Relatively sketchy reports at the moment from Division
Two - but a few important results.
Top-of-the-table Illinois took on the Jaguars today,
and collapsed to 110/7 and in big trouble. But as the
old song went, "When it dont look good, who ya gonna
call?"... and the answer has always been, and
remains, R-U-P. We knew something special was happening
when we had to stop our game a couple of times because
the ball was landing halfway into our playing area -
Roop bludgeoned 111* and carried his team to 228 in
their 40 overs. He then came back and took 4 wickets
(with Jack claiming 5), and Illinois coasted home by
140-odd runs.
Second-placed AAA had a similarly easy win - they took
on Collinsville at Hanover Park, and, chasing only 91,
scored 95/5 in 18 overs for the win.
Third-placed Capitol received a walkover from Rockers,
and IIT in 4th place (but sharing the top-of-the-table
in the loss column with Illinois and AAA, with only 1
defeat) squeaked past Deccan Blues by 17 runs (in a
match that started late, maybe shouldnt have started
at all, but finished early).
The really interesting things are happening in the middle
of the table, however. MDS, the darkhorse favourites
who are getting on a roll at precisely the correct
time, put up 229 (aided by the old-firm of Asif & Asif),
and 3 wickets apiece for Naser Yemani and Altaf
Khadry propelled them to a 50-run win over the
playoff-contending Eagles. Suburban, another team that
has gotten on a roll (including beating Illinois a couple
of weeks ago), handily rolled over Jolly Rovers - with
Ram Chandrashekar not playing, Jolly Rovers were bowled
out for 97 and Suburban strolled home with 20+ overs to
spare (increasing their all-important run-rate at the
same time). At this stage of the season in Division
Two, "number of losses" (or lost points) is more relevant
in my opinion than total points, since everyone has played
a different number of games. Given that, MDS and Suburban,
both with 2.5 "losses" each to date, cannot afford any
more if they want to stay in prime playoff position - and
they have been doing the job lately, hitting form at the
right time.
Lucky XI, with 3 losses to date, rolled over the
Warriors; Arsenal (also with 3 losses, all consecutive)
returned to their winning ways over Continental.
Peoria CC, a pre-season title favourite who got themselves
into serious trouble with 4 early losses (and can thus
afford no more than 1 more the rest of the year if they
are to assure themselves of a playoff appearance),
continued their turnaround with a hard-fought victory
over the NoStars (by only 2 wickets, chasing 185). The
Eagles lost their 4th of the year to MDS - but both
remain in playoff position, with the knowledge that they
cant afford too many more slipups.
The last few playoff spots remain up or grabs - Advancers
pulled out a 10-run win over the Raiders today, but at
the time of going to press there is no news on the
Chicago Giants or Madison games (both of which have
major playoff implications); or even of the QC Kings,
who are in solid playoff position, but fighting to
secure a better spot.
written by Sadiq Yusuf
Monday, July 31, 2006
July 29/30: Division 1 Summary by Sadiq Yusuf
Division One featured several vital clashes between
teams fighting for their playoff lives, as well as the
"Game of the Year" - the Top Two in the table clashing
for regular season bragging rights.
On Saturday the much anticipated clash between Milwaukee
United and the Bears fizzled, as MUCC dominated the game.
AJ returned to the side to smash a blistering 98,
Bhavneet chipped in with 40-plus, and opener Sadiq scored
a fifty as MUCC put up a massive 275 at Lincoln Park.
Then, facing that mountainous task, the Bears batting
collapsed to Satya who took a 7-fer. MUCC thus takes over
the #3 spot in the table, while the Bears slip to 4th.
Both, however, remain in very strong playoff position.
Meanwhile 5-4 Phoenix met 5-3 Muslim Gym in a crunch
game (which I got to watch up close). Phoenix went after
the bowling at the start and at the end of the innings
...they were an amazing 44/0 after only 3 overs of the
match, and they scored 53 off their last 5 overs! In
between they consolidated - and with 61 from Omer and
69* from Aditya, they ended with 261/6 in 45 overs.
