On a boiling hot day in western Munich, 12 Munich Cricket Club players made their way out to Gilching — most of them successfully avoiding the quarry while parking near the beautiful Gilchinger solar panel lake!
Finding the ground proved to be a challenge in itself. Unlike the Sportanlager Hirschanger, there were no footballers in sight to guide us, despite there being six football pitches available — perhaps a useful tip for any aspiring footballers looking for available space in Munich.
After 10 minutes of wandering around in the heat, the ground was finally located and cricket could begin.
Match 1 – MCC (193/5) beat GPCC (93/10) by 100 runs
Now, at this point in the day, I wasn’t actually at the ground — and, to make matters worse, GPCC failed to submit their match report in time. Unfortunately, that means I have no access to the scorecard either.
So instead… here is a cricket riddle (answer at the bottom of the report), followed by a photo of JD attempting to juggle his six wicket balls like a man who definitely hasn’t peaked too early in the season. For the record – JD took 6/15!!!
Cricket Riddle:
I wear no cape, yet I rescue the game,
With leather and willow, I earn my fame.
Sometimes I spin, sometimes I seam,
Breaking batting orders and crushing dreams.
Six times I struck, six batters gone,
By the end of my spell, half the team had moved on.
Who am I?
Match 2 – GPCC (199/9) beat MCC (198/7) by 1 wicket with 4 balls remaining
The toss for the second match was won by captain Sandy, with Sameer taking a well-earned break to allow Phil into the side.
Jishnu and Sandy headed out to the middle with temperatures already touching 29 degrees. An early setback came in just the second over when Sandy was bowled by Habib, bringing Suchit to the crease alongside Jishnu as MCC looked to rebuild.
Scoring was far from easy. GPCC had clearly learned from mistakes in the first game, bowling disciplined lines and keeping the run rate under control. Despite the tight bowling, Jishnu and Suchit continued to find the occasional boundary and, by the seventh over, began to accelerate. Suchit played some elegant drives and cuts, while Jishnu looked increasingly dangerous with powerful back-foot play.
Suchit was unlucky to fall for an excellent 34, deceived by a slower ball that clipped off stump. At 97-2 after 12 overs, MCC knew they needed to push hard for a competitive total — and that is when all eyes turned to Jishnu.
What followed was one of the most entertaining innings the club has witnessed in recent years. Cuts, pulls, drives, and sensational power-hitting lit up the Gilching sunshine, all without offering a single chance to the fielding side. Jishnu brought up a magnificent century with a towering six over leg side, sparking huge celebrations from the travelling MCC supporters.
It was a truly sensational knock: 100 runs featuring 8 fours, 8 sixes, and 25 singles worked expertly around the field. Incredibly, after all that clean striking, Jishnu eventually managed to dismiss himself while attempting his first two of the innings!
A few late boundaries from the rest of the side pushed MCC to an imposing total of 198.
After a quick turnaround, MCC took to the field full of energy. Early wickets from Sandy and Ram left GPCC reeling at 23/4 and firmly on the back foot.
What happened next, however, was almost beyond belief.
Regardless of which side you supported, the innings that followed was an absolute spectacle. With nearly 170 runs still required and four wickets already down, GPCC batter Jawed unleashed one of the most extraordinary counterattacks imaginable, smashing 133 from just 49 balls, including an astonishing 15 sixes.
The game swung dramatically back and forth over the next 17 overs. MCC continued to chip away with regular wickets but simply could not remove the dangerous Jawed. Two quick wickets from Amol, combined with two superb run outs created by outstanding fielding, appeared to swing momentum back towards MCC. Yet a crucial 62-run partnership for the eighth wicket dragged GPCC right back into contention.
Finally, on the last ball of the 19th over, Sameer took a brilliant sharp catch to dismiss Jawed for 133 and leave the match hanging by a thread.
Six balls remaining.
Nine runs required.
One wicket in hand.
In a dramatic finish, GPCC’s number 11 — playing his very first game of cricket — managed to middle a hockey-style swipe over the boundary rope to seal victory for GPCC in unbelievable fashion.
An incredible pair of matches and a fantastic day of cricket, full of passion, quality, drama, and unforgettable performances from both sides. Congratulations to everyone involved.
With 6 wins from 9 matches, the MCC 2nd XI remain firmly on course for a record-breaking season and are still very much in the hunt for a top-two finish in the T20 table.
(Answer to the riddle: JD on an absolute rampage)
