Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Colonial Cavaliers of Boston
Sunday 17 July 2011
By our medical correspondent Dr. Phil

Pirates of the St Lawrence, under the captaincy of Sundar Krishnan, attempted to reverse the previous day’s three-wicket loss to the Colonial Cavaliers of Boston, welcoming debutants Gulshan Arora and Sarran Bhola to The Candy Fields. But with Tolson and his two Aussie mates AWOL, the Pirates were down to 9 men and a lady before a ball had been bowled.

The Cavaliers took first use of the mat, Kiwi pro Tutton opening with Braham. The opposition had kindly consumed a few pints prior to play, evening the odds, and were heard singing the praises of the previous evening’s establishment, as much for their service as the finger food.

While Tutton proceeded to smash and dash, the other batsmen kept falling. Granville bowled Braham for 1 and soon after, Bhola removed Cloutier and Loomes rapidly, both caught by Sakrani.

At 58-3 in the eighth over, thanks to some respectable bowling, Tutton decided to make hay while the sun shone and score every run. The growing number of spectators were treated to rolling reverse sweeps, cultured clubs over cow corner, and elegant back foot cuts through point. Krishnan chopped and changed bowlers, using the full range of Pirate guile from seam to spin, but Tutton carried on in the same vein, recording his 50 in less than 10 overs.

Roche, arriving with burgers, buns and booze, was co-opted to play and induced chances off Tutton and Ravipathy, but the New Zealander survived. His maiden hundred for the Cavaliers came at over a run a ball. Persisting with gusto, the Pirates chipped away with wickets at the other end.

Roche and Krishnan captured one-apiece before talisman Hudson and Paul rounded off the innings, paying due respect to Marlin’s flighted deliveries.

All bowlers took their punishment with a smile, the kind Cavaliers even offered to walk after dropped catches.

BBQ lunch was rapidly taken and the Pirates opened with Krishnan and Finkelburg. The skipper was undone by a Hudson submarine that hit a second-day foot-hole and struggled to get above the stumps’ baseplate.

Bousfield joined Finkleberg and the score moved to 11 thanks to some generous wides signalled by umpire Bishop, and Finkelberg’s strong straight drives to the fence. But Hudson soon clattered the uprights again to bring in Roche.

Immediately the wheels came off the Pirate chase. Bousfield attempted a suicidal single to short extra cover and was run out by the length of the pitch.

A seven-minute pause in play occurred when Arora, floating in Candy Fields Nirvana, was summoned to the crease without pads. He exited the vortex slowly, dragged by Krishnan who had to strap them on for him, and then tie his shoelaces, and joined the field of play. Sadly, his journey from kit back to crease was longer than his innings after another Roche run out.

Granville arrived at the wicket and stated, ”Let’s not go for the hat-trick, Phil.” The score began to mount and the punishment was reversed.

Wickets continued to fall with Granville and Sakrani leaving rapidly. Bhola, attempting to blaze in the last five overs, connected sweetly with three boundaries.

Roche, registering 6 fours and 5 sixes en route to his second 50 of the season, was out trying to carve a cut over deep point for 70.

Awan, this his debut innings, tried to fend one off his nose and fell at the wicket, the latest member of the prestigious Duck on Debut Club.

Marlin was kindly given extra balls, as the Pirates were down a player, and completed her streak of avoiding a duck.

Closing the match, Fry pouched a caught and bowled offering to hand him his 50th wicket for the Cavaliers.

All out for 124 in pursuit of 184, the Pirates could only chuckle at their eighth defeat of 2011.

In a final nod to last year’s infamous tempest, the tent once again tried to sail over Mont-Saint-Hilaire during a blast of air. In a final act of generosity, the Cavaliers combined with the Pirates to save the structure. Another great weekend of cricket ended well.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Colonial Cavaliers of Boston
Sunday 17 July 2011
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: Twenty20
Weather conditions: Like opening a dishwasher immediately post cycle
Result: Colonial Cavaliers won by 59 runs

Colonial Cavaliers Innings

M Tutton retired not out 101 (13×4, 2×6)
D Braham b Granville 1
B Cloutier ct Sakrani b Bhola 1
B Loomes ct Sakrani b Bhola 5 (1×4)
M Ravipathy c&b Roche 12 (1×6)
J Mallinson b Krishnan 13 (2×4)
D Hudson (wk) not out 17 (2×4, 1×6)
G Paul (wk) not out 9 (1×4)
M Montgomery DNB
J Fry (c) DNB
P Whitelam DNB

Extras 27 (Byes 15, Leg Byes 2, No Balls 1, Wides 9)
Total 183 for 5 in 20 overs

FoW (1-35, 2-37, 3-58, 4-121, 5-162)

Bowling

Andrew Granville 4 overs, 1 wicket, 15 runs
Aneeq Sakrani 4 overs, 0 wickets, 48 runs
Sarran Bhola 3 overs, 2 wickets, 28 runs
Phil Roche 4 overs, 1 wicket, 24 runs
Sundar Krishnan 2 overs, 1 wicket, 25 runs
Margie Marlin 2 overs, 0 wickets, 18 runs
Faheem Awan 1 over, 0 wickets, 11 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Sundar Krishnan (c) b Hudson 0
Ben Finkelberg b Hudson 8 (2×4)
René Bousfield (wk) run out 0
Phil Roche ct Mallinson b Braham 70 (6×4, 5×6)
Gulshan Arora run out 4
Andrew Granville ct ? b Whitelam 2
Aneeq Sakrani ct ? b Braham 1
Sarran Bhola lbw Braham 16 (3×4)
Faheem Awan ct Hudson b Braham 0
Margie Marlin c&b Fry 1

Extras 22 (Byes 6, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 1, Wides 14)
Total 124 for 10 in 19.3 overs

FoW (1-0, 2-19, 3-19, 4-58, 5-62, 6-78, 7-113, 8-123, 9-124, 10-124)

Bowling

D Hudson 4 overs, 1 maiden, 2 wickets, 9 runs
J Mallinson 3 overs, 0 wickets, 39 runs
P Whitelam 4 overs, 1 wicket, 19 runs
M Tutton 2 overs, 0 wickets, 4 runs
D Braham 4 overs, 3 wickets, 31 runs
J Fry 2.3 overs, 2 wickets, 11 runs