Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Brossard Warriors
Monday 3 September 2012
By the Copenhagen Crippler with additional commentary by Jock Strap
Photos by Jeremy Patterson and Mehul Vadher

On a stifling hot Labour Day Pirates of the St Lawrence hosted Brossard Warriors in a match of 40 overs-per-side. A sparkling Daniel Robinson century and maiden five-wicket haul by Matthew Legault led the Pirates to the cusp of victory, only for the Warriors to steal the show.

With the sun continuing to beat down on The Candy Fields the outfield was dry as a bone and fast as a Formula One car. Crumbling underfoot, the wicket had to be watered an hour before play to prevent it from turning into a beach.

After negotiating the toss, captain Bell opened the batting with Vadher. After some promising swishes and a swashbuckling slap for four, Vadher skied his 14th ball and was caught by Suraj.

The third batsmen, Robinson, decided to stay a little longer and established a nice partnership with Bell. Against a barrage of accurate spin and seam, the pair worked the ball into the gaps, seizing on anything short. They added 89 in 20 overs, when Bell, hampered by a harrowing blow to the ribs, was caught behind off the dangerous Ashish for 35.

Thomas fell first ball, also caught behind, and Ashish bowled Bhattacharya in his next over to leave the Pirates reeling at 99 for 4.

Robinson took the attack to the Warriors while the experienced Horne rotated the strike. Together, the pair produced 110 runs in 13 overs. Launching 10 fours and 4 sixes, Robinson reached his first hundred for the Pirates in just 89 balls.

Looking to finish the innings in style, both he and Horne were bowled. The Pirates ended on 212 for 6.

Whether it was the burning sun or the pesticides the farmer had sprayed on the fields before the Warriors arrived, it was hard to tell, but the Warriors looked to have wilted in their response.

Legault and Kelly Morton, bending the ball considerably, blew away the Brossard top order. Legault, rattling the chegs, grabbed 3 for 5 in 4 overs, while his partner snared Bobby for 4, removed Arif lbw first ball, only to give him a reprieve, and was silent as two catches went down. Still, at 13 for 4, the Pirates looked to have the game sewn up.

The Pirates’ latest international investments, Polish Kuba Błażejczyk and former Denmark Under 19s’ Mathias ”Mad Dog” Hagemann-Nielsen took over and delivered some approved bowling. After some big boundaries from Arif and Vikas, they grabbed a wicket each to make it 85 for 6.

But then the Warriors captain came to the crease. Nigh on impossible to remove, he kept his team at the required run rate and was given explosive support from Sonu, whose swishes sailed to the fence with devastating effect.

Legault returned to the attack and claimed two wickets in two balls, heralding his first five-wicket haul (the second by a Canadian Pirate in as many days) – an astonishing feat for the big man.

But with the scores narrowing, the umpires went into crazy wide mode with, ”Sorry, I couldn’t see the ball,” somehow translating into extra runs and balls (33 in all compared to 12 in the first innings), much to the chagrin of the home side. There was even a no-ball – withdrawn after complaints – called by the squareleg umpire who was wandering around cow corner, because, apparently, ”People were talking.”

Robinson put the pressure on with some express pace and accuracy, but in the end Jagdeep’s unbeaten 58 carried the Warriors to their first victory over the Pirates with 20 balls to spare.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Brossard Warriors
Monday 3 September 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side (12 wickets)
Weather conditions: Can’t complain on a Monday
Result: Brossard Warriors won by 3 wickets

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 23 (Byes 3, Leg Byes 6, No Balls 0, Wides 12)
Total 212 for 6 in 40 overs

FoW (1-9, 2-98, 3-98, 4-99, 5-209, 6-209)

Brossard Warriors Innings

Extras 38 (Byes 3, Leg Byes 2, No Balls 0, Wides 33)
Total 215 for 9 in 36.4 overs

FoW (1-1, 2-10, 3-11, 4-13, 5-74, 6-85, 7-119, 8-181, 9-181)