MCC pip Pak Orient in a thriller at the Hirschanger

A fine spring day at the Hirschanger, the temperature at 20° C plus and MCC looking to improve on the abysmal batting performance against Nuremberg the previous Saturday. Captain Weston won the toss and decided to field first, opening the bowling with Blades and Butt, our two quickies. The decision to field first seemed to pay off as the opposition lost wickets in the 2^nd, 4^th, 11^th, 13^th and 15^th overs, one of them a superb leg side stumping by Weston off a wide, and, at the drinks break, Pak Orient were 104 for 6 down and things were looking good. After the tea break the wide boys took over and the seventh wicket was finally broken when they had made a stand of 122. In total MCC bowlers bowled 46 wides and five no-balls or an additional eight and a half overs which at 5 runs per over and the penalty runs equates to an extra 90 to 100 runs given to the opposition. Perhaps more should turn up to net practise. Pak Orient were all out for 236, the last wicket being a run out on the last possible ball of the innings.

After teas provided by Weston he and Veser opened the batting and put on 132 – the eighth highest for the first wicket- Weston finally going for 60 to be replaced by Wembridge. Fifteen runs later Veser departed for 58 and Butt took his place. Wembridge went for 23 after a 29 run third wicket partnership. MCC were now 176 for three down and had only 7.9 overs to score the required 61 runs for victory. Mascarenhas went with the score on 221 after 37.1 overs, but he and Butt had savaged the bowlers putting on 45 for the fourth wicket in five overs. Butt went after 38.2 overs with the score on 228 leaving nine runs required from 10 balls by Ayub and Hoeck. They made it with three balls to spare bringing an unlikely victory and saving the bowlers blushes.

Veser. 58, caught

Weston, 60, bowled, 7 overs, 0 mdns, 38 runs, 1 wkt, 1 catch, 1 stumping

Wembridge, 23, bowled, 1 over, 0 mdns, 7 runsl 0 wkts

Butt, 38, caught, 8 overs, 0 mdns, 33 runs, 4 wkts, 1 catch

Mascarenhas, 24, run out, 3 overs, 0 mdns, 28 runs, 0 wkts

Hoeck, 3*2 overs, 0 mdns, 20 runs, 0 wkts, 1 catch

Ayub, 6*. 2overs, 0 mdns, 13 runs, 0 wkts

Altamn, DNB, 6 overs, 0 mdns, 24 runs, 4 wkts, 1 catch

Kantor, DNB, 1 catch

Blades, DNB, 7 overs, 1 mdn, 45 runs, 0 wkts

Govendar, DNB, 4 overs, 0 mdns, 24 runs, 0 wkts.

MCC, 237 for 5 in 39.3 overs beat Pak Orient, 236 for 10 in 40 overs by five wickets

MCC MOM: Butt