Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Brossard Warriors
Saturday 21 July 2012
by Jock Strap

A brave performance by new-kids-on-the-block Brossard Warriors made for a thrilling encounter at The Candy Fields on Saturday. Assembled between Wednesday teatime and Thursday lunch via feverish text messages, the debutants – the latest in a plethora of teams to spring from the south shore – fought valiantly in a five-wicket win for the Pirates that proved tighter than the scorecard suggests.

The day began well for the Pirates. Using their guile, cunning and considerable engineering experience, they were able to nail shut the hole through which snakes and mice were entering the shed. Within 20 minutes confused snakes were seen scaling and tumbling from the outer walls of the cabin. ”Christ, it’s like Indiana Jones,” said Adam Kelly Morton. ”You’d think they’d just go through the open door.”

After winning the toss, the Warriors elected to bat on a marble deck surrounded by crisped astroturf. Tidy, back from two weeks in the precious palladium mines of Northern Ontario, kept the ball full and swinging both ways. He was backed by Cat Islam’s most dangerous spell to date.

The breakthrough came on 27 when Islam enticed a top-edged tickle to the keeper. There followed the quietest and most delayed appeal ever from bowler and short mid-wicket, with both Horne (gloves) and Palmer (slip) failing to notice, lost in their own world of wicketkeeping jokes.

Suraj provided the backbone of the Warriors’ innings. Perfectly balanced and executing strokes with the utmost elegance, yet reigned in by the resonance of a new club bat, he looked set for a ton in his first match in 10 years. His partners got going each time, but stands fizzled out after 20.

The team hundred came up in the 20th over, just three down, with the Warriors looking set for a large total and the Pirates a punishment exercise involving snakes and wasps.

Blechynden struck in first over again, with the clever use of a full toss, swatted to Smith at squareleg. The Kiwi fieldsman was in top form, sliding like an All Black over the try line against Scotland all afternoon.

Munawar and Hogg beat the bat between wides. ”I think I need to slow down my run up,” said Munawar, thundering in like a camel into a sandstorm. Morton claimed his first scalp. Sending down heavy balls that scared both batsmen and keeper, he forced Arit to fall on his stumps.

With the introduction of spin, the worm chart took a nose dive. Bell bagged a club best 5 for 6 in 7.4 overs, rattling the chegs and pads with swing and tweak.

Smith grabbed one of the catches of the season, flicking the ball up one handed above his head at extra cover, and flipping around to take it inches off the floor at the second attempt. He then claimed his best figures to date of 2 for 5, to go with his two catches.

A total of 142 looked 40 short on this field but the Warriors gifted nothing when they came to bowl. Palmer and Hogg, looking steady and watchful, negated the new ball, adding 17 in 9 overs. But four quick wickets for the second week in a row threatened to rumble the Pirates.

Suraj struck twice in two overs, before spinners Jyothi and the dangerous Jagdeep got in on the action. With the Pirates straddling the plank at 66 for 4, panic set in under the tent, the captain unable to find a functioning combination of scorer, umpires and batsmen.

Horne, with his heavy mallet, went on the attack, smiting sixes into the forest and driving through the covers. Playing his finest knock for the Pirates, he brought up a superb fifty at quicker than a run-a-ball. It was a shock when he drove straight into the hands of cover two balls later. But throughout the innings, the Warriors’ catching was tight. They accounted for Tidy (caught and bowled) eight runs later to leave the game in the balance.

Bell and Smith kept their composure, working the ball into the gaps and punishing anything short. Smith registered his best score for the Pirates (14 n.o.), and Bell, with 32 n.o. – his eighth not out in 10 innings this year, took his season average to a silly 301.

The Pirates, with three wins on the trot, look primed for the visiting Americans this August.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Brossard Warriors
Saturday 21 July 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side (11 wickets)
Weather conditions: Could thaw a fish in five minutes
Result: Pirates of the St Lawrence won by 5 wickets

Brossard Warriors Innings

Extras 44 (Byes 3, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 2, Wides 38)
Total 142 for 11 in 34.4 overs

FoW (1-27, 2-31, 3-53, 4-102, 5-102, 6-119, 7-136, 8-138, 9-141, 10-141, 11-142)

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 24 (Byes 6, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 2, Wides 13)
Total 146 for 6 in 36.3 overs

FoW (1-17, 2-20, 3-55, 4-66, 5-107, 6-115)