A combination of holidays, university and school exams and even a Test match call up (ticket only) meant that AGSFP’s were struggling to field 3 teams this weekend. But due to several favours being called in and several players being willing to play despite not having had a game for a couple of years, FP’s 3rd XI just managed to field a full team for the Reid Cup match against Academy.
The team to play at a sun kissed Duthie Park was Johnston, Sandeep, Norwood, Maradona, Uday, Youles, Vishal, Lee (wkt), Gillies, Keshavamurthy and an 11:00am signed (and registered) Sachin Agarwal.
With two players delayed, FP’s deliberately lost the toss knowing they would be put in to bat, and Johnston and Norwood duly opened the batting. The wicket was dry and bare in patches, not surprising as it has been used the previous 4 weeks, the rest of the square being left uncut. Play was delayed after a couple of overs to allow a doggy deposit to be carefully removed from the wicket, the mess having been hidden in a patch of grass a couple of feet from the crease.
The interruption obviously disturbed the concentration of batsman Johnston who was soon out bowled for a duck by an inswinger for from Saffeer, FP’s 4 – 1.
Things got worse for FP’s when Maradona was given out LBW without scoring, FP’s 7 – 2 off 5 overs.
There then followed a stand of 16 off 10 overs, slow going due to accurate bowling from Saffeer and Niranjan, good fielding and two batsmen both playing their first game of the season and finding timing difficult. Uday was finally out, run out for 2, FP’s 23 -3 off 15 overs.
Youles was next batsman in, his first game for 2 years, but immediately increased the scoring rate by hitting a only the second boundary of the FP’s innings. The first 4 had been scored by Norwood who was using all his experience to keep out the Academy bowlers. Norwood had scored a defiant 21 (1 x 4) playing some good drives past the keen fielders. But while attempting to up the scoring rate, Norwood was out caught off Abhi, FP’s 41 – 4.
There followed a bit of a collapse, Youles was given out LBW to Brijpal, FP’s 41 – 4 and then for the Duthie Park ornithologist, 5 ruddy ducks in a row were spotted by a twitching FP’s captain. Jim Lee, Sachin, Sandeep, Gillies and PK were all dismissed for 0, meaning a total of 7 batsmen failed to score, FP’s all out 53 off 25 overs.
Not out batsman was Vishal who scored 9 (1 x 4). Wicket takers for Academy Amit 2 – 0 – 2 – 3, Saffeer 7 – 1 – 8 – 2, Brijpal 7 – 1 – 16 – 2, Aghi 5 – 1 – 14 – 1.
In an attempt to delay the match and hope for rain, tea was taken, but to no avail as the sun continued to shine. Vishal and Maradona began to bowl for FP’s, but the Academy batsmen soon had the game won despite losing Prakash, well caught by Vishal off Maradona for 12 (1×4). Abhinav was 15 no (1 x 4) and Adnan 18 n.o. (3 x 4) when the game ended in the 9th over, 56- 1.
To try and give Academy some value for their money and not waste a sunny Saturday afternoon, FP’s and Academy then played a 20/20 match. Same result, better game.
