Pirates of the St Lawrence versus West Island Whackers
Saturday 22 May 2010

Pirates of the St Lawrence claimed their first win of 2010, beating the West Island Whackers by 55 runs on Saturday. Richard Horne starred with bat and gloves, clubbing 74 – his highest score for the Pirates – before picking up 5 dismissals behind the stumps.

Batting first on a damp outfield dotted with dandylions, the Pirates suffered an immediate setback as Eddie Palmer tweaked his back on the third ball. While he was happy to record another not out innings, boosting his average, he looked in considerable pain as man-mountain Matt Legault hoisted him awkwardly off the field.

Richard Horne joined Cap’n Bell at the crease. The Whackers, who train on uncut meadows in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, launched a barrage of fast, full, swinging deliveries as the crawled to 29 for 0 after 10 overs. The first loose delivery came in the 11th over, but even then the ball was kept to 1 by deep square leg.

Bell and Horne blunted the attack before quickening the pace, bruising the shin bones of the fielders. Their fifty partnership came up in the 15th over.

The first breakthrough came after drinks. Horne launched his first ball into the forest, taking the score to 93, but Bell was then gunned out off an Ashok doosra next over. The ball spun comfortably wide of the bat, but as his bat brushed his pad, Bell was astonished to hear an appeal from the keeper and to see the umpire’s finger raised. Had he been from the Southern Hemisphere, he may have been given a reprieve.

Roche arrived and continued his push for a Test place. His immaculate drives and perfectly timed clips began to stretch the Whackers in the field. While boundaries were hard to come by, Horne powered on and brought up his third 50 for the Pirates off 58 balls. He and Roche added 64 for the second wicket, as Horne was eventuallly bowled for 74, taking the Pirates into the final 10 overs.

Wickets continued to clatter in the selfless slog as the Whackers’ unnerring accuracy continued. Granville, Roche, and St-Jean all missed straight ones, going for the full monty, while Andy Myron and the experienced Tom Wisden took the innings to a close on 184 for 5 in 40 overs.

After such quality bowling, it was hard to guage whether the Pirates had registered enough going into the second half. But Phil Roche expelled any doubts, delivering one of the most destructive overs in Candy Fields history. He produced six brutes, taking wickets off the third and fourth deliveries. Each ball reared past the batsmen’s noses, four narrowly missing the bat, while two could only be fended behind to that man Horne again.

The Whackers survived the hattrick but were fortuntate to survive another strong appeal for a catch behind off Roche.

At the other end, Matt Legault sprayed the ball either side and then got the ball to bend, inducing a nibble from opened Pamma to Horne. Barely a run came off the bat as the Irish wolfhound smelled blood. He needed the help of fellow countryman Finkelberg at midwicket next, as Karan clipped in the air, handing Legault his second.

Finkelberg, Myron and Wisden produced miserly spells in the heat as the Whackers set about rebuilding their innings. Rana and TJ added a faultless 50 for the 5th wicket and with so many overs in hand, their task seemed achievable.

Spin twins Sukhdeo and St-Jean got the ball to dance, beating the bat multiple times as Rana and TJ continued heroically towards their target.

Bell broke the partnership in his second over, dipping one under TJ’s bat for Horne to do the rest. One brought two as the next ball was tonked to St-Jean at long on. The South Shore specialist made no mistake as the ball swirled in the cross breeze.

Vicky survived the hattrick next over but somehow sliced Bell to Sukhdeo at gulley, who moved swiftly to take the catch.

Sukhdeo, by this stage virtually unplayable, got his due reward as he enticed Rana into a false lofted drive on 24. Legault raced behind the bowler and juggled the ball to the umpire’s satisfaction.

Andrew Granville, the finisher, announced his arrival with a stumping off his fourth ball, giving Horne his fifth dismissal of the innings.

Legault and Roche returned to close the day. Once again, Mr left-arm-spin struck instantly, bowling Sandeep with his first legal delivery. Roche finished with 3 for 11 from 3.2 overs, his best figures for the Pirates, as the home team completed a famous 55-run victory.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus West Island Whackers
Saturday 22 May 2010
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side
Weather conditions: Overcast with light rain in the morning, blistering by late avo
Toss won by: Pirates of the St Lawrence
Result: Pirates of the St Lawrence won by 55 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Ed Palmer retired hurt 1*
Angus Bell (c) ct Khullar b Ashok 32 (2×4)
Richard Horne (wk) b Rashbal 74 (3×4, 3×6)
Phil Roche lbw Rashbal 36 (1×4)
Andrew Granville b Rashbal 2
Hugue St-Jean b TJ 4
Andy Myron not out 4 (1×4)
Tom Wisden not out 1
Ben Finkelberg DNB
Matthew Legault DNB
Bhajooram Sukhdeo DNB

Extras 30 (Byes 20, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 0, Wides 9)
Total 184 for 5 in 40 overs

Fow (0-5*, 1-93, 2-157, 3-169, 4-178, 5-178)

Bowling

Sandeep 7 overs, 0 wickets, 25 runs
Pamma 4 overs, 0 wickets, 15 runs
Vicky 8 overs, 0 wickets, 26 runs
Rashbal 8 overs, 3 wickets, 36 runs
TJ 5 overs, 1 wicket, 16 runs
Ashok 4 overs, 1 wicket, 21 runs
Sonu 3 overs, 0 wickets, 15 runs
Naresh 1 over, 0 wickets, 11 runs

West Island Whackers Innings

Surinder ct Horne b Roche 0
Pamma ct Horne b Legault 11 (1×4)
Naresh ct Horne b Roche 0
Rana ct Legault b Sukhdeo 24 (2×4)
Karan (wk) ct Finkelberg b Legault 0
TJ st Horne b Bell 43 (5×4)
Sonu ct St-Jean b Bell 0
Ashok st Horne b Granville 6 (1×4)
Vicky ct Sukhdeo b Bell 0
Sandeep b Roche 7 (1×4)
Rashpal not out 12 (1×4)

Extras 24 (Byes 4, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 4, Wides 16)
Total 129 for 10 in 39.1 overs

FoW (1-0, 2-0, 5-102, 10-129)

Bowling

Phil Roche 3.2 overs, 1 maiden, 3 wickets, 11 runs
Matthew Legault 5 overs, 2 wickets, 11 runs
Ben Finkelberg 3 overs, 0 wickets, 11 runs
Andrew Myron 3 overs, 0 wickets, 9 runs
Tom Wisden 3 overs, 0 wickets, 18 runs
Bhajooram Sukhdeo 7 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 20 runs
Hugue St-Jean 3 overs, 0 wickets, 12 runs
Angus Bell 7 overs, 3 wickets, 20 runs
Andrew Granville 5 overs, 1 wicket, 10 runs