Pirates of the St Lawrence versus St Columbas of Rhode Island
Saturday 4 August 2012
by Neville Cardus (channelling through Prashant Bhawalkar)
Photo by Brian Llewellyn-ap-Dafydd

Under cover of a sunny sky, pelting all life beneath it with extreme heat and humidity, Pirates of the St Lawrence were made to run to all corners of the field and forest by St Columbas of Rhode Island.

Capably led by the brutal Abid at the top of the order, the New Englanders were well-poised on 148-3 at the 20 over mark to inflict a crucifixion on their hosts. It took sensational spells from Pirates skipper Bell and spin-twin Singh, and heroic efforts by Pirates in the field, to ensure that the visitors scored only 94 runs in the next 20 overs. Bowling an immaculate line and fizzing the ball both ways, the two legspinners not only restricted the St Columbas’ batsmen, but triggered a middle order collapse. In the end, only Abid with 100 (58 balls) managed a lion’s share in the prospective run feast. The next highest scorer was Sandeep with 36. Bell, once again, proved to be the pick of the Pirates bowlers with 3-31 in 8 overs.

The Pirate response was cool and measured, as though out of a conscious determination to ignore the paralysing heat. Indeed, the scorching temperatures had even sent some players to the air conditioned comfort of their cars. Unable to speak between overs from exhaustion, Mridha laid the foundation on which stalwarts Singh and Granville would build. Showing mastery over pace and spin alike, the young Physics student from Orissa was on fire as he raced to 72, his first half-century for the Pirates.

By the time Singh took guard, members of the Pirates lower order were moaning at the prospect of batting in the heat. The irritability, however, was short-lived as the talented allrounder put the opposition batsmen through a series of 500 metre sprinting drills. His barrage of sixes (six in all) often vanished into the bushes, granting the Pirates batsmen welcome respite between deliveries. Sometimes, the irrational fear entertained by the opposition fielders for anything slender and serpentine added to the respite. Singh also reached his maiden fifty for the home team, holing out to long on on 62 with a shot that cleared the pylon.

World-famous mathematician Granville, whose prowess with the scorecard disproved the popular rumour that he had no arithmetic, demonstrated an admirable propensity for cutting and driving. Scoring a 36 that was as polished as his outlook on life, he remained at the crease till the very end, ensuring that the Pirates won by 6 wickets with 9 balls to spare.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus St Columbas of Rhode Island
Saturday 4 August 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side (11 wickets)
Weather conditions: Hot enough to kill a puppy inside or outside a car
Toss won by: St Columbas
Result: Pirates of the St Lawrence won by 6 wickets

St Columbas Innings

Extras 25 (Byes 4, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 3, Wides 17)
Total 242 for 7 in 40 overs

FoW (1-2, 2-9, 3-79, 4-172, 5-175, 6-186, 7-201, *8-220)

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 25 (Byes 6, Leg Byes 6, No Balls 0, Wides 13)
Total 243 for 5 in 38.3 overs

FoW (1-24, 2-109, 3-148, 4-208, 5-240)