It was back to the E. Spranger playing field which is now a very nice one with all the undergrowth cut away and the only astro turf wicket in Munich. We travelled hopefully but with some trepidation for Pak Orient have a young, talented team full of excellent fielders and, with a record of played three lost two in the league so far, another MCC loss would project us rapidly in the direction of division two next season. In the warm up before the team lists were handed over L’ Òiseau Grand injured his back and Sestan, who has never played in a league match and lost stepped in so was this a good or a bad omen?
Unusually captain Sarma won the toss and chose to bat on a day with temperatures around 16°C and lots of cloud cover. During the second innings the clouds cleared, the temperature went up to around 20°C and it was a beautiful day for playing cricket. Openers Veser and Mitchell took all that Murtaza and Iqbal could bowl at them and, after 10 overs, the score was 55 for none. Mitchell fell for 35 in the 12th over after a fine innings – this man doesn`t bother with fours when sixes will do. Sarma and Palfrey followed quickly and in the 16th over the score was 92 for 3 down. Then followed a magnificent 95 run partnership between Veser and Carrie for the fourth wicket although Carrie was lucky not to go early on, hitting in the air with a straight drive. When he went in the 35th over the score was 192. In came Clare hitting two sixes with his trademark David Gower cover drives. After the 40th over Clare was 23* and Veser had taken his score to 110*, his first 100 for the club and only the twentieth to do so in our 32 year history. MCC finished on 230 for four and were fairly confident at the tea break.
The Pak Orient openers, Murtaza and the magnificently named Sher Khan scored at a fair rate, slightly below that required and after the 10th over the score was 47 for none. Murtaza had been lucky in that three catches varying from absolute dolly to medium on the difficulty scale had been put down, two of them off Scott who nevertheless was very tight. He decided not to risk another dropped catch and cleaned up Murtaza’s stumps in his 6th over and Pak Orient were 58 for one after 11. The Pak Orient wicket keeper fell very unhappily shortly afterwards caught behind by Veser off Carrie. A 64 run partnership for the third wicket left them on 126 after 20 overs and 23 runs ahead at the equivalent stage. Clare got Sher Khan for 51 in the 23rd over and a super catch by Arunachalam on the boundary gave Clare his second and the Pak Orient captain, Mateen, departed for 4 leaving them on 142 for 5 down in the 25th. Now came the time for some rape and pillage for the Viking who finished with figures of 5 for 32 and, after 34 overs, Pak Orient were all out for 168.
Veser, 110*, 1 catch, 1 stumping
Mitchell, 35, caught
Sarma, 5, LBW
Palfrey, 1, caught, 1 catch
Carrie, 33, bowled, 4 overs, 0 mdns, 28 runs, 1 wkt
Clare, 23*, 8 overs, 1 mdn, 37 runs, 2 wkts
Rabbani, DNB
Arunachalam, DNB, 6 overs, 0 mdns, 32 runs, 1 wkt, 1 catch
Nielsen, DNB, 8 overs, 1 mdn, 32 runs, 5 wkts
Scott, DNB, 8 overs, 1 mdn, 37 runs, 1 wkt
Sestan, DNB
MCC, 230 for 4, beat Pak Orient, 168 for 10, by 62 runs
MCC MOM Veser