Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Chittenden County Cricket Club
Saturday 6 June 2009

Pirates of the St Lawrence lost by 102 runs to Chittenden County on Saturday in a Vermont cross-border raid gone wrong. It was the Pirates first visit to Chittenden’s former military base, with fighter jets flying overhead to mark the occasion.

At first inspection, the wicket looked like a volcanic beach peppered with triffids, and the sight of a two-ton roller and a man with a mallet hammering away an hour before play caused mild concern. A shower mat was laid over the top to ward away daemons.

Fielding first, the Pirates kept the Yankees at bay, Greg Brander’s searing left arm pace and Thiery Milot’s twirly offpsin steadying the ship. Brander demolished Sridaar’s pegs for the first wicket before Philippe MacLeod claimed the first of three catches. The Franco-Scotsman was in fine fettle, plucking a skier at long leg off his breast bone.

Hugue St-Jean’s bazooka balls gained respect from the middle order, who poked and prodded without cutting loose. Rob Savage bowled tidily at the other end, picking up 1 for 24 in 5 overs.

Bhajooram Sukhdeo fired in his toppies, conceding only 11 runs from his 5 overs. Angus Bell collected 4 for 27, including a stumping off Brander. There would have been one more, with Chittenden’s own Scotsman flopping like a fish on the floor a foot outside his crease when Brander removed the bails. The batsman was halfway back to the pavilion when his umpire said ‘not out’.

Phil MacLeod, with bruising on his forhead from the new cap, his legs reddening and becoming freckly, produced his best bowling figures for the Pirates with 2 for 12. The Pirates rumbled Chittenden for 175, taking the final wicket on the last delivery of the innings.

At halftime, the wicket split in two, causing considerable problems with the bounce. Milot fell victim to a longhop that hit him at ankle height. Brander was playing as though in an IPL final, upercutting Kiran for four before playing across the line and hearing the death clunk.

In all, six Pirates were bowled, as first-change Mani picked up an unbelievable 5 for 2 in 4 overs.

Bhajooram Sukhdeo and Rob Savage put up good resistance in the middle order before Ray Nowrang slapped one over cow corner for six. Milot, in a small consolation for the rotten nut in the first round, returned at number 11 to score 7 not out.

The Pirates, still giggling and holding hands like schoolgirls, were all out for 73 in 20 overs. It will be a different story next time around when Chittenden visit the Candy Fields.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Chittenden County Cricket Club
Saturday 6 June 2009
Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, USA
Weather conditions: Fan-fuckin’-tastic
Match type: 35 overs per side
Toss won by: Pirates of the St Lawrence
Result: Chittenden County Cricket Club won by 102 runs

Chittenden County Cricket Club Innings

Amitavo ct MacLeod b St-Jean 27 (3×4)
Sridaar b Brander 10 (2×4)
Omar (c) ct MacLeod b Savage 29 (5×4)
Naveed b Bell 4 (1×4)
Mani ct MacLeod b Bell 17 (3×4)
Naveen st Brander b Bell 12 (1×6)
Kiran ct St-Jean b Bell 18 (2×4)
Govind (wk) b Sukhdeo 5
Omar Khan not out 7
Evan b MacLeod 10 (1×6)
Salman ct Milot b MacLeod 3

Extras 33 (Byes 0, Leg Byes 0, No Balls 3, Wides 30)
Total 175 all out in 35 overs

Bowling

Greg Brander 7 overs, 1 wicket, 35 runs, Econ. 5.00, SR 48.00
Thiery Milot 3 overs, 0 wickets, 15 runs, Econ. 5.00, SR –
Hugue St-Jean 5 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 19 runs, Econ. 3.80, SR 33.00
Rob Savage 5 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 24 runs, Econ. 4.80, SR 32.00
Angus Bell 7 overs, 1 maiden, 4 wickets, 27 runs, Econ. 3.85, SR 11.75
Bhajooram Sukhdeo 5 overs, 1 wicket, 11 runs, Econ. 2.20, SR 34.00
Tom Wisden 1 over, 0 wickets, 16 runs, Econ. 16.00, SR –
Philippe MacLeod 2 overs, 2 wickets, 12 runs, Econ. 6.00, SR 7.50

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Thiery Milot lbw Kiran 2
Greg Brander (wk) b Salman 4 (1×4)
Angus Bell (c/wk) ct Govind b Mani 15 (2×4)
Bhajooram Sukhdeo (wk) b Naveen 5
Hugue St-Jean b Mani 0
Andraj ct Govind b Mani 4 (1×4)
Rob Savage b Mani 1
Tom Wisden b Mani 0
Philippe MacLeod b Mani 0
Ray Nowrang ct Amitavo b Sirdhar 12 (1×6)
Thiery Milot not out 7

Extras 23 (Byes 1, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 2, Wides 17)
Total 73 all out in 20 overs

FoW (1-3, 2-23, 3-29, 4-29, 5-36, 6-50, 7-50, 8-50, 9-50, 10-73)

Bowling

Salman 3 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket, 7 runs, Econ. 2.33, SR 20.00
Kiran 3 overs, 1 wicket, 24 runs, Econ. 8.00, SR 22.00
Mani 4 overs, 2 maidens, 5 wickets, 2 runs, Econ. 0.50, SR 4.80
Omar 3 overs, 0 wickets, 6 runs, Econ. 2.00, SR –
Evan 2 overs, 0 wickets, 8 runs, Econ. 4.00, SR –
Naveen 2 overs, 2 wickets, 6 runs, Econ. 3.00, SR 6.50
Sirdhar 2 overs, 1 wicket, 12 runs, Econ. 6.00, SR 13.00
Omar Khan 1 over, 0 wickets, 8 runs, Econ. 8.00, SR –