Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI
Sunday 4 October 2009

Pirates of the St Lawrence stormed to an eight-wicket win over Sukhdeo’s Select on Sunday in what was likely the final game of 2009. It was a clinical performance by a Pirates outfit who claimed their 11th win of the season (13th if you’re under 35 and from the Northern Hemisphere), capping an extraordinary year for the club.

Shrouded in mist and sodden with dew, The Candy Fields looked a haunting set for the final performance. The mountain was invisible; the only sound, the crackle from the sub-station. Greg Brander stirred it up by thundering over the outfield in the tractor for one last mow.

It was crucial in the autumn conditions the Pirates gave their groins a good stretch. Brian Llewellyn-ap-Dafydd discovered sensations not felt in years.

Fearful of a backlash from twins Hari and Raja Sukhdeo after winning their previous encounter, the Pirates elected to field first.

Phil Roche was again hostile, miserly and without luck. Big Teddy Andy Tolson provided steepling bounce, swing and accuracy from the other end, as the pair contained the Guyanese openers.

Tolson combined with Rich Horne for the first wicket, the New Zealander stumping the dangerous Mohammad Saddick for the first time in his life.

Raja Sukhdeo continued building patiently with Mahesh Ramkissoon, the pair driving straight down the ground.

With the score over 80 and drinks break nearing, the Pirates circled for the kill. Brander struck first, with Dominique Lemoine leaping forward from cover to snare a blistering catch off Ramkissoon.

With Brander’s bicep throbbing worse than Harry Potter’s scar, Teddy Tolson returned for the final over before the break. He began with another Richard Horne stumping, off a leg side wide, to claim the prize wicket of Raja. Next ball, Tolson induced N Ramkissoon into a mis-timed slap with another full toss. Bullivant swallowed the catch at mid on.

The Pirates left the field to recharge on soy snacks and apply the sunscreen as the clouds parted. Back on field, they struck again immediately, Makesh offering a lollypop to Andrew Granville at short mid wicket off Angus Bell.

Gorgeous George Robertson bowled schizophrenically, fazed, perhaps, by the intimidating Hari Sukhdeo and his railway sleeper. The former Canadian international clubbed five fours and two sixes before belting a Bell full toss to Granville at deep mid wicket for a fizzing catch.

Bell’s Mr Kipling pies continued their extraordinary run, Sukhdeo Senior next falling victim. It was apple picking season, but Sukhdeo reached for one too high on the tree, trying greedily to hoik a full toss into the forest. The ball spooned straight up in the air. Greg Brander, backpeddalling and tripping at short mid wicket, clung on to a blinder before bashing his head.

Rewarded for his catch off the captain, Granville was introduced at the Terminal End, striking in his first over as Vinu spooned another catch to Bullivant at mid off. Maintaining his reputation as the finisher, Granville bamboozled Arman in his next over, slipping one through the defences.

After a 10-minute noodle break, the Pirates returned to the field with Ray Nowrang out of his car and padded up for battle. Suffering a blown-out knee, he required two runners. He added a valuable 10 before becoming Bell’s fourth victim of the innings.

It was an astonishing display by the Pirates in the field. They held onto every chance, gobbling the last nine Guyanese wickets for just 64 runs in a frenzied 40 minutes either side of drinks.

In reply, Daz Bullivant looked in ominous form, carving his second ball through the covers. Dominique Lemoine, fresh from his 48 v Rolls Royce, milked the strike and put the field placements in a spin.

Hari Sukhdeo, cheeks puffing, found the edge of Bullivant’s bat in the first over. The ball flew to slip where, Makesh, who confesses he can’t catch a cold, dived forward to pouch the second slip catch in three seasons of Pirates’ cricket.

Lemoine continued to frustrate the fielders, picking off a four to leg before falling for 13 to Raja Sukhdeo. With the sky darkening, Bell joined Horne at the crease on 24 for 2.

Sweepers were ordered to the outfield, so Bell and Horne, content to play this like an England v New Zealand Test match circa 1970, punched the gaps, picking off ones and twos every ball. They scampered between the wickets, collecting overthrows when the fielders lost the plot, and not once chanced The Twins’ arms.

Sukhdeo’s Select rang the changes. Mahesh Ramkossoon, who spent his childhood trying to contain his brother Suresh, bowled tightly. Sukhdeo Senior made the ball swing and dance, but neither could find a breakthrough.

Horne was first to pass fifty, his second for the Pirates, with a trademark punch down the ground. More than 35 times, he found the fielders with well-timed drives.

Bell worked the ball to leg and cut through backward point, bringing up his 8th half century and 1,000th run of the season.

With an unbroken stand of 130, the Pirates cruised home by 8 wickets with 6 overs to spare, taking the 2009 three-match series 2-1 and ending an extraordinary season.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI
Sunday 4 October 2009
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 35 overs per side
Weather conditions: Misty, dewy, then fall in full glory
Result: Pirates of the St Lawrence won by 8 wickets

Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI Innings

Mohammad Saddick (wk) st Horne b Tolson 11 (2×4)
Mahesh Ramkissoon ct Lemoine b Brander 35 (6×4)
Raja Sukhdeo st Horne b Tolson 23 (1×4)
Hari Sukhdeo ct Granville b Bell 40 (5×4, 2×6)
N Ramkissoon ct Bullivant b Tolson 0
Makesh ct Granville b Bell 0
Bhajooram Sukhdeo (c/wk) ct Brander b Bell 1
Arman b Granville 6 (1×4)
Vinod ct Bullivant b Granville 0
Ray Nowrang lbw Bell 10

Extras 25 (Byes 0, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 3, Wides 22)
Total 151 for 10 in 30.2 overs

Bowling

Phil Roche 7 overs, 1 maiden, 0 wickets, 28 runs
Andy Tolson 7 overs, 3 wickets, 32 runs
Greg Brander 3 overs, 1 wicket, 23 runs
Darren Bullivant 3 overs, 0 wickets, 23 runs
Angus Bell 5.2 overs, 1 maiden, 4 wickets, 6 runs
George Robertson 2 overs, 0 wickets, 25 runs
Andrew Granville 3 overs, 1 maiden, 2 wickets, 14 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Darren Bullivant ct Makesh b Hari Sukhdeo 3
Dominique Lemoine ct (sub Tolson) b Raja Sukhdeo 13 (1×4)
Richard Horne (wk) not out 68 (4×4)
Angus Bell (c) not out 63 (3×4)
Andy Tolson DNB
Phil Roche DNB
Brian Llewellyn-ap-Dafydd DNB
George Robertson DNB
Greg Brander DNB
Andrew Granville DNB

Extras 7 (Byes 1, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 0, Wides 3)
Total 154 for 2 in 29 overs

FoW (1-5, 2-24)

Bowling

Hari Sukhdeo 7 overs, 1 wicket, 38 runs
Mukesh 2 overs, 0 wickets, 10 runs
Raja Sukhdeo 5 overs, 1 wicket, 26 runs
Mahesh Ramkissoon 7 overs, 0 wickets, 19 runs
Mohammad Saddick 3 overs, 0 wickets, 15 runs
Bhajooram Sukhdeo 3 overs, 0 wickets, 10 runs
Arman 1 over, 0 wickets, 10 runs
Vinod 1 over, 0 wickets, 11 runs