Round 14 - 30th January 2005

Templars v. Sino Prowlers at KCC
Result: Templars won by 67 runs

At KCC: Templars 282 (R Sharma 79, T R Kalyaraman 41, G Jardine 51, Gohar Ali 33; Tauseef Bukhari 13-0-65-3) beat  Sino Prowlers 215 (Amjiad Mehmood 39, Khalid Qureshi 32, Ahmed Mukhtar 68*; Gohar Ali 13-2-64-4, K Shehzad 10-2-33-3) by 67 runs

Having won the toss again and looking at the state of the pitch and the opposition there was little choice but to bat first on a seemingly improving KCC track.

Rahul arrived slightly dishevelled due to a severe case of morning tennis elbow which required a deep massage from Devang and ample supplies of blue ice jel.  This meant the young guns of Dute’s and Rohan Boghani opened against a credible Amjad and Tausif trying to bowl medium pace.  Needless to say the Captain severely chastised Rohan for getting out to Tauseef for 0 (although it was a good catch) and less so to Dute’s after some impressive shots who was unlucky to be caught by Aftab at mid on off the same bowler.  At 36 for 2 T R joined the General, who was still suffering somewhat from an aching elbow syndrome, with the usual result of first building a partnership, then solidifying it and then as it was just about to accelerate to the next level it was ended by of all things Rahul being stumped off Don Chucker at second drinks break with score at approximately 145.  Rahul chastised himself for getting out before raising the bat on another hundred, but take it in its context on a seaming wicket with a restrictive elbow, his innings was still full of fluent and controlled shots.  T R also found his timing and played some glorious drives and pulls delighting the small group of weather hardened supporters until he beautifully picked out square leg crashing another one of his trade mark shots straight into the grateful hands of the fielder.  The Captain was joined by Azzam who had trouble keeping his head down and soon perished at long off, but this only brought forth Gohar into the fray who absolutely had no problem clobbering Don’s varied chucks for 6’s and 4’s.  The Captain also took a liking to most of the bowling except one or two deliveries form Amjad’s array which turned and popped appreciably. The score at the demise of Gohar was reaching 250 and finally when Khurrum Shehzad (remember this name – he’s a young man to watch for in the future) was bowled in the last over, had gone beyond expectations, due to some Devang magic at the end.  By the way never let Devang try and run as he doesn’t call and doesn’t look!!! The total was some what helped by some extraordinary field settings, eg., no square leg to any of the spinners for at least 20 overs, and some at times Keystone Cops fielding.

280 odd on that wicket and with Templars bowling was never going to be easy, although the way the openers came in and slapped it around and over the boundaries for the first three overs looked very gettable.  Having looked through the score cards of their previous matches it would seem on a plastic wicket and if they click these Prowlers have the ability to score big totals.  Unfortunately they were playing us on a grass wicket with some keen bowling and what stared as a blitzkrieg was ended very quickly by some fine bowling from Gohar again and our new recruit Khurrum.  Gohar has curbed his temper and produce excellent performances, while Khurrum was making his debut and bowled, well beyond his years.  He really is a great prospect honed in the Afzaal school of bowling.  Thank god a new decent bowler!!! Shari perished first to Gohar and then Rohan somewhat made up for his dismal batting by taking a good catch at mid-off at the edge of the circle.  The only prospect Prowlers had of winning was if two batsman stayed together for a long partnership. Tausif and Amjhad did try but in the end after many a close miss (LBW’s and dropped slip catches) both fell.  The innings marked a high for Devang who unfortunately for us bowled dross, but made up for it by hitting the stumps from all angles and taking two great running catches which all of us in the know had the life savings on him dropping them!!  T R was inspirational at gully and extra cover and Zubair had a good game behind the stumps, in fact the fielding apart from the two seniors in the side was sharp.  Apart from Ahmed who did try and curbed his aggressive batting tendencies to finish not out and a chap called Khalid who could hit the bowl quite a long way, both Gohar, Khurrum and Rahul had simply to much for the remaining eight wickets and the end came far to late for all us in the 46th over with light rain still falling. 

Another good win with might I say a relatively young side, with a bright new prospect, things are looking up. 

