the unfortunate Ravster caught by Brewbags while attempting to hit the ball into the middle of next week. CoC arrived and showed in his batting that the practice on the bowling machine was paying off by taking Immy for a few runs. Both opening bowlers were replaced after a few overs with Mohana and Toad who both bowled well and without much help from the gods or the umpires. Once again the Knights of the Cross were up against it with both CoC and Rahul in good knick, when perhaps divine intervention occurred. CoC retired hurt, not from one of Hyphen's comments, but as a result of an expansive attempt at a drive (more golf than cricket shot) and preceded to tear a hip muscle. From here, apart from Rahul's confident batting (interspersed with various mutterings), when he was allowed the strike, the Saracens never looked like getting the required runs, especially as Greenie and Immy bowled intelligently, with the latter building up a real head of steam. Three runouts in the middle order and the final demise of Rahul to Immy were the last rights for the opposition who finished 50 short. Comments were made to Captain O about placing men on the boundary by Ravster and the Hong Kong coach, the retort was simple, "we played to win this most important game".

At KCC: Crusaders 238-4 (D Green 143*, S Scanlon 38) beat Saracens 187-7(R Sharma 81) by 51 runs

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Round 8 - 6th October 2000 (Friday)

Crusaders v. Nomads at HKCC
Result: Crusaders won by 8 wickets

The latest tracks of the Red Cross Crusaders lead them to the deserts of the Gap to face the Nomadic tribesman of Hong Kong. Players came from all points of the compass and by all modes of transport. Ben Wilkins is of special mention having only flown in late the night before and was due to fly out after the game to London, that's commitment for you. Captain O and the Tasmanian Devil travelled with the Sri Lankan connections (Imran and Mohana) who kept them thoroughly amused with the recount of Little Sai Wan's own ICAC (enough said).

As ever Captain O lost the toss and Big Ash decided that batting was more preferably to running around in the heat of the day with only a camel stop after 17 overs. This decision seemed to be correct after the initial overs with Man Madman Varty swatting various simitar shots around the park and Foxy Roxy trying to match him. Finally Immy hit Varty on the head and he soon was out retiring to his own tent for recuperation. By this time the Captain O had tried both Toad (again no addition to the Toadmeter this week - things are looking good for the gamblers) and Gareth Bousfield (who increasing looks like a smaller form of Beefy, if there is such a thing). Mohana and Green worked well in tandem and through good catching and smart fielding the Tribesman started to slow. Greenie having his first bowl of the Saturday campaign produce what can only be described as Ôall sorts' of deliveries which accounted for three of the helpless desert dwellers who must have felt like right Ôsticky dates' to fall to such offerings. One of these wickets was the unfortunate Mohammed J Powell whose wanderings in the Wadi will be ever longer after hitting a well timed full bunger from Taz into the buckets of Mohana and short square leg who took a Ômarvellous catch' (said in a Richie Benaud accent). Mohana himself bowled intelligently again and claimed four wickets, including that of the keeper of the Gap Oasis who came into bat with a helmet on (he obviously knew more than he was telling anyone). Ash by this time had reached a good fifty, but finally succumbed to the guile of Hyphen who put another notch in his belt of ÔColony Players I have conned'. J C (not the wholly one - Jim Cannell) arrived at the wicket from the wilderness and look like it, swishing at various things and even gaining a run for a bye which Hyph was not impressed with. The tribesman finally finished at 214.

What followed their innings, with ours of course, can only be described in the annuals of the 2000-01 Crusader's chronicles as, we gave them a real pasting, or Ôsacrificial lamb' bowling. Greenie and Captain O opened, and while the latter was still finding his timing, the former, Knight of the Green Garter, put the bowling to his broad sword. The a fore mentioned Infidel Cannell was deposited into the Camel dung heaps at the boundary edges four times in his first over and Ash was treated nearly with the same disdain. Eventually Captain O found his long lost timing and both openers devoured the bowling as it was Turkish Delight. Greenie eventually looped a simple catch to mid-wicket when the score was at 115 after only 15 overs, having made another 50 odd in his normal manner. Scanlon the ÔCarnivorous One' eagerly strode into the battle and preceded to again gorged himself on a bowling attack that had been thumped into serving up various eastern delights. While Captain O was allowed the odd single (when he could get the strike) to make it to fifty, ÔGnasher' Scanlon reached the same mark by some hard hitting blows of the straight, straight over the bowler and sight screen, kind. It was an innings of immense power that put even Ash to shame. Eventually with the end insight (206) Moses, alias Captain O, fell in the same way as Greenie before him. We finally knocked the winning runs off in the 30th over and the Veteran could not think of such an easier win in his long memory of Crusades against these arabs.

