Round 13 - Sunday, 18th January 2004

Templars v. Vagabonds at Mission Road
Result: Templars won on a superior run-rate

"We are the champions" as reported by the press is not what I cried, but what I thought under my breath hoping upon hope that our many calculations with mobile phone devices would prove right.   And so on checking the HKCA web site yesterday (27/01/04) I see that Travis had updated the many pages and was greeted with the headline that we had indeed won the league after ten years in the wilderness.   In fact we actually got two more points that the Pakistan Association for this game against the Vagabonds.   This seems a very long paragraph about my fears but believe me it has been a long week or so and you never know in this league what can happen.

The result at least for me was an anti-climax as I had personally visions of us taking the last wicket or someone smoating the ball to the boundary for the winning runs and all the team congratulating each other, but as it turn out it was a bit of a let down for me at least to be rained off.   We of course would have won convincingly from the position we were in and the players to come, but I suppose we should rejoice in an achievement that reflects our entire commitment and grit shown this season.

The game was relatively predictable and having called wrong again I was surprised when Prakash decided to bat.   Ankur Sharma who turns out to be leaving Hong Kong permanently (and who has actually gone now) showed his dismay with this apparent change in circumstances by trying to hit every ball out of the ground and didn't last long clean bowled by Jammie.   Jammie himself bowled eleven overs straight and quicker than the week before and was shown respect from all.   Kanishka stayed around for a bit and then was caught by Mustapha on the long leg boundary, poor Lama (wearing KCC kit I might add) was run out by the Buttmister and to tell you the truth no one else really troubled us.   Butt eventually went to a good low catch by Rahul off Devang and these two gentlemen both bamboozled the opposition into submission.

Following a "Bombay Dreams" lunch (wish I believe was below par probably because Animesh wasn't playing) we started early which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Alvin turned up for some quotes and brought the weather with him.   We started slowly against the Buttmister and Lama both bowling well and as the clouds began to thicken Ravi was out trying to push the score along. TR strode to the wicket and as has been quoted discussed acceleration with Rahul.   The rest is history as his first two balls were struck to the boundary which made the difference to the scoring rate which got us past the post and gave us the championship.   Three balls after the drinks break the rain came and apart from Prakash holding us all up at the ground with some forlon hope of restarting the game, we were back at the KCC before 17:00 drinking pseudo champagne and patting each other on the back.

League Championships are few and far between and hard to win as we all know.   Everyone has played their part in this season which is born of the spirit in the side and the commitment made by individuals.   This is shown by the fact that from my records at least 8 players played in 8 out of the 11 games that we have played.   Continuity is all and winning breeds winning.   It has been a privilege gentlemen to be part of this side this season and my grey hairs have come on nicely.   Well done to all, every single one of you who have played this season.

- Jards   

At Mission Road: Templars 71-1 beat Vagabonds 180 (H Butt 70; D Shah 8-1-18-3, R Sharma 9-1-22-3) on superior run-rate

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Infidels v. Little Sai Wan at Kowloon Cricket Club
Result: Match abandoned due to rain

At Kowloon Cricket Club: Infidels v JKN Little Sai Wan - match abandoned

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Round 12 - Sunday, 11th January 2004

Templars v. LSW at Mission Road
Result: Templars won by 56 runs

A new year brought continuing success to the Templars winning run, with a comprehensive defeat of LSW at Mission Road. On being woken up by the sound of large rain drops dripping onto the canopy of the apartments balcony below mine, the worry was there that we would be rained off and the Pakistan Association may have played up at the Gap and got a result. I needn't have worried as the day turned out to be sunny in all senses of the word.