Muslim chased valiantly - two massive sixes from Imran
set them on their way (one an absolutely gorgeous cover-drive
for six in the very first over of the innings, that
skimmed screaming over the fence - a breathtaking shot),
but for once he fell early. Brother Kamran took over,
however, and hit 4 huge sixes of his own in his
scintillating 62... and at 128/2 in 20 overs, Muslim was
in cruise-control, needing only another 132 to win off
25 overs. However Shiv bowled Kamran with an excellent
straighter one right before break - and Muslim suffered
a slide to the spinners after break, with Fawad, Arbab,
Farhat and Mahmood all falling within the next 10 overs,
3 of them to spin. Another brave push by the lower-order
gave Muslim hope - with Moe going great guns the asking
rate was down to 36 runs off 36 balls with the last 2
wickets in hand - but the pressure of the lack of wickets
told in the end, and Muslim were bowled out 16 runs short
of their target with 7 balls to spare. A terrific game
and a very brave effort from Muslim Gym, but a vital
and establishing win for Phoenix (it would have been very
easy to suffer a let-down after the unexpected upset of
the Challengers the previous week, but Phoenix didnt let
it happen).. This leaves Phoenix at 6-4, vaulting them
over Muslim Gym who are 5-4. Both teams remain in solid
playoff position, but needing to continue winning.
Also on Saturday was the do-or-die battle between the
two teams that played the Finals in 2003 - the Wildcats
and United. United's batting, so brittle under pressure
all season long, cracked yet again against the desperate
defending champions - they folded for 151 despite another
battling 47 from Mehul and 36 from Faisal. The Wildcats
cruised home with 6 wickets in hand and 9 overs to
spare (at the time of going to press there were no
further details available). The loss seriously damages
United's playoff hopes - they are now 4-6, and in
a similar situation to last season, needing to probably
win out to make the playoffs. The Wildcats were already
in that no-wiggle-room situation last week itself... A
Journey of a Thousand Miles starts with a Single Step,
they say, and the defending champions began their long,
uphill, treacherous journey with that most important
first step yesterday.
Sunday saw the much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash
between Challengers and Pak Gym. Few details available
at the time of going to press - but Captain Rashid led
from the front for Pak Gym, claiming 5/23 and reducing
the mighty Challengers batting lineup to 138 allout.
The Challengers battled and claimed 5 wickets, but the
target was never going to be enough, and Pak Gym cruised
home with half their wickets intact with overs to spare.
Thus Pak Gym establishes itself as the team to beat
this season, vaulting to 9-1. The Challengers, unbeaten
until two weeks ago, suffer their second consecutive loss
- but remain solidly in second spot in the table.
Also on Sunday, Royals took on the Chargers (in another
game I watched up-close). Chargers batted first and put
up a not-very-healthy looking 148. They then came charging
out of the gate with the ball, however, especially with an
excellent fiery spell from Rafi - and after only 7 overs
the Royals innings was in tatters at 28/6! At this stage
one would expect most teams to begin a desperate, dour
battle, to fight with their backs to the wall and try and
eke out the runs as they inched towards their distant
destination. They Royals took all of 2 overs to survey
the damage... an old General is once reported to have
said, "My left flank is weak, my centre is collapsing.
Situation Excellent, I shall Attack!" The Royals
responded identically - from the doldrums of 32/6 after
9 overs, Rupesh and Vipul launched a scintillating,
breath-taking, jaw-dropping, counter-attack. Rupesh
bludgeoned 5 sixes and 4 fours in 70*, Vipul clattered
4 sixes and 4 fours in his 50*. It was pure carnage -
and, given the situation, stunning in the audacity of
its conception as well as the excellence of its execution.
Exactly 120 runs were pundered in the next 11.5 overs
(from 32/6!!), and the Royals rolled to a 4-wicket win
with 24 overs to spare! This amazing comeback vaults
the Royals (who started the season 0-4) to 4-5 and right
into the thick of the playoff race, while the Chargers
will have to regroup at 2-7.
written by Sadiq Yusuf
teams fighting for their playoff lives, as well as the
"Game of the Year" - the Top Two in the table clashing
for regular season bragging rights.
On Saturday the much anticipated clash between Milwaukee
United and the Bears fizzled, as MUCC dominated the game.
AJ returned to the side to smash a blistering 98,
Bhavneet chipped in with 40-plus, and opener Sadiq scored
a fifty as MUCC put up a massive 275 at Lincoln Park.
Then, facing that mountainous task, the Bears batting
collapsed to Satya who took a 7-fer. MUCC thus takes over
the #3 spot in the table, while the Bears slip to 4th.
Both, however, remain in very strong playoff position.
