Pirates of the St Lawrence versus South Star
Saturday 13 October 2012
By the Dublin Death Star
Photo by Mehul Vadher

In their final game of the 2012 season, Pirates of the St Lawrence ran out comfortable winners against South Star. A scorching 159-run partnership between Brad Smith and Manoj Mridha, on an otherwise chilly day, sealed a six-wicket victory for the Black Caps.

With 12 wins and 14 losses to their name, the Pirates went into the final game of the 2012 campaign needing a win to restore justice. As temperatures were in the single digits when play got underway at The Candy Fields, players from both sides opted for tuques rather than their traditional baggy caps.

Opening the bowling for the Pirates, Maxwell and Bhawalkar got things heated up for the home side by making early inroads into the South Star batting line-up. Maxwell struck in his opening over to remove Suhan. Caught at mid-on by Brad Smith, Suhan was replaced in the middle by Nasrat.

Maxwell was unlucky not to have a second soon after when he appeared to trap the new man at the crease. Nasrat looked to be out lbw padding up to a straight ball, but despite a chorus of appeals from the men around the bat, the umpire remained unmoved.

In sparkling form throughout the season, Bhawalkar was soon in on the act. The rangy seamer clean bowled both Usman and Safi during an exemplary opening spell. At the other end, Mulligan came into the attack first change and picked up the wicket of Hafeez in his first over – popping one up to Bell at short mid-wicket. South Star tumbled to 52 for 5 when Mulligan notched up a second. Beaten in the flight, Danish was clean bowled attempting to sweep.

Somewhat fortunate not to be given out early in his innings, Nasrat made the most of his reprieve by putting on 94 for the sixth wicket with Faisal. Accelerating the scoring in the middle overs, Nasrat raced to 89 from just 66 balls. While things seemed to be ticking along nicely for the visitors, everything came to a grinding halt when the batsmen issued the first ever call for a cigarette break on a cricket field.

It was left to the golden arm of Granville to remove Nasrat. After dismissing the dangerman, the dependable seamer went on to pick up the wickets of Nabeel and Naveed. Finishing with figures of 3-33, his best for the Pirates, Granville’s efforts to wrap up the tail were well supported by Bell, who removed Wajid. The South Star tailender was smartly caught by the Pirates’ latest recruit Sam Bowers at mid-off.

South Star’s tenth wicket fell in the final over when Bhawalkar came back into the attack. By clean bowling Sajid, Bhawalkar picked up his 20th wicket of the season and finished the day with figures of 3-26.

Set 214 to win, the Pirates got off to the worst possible start. For reasons which have yet to be established, South Star were given a pink ball to bowl with. It proved difficult to pick up early on and swung prodigiously. A dangerous combination at the best of times, this dual threat was made all the more difficult by the fact that Faisal was right on the money from the first ball. Struggling to pick the ball up, Maxwell fended at the first three delivers before he guided the fourth straight to gully – where he was spectacularly caught by Hafeez.

Maxwell’s dismissal brought Carter to the middle. It was the Antipodean’s last innings of the summer before he jetted off to make the start of the season Down Under. Carter fell victim to a ball that hooped in from outside off. Shouldering arms to a delivery that looked to be sailing comfortably past off, Carter was bowled first ball.

With Faisal on a hat-trick, Bhawalkar strode to the wicket looking to turn his fine form with the ball into a meaningful stay at the crease. Alas, he too was undone by the moving ball. Trapped on the crease, he was given out lbw. By removing Bhalwalkar, Faisal became the first bowler to bag a hat-trick at The Candy Fields.

At 0 for 3 after the first over, the Pirates appeared to be dead and buried. Fortunately, Smith and Mridha had other ideas. With their backs against the wall, the pair proceeded to build a truly memorable stand.

Surviving the early onslaught, both batsmen began to find the gaps. With the scoreboard ticking over, the pair took the attack to the South Star bowlers and were soon neck and neck in their race to fifty.

Smith – who got to the landmark marginally ahead of Mridha – registered his maiden half-century. A remarkable feat considering 2012 was the New Zealander’s first season of competitive cricket.

Together Smith and Mridha put on 159 for the fourth wicket – the fourth highest partnership for the Pirates. Mridha, who eventually fell for 68 off only 60 balls, was in free-scoring form. The wicketkeeper-batsman notched up ten boundaries during his stay at the crease – 8 fours and 2 sixes.

At the other end, Smith was clinical in his execution of the Pirates’ run chase. Big hitting allied with quick running between the wickets ensured he always kept the home side ahead of the required rate.

With useful contributions from Granville and Bell, Smith guided the Pirates home with 28 balls to spare. Finishing 88 not out from 99 deliveries, Smith’s match-winning innings featured 13 fours.

The Pirates thereby ended 2012 as they started it, with a win.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus South Star
Saturday 13 October 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 38 overs per side (11 wickets)
Weather conditions: Frozen-on-arrival
Result: Pirates of the St Lawrence won by 6 wickets

South Star Innings

Extras 36 (Byes 6, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 2, Wides 28)
Total 213 for 10 in 38 overs

FoW (1-2, 2-16, 3-19, 4-20, 5-52, 6-146, 7-150, 8-175, 9-196, 10-209)

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 44 (Byes 10, Leg Byes 4, No Balls 2, Wides 28)
Total 217 for 5 in 33.2 overs

FoW (1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-159, 5-176)