Pirates of the St Lawrence: Northern Hemisphere versus Southern Hemisphere
Sunday 17 May 2009

It was billed as the match of the millenium. After 7 hours, 427 runs and 31 wickets, the Northern Hemisphere defeated the South by 1 wicket in last Sunday’s thriller at The Candy Fields.

Preparations were contrasting. In favourable blusters, the North braved an hour in the nets while half the South arrived half-cut two minutes before play.

The south signalled their intentions immediately with the bat, Bullivant uppercutting Roche over gulley first ball for two. While Roche and ‘Austrian Strangler’ Amrit Sanger bowled with guile and venom in the early overs, they could not dislodge Aussies Bullivant and Colonel Sanders. The pair piled on 33 for the first wicket.

The introduction of Doc Savage’s impRobaball sparked the breakthrough for the North. Savage cleaned up Sanders before outfoxing Shaun Loubser. Hugue St Jean, the south shore specialist, continued the Northern spin wizardry. His strike rate and average with the ball continue to plummet as he picked up another two.

Nick Wigley and Greg Brander threatened a recovery, but two run outs from Phil Roche, the first from long leg, the second, from a leap at cover, kept the south in check. Bell’s Mr Kippling cakes accounted for Tony O’Driscoll first ball. O’Driscoll, wearing aviators and a balaclava, somehow managed to pull a slow full toss to short third man, where Julie Gauthier, doing her best at a circus juggling act, clung on at the third attempt. Clarence Cunha, cheeks puffing, then dismissed his friend May Ong for a duck. It felt like putting down a kitten. Brander produced some late innings fireworks, ably supported by North defector Phil Macleod. Twenty-eight extras kept the South in the hunt, as they reached 103 for 9.

In reply, the North showed exactly why it was they who invented the game. The first ball was creamed by Bell through extra cover for four. O’Driscoll, dressed for the slopes, bent the ball towards the slips, while Loubser tempted and teased openers Bell and Greenfield. The pair put on 28 before Loubser snuck one under Greenfield’s bat. The Surrey left-hander attempted to hack the ball away, but watched in horror as it dislodged the bails.

Nick Wigley was the pick of the South bowlers in the first innings, picking up 2 for 7. His sledging needed some serious work, however, and was largely incomprehensible. Mark Sanders resorted to bowling seam up in the wind, but could not blunt the Northern grind. Bharat Kumar joined the party and duly struck 18 in 14 balls, in a 50 partnership with Bell.

Only four North wickets fell in their 20 overs, as they gained a crucial 7-run lead at half time. Bell struck the club’s first 11-a-side half century.

It was nearly a nightmare re-start for the South. Thiery Milot spooned a chance to Cunha in the covers, but the Portuguese internationalist, still thinking about his ruthless dismissal of May Ong, palmed the ball to the turf. Milot made the North pay, working the ball patiently to all parts of the field. Amrit Sanger dismissed Shaun Loubser for the first wicket. The South African gloved the ball down the leg side to Steady Eddie Palmer, who collected his first of 3 dismissals in the second innings. Sanger completed his 4 overs for a miserly 12.

O’Driscoll carved 13 before falling victim to the impRobaball again. Milot and Bullivant accelerated the innings before Cunha clung onto a skier at midwicket off Bullivant. Bell then bowled Milot, the master outstripping his pupil. The Frenchman spanked his highest score for the club, and his maiden 50 surely lies around the corner.

Julie Gauthier produced the spell of her career, bamboozling Nick Wigley and then May Ong. She should have been on a hattrick after having Don Hudson plumb in front first ball, but umpire Milot took pity on the New Zealander. Tom Edmeades, like a cad, nearly took Gauthier’s head off with a straight four. Phil Roche repaid the dues, cleaning up the Englishman next over.

Vas Ramamurthy, fielding the ball all day with his ankles of steel, accounted for the dangerous Brander, running him out for 3. With 24 extras and some dubious scoring, the North were set 104 to win in the final innings.

A mix up from new openers Savage and Ramamurthy produced an early run out for the South, Bullivant skipping in from cover to dismiss the Indian. O’Driscoll fired in a return from long leg to dismiss Cunha, whose bat stuck in the gravel on a second run. When Bullivant picked up Savage and Gauthier, and Loubser flummoxed Palmer for a duck, the North were reeling in their pursuit at 12 for 5. (Bullivant generously allowed Julie Gauthier to be bowled a second time in two balls before pointing her off.)

Bell and Greenfield steadied the ship and kept the run rate at the required 5.2 an over. Greenfield launched Bullivant for 6 over square leg before missing a low-bouncing O’Driscoll offspinner and falling lbw. Bell gifted a lollypop to Sanders at long off on 34. The Australian, however, was wearing gloves in the field, and clarification over the legallity of the dismissal is being sought from the MCC.

When Amrit Sanger joined Hugue St-Jean at the crease, more than 30 were still needed with just 3 wickets remaining. The Quebecois pair produced the innings of their lives, driving the Aussie, Kiwi and Saffer opponents demented with their quick thinking and running. Brander removed the keeping gloves to dismiss Sanger with 10 still needed. Milot produced another blinding catch at point off Roche, who looked like he’d struck the winning blow. Bharat Kumar then hobbled to the wicket with 4 needed off the final over. He and St-Jean slashed their way to victory, with 3 balls to spare.

