JCL2 Sharks vs Hokushinetsu Hawks, Sano 3
1 June, 2014 – By Kris Bayne
A Shark 2nd XI brimming with future talent and gnarling 40-somethings took on the Hawks on Saturday. As an early reminder of its reputation, Tatebayashi had already hit a lazy 32C when the train-bound Shark contingent rumbled into town. We rolled out several hours and 80 overs later, not winners, but much the wiser (and redder).
For today’s game we were, in alphabetical order: Aayush, Anton, Atharva, Chris T (capt/keeper), Kentaro, Kris B (vc), Mairaj, Moto, Rui, Takuma, and Zain.
Our bowling attack was based around a very young brigade with the likes of Rui and Zain, who opened hostilities, and Kentaro and Takuma. Kris, Mairaj and Anton provided variation, light entertainment, and bowling debutant Aayushi also would get a look in. Suffice to say, probably most of us would bat…
Chris won the toss and decided to send the Hawks in.
Bowling
Captain Chris urged us to stick to the basics and support each other in the field. Kris reminded the young’uns that they were our secret weapons in the field. Rui and Zain both started off right on the money with tight opening overs and went one better by both grabbing an opener each in their second. Rui swung it magnificently all day and enticed the very experienced Japan-rep Mee into driving to Atharva who held on to the catch. Not be to outdone, Zain, who was getting some nice bounce, was rewarded by Mairaj pouching a thick edge to point. 2-6 and it brought two experienced heads, McGarva and Rizwan together.
The young guns took a break after 3 each to have us well-set at 2-16. Kris got ball in hand. It was all a bit tragic. Fourth ball saw McGarva hit uppish, hard but low to Atharva who couldn’t hang on (it would have been a great grab). Fifth ball saw McGarva hit uppish, hard and belt- high to Atharva who couldn’t hang on (I mean, you don’t expect the exact same shot, right?). Hands now thoroughly stinging, the lad took a ‘rest’ at slip. Sixth ball saw McGarva edge, ball clipping keeper gloves and going chest high to Atharva who couldn’t hang on… (what are the odds, right?).
Kentaro followed up with a maiden, but both batsman capitalized on their luck and experience. They added a lot, a very, very big lot. Despite some good efforts by Kentaro, new spin sensation, Takuma, who got bounce and flight, and Mairaj, the Shark field wheels wobbled badly. Bowlers started to take a bit of stick. Yes, it was bloody hot, but it would get a bit hotter at the 30-over drinks break. We had dropped our fielding standard and it showed, and Chris urged us to make the last ten overs ‘ours’.
With renewed vigour and purpose we headed out. While we could not prevent two tons being made we did not wait too long before we got something back. Rui showed great fight-back to whiz one past McGarva to rattle his stumps. Anton got one to bounce a bit at Rizwan and Chris took the skied catch. The new batsmen went looking for runs. Anton was oh so desperately unlucky to not have a stumping wicket and skied balls started to fall in areas unpopulated by Sharks. Rui was in it again and Kentaro took a sharp catch at short mid-on. Kris and Anton finished off last few overs of the innings, with Kris finally getting a wicket caught by Anton. Hawks 6/316.
Things may well have been different, but they weren’t. We started really well, had a very forgettable middle, but then responded well to Chris’ call for a big final effort.
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | wd/nb | Runs | Wickets |
| Rui | 8 | 1 | 5/0 | 44 | 3 |
| Zain | 5 | 1 | 2/1 | 24 | 1 |
| Kris | 5 | 0 | 0/0 | 45 | 1 |
| Kentaro | 3 | 1 | 1/2 | 16 | 0 |
| Takuma | 6 | 0 | 4/1 | 61 | 0 |
| Mairaj | 5 | 0 | 6/1 | 34 | 0 |
| Anton | 5 | 0 | 3/1 | 58 | 1 |
| Aayush | 3 | 0 | 3/1 | 29 | 0 |
Batting
We had a mountain to climb, and in recognizing this Chris put it to the younger players to make the game their own. Firstly Kris and Aayush had to deal with opening the innings. Kris didn’t deal with it very well, bowled by Mee (making up for his duck with a good bowling effort). Atharva joined Aayush.