Meanwhile 5-4 Phoenix met 5-3 Muslim Gym in a crunch
game (which I got to watch up close). Phoenix went after
the bowling at the start and at the end of the innings
...they were an amazing 44/0 after only 3 overs of the
match, and they scored 53 off their last 5 overs! In
between they consolidated - and with 61 from Omer and
69* from Aditya, they ended with 261/6 in 45 overs.
Muslim chased valiantly - two massive sixes from Imran
set them on their way (one an absolutely gorgeous cover-drive
for six in the very first over of the innings, that
skimmed screaming over the fence - a breathtaking shot),
but for once he fell early. Brother Kamran took over,
however, and hit 4 huge sixes of his own in his
scintillating 62... and at 128/2 in 20 overs, Muslim was
in cruise-control, needing only another 132 to win off
25 overs. However Shiv bowled Kamran with an excellent
straighter one right before break - and Muslim suffered
a slide to the spinners after break, with Fawad, Arbab,
Farhat and Mahmood all falling within the next 10 overs,
3 of them to spin. Another brave push by the lower-order
gave Muslim hope - with Moe going great guns the asking
rate was down to 36 runs off 36 balls with the last 2
wickets in hand - but the pressure of the lack of wickets
told in the end, and Muslim were bowled out 16 runs short
of their target with 7 balls to spare. A terrific game
and a very brave effort from Muslim Gym, but a vital
and establishing win for Phoenix (it would have been very
easy to suffer a let-down after the unexpected upset of
the Challengers the previous week, but Phoenix didnt let
it happen).. This leaves Phoenix at 6-4, vaulting them
over Muslim Gym who are 5-4. Both teams remain in solid
playoff position, but needing to continue winning.
Also on Saturday was the do-or-die battle between the
two teams that played the Finals in 2003 - the Wildcats
and United. United's batting, so brittle under pressure
all season long, cracked yet again against the desperate
defending champions - they folded for 151 despite another
battling 47 from Mehul and 36 from Faisal. The Wildcats
cruised home with 6 wickets in hand and 9 overs to
spare (at the time of going to press there were no
further details available). The loss seriously damages
United's playoff hopes - they are now 4-6, and in
a similar situation to last season, needing to probably
win out to make the playoffs. The Wildcats were already
in that no-wiggle-room situation last week itself... A
Journey of a Thousand Miles starts with a Single Step,
they say, and the defending champions began their long,
uphill, treacherous journey with that most important
first step yesterday.
Sunday saw the much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash
between Challengers and Pak Gym. Few details available
at the time of going to press - but Captain Rashid led
from the front for Pak Gym, claiming 5/23 and reducing
the mighty Challengers batting lineup to 138 allout.
The Challengers battled and claimed 5 wickets, but the
target was never going to be enough, and Pak Gym cruised
home with half their wickets intact with overs to spare.
Thus Pak Gym establishes itself as the team to beat
this season, vaulting to 9-1. The Challengers, unbeaten
until two weeks ago, suffer their second consecutive loss
- but remain solidly in second spot in the table.
Also on Sunday, Royals took on the Chargers (in another
game I watched up-close). Chargers batted first and put
up a not-very-healthy looking 148. They then came charging
out of the gate with the ball, however, especially with an
excellent fiery spell from Rafi - and after only 7 overs
the Royals innings was in tatters at 28/6! At this stage
one would expect most teams to begin a desperate, dour
battle, to fight with their backs to the wall and try and
eke out the runs as they inched towards their distant
destination. They Royals took all of 2 overs to survey
the damage... an old General is once reported to have
said, "My left flank is weak, my centre is collapsing.
Situation Excellent, I shall Attack!" The Royals
responded identically - from the doldrums of 32/6 after
9 overs, Rupesh and Vipul launched a scintillating,
breath-taking, jaw-dropping, counter-attack. Rupesh
bludgeoned 5 sixes and 4 fours in 70*, Vipul clattered
4 sixes and 4 fours in his 50*. It was pure carnage -
and, given the situation, stunning in the audacity of
its conception as well as the excellence of its execution.
Exactly 120 runs were pundered in the next 11.5 overs
(from 32/6!!), and the Royals rolled to a 4-wicket win
with 24 overs to spare! This amazing comeback vaults
the Royals (who started the season 0-4) to 4-5 and right
into the thick of the playoff race, while the Chargers
will have to regroup at 2-7.
written by Sadiq Yusuf
Sunday, July 30, 2006
WANT TO PLAY CRICKET?
Are you a player looking to play cricket in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana or Missouri?
Here are your options.
