The pitch looked more like what we are accustomed to with plenty of grass. Another 30 over game, this time against an MRF team at the Pace Academy ground. This team consisted of young elite cricketers ages 17 to mid 20’s who are professional cricketers who stay in Chennai with the pace academy.
Adding to the atmosphere was a crowd of about 100 students from the local college. Yesterday we were blessed to have Dennis Lillee looking on, today it was Venugopal Rao who has represented India in several ODI's and also plays alongside Gilchrist with the Deccan Chargers, the IPL champions. Also watching was S Shriram who has played ODI's for India on several occasions.
We lost the toss and were sent in to bat. Fordy faced up against quality fast bowler Balaji, and unfortunately saw 2 of his stumps dislodged on the 4th ball. According to our tour rules, he now has to wear the “duck” tie at our next outing.
This saw our good friend Lucky Narayana (who arrived from Bangalore last night at 4am) take to the wicket. Lucky is also short of match practice having not batted since last season and took his time to get his eye in against good bowling. Unfortunately in the 9th over he turned for a tight second run and was given run out for 4. Ozay was caught at slip off a good ball from Dharma for 12, just as he was starting to feel comfortable. Miller meanwhile was patiently getting accustomed to the conditions, but in the process received a couple of nice bruises - one in the stomach and one worryingly close to where it hurts.
Hennessy batted patiently. Spin was introduced and although the pitch did turn, it was not to the same extent as yesterday. Somehow while facing left arm finger spinner Kumar, Hennessy was hit in the helmet right on the face shield. (He can expect a fine for that one.) Not long after and to the same bowler, he danced down the wicket and was stumped by about 3 meters with no appeal needed.
This brought Bomber Liddelow to the crease and after settling in he enjoyed hitting Kumar to the boundary in consecutive deliveries. Kumar had the last laugh however, clean bowling Bomber for 10 in the 23rd over to make the score 5 for 62. Next over Miller unwisely attempted a sweep off wrist spinner Kennedy and was judged leg before for 25 making it 6 for 62. Thankfully however the collapse of yesterday was not repeated.
Pete Rawlings got a few out of the middle with his first innings of the tour – one of which was first 6 for the tour – a huge hit over long on off Kennedy. Meanwhile Johnny McKay also had his first bat of the tour and managed a brisk 10 before being judged lbw off Kumar. This brought Shane Turner to the crease who managed a carefully placed edge through slips for 4, before being caught at slip next ball.
Kennedy then got his revenge on Rawlings, bowling him for 15 in the 29th over making it 9 for 92. Ben Burley remained not out 1 (yet to be dismissed on tour) as Danny Turner managed a single before being stumped off Kennedy to make us all out for 94 off 29 overs.
Not an impressive total but a much better effort than our first match.
Hennessy and McKay opened the bowling and were very tidy and unfortunate not to have early success. After yesterdays onslaught it was pleasing to see a few maidens bowled. In the 8th over a smart piece of fielding off his own bowling by McKay saw a runout and the MRF team were 1 for 25.
Lucky came on with off spin and Brett Riley bowling tidy the score progressed to 62 after 17 overs. The match looked like it might turn when Balati was caught at mid off by Ozay and very next ball Kumar snicked one through to the keeper. For the second time in 2 days we had a hat-trick ball. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be but in the next over Billy Miles took a great catch to give Bomber his second wicket of the tour and the MRF side were looking a little shaky at 4 for 65 after 18 overs. In the 21st over Bomber clean bowled opener Dharma for 42 to make it 5 for 73.
Gupta and Rahul steadied things for MRF however and guided them comfortably to victory in the 24th over.
Hennessy 6-2-8-0, McKay 6-2-23-0, Narayana 3-0-19-0, Riley 5.5-0-33-2, Liddelow 3-0-14-2.
A better effort although still not to our potential. Batsmen and bowlers are now starting to feel a little more accustomed to the Indian conditions and hopefully we will continue to see more improvement in our next game, which is scheduled for Saturday.
MRF 5 for 97 def Pinjarra 94 all out.
Tomorrow is a rest day and we will be taking in some of the sights around Chennai.
No comments:
Post a Comment