MERALOMA CC BEATS PAKCAN CC IN THRILLER TO WIN INTER-LEAGUE MATCH

On Sunday 24th May'09 at Upper Brockton, the 2008 BCMCL champions took on the 2008 MVCL Champions, the winner going on to play Victoria for the right to represent BC at the Western Canadian John Ross Robertson Trophy. The game was originally scheduled for October 2008, but as often happens in BC in October, it rained and, despite Meraloma having bowled PakCan out for 90 there was no result.

No chance of rain on Sunday and the sun blazed down on Stanley Park as the toss was taken by Kevin Sandher of Meraloma and Baber Sandhu of Pakcan. Sandher won the toss and elected to bat. The sun dappled pitch saw the blue and red clad Pakcan take the field, followed closely by a pair of orange and black clad batsmen, Dixon and McGowan of the Meralomas.

The opening exchanges of this game were ones only a purist could enjoy. Apart from an early boundary, the bowling from Umer Saleem and Bashir Bardai was tight and the batsmen struggled to score. With only 9 on the board, but the game in the sixth over, Bardai served up a wide one to McGowan who nicked it to the keeper. Jason Sandher and Dixon plodded along for a few overs before Sandher fell attempting to chip over the leg side and Dixon was adjudged LBW. At 27 for 3 the Lomas were in the mire and a partnership was required; they didn't get one.

Snow was the victim of some smart fielding as Tahir got him with a direct hit, Downs was also adjudged LBW, another wicket to Shakil Muhammad who was bowling a good line and length on a less than true Upper Brockton wicket. Whatham dug in and stayed at the crease, but was rendered virtually strokeless as he attempted to anchor the innings while wickets fell at the other end. At number seven Kevin Sandher played his natural attacking game to swing the momentum of the game in the Lomas favour, he was partially successful with a brisk 21 before falling tamely to a catch at point. McCarthy and Welsh provided some much needed lower order runs, in their contrasting styles. Welsh drove powerfully including a towering six off of an otherwise tidy Rashid Masood while McCarthy nudged and nurdled his way to an extremely important 21 out of a miserable 118 all out. Shakil Muhammad was the cream of the PakCan bowlers as he picked up 3 for 10 off of his seven overs. He was ably supported by Bashir Bardai with a miserly 1 for 11 off of his ten overs and Umer Saleem with 2 for 26. The PakCan spinners fared less well and the 37 that came off of Masood's ten overs would turn out to be vital. With such a meagre total on the board Pakcan went into the lunch break as clear favourites. It is an old truism of the game that small totals are the hardest to chase, and so it would prove for PakCan. PakCan openers Tahir and Kaler came out knowing that they only required two an over and must have felt fairly confident. The Lomas bowling attack ranks quite high on the list of others in BC and they were out to prove it.

After a couple of wides Welsh was soon swinging the white ball at a brisk pace and Tahir nicked the last ball of the first over to Downs at slip who held the catch. The second over saw Matt Obst firing in from the Sea End and generating a fair head of steam. It was too much for Kaler who deflected a nasty lifter into his own stumps. PakCan were 5 for 2 without having scored a run off the bat thanks to the bowlers early radar problems. Shakil Muhammed and Baber Sandhu at three and four were clearly the class of the PakCan batting and they began to build a partnership.

Having got to 30 Shakil attempted to drive Obst down the ground but only succeeded in choppping the ball into his stumps as he was surprised by extra pace. Sandhu followed soon after in comedic fashion. The ball was powerfully driven through the covers by Dar who called for a run, Sandhu was looking for two and turned to complete the second run. Unfortunately for him, Dar had slipped and was prone on the ground. A quick relay from Gunaratna to Welsh to Snow saw Sandhu out by several metres. Dar and Nagpul then set about trying to claw PakCan back into the game, they pushed the score to 51 before Downs found a vicious yorker to uproot Dar's stumps. Bardai fell in the same over fencing at a quick rising delivery to be well caught at third slip by McCarthy and Wahla's stay was also brief as he nicked a Welsh outswinger to second slip where Whatham took a fine catch diving forward. Nagpul and Masood then began a vitally important partnership as the required total slowly came into sight. Nagpul had more than his fair share of fortune being dropped at slip and third man as the Lomas fielding let them down. Obst however was not to be denied and he found a scorching yorker to send Nagpul's middle stump flying and leave PakCan at 74 for 8.

Patiently Masood began to work his way towards the top score of the match. Umer Saleem provided solid support during their 9th wicket stand as they picked off singles and twos and brought the required total to within reach. Lomas continued with their attacking fields and Welsh and Downs fiinished up their spells. Spin was tried from the Sea End, initially Kevin Sandher, but latterly Karl Whatham as the Lomas sought a breakthrough. It finally happened with the score on 111 as Saleem tried to cut a delivery from the newly introduced Luke McCarthy and only managed to feather it through to Snow behind the stumps. One wicket left to fall and a mere 8 runs required. The score inched up to 116 with the left handed Masood looking in control of proceedings. Whatham had one last trick left and his loopy off break turned and bounced to leave Masood (26) who was attempting a leg side sweep against the spin. Snow whipped off the bails and the game was over. Stumped with three runs required.

The Lomas were ecstatic after one of the tenser games of cricket seen in BC in quite some time. The Lomas quicks were the difference in the game with Welsh finishing with 2 for 18 off 10, Downs 2 for 36 off 10 and Obst 3 for 42 off 7. Luke McCarthy made a late bid for man of the match with his 21 and a vital wicket as did Steven Welsh and Rashid Masood. In all a fantastic game of cricket.

Meraloma C.C. defeated PakCan C.C. by two runs.

Congratulations to both teams.