- Jards

[Top]

Infidels v. Vagabonds at PKVR1
Result: Infidels lost by 14 runs

At PKVR1: Vagabonds 150 (Butt Hussain 51, T Bijur 36; A Bhat 9-1-30-4, Afzaal Haider 12.4-1-86-3)  beat Infidels 136 (Afzaal Haider 41; Butt Hussain 13-1-48-6) by 14 runs

Round 13 - 23rd January 2005

Templars v. Infidels at KCC
Result: Templars won by 6 wkts

Having returned from my diggings down-under with also the reappearance of Ravi and TR, at last the Templars somewhat resumed the core of senior players of last year.  This intermingled with the returning university completed young guns of Dutesh and Rohan, the bejewelled Devang and heavily set Gohar proved to much for the Infidels whose title hopes took an unfortunate downward turn.

Having won the toss and using still the old advice from the Year 9 coach, ie., if the bowling is potentially weak then put the opposition in as you can not defend a score, that’s exactly what occurred.  Mushy carrying an injury and struggling, gamely tried for five overs before being rested, while Gohar was unlucky not to snare both Manoj and Damian bowling a number of off cutters.  With the introduction of Ravi, Damian was adjudged LBW having survived a very adjacent ”no-shot being offered” chance the over before (1 for 51).  He was quickly followed by Courtney playing around another off cutter from Gohar and soon after and just before drinks by Roy Lamsam being suckered by Ravi’s long hop special taken well by Zubbie Zanani at forward square leg. Some support was given to Mojo (who was accumulating well) by Matthew Aldridge but eventually the General bowled him with the quicker one and then had Nigel Shroff spoon one to cover.  On 49 the innings relied on Mojo batting through, but unfortunately for Mo, Diamond Devang lulled him into a false stroke and he was well taken by Azzam running in and around from long off.  Apart from two mighty and sweet sixes from Afzaal and a forty run ninth wicket partnership between Barney and Imran, which ended in not an unsurprising runout, the Infidels struggled against all the bowlers on a slow wicket.  Devang, Rahul, Gohar and generally Ravi will all be receiving gold sticky stars for their house books for their efforts, as well as Jamie Atkinson who put on a good display behind the sticks.

The very gettable winning score looked a little less gettable after the first over of the Templars innings when Dute’s was LBW playing back to Afzaal, however the dynamic-duo together again of Rahul and Ravi steady the ship and then took a liking to the bowling.  Imran was off target and off colour while Afzaal may have over tried, either way the two batsman took full toll over what was being offered.  50 came up in the ninth over and things look set for an early finish, until Ravi tried to smack Roy for another off drive edging one through to the Veteran.  TR carrying on from his 50 the day before played confidently, while Rahul went about his business in his normal fashion with characteristic on drives, flicks off the leg and cover drives.  In the end TR was caught well by Matthew Aldridge at cover diving to his left.  Any nerves about a Templars collapsed were put aside as Rohan Boghani looked the part and played some well timed drives. At 130 for 4 he again was caught well by Roy standing up short on the off, of Manoj which bought the Captain to the crease.  The last 40 were got quickly courteous of Rahul’s expansive shots off an increasingly irritated Afzaal and some tired bowling from Manoj to the Captain.  The end came in the 33rd over for a very convincing win.

Just show’s you if most people are available things happen.  Well done to all including Azzam the 12th man.

- Jards   

At KCC: Templars 172-4 (R Sharma 74*) beat Infidels 171 (M Cheruparambil 49; R Sharma 13-1-49-3) by 6 wkts

[Top]

Round 12 - 16th January 2005

Templars v. LSW at PKVR1
Result: Templars lost by 6 wkts

At PKVR1: LSW 160-4 (Irfan Ahmed 46, Tabarak Dar 36) beat Templars 158 (Anoop Nainani 46, Dyutish Chaudhuri 51; M Khalid Khan 11.2-2-55-4, Jawaid Iqbal 10-1-23-3) by 6 wkts

[Top]

Infidels v. Pakistan Association at KCC
Result: Infidels won by 85 runs

At KCC: Infidels 203 (Afzaal Haider 69*, R Brewster 38; Rafaqat Ali 7.4-0-24-4, Kamran Khan 11-3-53-3) beat Pakistan Association 168 (Afzaal 31; Imran Farcy 9-3-46-3, Afzaal Haider 9.1-1-46-5) by 85 runs

Round 11 - 9th January 2005

Templars v. Pakistan Association at Mission Road
Result: Templars lost by 4 wkts

At Mission Road: Pakistan Association 234-6 (Ilyas Gul 36, Afzal 67*; D Shah 13-0-70-5) beat Templars 233-7 (Ali Gohar 62, R Sharma 90; Rafaquat Ali 12-1-32-4, Jamshaid Khan 11-0-65-3) by 4 wkts

[Top]