Considering the havoc wrought across the 2013-2014 winter it was inevitable that the two Shark teams would face off for the 2014 Indoor Championship. Undefeated Bulls were never troubled across the journey and the HHDs only tasted defeat – a big one – at the hands of the Bulls. And that was always in the air. The ladies of Go!Go!Ken! stood between the two Shark teams and it proved a very, very hot and uncomfortable place to be. But it was an afternoon-evening of cricket that had it all: glamour, gamesmanship, controversy, tension, passion and some spectacular indoor cricket.
The schedule was for each team, BS, HHD and GGK, to play each other once and the team that wins two games takes the trophy and all the goodies. My-Ys, who finished a creditable 3rd, were unable to play due to school examinations. The HHDs were also dealt a cruel blow when a freak overnight accident ruled out ‘keeper and big-hitting Chris Thurgate. Brother, Stewart, was on hand to cheer us on, however (nice ‘photo bomb’, by the way!).
Game 1: Hammerheads vs Go!Go!Ken!
This pitted 2nd against 4th with the loser to play the Bulls in Game 2. Kris lost the toss and GGK invited HHD to bat (HHD would have bowled). The HHD were Kris B (capt), Alwin, Sankar (subbing from Bulls), Takady, Aditya and Karthik. First up, Kris and Alwin marched steady along to a chanceless 53, scoring off every ball or letting the bowler do the scoring with wides. Takady and Sankar had one early hiccup but clattered along to 101, Takady peppering the back net nicely. And for a ‘rounding off’ Aditya and Karthik made it an even 150 despite two run-outs. It was a very even batting performance that GGK would be hard-pressed to reach.
Karthik and Sankar took the ball to see GGK at 16 after three overs, with no loss. That was about to change. Alwin and Kris proceeded to mow a swath through the middle of the GGK innings, taking eight wickets over the next four overs. Kris managed a rare feat with three wickets (theoretically 4 wkts) in two balls. Holding a C&B, running out the non-striker (then the striker for good measure), then next ball self-fielding and doing the non-striker again. Sankar also chimed in with one. Surprisingly, and to GGK’s credit, the final bowling pair of Takady and Aditya could make no impression until a final-ball catch. The girls pushed and edged it around to end up well-short on 68. A bit of a belting.
Kris 30/5-minus9 (MOM) Alwin 23/3-0 Karthik 31/0-24 Sankar 14/1-16 Takady 34/0-19 Aditya 18/1-18
Game 2: Bulls vs Go!Go!Ken!
With a showdown already booked against the HHD in Game 3, a win here for the Bulls would make sure that would be a FINAL showdown. The Bulls were Dave L, Vicky, Aayush, Pave, Mairaj and Chris M.
The Bulls bowled first, with Mairaj and Aayush opening. The girls were able to knock it around a bit, but back-to-back runs outs and two magnificent bowleds by Mairaj, who was bending it like Beckham, pegged them back to 32. The middle overs saw the same amount of runs and a couple of run-out (but lucky the girls were wearing pads because they wouldn’t be wearing mini-skirts for a while if they hadn’t!). And the final four were much of a repeat even against some very good bowling from Vicky, Dave and Chris M. Dave castled one GGK after a run-out and Chris grabbed a stumping that seemed to take five minutes and a few tries to execute! A sub-100 score would be hard to defend, but they did score much more than against the HHD…
In batting the Bulls only lost one wicket when very early on Otsuka snuck one by Aayush to clip the top of off. And that was all. Mairaj and Aayush played sensibly and ran very well to take the Bulls to 37. Dave and Chris M then eased their way in a breezy 49-run partnership, Dave making the most of limited opportunity. Perhaps the only incentive for the final pair of Vicky and Pave was to better the HHD innings of 150. Nothing much was let by and Kobayashi was taken for three consecutive 7s. Toss in one more and some 5s across the overs. The girls did not help their cause by carpeting several catches (one a five grab jobbie that just wouldn’t stick). Come the last ball they had 150. Vicky launch into it and walloped it straight back over the bowler’s head. It seemed to be six, but the fielder who caught it claimed the catch was off the ‘sagging’ roof net. Umpire Miyakawa was unsure so had the ball bowled again and Bull nudged one past the HHD score for minimal bragging rights.
Mairaj 2-13/20 Aayush 2-19/17 Chris M 1-13/17 Pave 1-22/27 Dave 3-6/32 (MOM) Vicky 0-20/38
Over both games against GoGoKen it was a bit like burly Canadians clubbing baby seals but it meant that the 2014 Indoor Final would be Hammerhead Sharks vs Bull Sharks.
