Jul, 2011 – Big Hits And Busted Mitts In Dramatic Battle Of Sano

JCL Sharks vs Sano at Sano 6.25.11
By Kris Bayne and Anton Lloyd-Williams

The Sharks are finally onto the winners list with a highly entertaining and hard-fought game that had everything, except, thankfully, the rain that was forecast.

Captain Pat continued the fine Sharks tradition of losing the toss and we were put in to bat by a 10 man Sano. The Chiba Sharks for today were; Pat (c), Dave L , Vicky (vc), Prashant, Keiichi, Navin, Anton (12^th), Rasib (kp), Anshul, Charles, Nazrul and  Sagar. A lot of new names in there since the last time we played a 40-40 game on this pitch.

Batting

Dave and Navin opened the batting, with both of them showing some good form this year. The pair made a strong, steady start, mixing watchful defence, sharp running between wickets (made even sharper after a Lollback tongue lashing!) and some lovely boundaries. They had built our best opening stand for some time, 60 in 12 overs, when a lapse of concentration saw Navin (28) hole out to mid-wicket. The young man had played some effortlessly graceful drives and leg glances and a couple of cut shots were a delight.

Pat joined a focused and doggedly hungover Dave. Perhaps pining for his lost kit, Pat has been a bit scratchy this year and survived a big shout for LBW only to be stumped for 5 (2-77). Keiichi joined Dave as the bowling began to tighten up. They pushed the score into three figures as quite a few dot balls were punctuated by 4s. Keiichi was pulling strongly and survived a juggled drop by the ‘keeper, but was finally out tickling to same, his 12 runs being 3 thumping boundaries (3-103 of 22).

Meanwhile Dave was whipping out that big Lollback drive and finally getting some colour back into his cheeks, all of four them as I can most horrifyingly attest. The technical team had finally positioned the video equipment to everyone’s satisfaction so Prashant strode out to join the slow-brewing Ginger Typhoon (Prashant’s video of the game can be seen here). After some watchful dabbing at the spinners, Prash was quickly into his groove and the result was a 10-run over and the end of the dangerous Munir. The bowlers, however, had other ideas and runs moved steadily but in ones and two with the occasional boundary. The boys dipped in a bit just before drinks at 30 overs (3-146), with Dave reaching his 50 and Prash launching a six down the ground. 

The wriggle on commenced after beverages with both finding the boundary. Unfortunately, Dave’s attempt to hit out found a fielder, out for a wonderful 66. Rasib joined Prash and we hoped to see some more action. Prash obliged with a 6 over square and then came ‘that’ over. Off strike first ball to one of the Miyaji’s, Rasib had to endure 6-7 wides of various shape and size to be finally surprised by one landing on the pitch. It seemed to stick in the air for a while but finally made its solemn way to the batsman which he dutifully popped up to square leg – ICC statisticians are still trying to work out whether it was a golden duck. He was still shaking his head at game’s end. Enter Vicky who took his usual time frame to get acclimatized, i.e. two balls, before detonating for 4, 4, 4, 6, out for 20. Now 6-215 in the 36^th. Charles joined Prash as the rain clouds started to threaten, but he then showed that he could talk the talk AND walk the walk. He collected a big 4 and a single. Picked up one off the first ball of the 38^th to hand over to his senior batsman who went bang, bang, bang for delicious fours through the ‘V’ before skying one, out for a delightful, Prashantian 65 and two video batteries. Anshul got some quick runs on his limited time (3 n.o) while Charles (14) deposited the ball into the verdure for 6 and was out caught last ball, headed for the same location. Chiba Sharks 8-253 off 40 overs.

Bowling

Vicky opened with a great first up featuring a snick over slips, a rap on the pads and a quick one in the guts. Keiichi accompanied and saw the ‘keeper grass a hard chance. With some fearsome firepower in the Sano top three we would need to be on our fins.

