After two convincing victories – over SSC in the league and our first proper friendly victory of the season against the Pak Orient – it was off to West Park for the first round BCV T20 match against the MICs and MCC feeling hopeful. Unusually captain Sarma won the toss and chose to bat.
Veser and O`Meagher opened and got off to a rollicking start before Veser went for 2 in the third over with the score on 20. Captain Sarma replaced him and put on 65 for the second wicket but went for 23 in the 9th over with the score on 87, a rate of almost 10 runs an over. Two runs later O’Meagher went for 46 off 33 balls and Weston followed shortly afterwards scoring 6 off 12 balls hitting to Kashif, one of the few MIC Players able to catch it seemed. Nielson also went quickly but Ferguson and Archer had a useful 6th wicket partnership until Ferguson was bowled for 9 off 10 balls. Archer followed him one run later going for 30 off 24 balls. Clare and Rabbani hit some glorious fours, Clare scoring three fours in his 14 off 8 balls. Carrie and Rabbani played out the last over. Carrie being bowled for 5 off the final ball and MCC finishing on 171 for 9 down.
Ferguson and Blades opened the bowling for MCC and after four overs MICs were 30 for two, 10 of the runs being wides. After 13 overs MIC were 104 for 43 down, so slightly below the asking rate but then a couple of poor overs changed the game completely. The 14th and 16th overs went for 25 and 15 respectively and the MICs now needed only 22 to win off four overs. Nevertheles Carrie, Clare and particularly Ferguson almost did it, the MICs scrambling a leg bye to win off the penultimate ball, their captain Kashif finishing with 81 not out off 56 balls.
So MICs won a very close game but had they taken at least five pretty dolly catches they would have stuffed us as we all agreed in the post match analysis in the beer garden afterwards while listening to some old soft rock live music.
Veser 2, caught, 1 catch
O`Meagher, 46 caught,
Sarma, 23 caught, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 36 runs, 1 wkt
Weston, 6, caught, 1 stumping
Archer, 30 bowled, 1 over, 0 mdns, 15 runs. 0 wkts
Nielson, 1, bowled, 2 overs, 0 mdns, 21 runs, 0 wkts
Ferguson, 10, bowled, 3.5 overs, 0 mdns, 16 runs, 1 wkt
Clare, 14, bowled, 4 overs, 0 mdns, 36 runs, 0 wkts, 1 catch
Rabbani, 10*,
Carrie, 5, bowled, 4 overs, 0 mdns, 26 runs, 0 wkts
Blades, DNB, 2 overs, 0 mdns, 19 runs, 2 wkts
MCC, 171 for 9 in 20 overs, lost to MIC, 172 for 4 in 19.5 overs by 6 wickets
MCC MOM O`Meagher