Scorecard

Old Merchant Taylors v Phoenix Cricket Club Phoenix on Sun 06 Sep 2009 at 1.30pm
Phoenix Cricket Club Won 6 wickets

Match report On warm and sunny day weclomed the Phoenix players awake from their slumber as an earlier start time was needed to play the game in good light. It seems that either this, an infestation of flies. tom tom failure, i had to have my cereal or illiteracy was the cause for many of the players to just turn up late.

To the surprise of many especially Sekhmet, the Egyptian Goddess of Anger and Rage, Fabian was cool, calm and collected as he rounded up his troops for the trip to Old Merchant Taylors (OMT). OMT home ground is at Durrants House whcih is a beautiful country house set in twenty five acres of secluded well groomed grounds that boasts a rich historic past. The ground & pitch itself is by far one of the best that Phoenix have played on and ranks alongside Hastings, Godalming & Windsor to mention a few.

Durrants was formerly farm land tenanted by one Simon Duraunt and dating back to 1278 AD. It was part of the Manor of Croxley which Offa, the Saxon King of Mercia, gave to St. Alban's Abbey c.790 AD. This was in remorse and recompense for murdering his daughter's bridegroom, King Ethelbert of East Anglia, at their wedding and for annexing the victim's kingdom!

Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796. He was the son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa, a brother of King Penda of Mercia, who had ruled over a century before. Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æthelbald, defeating Beornred, another claimant to the throne.

Alas to the game itself and enough of this history lesson. On winning the toss. the OMT skipper had no hesitation to bat first on a solid wicket with a fast outfield and a warm sun shining down. OMT started slowly but managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over as any loose bowling was hit to the boundary with consumate ease. David bowled brillantly as he past the edge of the bat on many occassions without getting the dreaded edge. OMT grew in confidence and taking their opportunities started to score freely at a run rate close to six than five.

It seems OMT were coasting along and a score off two hundred plus was achievable but then a mistake and some sharp fielding allowed Phoenix back in. The OMT opener looked set and then went for a quick single but was run out by some quick thinking by Imran. This rejuvenated Phoenix as the Triplets of Spin Nad, Fabian & Sanj took eight wickets as they bowled OMT out for one hundred and sixty four runs.

At tea, Phoenix knew that they needed a good start if they wanted to win the game. Fabian and Richard truley obliged as they put on one hundred and thirty four runs for the opening partnership off just twenty-two overs. Richard played sensibly with good technique and a straight bat as he looked not to gift his wicket away - he made a solid twenty-six runs.

But the plaudits must go to Fabian. the Persian King of Firs Drive & descendant of Clement, who showed no remorse and recompense as he murdered the opposition's bowling. His brother, Jason, the Queens Head of Cranford would be found rejoicing in a taberna with cask ale or keg beer being served to all.

Fabian with back to back fifties in the past two matches to his name was in prime form as he hit heavily, and repeatedly with violent blows as he decimated all those who bowled at him. Lilith, the Sumerian Goddess of Power' would have been smiling as Fabian used his stength as he smashed one hundred and one which included thirteen fours and five sixes. The foundations were set and after the fall of his wicket Phoenix went on to complete victory in the twenty fifth over.

Fabian produced a match winning knock with the bat and for this reason he is named Man of the Match. Also a special mention to Fabian for passing five hundred runs for the season thus far.

Well done to Old Merchant Taylors for being a good bunch of lads and playing the game of cricket as it should be played. As for Phoenix, a tremendous effort by the team marked by good leadership at the top. It has been said that if you can laugh together, you can work together. Phoenix ethos is having fun as team and thus a laughing team that loses is better than a winning team with sad individuals.

To quote Henry Ford (American industrialist and pioneer of the assembly-line production method, 1863-1947) “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Old Merchant Taylors Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
164 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Phoenix Cricket Club Phoenix Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Shazad 'Ali' Iqbal3.001000.003.33
David Naeem7.021900.002.71
Kashif Ihsan3.4024124.006.55
Nadeem 'Nad' Rashid6.012036.673.33
Sanjeev Kumar7.0035311.675.00
Fabian Saverimuttu7.0040220.005.71

Phoenix Cricket Club Phoenix Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 4 wickets
0
166		        
Fabian Saverimuttu Bowled  101
Richard Parker Bowled  26 1
Rahul Ghai ct  Deep Mid-on 20 1
Wahab 'Bob' Mohammed Bowled  0
Shazad 'Ali' Iqbal Not Out  0
Kashif Ihsan Not Out  4
Imran Khursheed   1
Inderjit 'Indi' Jassal  
Nadeem 'Nad' Rashid  
David Naeem  
Sanjeev Kumar  

Old Merchant Taylors Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.