After many changes of skipper’s in a few day’s it was left to Sean Brown to captain the Spirits for the first time. Being captain is a difficult task itself, especially when you don’t know the players names or strength. For new captain’s, Amar usually gives a list of players strengths and weaknesses etc but this cheat sheet was not given to Sean this time. The first task for captaincy was to ensure we have a new ball, scorecard and keeping gear, Sean had his IPAD... So a quick diversion to CSC so Sean could pick up the kit, instead he brought himself some gloves and box, but forgot about a new ball and keeping stuff. Luckily there was a new ball in the kit and Rammy had some keeping gear. On arrival at the ground, ~ 12.40pm, there was still another game going on so being late didn’t matter. Also no sign of the opposition was a worrying factor. After a few phone calls, the opposition captain was found and the game started just after 1pm. Sean won the toss and decided to bat to “get the runs on the board” and the game was 25 overs per side. IIT Alumni were the opposition and they had played 7 preseason games and won them all, including chasing over 200 at Katong the previous week. As mention in previous Katong reports the stumps struggled to stay up at one end so it was decided to bowl to the other end to make the game go quicker. IIT Alumni were surprised at the end we choose as they knew it was by far the bounciest of ends but as they were bowling first they were happy.
With any captain who doesn’t know the players, Sean asked who wants the open the batting with John (choosing John was easy as he is Sean’s boss...) Dave Lee put his hand up first despite the IPAD giving a red warning once Dave’s name was put in as opener – “Are you sure, Dave only scored 10 off 25 deliveries last time at this ground!” Dave lived up to the IPAD stats and only scored 2 off 19 to record the lowest strike rate in IPAD’s history! Dave took 4 balls to get off the mark which is very acceptable, however 15 further balls for his next run did make Sean’s (13* of 37 balls the previous game) look like the next Richard Levi (117* from 41 for RSA) or David Warner for AUS!! Gaurav joined John and they put on 55 in the next 10 overs, despite Gaurav’s ability to turn two’s into singles. Gaurav with a fine display of 27 of 29 balls with 16 singles (probably the most exercise he has done in the last decade) was finally out and the score was 2/61 off 13.2. Rammy came in as pinch hitter and went just as quickly for 1 due to a great one handed catch on the boundary, similar to Tim De Leede’s catch in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpxcBJynbSw). John was forced to retire by captain Brown for 43 at the end of the 15th over with the score 3/78. The intent was clearly there to score quicker so Akash(6) took on too much & got run out, Madhu (1) & Laksh (2) came & went soon after and the SPIRITS was in a bit of bother from 61/1 in 13 overs to 89/6 in 18 overs. Charl constructed a decent 14 of 20 balls in truly cross batted fashion 13 of the 14 was leg side but with Zac (4 off 10) they managed 16 runs off the next 4 overs. The Captain demoted himself to bat behind Warren Tuck (1 off 2) at number 12 and was 1* with a 100% strike rate after Sean’s previous slow strike rate. John came in and added 5 to his score to finish with 48 not out. All the bowlers for IIT Alumni bowled a very good line and length, only 6 used and all of them picking up at least 1 wicket. We finished with 10/126 off our 25 overs.
THE CHASE:
At the break it was discussed who should open the bowling, Charl, Sean, Rammy or Ankit. After reviewing the IPAD it was clear that Rammy bowled 8 wides against HP as opening bowler so he was dismissed first. So it was agreed that Ankit and Sean (captain’s right after batting 12) was to open the bowling. As we go on to the ground Sean gave the ball to Rammy, obviously the Captain doesn’t know the difference between Rammy and Ankit... Rammy went for 7 off his first over then captain Sean Brown took an early wicket with ok bowling of his 1st 10 deliveries going for 3 runs. Unfortunately the captain was found out with going for 25 off his next 8 balls so forced to take himself off (Alcohol clearly still in the lungs!). The alcohol was also affecting his reactions as the left and right hander changed strike Sean forgot to move at first slip, $10 fine. Rammy (aka Ankit) finished with figures of 0/20 in 3 overs, including 5 wides (was the Captain vindicated?). First change bowler Charl then took over and went for 10 in the first over including 6 wides, Spirits looked dead & buried as IIT Alumni were 1/59 after 7 overs chasing only 69 off the next 18 overs with 9 wickets in hand. IIT Alumni’s main batsman retired at this point with 30 odd in the first 7 overs. Ankit (aka Rammy) took a fine wicket off his 1st ball of his spell with a ball that nearly took the batsman’s head off and was caught by John head high off the batsman’s glove. Not sure how a 4ft bowler can get so much bounce, ahh the Kalong wicket.... Ankit got another wicket off the 5th ball of his 2nd over to leave IIT Alumni on 74/3. Charl went for 12 off the next over and IIT Alumni need 40 off 14 overs. After losing his voice appealing soooo much at point, and after a week off the grog, Gaurav was brought on to bowl in Sean’s attempt to give everyone a bowl, had the Captain given up? In his second ball he bounced the batsman and got a wicket caught by Ankit at square leg and drinks were taken. After agreeing we should swap the 12th man/scorer after 5 overs Lakesh forgot to tell us so Tucky put his hand up for IPAD duty after drinks. Little did we know that Warren Tuck had previously seen the beers arrive in the Esky whilst we were fielding. Something must have happened at the drinks break as we were a different side after the break. Dave got hit for 5 runs off his over, then Gaurav bowled a maiden, although the umpires were VERY lenient at this stage as a win was in the bag. Dave then got two wickets in an over with Charl badly bruising his hand whilst taking the catch (John dropped the same batsman the ball before) then bowling the next batsman for a duck (6/97 off 16 overs). Gaurav was bowling a little wide of off stump and enticed the batsman to edge to John to be 7/98. Sean then took a captain’s catch diving to his left to leave IIT Alumni shaken on 100/8 after 17 and Dave had remarkable figures of 3/7 in 3 overs! Gaurav got another caught behind from a skied catch by John and IIT Alumni were in tatters at 102/9 but only needing 25 off 38 balls and their star batsman coming in after retiring for 30 earlier in the day. They picked up 12 runs off the next 3 overs with Charl and Dave dropping catches to win the match and a stumping given not out, then the unthinkable was about to happen. Gaurav (5 overs 3/12, including 6 wides) and Dave Lee (5 overs 3/15) had finished their spell and who took his hat off to bowl the next over, Captain Sean himself. Even the IPAD knew that the batsman at the crease was the same one that Sean forced to retire after he hit Sean for 18 in one over! Luckily Tucky put his can down from the scorer’s bench and screamed “the IPAD said NO” and common sense prevailed. Ankit was called to bowl the next over and a good catch by Laksh got the star batsman out and Ankit finished with 3/13 off 3.2 overs. The fighting SPIRITS had taken 8/42 in 13 overs.
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