From here, in terms of runs, we did not make much impression on the scoreboard. In terms of effort and growth we had some big strides, however. Atharva, basically opening, saw off some tough balls before being given ‘not out’, but in a show of great sportsmanship he ‘walked’. Applause for the lad who did have a hard day in the field.
Zain looked solid for his brief stay. Then came some innings of excellent attrition! At the commencement Chris rallied us to bat our overs out and make the Hawks get us out. He certainly got some examples of Shark bloody-mindedness, young and old. Aayush was joined by Anton in the 5th over and they saw off another 6 with Aayush stoicallyseeing out a run of 16 dots and Anton accumulating a year’s worth in one innings.
After they fell in back-to-back overs, Rui and Takuma set about not getting out. They soaked up another 6 and a bit, both getting to double figures in a 36-run partnership. They were out in consecutive balls to 14-yr old Hawk bowling wunderkind in the 19th over. Sharks a not-very-healthy 7-80. Über-limpet, Kentaro, strolled out, followed by immediately by Moto. Moto calmly paddled the hattrick ball to fine leg for one. These two then negotiated 4 overs! Kentaro started with 12 dots and they ‘annoyed out’ 9 runs. The end to Moto’s entertaining and supportive 3 runs raised Chris T from his chair.
Probably not many No. 10s have a last innings 120-odd to their name. Chris took a couple of balls on the body and decided that was enough, launching for a set of 6s. Inspired, the dormant Kentaro found the boundary and another, cracking a beautiful drive straight down the ground for 4. Another two 6s from Chris kick-started the scoreboard. Kentaro settled in for another string of 7 dots before having to depart a tad unlucky getting caught off his pads.
So with 27 overs gone we stood at 9-125. Mairaj joined Chris for the last wicket. First priority was to deny Hawks the bonus point – bat out 31 or was it 32 overs? So they did. Chris put away the bazooka and they played safe. Chris milking the strike and both playing the sensible TEAM game by forgoing singles. That mission complete, Chris put it to Mairaj to bat out the innings. So they did. As the end neared the Captain could not help but inflict some damage, taking another huge six to the river end and a couple of boundaries. Well-informed he reached his 50 in the last over. But a huge amount of credit must also go to Mairaj who not only played the innings of his Shark life but also revealed some lovely touches. One that sticks is a graceful glide through point. Not only the ball all along the ground but the bat, too. Just to give you an idea of his role, here is his scoreline:
.1..1….1…………4…..1………1…….
He faced more balls than Chris – a great innings of need and patience! The Sharks have foundthe next Geoff Boycott.
| Batsman | How Out | 4/6 | Balls | Runs |
| Kris | Bowled | 0/0 | 3 | 0 |
| Aayush | Bowled | 1/0 | 27 | 11 |
| Athrava | Caught Behind | 0/0 | 9 | 1 |
| Zain | Caught & Bowled | 0/0 | 6 | 1 |
| Anton | Caught | 1/0 | 23 | 9 |
| Rui | Caught | 2/0 | 18 | 14 |
| Takuma | Bowled | 1/0 | 21 | 11 |
| Kentaro | Caught Behind | 2/0 | 22 | 8 |
| Moto | Caught | 0/0 | 6 | 3 |
| Chris T | NOT OUT | 2/5 | 42 | 51 |
| Mairaj | NOT OUT | 1/0 | 46 | 9 |
| B 4 LB 2 | WD 43 NB 3 | 52 | ||
| 40 overs | 9 for | 168 | ||
In the end we got rolled by almost 150 runs, but that does not reflect the true effort. The team showed fight to get ‘back’ into the game – or at least not rolling over and dying – twice, with ball and bat. Standouts were Rui’s development, which drew praise from the batsmen. Great figures in that score. Takuma’s progress with his spin is tremendous. Kentaro and Zain are better for the run. Aayush showed great tenacity with the bat and the middle order kept the Hawks at bay, allowing Chris and Mairaj the chance to bat out the innings. We hate to lose but if we must, go down swinging – or not swinging, which is what we actually did.
