Pirates of the St Lawrence versus The Nowrang Gang: A Guyanese XI
Saturday 27 August 2011

Powered by the spirit of Pupa Nowrang on a day of celebration and remembrance, the gentlemen of Guyana triumphed over Pirates of the St Lawrence in a 390-run thriller at The Candy Fields on Saturday. Children, grandchildren, and second cousins thrice removed turned out, many jetting in from Toronto. Long into the night they partied after sealing an historic four-run victory over the home side.

Starting early to accommodate speeches and the release of balloons, Raja Sukhdeo got his side off to a flyer, hoisting balls close to the sub-station. But after swatting three fours and a six, the senior Sukhdeo twin swung once too often, holing out to Granville at deep cover after a cunning change of pace from Wisden. The tall farmer from Bristol has turned the fearsome left-hander into something of his bunny of late.

Roche, beating the bat and himself, found reward, removing Indar Nowrang (caught & bowled one-handed) and Ken Birbal (swiping to Montpellier at mid-on) in the space of four balls.

Granville made it 62 for 4, trapping Bhoj Sukhdeo dead in front, and then Julius, hovering on the deep squareleg fence, continued the run of ridiculous catches, plucking Hari Sukhdeo off his toes from a Sakrani full toss to make it 62 for 5.

Enter Daddy Sukhdeo and super-sub Krishnan. With their side in the mire, the pair began to fightback, working ones, whipping to leg and punishing the rare pies to the fence in a stand worth 98.

Montpellier, on debut, found considerable swing, and Savage made the ball dance, neither allowing the batsmen to run amok.

At 160 for 5 in with 10 overs to go, the skids were put under the Sukhdeos. Bell and Julius, backed by sensational catching on a turning track, tore through the last six wickets for 37 runs, Bell collecting his second five-wicket haul of the season.

Dan Hogg pulled off the greatest catch in the history of club cricket, back-pedalling from deep mid off, leaping three feet in the air and spinning around, he grabbed a swirling ball with his sprained left-mitt over his shoulder. Sakrani pouched his sixth high catch in three games on the cow fence, and Montpellier juggled one at deep squareleg to leave Guyanese mouths agape.

Fuelled by vodka, South American curry and soaring speeches, The Nowrang Gang struck early blows in the Pirate reply. Sakrani experimented briefly with opening the batting before nibbling to the keeper, and Blechynden, in the vain of Ricky Ponting, fell for a blob at number three.

Bell and Horne negotiated a barrage of spin to notch up another 50-run partnership and leave the game finely balanced at 72 for 2 at 20-over drinks. But immediately after the break, Krishnan, again lending support to the opposition, removed the captain on 45, after tallying his 500th run of the season, with a wide ball cut to gulley.

Roche, brandishing his C&A plank like Thor and his hammer, smote four boundaries in a rapid 29 before smashing N Sukhdeo’s deadly left-arm darts to extra cover.

With 72 needed in 13 overs, the onus fell to Horne. The quick-thinking Kiwi brought up his first 50 of the season and fifth for the Pirates with a trademark back-foot cover drive. He found support and common language from fellow countryman Julius.

Hari Sukhdeo returned to the attack to spear his fourth victim, inducing a top edge from Horne after an heroic 59. With Daddy Sukhdeo making the ball hiss and spit at the other end, the Pirates faced a mounting challenge.

Wisden and Savage, in indoor mode, scampered and scythed a run a ball in a frantic eighth wicket stand that brought the home team to the cusp of victory. Somehow they managed to steal singles to the bowler. Wisden, in particular, looked like a Somerset pro possessed, racking up a career-best 13 not out.

But with Senior Sukhdeo sending down the last six deliveries and 12 runs required, the result was sealed, The Nowrang Gang finishing deserved winners by four runs. Pupa Nowrang would be proud.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus The Nowrang Gang: A Guyanese XI
Saturday 27 August 2011
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side
Weather conditions: A day to remember
Result: Nowrang Gang won by 4 runs

Nowrang Gang Innings

R Sukhdeo ct Granville b Wisden 25 (3×4, 1×6)
Bhoj Sukhdeo (c) lbw Granville 12 (1×4)
I Nowrang c&b Roche 1
K Birbal (wk) ct Montpellier b Roche 0
H Sukhdeo ct Julius b Sakrani 18 (2×4)
Bhajooram Sukhdeo ct Hogg b Bell 46 (7×4, 1×6)
Sundar Krishnan (sub) ct Sakrani b Bell 45 (3×4, 1×6)
N Sukhdeo ct Montpellier b Julius 11 (1×4)
S Panday (wk) ct Sakrani b Bell 4
T Birbal b Bell 3
R Nowrang ct Roche b Bell 0

Extras 32 (Byes 1, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 2, Wides 29)
Total 197 for 11 in 37 overs

FoW (1-35, 2-38, 3-39, 4-62, 5-62, 6-160, 7-190, 8-192, 9-195, 10-197, 11-197)

Bowling

Phil Roche 4 overs, 2 wickets, 25 runs
Tom Wisden 5 overs, 1 wicket, 22 runs
Aneeq Sakrani 4 overs, 1 wicket, 15 runs
Andrew Granville 2 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 2 runs
Elliot Montpellier 5 overs, 1 maiden, 0 wickets, 23 runs
Robert Savage 4 overs, 0 wickets, 22 runs
David Blechynden 2 overs, 0 wickets, 24 runs
Daniel Hogg 2 overs, 0 wickets, 16 runs
Angus Bell 5 overs, 5 wickets, 30 runs
Matthew Julius 4 overs, 1 wicket, 17 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Angus Bell (c) ct Archibar b Krishnan 45 (5×4, 64 balls)
Aneeq Sakrani ct Panday b H Sukhdeo 8 (1×4, 16 balls)
David Blechynden b H Sukhdeo 0 (10 balls)
Richard Horne (wk) c&b H Sukhdeo 59 (7×4)
Phil Roche ct Bhoj Sukhdeo b N Sukhdeo 29 (2×4, 2×6, 29 balls)
Matthew Julius ct H Sukhdeo b Bhajooram Sukhdeo 11 (21 balls)
Andrew Granville ct K Birbal b H Sukhdeo 1
Tom Wisden not out 13
Robert Savage b Bhajooram Sukhdeo 3
Elliot Montpellier not out 2
Sundar Krishnan DNB
Daniel Hogg DNB

Extras 24 (Byes 4, Leg Byes 5, No Balls 2, Wides 14)
Total 193 for 8 in 40 overs

FoW (1-22, 2-26, 3-87, 4-126, 5-153, 6-167, 7-171, 8-186)

Bowling

H Sukhdeo 7 overs, 4 wickets, 25 runs
T Birbal 4 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 15 runs
K Birbal 3 overs, 0 wickets, 18 runs
Bhajooram Sukhdeo 7 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 34 runs
R Sukhdeo 4 overs, 0 wickets, 22 runs
N Sukhdeo 8 overs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket, 21 runs
Sundar Krishnan (sub) 2 overs, 1 wicket, 13 runs
H Archibar 4 overs, 0 wickets, 23 runs
I Nowrang 1 over, 0 wickets, 14 runs