Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Mad Dogs of New York
Saturday 18 August 2012
By the Dublin Death Star

Pirates of the St Lawrence needed a run out in the final over to seal a tense win against Mad Dogs of New York. After setting the visitors 213 to win, the Black Caps looked to be home and hosed, but a tenth wicket stand of 58 ensured the game went down to the wire. With the Mad Dogs needing 11 to win off the final over, Singh and Horne combined to run out Gogoi, heralding a 10-run victory in the process.

With the weather set fair, the Pirates met the Mad Dogs at The Candy Fields for the first time since July 2010. Electing to bat first, the Pirates’ innings got off to a shaky start. The Mad Dogs’ new ball partnership of Hodges and Samthanam used the stiff cross breeze to their advantage and had the home side two down inside the first five overs.

Samthanam, bending the ball in four feet, struck first to dismiss Singh in the second over, while at the other end Hodges had Blechynden caught behind soon after. Floundering at 12 for 2, it was left up to the Pirates’ captain, Bell, and debutant Robinson to get things back on track for the Black Caps.

Resolute in defence, the pair saw off the new ball and guided the Pirates total past 50. After laying a solid foundation, Bell’s innings came to an abrupt and unfortunate end when he was caught at mid-wicket. Looking to pull a log-hop from Moore through the leg-side, Bell was unlucky to find the man at the edge of the circle. Departing for a well-made 25, he was replaced in the middle by Roche.

At the other end, Robinson delivered a free flowing innings. The latest addition to the Pirates’ ranks found the boundary with regularity and took the attack to the Dogs. The elegant left-hander notched up seven boundaries during his time at the crease and, together with Roche, saw the home side through to the drinks interval.

The Melbourne man’s innings came to an end shortly after the break when he was bowled by Moore for 44. His impressive knock included 5 fours and 2 sixes. The deceptive Moore soon had a third, trapping Bhola lbw for 2.

The fall of the fifth wicket brought the ever reliable Horne to the crease. Together with Roche, the New Zealander put on 91 for the sixth wicket. Both batsmen scored quickly, punishing anything even remotely off line.

Not for the first time this season, Roche raced to fifty, scoring at more than a run a ball. Executing a wide array of shots, the right-hander scored runs all around the park. Having already cleared the leg-side boundary once before, Roche finally fell when he was brilliantly caught on the deep square leg boundary by the young Daud off the bowling of Jaiswal. Finishing on 59 from just 46 balls, Roche’s innings included 6 fours and 1 six.

An expert in batting with the tail, Horne built useful partnerships, first with Arciero and later with Legault. Seeing the Pirates past 200, Horne finished 72 not out from 52 balls. His innings featured 8 fours and 2 sixes.

Set 213 to win, the visiting Mad Dogs opened with Malhotra and Chin. Robinson continued to impress on debut for the Pirates, delivering a fine spell with the new ball. The left-arm quick, who rattled off 10 overs on the bounce – the first Pirate to do so – got the breakthrough for the Black Caps. Swinging one back into Chin, Robinson trapped the opener lbw for 1.

The Pirates were forced to wait for their next wicket, as Malhotra and the Mad Dogs’ captain, Armitage, put on 46 for the second wicket. Robinson’s pace and swing again provided the opening as he bowled the visiting skipper for 15.

Finishing with excellent figures of 2-32 from his 10 overs, Robinson was replaced at the Woodland End by Blechynden. Playing like a man possessed, the Kalgoorlie Krippler proceeded to dominate all facets of the game for the next five overs.

The Western Australian began by removing the dangerous left-hander Jaiswal in his first over. Outfoxing the Mad Dogs’ number 4 with a well disguised slower ball, Blechynden bowled Jaiswal for 9. With Horne standing up to the stumps, Blechynden soon had a second. A rising delivery from the rangy seamer found the top edge of Kimberley’s bat and was expertly caught by Horne behind the sticks.

While wickets tumbled around him, Malhotra continued to score freely. Recording his second consecutive fifty at The Candy Fields, the right-hander ensured the Mad Dogs remained in the hunt.

When Blechynden bowled Hodges off the first ball of the next over, the visitors fell to 116 for 5. Momentum continued to shift in favour of the Pirates when Bell removed Malhotra for 61. Never far from the action, Blechynden took a spectacular catch at point to dismiss the opener.

Coming in at number 7, Gogoi kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Mad Dogs, but as the wickets fell it looked like his efforts would be for naught. Bell did his best to wrap things up on his own. After getting the breakthrough, the Caledonian leg-spinner went on to remove Ashton, Samthanam and Moore in close succession. Interspersing the occasional off-break among his usual battery of leggies, Bell had Ashton stumped by Horne for 7. Samthanam, who was caught in the deep by Robinson, was soon joined back in the hutch by Moore, who was snaffled at point by Adam Kelly Morton – both batsmen departed for 2.

With Bell hunting his fifth wicket, it looked as if the Pirates had the game in the bag. With victory in sight, the home side inexplicably took their eye off the prize. Mistakes in the field and some lusty blows from Gogoi – who was ably supported by Daud – brought the visitors back into the game.

With Gogoi racing to his 50, the Mad Dogs were left needing only 11 from the final over for victory. Fearing a repeat performance of their loss to the West Island Sailors earlier in the season, the Pirates readied themselves for a nail biting finish.

Advancing down the pitch to the first ball of the final over, Gogoi made a solid connection. As the ball skated across the hard outfield, the Mad Dogs batsmen were quick out of the blocks. Rushing in from the square leg boundary, Singh gathered the ball as Gogoi turned at the bowler’s end and set off for two.

As Singh’s round arm return hurtled in from the boundary, Gogoi dived to make his ground. At the wicket-keeper’s end, the dependable Richard Horne collected the ball on the bounce and broke the stumps in one fluid motion, leaving the batsman short of his ground. Despite the commendable efforts of the Mad Dogs’ last pair, the Pirates held their nerve to win by 10 runs.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Mad Dogs of New York
Saturday 18 August 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side
Weather conditions: Best yet
Result: Pirates of the St Lawrence won by 10 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 10 (Byes 2, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 0, Wides 5)
Total 212 for 7 in 40 overs

FoW (1-2, 2-12, 3-51, 4-82, 5-87, 6-178, 7-189)

Mad Dogs Innings

Extras 42 (Byes 10, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 4, Wides 25)
Total 202 for 10 in 39.1 overs

FoW (1-26, 2-72, 3-97, 4-103, 5-104, 6-116, 7-129, 8-141, 9-144, 10-202)