Denmark Tour Report
The tour party for the CCCs inaugural tour to Denmark was: David Dunn (Stanmore ), Manager, Min Patel (Hartley Country Club) Coach, Jon Walford Brentwood) Captain, Sam Burge (East Molesey), Justin Granger (Sunbury), Max Hall Sunbury), Mel Hussain (High Roding), Tarique Kalam (Guildford), Scott McKechnie (Hartley Country Club), Donovan Miller (Gidea Park & Romford), Paul Robbins (Taunton Deane), Simon Routh (Tunbridge Wells), Mark. Smith (Tunbridge Wells), Roy Collins (Umpire), Roy Arnold (Scorer).
23rd September vs Sjaelland XI (20/20 Match)
Sjaelland XI 79 -8 (A. Ahmed 37, M. Patel 2-15, P. Robbins2-9)
CCC 80-7 (B. Raja 2-20, O. Hyatt 2-18)
CCC won by 3 wickets
24th September vs Denmark (50 overs)
Denmark 202-8 (M. Penderson 65, N. Moughall 38, D. Miller 2-41, P. Robbins 2-41, M. Smith 2-32)
CCC 138 all out (M. Pederson 4-31, S. Anjum 2-11)
Denmark won by 64 runs
25th September vs Denmark (50 overs)
CCC 149 all out (S. McKechnie 32, M. Pederson 3-29, B. Raja 3-10, B. Chawla 2- 32)
Denmark 150-5 (F. Klokker 65, T. Thorgersen 46, P. Robbins 2-19)
Denmark won by 5 wickets
26th September vs Denmark (50 overs)
CCC 173-8 (M. Smith 54, S. Burge 34B. Shah 4-37) Denmark 172 (F. Klokker 41, N. Moughall 41, D. Miller 2-39, J. Granger 3-33, M.Patel 2-45)
CCC won by 1 run
The weather was damp as the CCC side, slightly depleted, left Britain for a four match tour, in Denmark, against the national side headed by wicket keeper and opening bat Frederick Klokker, once of the MCC Young Cricketers.
The eleven - Mel Hussain was to join mid-tour - were strengthened by coach, Min Patel; whether they were strengthened by the permanent availability, for 12th man duties only, of Manager Dave Dunn, is still in question.
Soon after arrival the weather improved and a quick look at the ground led to a full net and fielding session. We learned that, surrounded by water as they are, the people local to this area say of bad weather, in an hour, it will be different, and it was but a pitch needs a little longer to dry out, as we found next day.
Thursday and a 20/20 match! Denmark had no hesitation about batting first. Klokker pottered but almost no-one was comfortable. Aftab, one of three Ahmeds on show, thumped a few boundaries in his 37 but Min teased him out and none of the other batters was able to reach double figures. A final total of 79 was the result of excellent work by all the bowlers. Paul Robbins and Min Patel with 2 wickets each were well supported by Donovan Miller.
Our batters didn't find it any easier and the value of Scott McKechnie's 17 at the top of the order is highlighted by the fact that only Min Patel and Mark Smith managed double figures as well. Sorry - sundries, or extras, contributed a useful 20 runs in a 3 wicket victory for the CCC .
The second match, the following day, saw a full 50 over game on the other pitch and Denmark again elected to bat. Klokker and Shehzad Ahmed were soon separated bringing Mike Pedersen to the crease to join Klokker. The skipper did not last long before successive partnerships with Oman Hayatt and Naveed Moughall took the score to 168-5, leaving Sair Anjum to thrash a couple of 6s and the innings closed on 202-8. The four seam bowlers bowled well and worked hard, aided by some useful overs from Tarique Kalam. Little need be said of the batting: six batsmen got into double figures but no further, and the Conferences 138 all out was boosted by 21 Denmark wides !
Saturday started out as a wet day, but again, in an hour it improved and a forty over game was arranged, with the CCC to bat first and Captain Jon Walford partnered by Max Hall. The adjusted opening partnership reached 44 when Jon fell to that man Pedersen and then Max, Sam Burge and Mel Hussain all departed. Mark Smith again showed his all round strengths and Scott McKechnie, not keeping wicket today, saw us past the hundred but it required Simon Routh and Paul Robbins to enable us to set a target of 150. Hardly enough and no help from extras this time!
It was clearly not enough when Frederick Klokker, with his preferred Partner T Thorgersen, scored 115 for the first wicket before Mike Pedersen finished it off. Paul Robbins and Mark Smith were well supported by Justin Granger, but it was just too much to do.
Sunday is a day of rest - but not for Min Patel. Jon lost the toss and asked Min to go in with him and it was reasonably successful as the score reached 37. Bashir Shah was the problem: he had played in the T20 and bowled four overs, but was otherwise an unknown quantity, coming on as second change; and change it he did, taking 4-37 from his ten overs. Both Sam Burge, and that man Smith, did sterling work in the middle. Mark was run out, in the penultimate over, just after he reached the only CCC half-century of the tour - total 173 and innings closed.
The Klokker/Thorgensen partnership again prospered despite the best efforts of Robbins and Smith and it needed the introduction of dangerous Granger and Donovan Miller to bring the captain some relief; and it came in good measure. 67-0 quickly became 76-5 and now Denmark was now six down for 108 and Naveed Moughall was batting with number eight Aftab Ahmed. Together they went to 150-6 - just 24 to win - but Min enticed Naveed into the ig shot. Caught Max Hall deep on the mid wicket boundary and Aftab was run out by Dangerous: 161-8. Mark Smith and Paul Robbins, deservedly finished it off with a wicket each.
A win by one run is still a win and it tied the series at 2-2!
Roy Arnold