The batsman played and missed as our line started to stray a bit – Vicky was served back his 4 boundaries in a row and we soon found Sano were well and truly out of the blocks!! Pat replaced Keiichi and as usual went straight past a few. Vicky bowled an over of short shite he would do well in forgetting to get smeared for another three consecutive boundaries….. By the 8^th over Pat had Rasib up to the stumps and with the run rate threatening 9 an over, we needed something to go right. Bowling change. Sagar was given his chance and after a bit of a problem with his run up, unleashed a couple of good balls to make the batsmen think. A nicely dried out Dave started with a bang: no-ball, four, dropped catch by Keiichi (got too far under a catch-able one), sharp catch by Keiichi, who judged this one magnificently and we had our first breakthrough! The ever dangerous M. Ahmed gone for 66. Pat rallied the team at this point and I am sure I saw some of the grass withering around the gathered players. Vicky’s back saw him off the field as Anton trotted, nostrils flaring, into the fray. On resumption, Sagar’s dainty run up disguised some good bowling and to our delight he slipped a beauty under the bat of Naotoshi Miyaji . Bowled and for 66 less than his predecessor! Pat came back on for one and promptly bagged a protesting Naemuddin LBW. A big hitter gone for a fairly light 20. Three quick strikes and we were right back into a game that was looking scary.

Vicky’s back had, meanwhile, been successfully crunched by a helpful Sano player, but that was not the major medical emergency of the day. Soon after, a lofted catch off Dave came Sagar’s way, fielding deep at long on. He got a piece of it, but it got more of him before it hit the turf, very badly splitting the webbing of his left hand. At this point Kris took Sagar off to the hospital for attention and a cultural experience. Over to you, Anton!

Sagar’s unfortunate and untimely demise only served to steel the Sharks resolve once more – we had run out of 12th men, 13th men and scorers but we still had hope; a hope continually nourished by the quality of bowling, fielding and team spirit that was put on display. Rasib wound up his mantra machine, set the volume to 11 and it was eyes down and hands at the ready for more Sano wickets.

The man now at bat was Khan, a crucial wicket, as many of us had seen him rack up a quick half century and lose a few cricket balls in the outfield jungle the previous season. He showed his intent early, smacking a tasty looking 4 down the ground but the only thing he lost this time was his off peg, left tilting awkwardly towards his disbelieving team mates on the boundary, cleaned up by Lollback who was now bowling like a man possessed. The exit of Khan probably turned the match toward the Sharks as it brought about a steely belief that we were now in the ascendancy. We had seen off their most dangerous batsmen and were still kicking. Pat reminded one and all that we had simply given ourselves a good chance and there was still an immense amount of work to do.

More tight bowling and the most efficient fielding we have seen this year kept the Sano scoreboard static. The run rate, bordering on 10 an over early on, was now reduced to a trickle and for the batsmen, the boundary looked like a distant memory. Twos became singles and singles became a chance for the inner fielders to show Sano that they would have to work for any runs. Rasib shut up shop behind the stumps and with the extras column all but closed for business, Sano knew they needed to reapply pressure with the bat.

A. Ahmed doggedly took long-hit singles and connected with the occasional big shot. He got a bit of luck too. Coming out of his crease to Pat, he was spared by the square leg umpire after being stumped by Rasib. The ‘keeper, rightly incensed, further increased the volume and speed of his mantras until Justice heard, pushed lady luck out of the way, and Rasib got his man, stumped off Prashant.

Miyaji senior gamely played on with the tail, encouraging them as the ball flew past and while it seemed to us that Sano were often to be found looking to the clouds for salvation, the Sharks looked to themselves and found a feast of it.

A gritty rearguard action from Naotoshi Miyaji was ended by a Lollback skidder removing his leg stump while Prashant and Navin teased the batsmen with balls they simply couldn’t hit. The bowlers were backed up by some sharp fielding from Nazrul at point and by Charles and Anton on the leg side who, between them, engineered Kubota’s run out all the way from the cow corner boundary. Miyaji senior hung around to watch Pat C&B Uchigami and then, with the next ball, rearrange his wife’s woodwork with an absolute peach. A dogged Sano innings cut short at 210.

The relief was palpable from the Sharks as this had been a hard fought game that swung from team to team. Sagar and Kris returned to the field just in time to enjoy the result and the team sauntered off bruised, bloodied and victorious. The scene of many recent epic struggles for the Sharks, the scorched plains of  Sano 1 are often decried for their lack of facilities, particulary a toilet, but in this pitch we have truly found our Water-loo.

Many thanks to Chino for his umpiring, which was consistently good, to the square leg umpires (Anshul, Anton, Pat and a Sanoite), to Anton for coming as 12th man and last but not least Kris for coming along as scorer/ambulance driver/reporter.разработка оптимизация продвижение сайтаdeeotopod.inскачать программу для взлома wifi сетейincase macbook pro 13оформить кредитную карту без справок по паспортуonline casino no download free playhigh paid escortsmerit cristalUnion jack mini cooperтанзания кратере нгоронгорофитнес марьинский парк