Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Colonial Cavaliers of Boston
Saturday 17 July 2010

Phil Roche stroked a career-best 64 not out against the Cavaliers of Boston on Saturday in a match cut short by tropical storms. The Pirate tent was destroyed amidst pandaemonium, as high winds lifted it into the air, snapping the roof poles and exposing the players and supporters to torrential rain under forked lightning.

Put into bat, the Pirates fired and then fizzled out repeatedly, succumbing to irritating, uncharacteristic dismissals. Bullivant was the first to go. Searching for a repeat of his ton, he cracked two boundaries in quick time before gloving one down the leg side to the keeper.

Mo’ Saddick had mixed success with his rolling sweep, more often than not finding himself through the shot too early. He swiped 15 before the stroke was to prove his downfall, the ball clipping the top of off stump.

Cap’n Bell was in a hurry to bring up the 50, savaging two fours over the bowler’s head. He then pulled a chest-high full toss straight to deep square leg, who caught the ball at the second attempt. A foot either side, and the ball would have screamed for six. The umpires failed to call no-ball for height.

At 55 for 3, the Pirates were wobbling. Memories of last year’s 130 opening stand had long evaporated. Rich Horne punched twos through extra cover, and let loose his swivelled pull. But again, he fell caught in the deep after a positive start.

Roche and Milot set about salvaging the ship, adding 29. Milot was then unfortunate, as the ball rolled back onto his stumps from a backward defensive shot.

Near impossible to dismiss this season, Roche was in superfluous form, uppercutting the ball over gulley à la Richie Richardson, punching straight down the ground and clipping off his legs to the fence. He smote nine fours and a six on his way to his second (legal) half-century for the Pirates.

With cunning support from Bhajooram Sukhdeo, the hard-hitting Lukas Stoltz and former French internationalist Raja Maha, the Pirates finished on 172 for 7 in 40 overs.

Boston looked a tighter outfit with the bat, too. Norwegian prodigy Stig Bjornebye got the visitors off to a flyer, slicing down to fine leg and third man. Kiwi-pro Tutton looked assured, timing the ball off his legs as the score rattled to 20.

Maha made the breakthrough, bending one through Bjornebye’s defences. Roche pinned the Yanks down further, but then the rain came.

With a Twenty20 due at The Candy Fields next day, it was imperative the Pirates tried to save the square. The covers were laid under concrete and the players gathered under the tent as the sky darkened once more.

The field turned into a reservoir and water began to lash inside the tent. Lightning flashed above, as the blood drained from every players’ face. ‘Don’t panic!’ ordered Skipper Fry, gripping his chair.

Driven back by the elements, the players retreated from one side of the tent, and then, like a scene from The Wizard of Oz, the tent lifted twenty feet in the air. ‘PAAAANIC!’ screamed Fry. Midshipman Horne was almost blown overboard by a wave.

Cap’n Bell desperately tried to save the scorebook as the players wept and cried for help, tumbling over one another and the bags, as they became drenched in seconds. Some were mumbling prayers. ‘Grab the poles!’ yelled Bell, as three roof spans snapped and one leg collapsed. The Bostonians swung from the frame like gibbons, clinging for dear life.

As the tempest subsided, the Pirates headed out to the square, armed with bins and spades, in an effort to drain the lake. Two hours of syphoning and scooping water looked like it might save the following day’s play. But the worst storm was yet to come…

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Colonial Cavaliers of Boston
Saturday 17 July 2010
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side
Weather conditions: Wizard-of-Oz-like
Toss won by: Colonial Cavaliers
Result: Match abandoned due to typhoon

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Darren Bullivant ct Tetley b Hooli 12 (2×4)
Mohammed Saddick b Hooli 15 (2×4)
Angus Bell (c) ct Hooli b Kilpatrick 20 (3×4)
Richard Horne ct Hooli b Fry 16 (1×4)
Thiery Milot b Kilpatrick 4 (1×4)
Phil Roche not out 64 (9×4, 1×6)
Bhajooram Sukhdeo b Tutton 6
Lukas Stoltz b Hooli 5
Raja Maha not out 7 (1×4)
Andy Myron DNB
Ben Finkelberg DNB
Robert Savage DNB

Extras 23 (Byes 0, Leg Byes 2, No Balls 2, Wides 19)
Total 172 for 7 in 40 overs

FoW (1-23, 2-32, 3-55, 4-65, 5-94, 6-118, 7-161)

Bowling

Tutton 8 overs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket, 10 runs
Nanden 4 overs, 0 wickets, 17 runs
Hooli 8 overs, 1 maiden, 3 wickets, 33 runs
Kilpatrick 8 overs, 2 wickets, 46 runs
Monty 4 overs, 0 wickets, 18 runs
Fry 4 overs, 1 wicket, 19 runs
Collison 4 over, 0 wickets, 20 runs

Colonial Cavaliers Innings

Tutton not out 9 (1×4)
Bjornebye b Maha 8
Whitelam not out 3

Extras 13
Total 33 for 1 in 7.1 overs

FoW (1-21)

Bowling

Phil Roche 4 overs, 0 wickets, 16 runs
Raja Maha 3.1 overs, 1 wicket, 17 runs