JCL2 Sharks vs Fuji Far East, Tanuma
27 April, 2014 – By Chris Thurgate
The Sharks Division Two side opened their season in a high-scoring affair against Fuji Far East at Tanuma. The Sharks selectors were forced to pick a rather youthful-looking side, with senior absentees and early season injuries in the club requiring a reshuffle between the two Shark teams, who played back-to-back over the weekend. No fewer than eight Chiba Junior My-Y’s members were selected along with Manish on debut. Though the average age of the team was significantly lifted with the inclusion of Mighty Moto and Chris T.
What the team lacked in age they certainly made up for in enthusiasm. The toss was soon lost and we took to the vast expanse of a ground that is Tanuma High School.
Bowling
Tsubasa Kotaka, who seems to grow an inch in height and a yard of pace every few months, took the new ball from the school end. He soon found his rhythm and had openers Takahashi and Watanabe on the back foot. His first 4 over spell went for just 8 runs without taking a wicket. The FFE openers were cautious at first, not giving any chances but not scoring many runs either. After the 7 over mark and with their eye in and getting used to the unique pace of the Tanuma pitch they started to play a bit more open and the scoreboard was starting to tick over.
At the 15 over drinks break they were 0-118 and looking set. A rethink brought Rui back on and he found the big edge of Takahashi driving only to be grassed by the ‘keeper in front of first slip. Another skied catch evaded several onlookers and Takahashi took his chances and raced away to a well-crafted century. He was finally brought undone for 120 by a Zain offspinner and a great return catch. The score by this time 1-231 in the 27th over.
One brings two and soon after Rui took a catch off Atharva’s bowling. Watanabe, who had batted patiently all day was out late in the innings for a well-made 86.
The luckless Rui finished with 1-22 from his 8 overs. FFE finished 4-331 from 40 overs.
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
wd/nb |
Runs |
Wickets |
| Tsubasa | 7 | 0 | 12 | 40 | 1 |
| Zain | 5 | 0 | 9 | 40 | 1 |
| Kentaro | 2 | 0 | 9 | 25 | |
| Rui | 8 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 1 |
| Manish | 4 | 0 | 8/3 | 52 | |
| Takuma | 5 | 0 | 1/3 | 56 | |
| Ashley Thurgate | 3 | 0 | 3/2 | 28 | |
| Moto | 1 | 0 | 9 | 17 | |
| Marcus Thurgate | 1 | 0 | 3 | 23 | |
| Atharva | 4 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 1 |
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Batting
A T-20 length quick turnaround had openers Chris and Zain back out in the middle to start the chase. Both openers played themselves in and were happy to suck up the incredible amount of extras on offer. Zain was playing excellently and really guarding his wicket. But his concentration took a great blow in the groin area and two balls later he fell for the set trap outside off and a healthy edge was taken well at first slip. The partnership was 44 and we were well on top of the run rate at the time.
Atharva and Kentaro came and both went in the same fashion edging into the trap of FFE. Takuma entertained scoring 10 off his first 3 balls before putting one up vertically. Marcus Thurgate was a victim of the pitch and hit straight to short cover. Manish entertained with his air swings and then further entertained by changing his bat before missing a lower one and getting bowled. Rui came in to save the day but a lovely Tsutui yorker found the gap between bat and pad. Ashley Thurgate made his first Chiba Sharks runs and then offered another catch trying to clear the field that had gathered around him.
Mighty Moto felt the pain of an LBW that misses all padding and finds a soft spot on the back leg. Number 11 Tsubasa lumbered out with that scary grin that all fine pace bowlers possess. With about 150 still needed, we were still batting to the required run rate. Tsubasa did a great job playing out some good balls and resisting the urge to swing hard, he ended on 0 not out and our effort at chasing down 332 had finished on 256 in the 30th over.
Editor here. What Chris fails to mention is the small matter of what was happening at the other end as the wickets fell. What happened was Chris compiling 125 runs off 79 balls in 30 overs. Opening with Zain, Chris was the last man out, and he went down swinging! His last sequence of shots was <16.4216>. Fantastic effort by the Skipper!
|
Batsman |
How Out |
4/6 |
Balls |
Runs |
| Chris Thurgate | Bowled | 14/5 | 79 | 125 |
| Zain | Caught | 1 | 18 | 7 |
| Atharva | Caught | 16 | 6 | |
| Kentaro | Caught | 4 | 0 | |
| Takuma | Caught | 2 | 11 | 10 |
| Marcus Thurgate | Caught | 10 | 3 | |
| Manish | Bowled | 16 | 6 | |
| Rui | Bowled | 4 | 1 | |
| Ashley Thurgate | Caught | 4 | 1 | |
| Moto | LBW | 6 | 2 | |
| Tsubasa | NOT OUT | 8 | 0 | |
| WD 65 NB 18 | 83 | |||
| 30 overs | 10 for | 256 | ||
It was a day where we had our chances with bat and ball and just didn’t take them as well as our opposition did. 40 overs of men’s cricket is also tough on both juniors and seniors. I was very impressed with the juniors who stuck it out and never gave up in the field, took on the unfamiliar role of scoring (on a day when a combined 119 wides were bowled and probably 30-odd no-balls!) and square leg umpire and generally just playing the game in the spirit how it should be played.
Keep at it guys, we may not have won many games in this division recently but we sure are scaring our opposition with the talent pool that we have coming through. Our time will come. Everybody except the ‘keeper bowled and everyone batted. So it was a typically fair day of cricket for which the Chiba Sharks Division 2 team prides itself on. 587 runs from 70 overs on a full sized ground. Usually making 256 easily wins matches in this league.
A huge thank you to the FFE team who did most of the groundwork before and after the match and played a great game. Also to Thilan for an excellent umpiring display.
