Captain Sarma returns from a long training session in France and Italy to lead MCC to victory.
Although the MICs were playing in the Pak Orient organised seven-a-side tournament today they still committed to turn out at the Hirschanger for a friendly. Unfortunately they only arrived with seven players and no, they hadn’t confused the venues. Had they told us a couple of days earlier we could have helped out but as it was, new member Matt Weaver batted for them, twice actually as his first innings was interpreted as you can`t be out first ball on a strange wicket. So Matt had the unusual experience of batting twice in the same innings but not batting for his own team. He did everything else though and made some serious entries into the wickets, catches and wide-boys statistics.
Captain Sarma disdained to make the toss and MIC were put in to bat to face Blades and Sestan who had only arrived home at 6am after a quick drink with the club treasurer. In his four overs he bowled five wides and was probably having difficulty locating the actual wicket. MICs first wicket went for 29 thanks to a superb run out. Aranachalam who bowled very tightly got the second in his third over with the score on 30. A healthy partnership of 39 was put on by Munish and dark trousered Prateek who went for 9, caught Algar, bowled Weaver. Sarma, obviously rueing going away and losing his place at the top of the bowling table brought himself on and got the dangerous Johnson for three, caught Weaver. He then bowled Ripesh for three and MICs were now 84 for 4 down. Munish was finally caught by Arunachalam off Algar for 23 with the score on 92. Now came Weaver’s two innings and veteran Nath was run out when his forty year younger partner called him through for a second and the MICS were all out for 93.
After teas provided by Konchada, including some wonderful spicy potatoes and peas in a fluffy pastry shell which made the actual tea taste better than ever, MCC opened with Veser and Mitchel. Not for very long though as Munish was unplayable with fast late swing getting Veser and Konchada at number three were bowled for ducks and Mitchell for only three and MCC were 7 for three down after three overs. Parlour and Sarma steadied the ship most probably because Munish was taken out of the attack. Had this not happened we could have been attaching the cool fresh by four o’clock. They put on 71 for the fourth wicket before Munish was brought back on and Sarma promptly fell LBW for 31 with the score on 78 leaving Parlour and Arunachalam to take MCC to victory 22.2 overs.
Palfrey, Scott and Nielsen as well as Speiss the cakeman turned up to watch the end and help to empty the fridge and Weston and O’Meagher made running visits as part of their training for the Paris marathon. Nielsen actually helped to fill it as two crates were insufficient and with typical Viking persuasiveness he fetched a third from Helmuth.
Veser, 0, bowled
Mitchell, 3, bowled
Konchada, 0, bowled, 1 over 0 mdns, 1 run, 1 wkt
Parlour, 31*, 2 overs, 0 mdns, 5 runs, 0 wkts
Sarma, 31, LBW, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 7 runs, 2 wkts
Arunachalam, 8*, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 6 runs, 1 wkt, 1 catch
Algar, DNB, 3 overs, 0 Mdns, 7 runs, 1 wkt, 1 catch
Sestan, DNB, 4 overs, 0 mdns, 24 runs, 0 wkts
Clare, DNB, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 11 runs, 0 wkts
Blades, DNB, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 10 runs, 0 wkts
Weaver, DNB, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 20 runs, 1 wkt, 1 catch
MCC, 94 for 4, beat MICs, 98 for 8, by 6 wickets.
MCC MOM: Sarma