At HKCC: Crusaders 217-2 (D Green 52, G Jardine 66, S Scanlon 73*) beat Nomads 214-8 (P Varty 32, A Roxburgh 52, A Ashman 58; M Marzook 4-46, D Green 3-51) by 8 wkts

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Tartars v. DBS at KCC
Result: Tartars won by 116 runs

No report received.

At KCC: Tartars 258-6 (A Bhatnagar 52, Mark Johnston 94; Aftab Ahmed 3-66) beat DBS 142-8 (M Ling 43; N Golani 3-32) by 116 runs

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Round 7 - 2nd October 2000 (Monday)

Crusaders v. Centaurs at KCC
Result: KCC won by 54 runs

A miracle happened on, Monday Captain O won a toss the first in two years, and of course elected to bat on a hard bouncy wicket. In fact the wicket was being played on for the third time in as many days and put to shame the HKCC pitch that some of us had played on the day before.

Green being rested Mr P (Travis) and the menacing figure of Mohana strode to the wicket with helmets on to face what turned out to be licorice all sorts bowling. Mohana played some nice powerful shots and then chased a wide one and was out with the score on 43. In strode the Veteran Queenslander to join Mr P who had especially flown Mum & Dad in the day before when hearing from the Captain that he was going to open. There preceded a partnership of over 150 scored at a good rate against some wayward and often comedian bowling. All umpires had sore arms after doing their stints due to the fact that 29 wides were bowled by the opposition's inadequate attack. Travis played a good knock and is obviously, from his two bats, this season in good knick, while Brewbags needed time at the wicket and runs to drive out the cobwebs from the Italian Wine Crusades. Brewbags fell short of his hundred, more a case of loss of concentration against some more buffet (help yourself) bowling and was replaced by Singalong-a-Sandpit (Sandeep) who pleased the crowd with some excellent drives and cuts. The Knights of the Red Cross finally posted an impressive 261 for 5.

Chasing a large total was never going to be easy for Centaurs, but to their credit they had a real go and with the help of the Captain O keeping the field up and the close fielders in, and with the a number of outside edges got a reasonable total. Imran again bowled quickly and was unfortunate again only to claim one wicket as hebeat everyone. The Toadometer did not advance this week even with the application of the correct cheek cream and Toad being fit! Mohana after a bit of tap from a man nearly the same size as him got his revenge and as stated in earlier reports will never be easy to get away. The debutante Bousfield (wait till Greenie hears that for a relevant nickname) bowled and fielded well and apparently does some very good deals on shipping. Beef finally found that line and pace that we know he has and how he didn't get a wicket was one of those injustices that occur. One ball was so quick and bounced so much that Brewbags chin was nearly removed standing along way back. Hyphen, brought on to late by the Captain, bowled three controlled overs at the end and the opposition closed at 207 for 3.

At KCC: Crusaders 261-4 (R Brewster 88, T Pittman 63; Lord 3-7) beat Centaus 207-3 (Brahmar 91*, Hemshall 40, Gopal 31*) by 54 runs

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Saracens v. CCC at Mission Road
Result: Saracens lost by 8 wickets

No report received.

At MR: CCC 145-2 (M Eames 74*, D Jones 46*) beat Saracens 141 (R Sharma 45; L Beaman 4-23, A Mukhtar 5-57) by 8 wkts

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Tartars v. Gap Ramblers
Result: Tartars won by 3 wickets

When one of the openers was dropped twice early on, it looked as though 250 might be a score that the Tartars would have to chase. However it was not to be. In true team fashion theTartars played confidently and with composure. Faizi bowled well and was unlucky not to get several wickets and 'Chick' Correa was also unlucky early on. On top of some well controlled bowling, a superb piece of fielding, with a return from the boundary over the stumps by Faroque, ended the innings of the opener and started things turning. 'Chick' was on a hat trick at one stage as some grey haired bloke fielding at square leg snapped up three catches.

Chasing 222, the openers Chick and Anuraag got away to a good start and from then on it was again a consistent team effort with all the batsmen: TR, Lama, Faroque & Jaideep contributing to what was a good team effort rather than any individual holding up the side. When Bharat 'seven an over is no problem' Gohel came in with 10 overs remaining, seven an over was indeed no problem. Huge sixes resembling 2 wood golf shots with a little draw, steered the ship home with a couple of overs to spare. The grey haired bloke, in his third season with Tartars, headed off into the sunrise mumbling something about teams and the whole being greater than the sum of the parts....Well done TR and Tarts.

At HKCC: Tartars 226-7 (S Lama 44, J Malhotra 42; N Hussain 3-55) beat Gap Ramblers 222-9 (P Winchcomb 51, A Smith 41, D Kidd 34; A Correa 3-50, F Khan 3-39) by 3 wkts

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