Jan 22 , 2011 – Indoor Game 2 Chiba Sharks VS Bangalore Royals
By Kris Bayne and Anton Lloyd-Williams
The second game in the indoor season was a bit of an unknown quantity in the shape of the Bangalore Royals. Were they the IPL Royal Challengers Bangalore trying to slip in some quality games? Rajasthan Royals in disguise? Roaming regal remnants of the old Raj out for a hit and giggle? Sharks won the toss and elected to bowl first. On deck tonight were Chris (c), Vicky, Nikhil, Anton, Dave Rear and Richard.
Bowling
Dave R and Anton opened up and it was soon evident that BR bats knew how to gather runs, using their wrists and running smartly. We picked up two wickets but one batsman managed to sneak in a couple of lusty blows to get 23 out of the 27 for the first pair. We kept things a bit tighter in the middle with Vicky snapping up two and Nikhil one but some late hitting ruined that session to get BR to 47. Having been very steady over 8 overs we then shot ourselves in the fin by coughing up 18 runs in wides to the final pair, which saw Bangalore Royals reach 75 off their 12 overs
Bowling: Dave R 0-16 Anton 1-19 Nikhil 2-9 Vicky 2-1 Chris 1-11 Richard 0-19
Batting
Nikhil and Anton started the Sharks reply and batted steadily without finding the middle of the bat, but losing no wickets, for a reasonable 27 to start. The opening session was somewhat soured by a bit of a ‘Darryl Hair Moment’ after one of their bowlers was rightly no-balled for chucking by Umpire Miyakawa (with some mild encouragement). Despite the relaxed rules of the indoor game there is an angular limit and the ‘bowling’ in question looked more suited to a baseball diamond. After a trip to the Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Western Australia was ruled out, wise heads prevailed and the bowler in question stood at the crease and wind-milled down his remaining balls (Readers, do not attempt to try this at home). Pair II Dave R and Vicky, in needing to push the pace, succumbed to tight bowling and fielding, losing four wickets to take us to 38. The final pair of Chris and Richard had too much to do. Chris set about in his usual ‘stand and deliver’ fashion but sadly the running early on was best forgotten as we slipped further behind the required rate despite keeping the score ticking over. A valiant attempt in the last over from Richard and Chris (4, 4, a dodgy2W, 5, 1) was in vain and we required nine off the last ball to win. Three or four wides in a row was a bit much to expect. Chris sacrificed a 30+ innings with a suicidal mow to get bowled. Sharks 62 off 12 overs.
Batting: Nikhil 15 Anton 12 Vicky 7 Dave R. 4 Chris 27 Richard -3
A good tussle and we were left to rue some underwhelming stages both with ball and bat, but nonetheless a point in the bag for a close, hard game against quality opposition. The game ended in smiles and handshakes as it always should. (For those of you wondering, the Bangalore Royals are a group of engineers who are in Japan for a stretch.)
It was quickly back on the bike for Game 3 against Rest of the World. In lieu of Barry Richards, Garry Sobers, the Proctors, etc. ROTW featured some familiar faces from both in and outdoor comps, including our erstwhile indoor ump, Miyakawa as a sub, that most adorable of Wyverns, Chino (we made sure to have plenty of water handy), and also three young Pakistani players. We had our own feature in Shark ‘project player’, Koji Watanabe, in for his first game of cricket in ANY form. (For the record that includes, in alphabetical order: backyard, beach, bloody awful a.k.a Aust 2010-2011 Ashes, French, 50-over, 5-Day Test, 40-over, indoor, Kanga a.k.a Kwik Cricket, on-line cricket, rolled-up-socks-in-hotel-corridor cricket, Timeless test, T-20 a.k.a Twenty-Twenty.) Chris handed the keys to Kris for this one. Up and about for the Sharks were Kris (c), Anton, Chris, Dave Rear, Nikhil and Koji. Sharks won the toss and had a trundle.
Bowling
Anton and Dave opened but could not break through the ROTW defenses. Although only popping ones or twos the openers were consistent. The ball was tossed to debutant Koji who promptly sent down two beauties on off peg and a very creditable over (Dave L would have been proud). After an opening of 29, our first blood was Chino, snapped up brilliantly by Dave R at the back off Anton. Dave probably cut off at least 10 other runs in that area. With Hasan we felt this was the batting pair to watch. Kris and Nikhil bottled Chino up somewhat with some good leg-stump line and a run out but good placement and running saw the pair add 24. It was much the same for the last pair, however Koji got his first Shark wicket, clean bowling the batsman with a delivery of perfect length, which swung and sneaked right through a defensive bat and pad, taking middle and leg. Once Koji came back from lunar orbit the game continued with Chris chipping in with another wicket but still they added 21. A consistent ROTW 74 off 12 overs.
Bowling: Anton 1-12 Dave R 0-18 Chris 1-10 Koji 1-8 Kris 0-15 Nikhil 1-11
Batting
Anton and Dave Rear also opened the Sharks batting reply, milking the singles and leaving the wides. Despite a couple of wickets they gave the Sharks a decent platform of 25. If our first game had some controversy then it is hat’s off to ROTW for themselves pointing out and overturning a run-out decision in which Dave and a fielder had suffered a collision. Good sportsmanship is always the highlight of any match. Pair II Kris and Koji then stepped up, Kris attempting to guide the first timer through the intricacies of indoor run making. Koji sensibly picked up the wides where he could and also made runs of the bat. But it was an unfortunate meeting of the Japanese National ‘keeper and a keen but novice batsman, without that almost innate (practically un-teachable) fifth-sense about the back foot and the popping crease. Chino kindly offered explanation… after a couple of stumpings. A tight line from his off-spin and slick fielding saw any significant runs hard to get….. and….. also….. ROTW unveiled their secret weapon – Richard Dixon. Standing in for them as they only had five regular players (batting sub Miyakawa being required to umpire), Dixon, graciously allowed to bowl, took 3 wickets bowling spin on a nasty length much to his own horror, but more so to Kris, who endured at least one technical brain implosion in his attempt to shield Koji. Michael Bevan he ain’t as the pair added 12! Again the final pairing of Chris and Nikhil had a lot to do. BUT who, who’d witnessed it, could forget the fast-food batting feasts these veterans served up in 2010. Just when the chips were down these guys could lace them with salt, lash on the tomato sauce and dispatch totals faster than a Jinasena Fuji French fry feeding frenzy. Unfortunately there would be no such chow down as Chris and Nikhil battled gamely, but neither could seem to find the middle of the bat. De ja vu – our final score ended up at 62 off 12 overs. Another tight game lost, another point in the kitty gained, and we live to fight another day.
Batting: Anton 18 Dave 7 Kris 11 Koji 1 Chris 16 Nikhil 9
It was uncanny how closely the two games resembled each other not only in the scoring (75 vs 62, 74 vs 62) but in that in both cases we dropped some elements of our Shark game. But that takes nothing away from Bangalore Royals and Rest of the World who played strong, consistent cricket. Live and learn.
