Pirates of the St Lawrence versus McGill
Saturday 21 May 2011

A staggering 167-run defeat at the hands of McGill marked a crippling opening encounter for the 2011 summer. Set an unlikely 272 to win in 40 overs in May, a broken Pirate ship sunk to the seabed in the 29th over, on just 104, signalling the heaviest defeat in their history.

Clinical throughout, McGill owed much of their success to a superb 158-run stand for the 3rd wicket. Ali and Tayyab swatted 12 fours and 8 sixes between them, despatching floaty offerings into the sub-station.

To their credit, the Pirate fielding remained disciplined for 40 overs, St-Jean, Bell, Horne, Roche and Legault snaffling sharp chances, and debutant Hogg, who could barely keep away from the ball, making sure with a run out from short midwicket.

Roche – who has been preparing the Redmen over the last six months for such an assault – was the pick of the Pirate bowlers, with five nearly-wickets. Early signs on the new Candy Fields’ track suggest there may be some slip chances this year – perhaps even one or two catches.

Whanging the ball down from 8 feet+, McGill’s whippy attack contained and cleaned up the Pirate reply. Only Horne offered resistance, slapping 6 fours. He was given a life on 25 when, after edging to the keeper, he was summoned back after a late call of no-ball from umpire Legault. His departure 17 runs later sparked a sensational collapse of 9 wickets for 31 runs.

Groggy, burned, and harbouring muscular tweaks and mental daemons, the Pirates have just two weeks to repair their ship before they face the Redmen again.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus McGill
Saturday 21 May 2011
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side
Weather conditions: Uncomfortably sweaty for May but not the end of the world
Result: McGill won by 167 runs

McGill Innings

Yousaf Manoo ct Bell b Milot 37 (5×4, 1×6)
Amsal Khan (wk) ct Horne b Roche 2
Ali ct Roche b Granville 88 (6×4, 4×6)
Tayyab (c) ct St-Jean b Granville 79 (6×4, 4×6)
Shoaib b Bell 10 (1×4)
Hanny ct Legault b Krishnan 8 (1×6)
Hannan not out 15 (1×6)
Omaid run out (Hogg) 0
Atin not out 3

Extras 29 (Byes 0, Leg Byes 7, No Balls 5, Wides 17)
Total 271 for 7 in 40 overs

FoW (1-14, 2-66, 3-224, 4-237, 5-252, 6-254, 7-267)

Bowling

Phil Roche 7 overs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket, 22 runs
Tom Wisden 5 overs, 0 wickets, 31 runs
Hugue St-Jean 4 overs, 0 wickets, 45 runs
Andrew Granville 5 overs, 2 wickets, 38 runs
Thiery Milot 2 overs, 1 wicket, 10 runs
Matt Legault 3 overs, 0 wickets, 21 runs
Angus Bell 6 overs, 1 wicket, 45 runs
Amrit Sanger 4 overs, 0 wickets, 24 runs
Dan Hogg 2 overs, 0 wickets, 25 runs
Sundar Krishnan 2 overs, 1 wicket, 9 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Sundar Krishnan lbw Hannan 5 (20 balls)
Richard Horne (wk) ct Khan b Atin 42 (6×4, 50 balls)
Angus Bell b Atin 13 (37 balls)
Thiery Milot ct Shafkat b Atin 6 (1×4, 13 balls)
Phil Roche ct Saad b Hanni 3 (19 balls)
Andrew Granville b Shoaib 3 (16 balls)
Matthew Legault run out 0 (0 balls)
Hugue St-Jean st Khan b Omaid 2
Dan Hogg not out 3
Amrit Sanger b Tayyab 1
Tom Wisden ct Tayyab b Omaid 1

Extras 25 (Byes 2, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 1, Wides 22)
Total 104 for 10 in 28.4 overs

FoW (1-13, 2-73, 3-76, 4-85, 5-92, 6- 93, 7-96, 8-101, 9-102, 10-104)

Bowling

Shafkat 6 overs, 0 wickets, 12 runs
Hannan 4 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 17 runs
Saad 4 overs, 0 wickets, 25 runs
Amir 4 overs, 0 wickets, 24 runs
Atin 4 overs, 1 maiden, 3 wickets, 7 runs
Hanny 2 overs, 1 wicket, 6 runs
Omaid 2.4 overs, 2 wickets, 5 runs
Shoaib 1 over, 0 wickets, 3 runs
Tayyab 1 over, 1 wicket, 2 runs