Having lossed the toss we were put in by Tabbie, who presumably feared being bowled out again for a relatively low score as per the first fixture on the grass at the KCC. Unfortunately for Tabbie the bowling although keen and good at times generally involved too many wides and not enough balls needed to be played at by our openers. Their only success came when Ravi played an in-side-out drive in the tenth over and was caught at point claiming that his new SG Pro's gloves were to big and he couldn't feel the bat. No matter as in strode the carnivorous Scanlon for his first outing at the crease for Templars this season, chumping at the bit!!!  By this time Rahul had given his one chance before reaching 10 and, as has been the case this season, if it wasn't taken then the opposition were made to pay. At the first drinks break, we were 69 for 1, with the 'General' and 'Uncle Sam' (Scanners knick-name given to him by the Jammie's Manager, Ijaz 'Space Station' Mir) were cautiously accumulating runs. From here the acceleration was applied slowly and at second drinks break we were 149 for 1, with the talk of reaching 300 from the general senior player pool. I myself was still padded up watching these two build an innings. The demise of Uncle Sam came at 204 (158 run partnership) out to a soft shot for him. But one thing is for sure, it don't matter how hard you train or play, or live for that matter, some cricketers are born skillful and Uncle Sam is a testament to this statement. Having not trained for 6 months (having guitar lessons doesn't count!!), still smoking a packet of Malboro Light a day, drinking copious amounts of PP and eating most things you shouldn't eat, Scanners is still a bloody marvellous cricketer.

Jammie of course was promoted to No.4 in the quest for runs, but he and the rest of us were then treated to a display of hitting by Rahul, who took great glee in smacking Munir for sixes and fours alike. Munir, I can report from just west behind the bowlers (chucker's) arm (where I spent 46.3 overs padded up at and Anurag, to his credit, spent these overs and the other 3.3 scoring from), only officially chucked one quicker ball this game, but the view of the rest of them from square leg would have been interesting. The 'General', nursing a slight shoulder injury succumbed near the end for a splendid century (after a 66 run partnership with Jammie, in no time), while the Captain couldn't convert his kinetic energy from sitting down too long into runs. Jammie ended with some mistimed swipes for six that still sailed over the boundary at deep square and we concluded at 294, just one swipe short of the considered achievable total.

Zub's and even a slight limping Jammie must be a daunting prospect for any team that bat against us, especially one needing 300 to win.   They have been the obvious difference in our side and in every side we have played against on the bowling front, and in this game they proved again how potent they are. Although Jammie didn't get any wickets he bowled far too well to all of the batsman and his thirteen overs straight were wonderful to watch and great to Captain to. Zub's bowled his full repertoire of unplayable balls, which promoted the General at first slip to quote "you would have to be Pakistani test batsman to get an edge to one of them”. Zub's accounted for Tabarak (bounced out), Mohsin (brilliantly caught by Uncle Sam at forward short leg) and the returning colony player Andrew Dartnel, well caught eventually by Anurag off an inside edge.  At 3 for 35 LSW were in trouble, but to their credit they kept fighting and via Munir (who smacked Jammie for one huge blow into the residents swimming pool) and Azhar (never hit a ball in front of the wicket and edge quite a few) they posted 100+ partnership. On finishing Jammie was replaced by Devang who has had a habit of breaking partnerships this season and preceded to again by bowling Munir much to his delight. Imran Idrees limped to the wicket batting at 6 as he was off for most of their bowling (look it up in your ODI rules) and hit some good blows before holing out to Rahul, caught one handed running around from long-off by Mustapha.   From their the LSW resistance was brittle to both Rahul and Devang who both bowled well until Devang pulled a fetlock and was carried off to the chuckles of most players (sorry Devang). He was replaced by Ravi who also took a great catch (along with another by the Captain at “Cow Corner”) off his own bowling. Unfortunately we couldn't winkle out the last wicket but still scored a great win.

Of course this was another great team performance with Anu, TR and Azam also contributing hugely in the field and in team support. Two games to go, and winning these two is the only option!!! Well done again.

- Jards

At Mission Road: Templars 294-4 (R Sharma 127, S Scanlon 82, Mohammed Jamshaid 44*; Munir Dar 13-0-85-3) beat LSW 238-9 (Azhar Illahi 60, Munir Dar 52, Imran Idrees 36; Mohammad Zubair 7-1-32-3, Devang Shah 9.4-0-45-3) by 56 runs

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Infidels v. Vagabonds at Kowloon Cricket Club
Result: Infidels won by 157 runs

At Kowloon Cricket Club: Infidels 281-5 (D Kelleher 47, M Cheruparambil 146, Tauseef Bukhari 40*; T White 12-1-59-4) beat Vagabonds 124 (Butt Hussain 35, T White 48; Afzaal Haider 11-0-37-6) by 157 runs

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