Game 3: 2014 Indoor Final Hammerhead Sharks vs Bull Sharks
In the ten-minute break the two teams jousted with some good-natured banter. The Bulls remained unchanged and late Bull arrival, Awal, was subbed into the HHD for Sankar. Kris correctly called the toss from Dave and announced, much to the surprise of some Bulls, that HHD would bat first. “Last thing they will win!”, someone Bullishly quipped.
HHD Bat:
Having some inside knowledge here, the HHD sought to keep wickets intact, push the ball around and make the most of wides. I would hazard a guess that the Bulls had other ideas! Kris and Alwin opened up hoping to reprise their first game partnership. They didn’t reach a half century stand but playing safe and solid they pushed up to a decent 34 with only one out, Alwin bowled by the big in-swinging Pave after flirting with a generous open three-stump stance. Takady and Awal also kept their heads with nothing fancy, apart from one Takady 7. Awal kept out some good balls and scored off them. They also milked extra runs off wides for a good partnership of 41 with no wickets lost. At 75 up the Bulls were under a bit of pressure to get wickets but had some bowling aces up their sleeve. The HHD eyed off three figures for psychological advantage. They fell a little short at 98 but Karthik and Adit continued to play percentage shots, take the wides and only gave up one wicket. It was a good batting effort against a strong bowling team – surely better than the 33 HHD managed last time! The Bulls will have to work. Ninety-nine to get.
Bulls Bat:
Bulls had some significant batting and so the HHD decided to not show their hand by having three opening ‘bowlers’ waiting with a ball in hand – probably meaningless but, whatever. Once Mairaj and Aayush entered the nets, Kris and Karthik took up the attack. A quick runout was wiped off by a Mairaj 7 off Kris. A few tight overs including a pair of wickets left the Bulls at an under-par 18 and the HHD tails were up! Dave and Chris M were the next up pitted against Awal and Alwin. The game was about to heat up significantly! After a wide and a dot, Awal almost snuck one under Dave’s bat. The jammed ball bobble up and Kris had to come in front to go for the stumping. In the tangle of legs and bat, Dave’s bat was deemed short. To add to the controversy of the over, a slipped-ball beamer nearly took Dave’s head off. He was not happy. It was on!! They could not get a tight Alwin over away and at the halfway point Bulls had only 27 and the pressure was obvious. The Bulls and HHD encouraged 
vocally in equal measure and ingenuity. Step up Awal for a ripper of an over. 0-B-B-1-0-1 and he was nigh on unplayable. (Note: I felt a bit guilty about drafting in Awal to the HHD… for a second or two.) Dave and Chris pushed up the attack against Alwin but they could only add 14 to the Bull total in all. Vicky and Pave had a bit of a mountain to climb to the tune of 67 runs in the last four overs. And as the Bulls had done, the HHD had their aces also in Takady and Aditya to come. The Bulls needed a lot of back net action, the HHD only allowed 1s and 2s with a bowled to Adit (Vicky got it back with a later 7). As much as Vicky and Pave worked for extra runs, well-struck shots were calmly cut off and the ball held up. The Bulls were squeezed and the Hammerheads claimed the 2014 Indoor Crown in the name of the Chiba Sharks!
HHD: Kris 14/2-9 Alwin 20/0-20 Takady 29/0-21 Awal 12/3-minus6 (MOM) Karthik 16/1-9 Aditya 7/1-16
BS: Mairaj 0-24/11 Aayush 0-25/7 Pave 1-12/18 Dave 0-15/10 Chris M 1-6/4 Vicky 0-16/19
Even the HHD knew they would have their work cut out for them against a Bulls team that had not lost a game and had belted them earlier in the season. The Bulls probably felt they were a good chance for the same reasons. For the record, both teams had four players from that game (and a fifth Bull was Awal). I can only talk for the HHD but we decided on some strategies and stuck to them.
For both teams it was the ‘hardest’ game of the indoor season. It is a little disappointing that so many outdoor players from other clubs have dropped off. The best of GGK were not seen. Wyverns sent novices when they sent anybody. Senshu are beginners or no-shows. The My-Ys were competitive at times but lack depth. Boso and South couldn’t get full teams and barely any points.
We had our ‘three-peat’ but it was clear almost from Game 1 in November that no teams would push us. For the health of the competition it might be a good thing to encourage some outdoor teams or players to get involved – not that I am sick of the Sharks winning!
