|
A cloudless summer's day, a gentle cooling breeze - the President's Men attempt to stop their long losing run against the Nomads. We lose the toss and are invited to field - not always the happiest position on a hot day, but we begin well, the ball whistling past the edge. Khalid soon claims a wicket - Sumith gone for a duck. But the Nomads are in the mood for a big score, and despite the marked unevenness of bounce on a parched track, the score starts to mount - Tjasink calm and steady, Hassan starting to find the boundary.
The captain intervenes, bringing himself on to replace Danish. Immediately he castles Hassan and then removes the dangerous Chance - two wickets for one run off his first two overs - the Nomads 49-3. But the Nomads are resilient, opener Tjasink still there, the elegant Claude playing with increasing power. Tanzeel joins the attack and commences with an immaculate maiden - one of the batsmen waiting in the pavilion starts to fret.
A disputed catch behind, but the umpire is firm, and Claude departs to Tanzeel for 25. The Nomads 91-4. But Tjasink plays solidly on - two close run-out calls are turned down - and he adds forty-three for the next wicket with Vyas before finally falling to Nikesh. The score now 134-5, but the Nomads bat deep. Vyas and Abdul add twenty before Danish takes both out in his final over. Then Shailesh falls to Nikesh. A couple of good hits from Todorow remain - a frantic search for the fretful batsmen who has by now disappeared - a late call for a replacement, but the innings is rapidly polished off by Khalid and Praba. The Nomads all out for 175 - a good score but not an unreachable one.
A fine tea (thank you Anne and Jessy) and the Presidents start the run chase. A steady start from Danish and Raheel, who put on forty-one before Raheel falls to the veteran Bulgarian, Emil Todorow. Danish is looking set - already a glorious six off Claude - but disaster. Yes - no -wait - go back - run out. Mike Edwards looks grim, Danish appalled, and it's 42-2. The skipper has already intervened decisively earlier in the day - and now he does it again. He and Mike put on sixty-eight for the third wicket - Praba on his way to a fluid and elegant fifty - as good as we have ever seen him. Mike doesn't look quite as good - especially with his ghostly suntan lotion - but his is a determined and hard-hitting knock.
Khalid joins the fun at 110-3 - and the Nomads start losing bowlers. Shailesh damages a finger and departs for medical attention. Abdul does the same and can't finish his over. Resources are stretched and Praba and Khalid flow on. And although the skipper falls to an lbw at 149, the result seems no longer in doubt. Khalid looking immaculate, Tanzeel with a brisk thirteen not out off a mere five balls - and we are home with overs to spare.
Well played the Presidents. And especially well played the skipper.
|
