Kai Tak Vs Tartars, KCC.
Kai Tak 201 T.Patidar 47, S.Campbell26, A.Carmine 26
Tartars 6 / 204 (33 overs) T.Patidar 7-3-38, D.Dunn 10-1-67, A.Bester 2-1-13
Well the scoreboard only tells part of the story. A fine Kai Tak effort played with real Kai Tak spirit. A good loss but a loss none the less.
Winning the toss for the first time, we had no hesitation to have a bat. With the big names of Tiku Patidar and Adam Gunthorpe heading out, one couldnt help but think we would get off to a good start. Unfortunately, Junior still thinking of all the young girls at school left one go which unfortunately had off peg tumbling over...in the first over!!! Not to worry lots of batting to come. I decided to come in at 3 and give it a go, old Campbell style. Well it worked for a little while, a straight 6 followed by a premeditated hook for another 6. So feeling 10 foot tall and bullet proof i kept going. 26 came up in only a few deliveries and this is where i needed to calm down and regroup. NOT!!! Remembering days of yore i kept going and so did the off peg. 2 for 32. Mal Brown then came in at 4 and looked a bit uncomfortable but still rotating the strike and getting the odd boundary. His innings came short on 21 trying to push the run rate against Haider. Alton Carmine thankfully remembered my speech about partnerships and pushed the ball around nicely and put together a nice partnership with Tiks who was also pushing things around nicely. We have to remember that Tartars had some very good bowlers, not to mention Afzaal Haider and Ghulum Mustafa both members of the Hong Kong squad (handy that!!). The going was tough but 3 for 104 at the 20 over mark was looking healthy. Although their bowlers were making it hard, they also were handing alot of extras, with an incredible 42 wides!!!!! Alton finally fell also trying to get on with it and then the rot set in a bit. Tiks was very cautious but when he was looking down his first 50 he skied one to 3rd man out for another 40 odd!!! A very good innings considering but if the top order had stuck around a bit, maybe a different story?? Only James Piachaud put up any real reistance with a sturdy 16. Afzaal bagging 6 for 49 and Mustafa 4 for 60. The Tak getting past the mental 200 barrier and picking up 3 valuable batting points.
So looking around at the change, who to throw the new ball to. No Williams, No Fidel, No Mohsin and no....oh whats his name?!!
So Dom "The Dominator" Dunn got the nod along with Junior Gunthorpe who showed some last minute form in the nets. Dom took one or two overs to get settled but still did enough to make the batsmen think about it. Juior was a bit wayward also to start but showed his allround cricketing abilities. No breakthrough early but they didnt get on top of the bowlers. Nick Hawke got an early nod and really bowled an excellent line and length, putting the batters in two minds. Nick at one stage 5 overs 0-18!! Still looking around for help, it didnt take long to throw the ball to Mr Cricket Tiku Patidar. With his little offies he got the breakthrough in his 2nd over caught beautifully on the boundary by yours truly!! So at the drinks 17-1-79, the Tak definitely still in it!!! Tiks got another one and it was game on. Change of bowling bring the Dominator back on and the trick worked straight away, another caught by the skipper. With a run out soon after we really were starting to make them nervous. 25 overs 4 for 140!!! However thats about when the party hit the rocks. Afzaal came in and supported another of their batters who went on to score 50 odd. There were a couple of chances and Browny nearly got his gloves on one from Haider (oh that would have been great!!). With only a couple of overs left i turned to Mr Reliable Andy Bester, with his inswinging reverse swingers!!! With his 3rd ball we got another caught!!! Tiks got himself another 3 bag and proved his importance again to this Kai Tak team!!
In the end they got the runs with about 2 overs to spare, a very good effort to a scratch Kai Tak team who played to the true Kai Tak spirit. Hao Tsang stopped everything that came his way and Alton once again proved his worth in the field. Simon Wall nearly took the catch of the season, unfortunately the ball popped out as he hit the ground.
It was positive for me that once again it was a team effort, we nearly took off a surprise win and knowing the weakened bowling line up we had i felt we did a great job!! 5 points for us which is good going for a loss.
There is no doubt that our availability is killing us, but i am very thankful to the guys who have helped out, we were a couple of bowlers short today, but it is great that the new guys are sticking their hands up and giving it a real go.
Another couple of weeks off before our big game at the HKCC, against Witherers, what i would give to win that one!!!!
Man of the match: Tiku Patidar
Mug of the Day: Steve Campbell
Throwing the toys nominations: Tiku Patidar-who took about 8 overs before he talked to any of us after going out...oh yeah and throwing his bat.
Nick Hawke: Spitting it for only being given 1 over in his 2nd spell (which went for 13), "they were lucky 6s!!"
Go the TAK!!!!
Steve