Man of Kent Cricket Club crush their quarry from the Granite state.
Home side slide to maiden win with a one-wicket victory over the Dartmouth Cricket Club
Match report by Nigel Johnson
Hoosick NY, July 14, 2003. This past Sunday saw the Man of Kent Cricket Club triumph in a tense, close game, with their sporting visitors from New Hampshire. After edging close to victory in the previous match, hopes were high for victory this time out, despite being up against the unknown strength of the Dartmouth team who had traveled south to play on an unfamiliar turf wicket.
However, at the onset the weather did not bode well for the game, as typically this year it has cast a dark foreboding shadow over the landscape like John Ashcroft’s homeland security dragnet. In fact traveling from the west to the ground it was raining quite heavily, and although it did stop briefly to allow us to set up the wicket, rain again greeted the traveling players from the granite state. However, a midwicket conference between the captains at the coin toss revealed that the game would go ahead with Dartmouth opening the 30 over game, under the clearing clouds. Would Persaudious, the ancient god of cricket was looking munificently on us this day?
Captain Mick chose his eleven to play, from and eager squad of 15, and it is a credit to the club’s team spirit, that the other players remained in support, and with friends, spouses, and long time members Charles and Cecilia, all would enjoy an enthralling days cricket to chase away any residual storm clouds.
Man of Kent’s, Ritwick, wished for spikes, or at least early sun to dry out the damp outfield as it took some early slipped fumbles to produce runs from the parsimonious bowling of Mandar and Kumar. Dartmouth’s openers Gavin and Jay sought to exploit the slippery outfield, but were held at the crease by some precision pace bowling, helped by damp low bouncing wicket. First, to go was Gavin trapped LBW for 3, to Mandar with a low skidding ball a just reward for a fine opening spell. The opening bowlers held the opposition to 16 runs in the first eight overs, as a disciplined team effort in the field saw the pressure begin to build, with wickets to follow as certain as malapropisms in a Dubya speech, as the tourists sought to elevate the run rate.
The first
bowling change is always an interesting time, especially when it is comes
in the form of Tim’s looping spinners. Raghu was the first to go attempting
to loft the ball back over the bowlers head, only to find the safe hands of
vice captain, Eric, taking a good catch on the uphill slope at long on. Not
to be outdone Mick, held on to a brilliant swerving hook shot at backward
square leg. When his hands stopped throbbing, Captain Mick put himself on
at the Hill road end to continue the pace attack, and was unlucky not to have
an early shout when his pacey outswingers produced an edge that bisected the
flaying arms of stumper, Nigel, and Vic at first slip.
Our Captain was not amused, especially when another edge flew harmlessly into
a gap, from the unsuspecting batsman. Mick then decided it was time to take
direct action with a straight ball that uprooted Chris’ stumps in his
second over.
Meanwhile from the B & M railroad end Tim snagged his second victim of the day after Jay finally advanced a little too early, only to be smartly stumped, no doubt distracted by the water break and a perusal of the dismal visitor’s scorebook. However, his 23 runs was a well-judged innings with patience and skill in a difficult environment. But the home side were starting to build some momentum as wickets began to fall at regular intervals, as the “ live free or die” guys continued to search for runs among the lush green but drying outfield at Hoosac School.
The final bowling change saw Jimmy and Eric come on, with Jimmy the first to strike by clean bowling Saad for a duck. Meanwhile at the B & M railroad end Eric mopped up the tail, assisted in great style by some amazingly spectacular catches provided by the swashbuckling, willow wielding visitors looking more like extras on a Johnny Depp movie. At one point they looked like they would not even break into three figures, with the distant boundaries an ocean away. Fielding at mid-on, Ritwick regained some sense of dignity with a great catch to depose Jeremy, and offset his Torvil and Dean impersonation during the damp opening overs of the innings. Mandar caught a brace of catches from Eric’s slow-medium pacers to end the visitor’s innings, but some spirited and determined play from the visitors tail, finally, saw them break into triple digits ending on 109, all out.
Over drinks and sandwiches at the break the home side had their self belief in victory tempered by the recent memory of the over confident batting collapse at Kailberg, and the fact that they should really have closed the visitors innings a few overs earlier. On the other side of the bleachers, the visitors knew they had to defend their meager total with the stubborn tenacity of “Oom Paul” Kruger. The stage was set for an enthralling final movement, who would craft the music and who would provide the fireworks?
Not wishing to break up a good thing Mick set Kumar and Mandar out to open the home sides innings against the pace attack of Saad and Raghu. The verbal and physical pressure soon took it toll as after a steady opening partnership of 21, Kumar walked after an apparent catch from Chris, that was loudly endorsed even by the boundary fielders in the deep. Poor Kumar had taken Mick’s pre match amble concerning sportsmanship to include both teams. As Kumar walked, Allen, the midwicket umpire called a bump ball catch that should not stand. A short discussion between umpires and the opposing captain ensued which resulted in Kumar staying in the pavilion, even though the injustice had been acknowledged by the struggling Dartmouthians.
With memories of Sourav’s claimed “catch” of Adam Gilchrist
in the World cup final fresh in the memory banks, we may need to increase
our dues next year to cover the installation of instant video replay!
Anyway joking aside, this point was not lost on Mandar, whose steely eyes narrowed, and he held the nervous side together despite the revolving door of ever changing batsman at the other end, who seemed on this day determined to return to the pavilion in pairs. Mandar punished anything short, full, or wide and cracked a virtuoso solo innings of 59 runs, before falling to Saad. His driving was impeccable and with the fall of his wicket, a few more nerves jangled in the pavilion. Jay had picked up three important middle order wickets, and to add fuel to the fire there were four players given out LBW, including Tim, whose valuable 10 runs were only beaten by Mandar and extras!
So down to the wire, we were with the last two batsmen at the crease. Joe and Eric, knowing the fate of the game hung on their shoulders they nervously defended, and prodded away as the pressure grew from the boisterously vocal visitors - would they live free or die. At last, Eric played a shot that passed the mid wicket fielder, but mysteriously remained in his crease, as if the sod below had magnetized his spikes. Ritwick, whilst envious of Eric’s complete lack of inertia on the playing surface, heartily compelled his teammates to hustle, and in unison with the rest of the squad on the boundary called for the run in a loud unequivocal manner. “Run! Run! Run like the wind!” Reacting as if jabbed by a cattle prod Eric set off on the run, Joe reacting quicker made his ground and turned to see if Eric would make his. For the visitors, equally frantic calls from the team for the outfielder to throw to the bowlers end went frustratingly unheeded, and Eric realizing he was safe scampered home the winning run with a skip in his step, not seen since the book advance landed on Hilary’s door mat.
A jubilant Man of Kent team heartily congratulated each other, whilst offering gracious condolences and congratulations to the visitors for a well-played epic of a game. After our customary post game culinary feast, our friends from New Hampshire were hosted by our main sponsor, John Stoate, at the Man of Kent pub, for a glass of sherbet or two, and talk of a rematch. Returning home, the sense of relief and jubilation at attaining our maiden team victory was amply illustrated whilst driving south on 787 where a pyro-technique display, par excellence, was taking place as the Albany Symphony Orchestra were in concert at the Riverfront Park, complete with firework display. As the red, white and blue chrysanthemum, starbursts broke overhead, it seemed as if they were celebrating our victory, and a fitting sight it was too. And on this day, I could fully understand if maestro, David Alan Miller would hand his baton to our man of match, Mandar.
These are two well-matched teams and we both look forward to the rematch in Dartmouth, and to see if we can defend our victory away from home turf. Hearty congratulations to both teams.
