THE British Army (represented by the Royal Logisitc Corp CC) accepted an invitation from KCC to tour Hong Kong in October 2004. The team played 6 matches on their 2 week tour.Matches against KCC teams included a 2-day fixture over the weekend of 9-10 October 2004 and a special Centenary Cricket Match on 15th October 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of KCC's first ever cricket match, played against the Army Ordinance Corps CC on 15th October 1904. |
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Itinerary
Tour Review The team of cricketers from the Royal Logistic Corps CC completed its tour to Hong Kong and returned to UK on 18th October. The tour was successful both on and off the field with a record of played 6; won 4; lost 2. First up for the tourists was a gentle work out for the team against an outfit from HSBC. The RLCCC comfortably won that game, giving all their players a chance to stretch their muscles and acclimatise to the conditions. Next up was a two-day fixture against KCC’s finest on 9-10 October 2004. Playing on a slow grass track, the RLCCC won the toss and batted first, amassing 290-9 in their maximum 60-overs first innings. Top scorers were skipper Maj Paul Vickerman, who bludgeoned 84 off 68 balls and Urie Hill with a more circumspect 62 off 82 balls. For KCC, Afzaal Haider claimed 3-62. RLCCC’s opening bowler Vinnie De Souza ripped into the KCC top order, claiming a hat-trick and finishing with the excellent figures of 4-50. The only resistance came from Rahul Sharma, who scored 94, but when he was needlessly run-out with the score on 153, KCC’s cause seemed lost. When stumps were drawn at the end of the first day, KCC was sitting in a precarious position of 154-8, still a long way behind the RLCCC first innings total. If the first day had belonged to RLCCC, it was KCC that dominated the second. KCC’s final two wickets advanced the total to a respectable 243, with Afzaal Haider contributing a hard earned 62 off 87 balls and Devang Shah 24 off 52 balls, batting at number ten. With a maximum of 40 overs to bat, RLCCC were looking to press home their advantage but a spirited bowling and fielding display by KCC restricted them to a total of 143. Paul Atherton top scored for RLCCC with 53 whilst Rahul Sharma claimed 5-44 with his wily spinners and Afzaal Haider claimed 4-54 bowling unchanged from the KBGC end. Chasing a target of 192 in 40 overs on a deteriorating pitch, KCC’s reply got off to a disastrous start as they lost a wicket in the first over. But cool heads and sensible batting by Sharma and Anthony Barnet firstly settled the nerves and then stole the advantage away from the Army team. For a player with a reputation for fast scoring and big hitting, Barnet’s century was one of class and patience. His 113 not out was scored off 126 balls including 2 sixes and 16 fours and his partnership with Ravi Sujanani (50 not out off 65 balls) saw KCC through to a magnificent victory by 8 wickets with 13 balls to spare. With so many great performances to choose from, it was difficult to pick a mana of the match but it was deservedly given to Afzaal Haider for his tremendous all around performance. [Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4] With no rest for the wicked, the non-playing members of the RLCCC party fronted up against Lamma CC on the next day. Batting first, RLCCC struggled to reach 191-9 off their 35 overs and Lamma cruised to a relatively easy victory with 2 wickets to spare. Hong Kong Cricket Club was RLCCC’s next match, played at the picturesque Wong Ngai Chung Gap Road Ground (though haze rather spoiled the stunning views). RLCCC batted first and scored a massive 280-3 off their 35 overs, with Urie Hill smashing an impressive 140 not out. HKCCC had no answer to the pace of Vinnie De Souza and RLCCC scored a crushing 150-run victory. A light-hearted Sixes event, involving teams from the British Consulate General’s Office and the Royal Geographic Society was played on 14th October. RLCCC provided 3 teams in the competition, all of which outclassed the opposition. The final match on the tour was the Centenary Match played on 15th October 2004, 100 years to the day after KCC’s first ever league match, played against the Army Ordinance Corps CC (a founding member of the RLCCC). With a toast of Pimms before the match, and regularly during it, the match was played more for the occasion than for the result. KCC mustered a total of 191 in its 35-overs with Krish Kumar scoring 47 runs. RLCCC, despite offering to engineer a draw, passed the total with two wickets and an over to spare. [Photos - 1 | 2] The day finished with a grand night at the ‘Big Red Ball’, attended by over 140 members and guests. All in all it was a highly successful tour, enjoyed by all involved from both sides. A more detailed write-up of the tour will appear in the next magazine.
Thanks The KCC and the RLCCC would like to thank the following organisations for supporting this tour:
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