Round 18 - 21st January 2006
[HKCA Report]

Tartars v. Mainlanders at Kowloon Cricket Club
Result: Tartars lost by 3 wkts

At KCC: Tartars 144 (Aftab Ahmad 47; Zafran Ali 9-0-33-5, Najeeb Amar 6-0-16-3) lost to Mainlanders 148-7 (Najeeb Amar 46, Yasar 33*) by 3 wkts

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Round 17 - 14th January 2006
[HKCA Report]

Crusaders v. Kai Tak at Kowloon Cricket Club
Result: Crusaders lost by 17 runs

At KCC: Kai Tak 291-7 (Mohsen Naqvi 105, Malcolm Brown 74; Imran Farcy 7-0-33-4) beat Crusaders 274-5 (Damian Kelleher 66, Anthony Barnet 57, Mohanna Marzook 57, Travis Pittman 31*; Jonathan Gordon 3-0-54-3) by 17 runs

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Saracens v. Police at Police Training College
Result: Saracens won by 39 runs

At PTC: Saracens 179 (Saiket Sen 7-0-22-4) beat Police 140 (Saiket Sen 32; Naeem Ashraf 9-2-15-3, Ravi Sujanani 10-0-30-3) by 39 runs

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Round 16 - 7th January 2006
[HKCA Report]

Crusaders v. Police at PTS
Result: Crusaders won by 41 runs

“Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling. From glen to glen and down the mountain side…..”  Dan was late, again. But as the Irish melody drifted through my mind while the winter sun shone down brilliantly on the PTS ground something momentous happened - Dan finally arrived!  As the music played on and he walked over to join his teammates, standing tall and prouder than a honeymooner’s slipper it was clear - Danny meant business today.

While Ray Brewster may be the most famous and celebrated current Crusader, he is not as old as Dan as is assumed by his nickname “the veteran”. Dan certainly knows all the tricks of the trade that’s for sure. In fact while Ray was hitting the Hong Kong bowling with a ferocity still not seen to this day, Dan was quietly refining his skills as a leg spinner, raconteur, and pilot of the future. Dan Dare is and always will be a very popular Crusader, someone to turn to when the light is at its dimmest when we need to be shown the way home. Either that or just some manly advice.

After winning the toss for the first time in three games there was no hesitation in choosing to bat. This was not because Dan was late but rather that during these winter months a whole new sense is required batting second – night vision. Todd’s joy at being promoted to open the Crusader batting  and having his father Bob there to watch was most unfortunately short lived when he was out in the third over to a good away swinger. Bob and his partner then packed up and departed for what was by all accounts a terrific day at Ocean Park. The veteran was next in strolling to the wicket like a Burmese cat with his brand new Grey Nichols bat swishing through the air. Ray gets a brand new bat every Christmas much to the jealousy of some of team mates. He immediately found the middle of his flash white willow sweetly timing a succession of boundaries square to the on side fence. It was a real surprise then when he was out LBW playing across the line to a full straight one. Mohanna Marzook is surely one of the most feared hitters playing in the league and after driving a massive six out of the ground on his second ball certainly showed why. He was in sublime touch on the cool but pleasant sunny winter’s day, launching sixes over the mid wicket and long off boundaries seemingly at will. Sharing a 140 run partnership with the rapidly expanding captain whose shot making became more agricultural as the day progressed, Mohanna ensured that the Crusaders were well placed to push ahead in the final four overs. Beefy Baker believed to be a descendant of a great Cossack warrior did not disappoint with a trade mark six over long on and the promise of a dance. Dave Webster making his Crusaders debut crashed a couple of shots through the covers and looks to have some real potential and along with Travis added some valuable late runs. Travis was an uncertain starter due to a “sore arm” no doubts the result of carrying Ada’s luggage on their recent extended vacation to the Antipodes. There was sure a sigh of relief though when he clipped a full ball down to fine to the leg boundary for four as he now had a batting average!

Toddy opened the bowling as normal and immediately settled into a steady off stump line swinging it away. Mohanna bowled from the other end and delivering the ball from around eight feet and generating significant movement through the air caused all sorts of problems for the Police openers. He then got the early breakthrough caught behind by the veteran and followed up immediately with a second - bowled completely upending all three stumps in the process. Toddy then deservedly opened his account with a swinging ball that was thrashed to gulley. Mohanna took what must be the season’s best catch when a pure reflex move had the ball lodged in his big mits. With hands as big and soft as baseball gloves he never misses!

Dave came on to replace Todd and bowled very well generating some appreciable pace.  Arsalan Qureshi drafted into the team as late cover came on at Mohanna’s end and bowled some probingly flighted leg spin, taking two wickets in the process. At five wickets down though the light was dimming and with their best batsman well settled and scoring freely, another defeat was very real possibility for the Crusaders. There was no question of what to do next though - bring on Dan. Fit is one of the many compliments we use when speaking about Danny and he sure looked a picture on the day as he commenced his pre bowling warm up. With an upright and elegant action Dan bowls a variety of slow ball including leg spinner, straighter one, off spinner, doosra and the occasional grubber. He immediately launched himself into the thick of the action as he harried and harassed the police batting into a series of mistimed shots.  And when the prize wicket of Nasser inevitably came courtesy of a jaffa that drifted to leg and beat the batsman in flight, leaving him no choice but to sky the ball to long on - Dan had fulfilled his destiny. The police then folded to be dismissed for 196 falling short by forty runs but contributing to a highly entertaining game and one unforgettable seismic Dan Dare second.

At PTS: Crusaders 238-6 (Anthony Barnet 81, Mohanna Marzook 88) beat Police 197 (Nasir Hameed 88; Mohanna Marzook 10-0-39-4) by 41 runs

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Tartars v. LSW Warriors at Mission Road
Result: Tartars won by 3 wkts

At MR: LSW Warriors 137 (Azhar Illahi 32, Suresh Pandey 56; Aftab Ahmed 4.4-0-31-4) lost to Tartars 138-7 (Graeme Jardine 63; Munir Dar 10-1-29-3) by 3 wkts

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Saracens v. Gap Ramblers at Kowloon Cricket Club
Result: Saracens won by 4 wkts

At KCC: Gap Ramblers 212-4 (Malcolm Wood 30, Jeremy Collard 42, Mark Kratzman 79, Mark Winstanley 32*) lost to Saracens 213-6 (Ravi Sujanani 45, A Mahmood 57; Mark Kratzman 10-0-38-3) by 4 wkts

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