Pirates of the St Lawrence: Northern Hemisphere versus Southern Hemisphere
Sunday 17 May 2009
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint Hilaire
Match type: Two Innings of 20 overs per side
Weather conditions: British
Result: North won by 1 wicket

Southern Hemisphere 1st Innings

Darren Bullivant (c) st Palmer b Bell 28 (2×4)
Mark Sanders b Rob Savage 12 (1×4)
Shaun Loubser c&b Rob Savage 7 (1×4)
Thiery Milot ct Greenfield b St-Jean 3
Nick Wigley run out (Roche) 3
Tony O’Driscoll ct Gauthier b Bell 0
Greg Brander (wk) not out 19 (4×4)
Don Hudson st Palmer b St-Jean 0
Tom Edmeades run out (Roche) 1
May Ong b Cunha 0
Phil Macleod not out 2

Extras 28 (Byes 7, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 1, Wides 18)
Total 103 for 9 in 20 overs

Bowling

Phil Roche 4 overs, 0 wickets, 22 runs
Amrit Sanger 2 overs, 0 wickets, 11 runs
Rob Savage 3 overs, 2 wickets, 12 runs
Bharat Kumar 1 over, 0 wickets, 4 runs
Hugue St-Jean 3 overs, 2 wickets, 11 runs
Angus Bell 3 overs, 2 wickets, 11 runs
Vas Ramamurthy 1 over, 0 wickets, 3 runs
Clarence Cunha 2 overs, 1 wicket, 7 runs
Julie Gauthier 1 over, 0 wickets, 17 runs

Northern Hemisphere 1st Innings

Angus Bell (c) not out 50 (5×4)
Andrew Greenfield b Loubser 10 (1×4)
Ed Palmer ct Sanders b Wigley 3
Phil Roche ct Brander b Wigley 6
Bharat Kumar ct Brander b Bullivant 18 (2×4)
Amrit Sanger not out 3
Vas Ramamurthy DNB
Hugue St-Jean DNB
Clarence Cunha DNB
Rob Savage DNB
Julie Gauthier DNB

Extras 20 (Byes 2, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 0, Wides 15)
Total 110 for 4 in 20 overs

Bowling

Tony O’Driscoll 4 overs, 1 maiden, 0 wickets, 13 runs
Shaun Loubser 4 overs, 1 wicket, 21 runs
Nick Wigley 3 overs, 2 wickets, 7 runs
Mark Sanders 4 overs, 0 wickets, 24 runs
Greg Brander 2 overs, 0 wickets, 14 runs
Darren Bullivant 2 overs, 1 wicket, 19 runs
Thiery Milot 1 over, 0 wickets, 4 runs

Southern Hemisphere 2nd Innings

Thiery Milot b Bell 31 (3×4)
Shaun Loubser ct Palmer b Sanger 4
Tony O’Driscoll b Savage 13 (1×4)
Darren Bullivant (c) ct Cunha b Ram 13 (1×4)
Mark Sanders st Palmer b Bell 4 (1×4)
Nick Wigley st Palmer b Gauthier 2
Greg Brander (wk) run out (Ramamurthy) 3
Tom Edmeades b Roche 5 (1×4)
Phil Macleod not out 6
May Ong lbw Gauthier 1
Don Hudson not out 4

Extras 24 (Byes 5, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 3, Wides 15)
Total 110 for 9 in 20 overs

Bowling

Andrew Greenfield 2 overs, 0 wickets, 8 runs
Amrit Sanger 4 overs, 1 wicket, 12 runs
Hugue St-Jean 3 overs, 0 wickets, 10 runs
Clarence Cunha 2 overs, 0 wickets, 19 runs
Rob Savage 2 overs, 1 wicket, 17 runs
Angus Bell 2 overs, 2 wickets, 10 runs
Vas Ramamurthy 1 over, 1 wicket, 12 runs
Phil Roche 2 overs, 1 wicket, 13 runs
Julie Gauthier 2 overs, 2 wickets, 14 runs

Northern Hemisphere 2nd Innings

Vas Ramamurthy run out (Bullivant) 0
Rob Savage ct Edmeades b Bullivant 3
Angus Bell (c) ct Sanders b O’Driscoll 34 (4×4)
Clarence Cunha run out (O’Driscoll) 2
Ed Palmer (wk) c&b Loubser 0
Julie Gauthier b Bullivant 0
Andrew Greenfield lbw O’Driscoll 15 (1×6)
Hugue St-Jean not out 16
Amrit Sanger b Brander 8
Phil Roche ct Milot b Wigley 2
Bharat Kumar not out 3

Extras 22 (Byes 4, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 3, Wides 15)
Total 104 for 9 in 19.3 overs

Bowling

Mark Sanders 2 overs, 0 wickets, 8 runs
Shaun Loubser 4 overs, 1 wicket, 12 runs
Darren Bullivant 4 overs, 2 wickets, 28 runs
Tony O’Driscoll 4 overs, 1 maiden, 2 wickets, 11 runs
Nick Wigley 3.3 overs, 1 wicket, 26 runs
Tom Edmeades 1 over, 0 wickets, 11 runs
Greg Brander 1 over, 1 wicket, 5 runs