23 July 2024
by Stan Nicholson
For the second time this season, CCC coach Mark Stear and myself arrived at the venue two hours before play, and it started to rain.
On the first occasion at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton for 2 x T20s v Hampshire CCC 2nd XI, we started on time (albeit in a slight drizzle). This time play had to be delayed until midday, and the overs reduces to a 40/40 match.
World Sports Xchange won the toss, and to no surprise asked the CCC to bat. Openers Ben Yeats & Zain Ali made a caution start, before a series of 3 fantastic catches accounted for Ali, number 3, Usman Ul-Haq, then Yeats. Up to that point Yeats had looked confident and set to stay in. CCC 57/3. Ubaid Kiani fell at 71, before a 79 run partnership dominated by Saihaj (sorry Stan I have a side strain, so cant bowl today, but can play as a batter) Jaspal, and Baber Choudhary, rescued the CCC innings. All out for under a hundred could have been the case, as batting was not easy. Both were out in the 150s, Saihaj 61 & Baber 24, before a little cameo from our 6 hitter at Ealing CC last week, Salman Ahmed (16), enabled us to get to 184.
Although 184 could be considered an under-par score, the wicket was going to be helpful to the bowlers in the second innings, so someone (or two) had to bat sensibly. That proved to be the un-doing of the WSX batters.
Despite losing a wicket in the first over, the next 5 overs went at 10 per over. There is no cricketer in the country more astute to solve that problem, than CCC captain, Bilal Butt. By taking the pace off the ball, and having the fortune of 5 left-handed batters in the WSX line-up, he and fellow off-spinner, George Duke, took wickets at regular intervals. I felt like telling the WSX batsmen, you only need 4 runs an over, you dont need to take risks, but all insisted on playing the big shots : 3 of them running passed the ball in that attempt, and being stumped. All out for 158 in the 28th over !!. George ending with 4/34, and the bowler of the match award. [Saihaj Jaspal received the batter of the match award]
So, after being well beaten by the World Sports Xchange team in 2023 & 2022, we had returned to the venue of our 2021 victory ; Lucky Harlow CC.
