Off to Neu Perlach to the newly completed sports centre at the Heinrich Heine gymnasium where all the bushes on the boundary have been removed so half the time is not wasted looking for lost balls. And they have proper facilities there with crates of cool fresh for sale. If that is not enough, on a warm summer evening it is only a ten minute walk to the Forschungsbrauerei.
Captain Sarma, claiming he was protecting the environment, arrived on his push bike, last of the squad but in good time to lose the toss and MCC were asked to bowl. This they did in spectacular fashion, the first four overs going for 6, 0 18 and 0 with not a single wide but four sixes hammered to the square leg boundary. Another two sixes to the same spot in the next over and the team was reeling a little. Thereafter the bowlers pulled things together and the run rate slowed, at one time to below five per over. Clare finally got Milan, the second wicket to fall with the score on 102. Of the 15 sixes scored by Serendib, Milan clobbered 10 of them. The seabird half of the South Coast Mafia had a good 5 over spell at the end taking a three-fer. Wides though were the usual MCC trademark and we gave away 31 in all – another six overs in which the opposition can make hay. The fielding was good but Serendib finished on 226 for 9 from their 40 overs.
MCC batters kept well up with the required run rate and, after 20 overs both scores were level at 105 – 3. Unfortunately though all but three of our batsmen were out hitting the ball in the air and although Serendib did their best to lose the game by putting down at least 12 catches they still managed to take seven. Clare and Polisetty put on 56 for the 4th wicket and the 7th wicket stand by Clare and Garner added another 44. In the end, despite the dropped catches and 28 wides bowled by Serendib, MCC fell short by 19 runs.
Veser, 14, caught
Mitchell, 28, rather harsh LBW, 1 catch
Sarma, 6, caught
Polisetty, 24, caught
Rabbani, 24, caught, 2 overs, 0 mdns, 11 runs, 0 wkts, 1 catch
Clare, 46, bowled, 8 overs, 1 mdn, 51 runs, 2 wkts
Carrie, 5, caught, 6 overs, 1 mdn, 29 runs, 1 wkt
Garner, 9, caught, 5 overs, 0 mdns, 30 runs, 3 wkts
Parameswaran, 10, caught, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 28 runs, 0 wkts
Arunachalam, 9, LBW, 8 overs, 2 mdns, 33 runs. 1 wkt
Blades, 0*, 8 overs, 1 mdb, 43 runs, 2 wkts.
MCC, 207 -10, lost to Serendib, 226 -9, by 19 runs
MCC MOM: Clare