1) go to www.midwestcricket.org and see if you can find a team in your area by checking "team profiles" under the drop down menu for the tab "Teams". You can then write to them directly by looking up their email from team contacts. I will also suggest that you check to see if there is an MWCC Ground nearby by going to "About Us" and the "Grounds" tab below that. You can then always go and check out your local team in the weekends when the season is on. Look under "Match Schedule" for Game Details.
2) If you are too lazy to do all that or if you are a superstar looking for glory in the mid-west just leave your contact details with any additional pertinent info in the comments area below.
Note: There are other cricket leagues in these states. The information above is only meant for players interested in playing in the Midwest Cricket Conference League. We suggest that you look at all the leagues and make the choice best suited for your needs. Making sure that anyone who wants to play cricket, gets the opportunity to participate is more important than anything else.
Here are your options.
1) go to www.midwestcricket.org and see if you can find a team in your area by checking "team profiles" under the drop down menu for the tab "Teams". You can then write to them directly by looking up their email from team contacts. I will also suggest that you check to see if there is an MWCC Ground nearby by going to "About Us" and the "Grounds" tab below that. You can then always go and check out your local team in the weekends when the season is on. Look under "Match Schedule" for Game Details.
2) If you are too lazy to do all that or if you are a superstar looking for glory in the mid-west just leave your contact details with any additional pertinent info in the comments area below.
Note: There are other cricket leagues in these states. The information above is only meant for players interested in playing in the Midwest Cricket Conference League. We suggest that you look at all the leagues and make the choice best suited for your needs. Making sure that anyone who wants to play cricket, gets the opportunity to participate is more important than anything else.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Open Thread: July 22/23 Matches
Here is an open thread for anyone to comment about Matches played weekend of July 22/23.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
CRICKET - LA Open 2006 Awards Presentation Ceremony
| This video was shot with a 5 mega pixel digital camera. For better clarity watch small size. | |
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Photos from LA Open ( Part 3)
Raheel Akhtar with Romesh KaluwitharanaPhoto Courtesy of Raheel Akhtar ( Pak Gym)
Photos from LA Open ( Part 2)
Nasir Mahmood and Shahid Munir
Azharuddin and Nasir
Nasir with Kalu
Nasir and Tushar partying with the SriLankaninternationals Kalu and Dharmasena
Raheel after giving a few tips to Franklyn RosePhotos Courtesy of Raheel Akhtar ( Pak Gym)
Photos from LA Open ( Part 1)
Game in Progress
More of the action
Ambrose lets it rip
Ambrose, Nasir and Rose
Deadly Bowlers (L-R): Shahid Munir, CurtleyAmbrose, Raheel Akhtar
Sunday, July 02, 2006
The News from the Western Front (aka LA Open, Day One)
After Day One at the LA Open, the MCC squad is 1-1.
Game One: Nilesh stars in MCC win
The first match of the tournament on the Severn ground,
this was always going to be MCC's best chance at a win
before they took on teams loaded with international
players. And the boys came through in wonderful fashion.
It didnt start well for MCC, as the top order collapsed
apart from Sohail (St Louis CC). Despite Sohail's
quickfire 23, MCC wobbled to 38/3 and then slid
horribly to 54/7! But the lower order showed great
resilience - both Bhavneet (Milwaukee United CC) and
Nasir (Flames CC) got into double figures and provided
support from one end.
While they were providing solid support, leading the
charge at the other end was Nilesh (Challengers CC) who
played a complete blinder. Cometh the hour, cometh the
man they say - and in MCC's hour of crisis it was Nilesh
who stood up to be counted. He first stabilized the
situation, and then took complete control of the match
- and by the end he had blasted a fantastic 63 not out
off only 36 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. Almost
single-handedly Nilesh had turned the game around - he
had piloted MCC from the dire straits of 54/7 to the
relatively safe harbour of 148/8 at the end of 20 overs,
a very competitive score in the conditions.
And he wasnt finished for the game either - after his
batting heroics Nilesh opened the bowling and did
wonderfully well. He clean-bowled the #3 and came
back to dismiss a tailender, to end a fairytale day.
Following Nilesh's example, every MCC bowler chipped
in and the fielders stepped up. Florida's most
dangerous batsman Paul Singh, for example, was runout
by Bhavneet for only 8 - the value of which could be
seen when, in Florida's next game against 3 test-match
spin bowlers, Paul Singh hit 7 sixes in the course of
smashing 71 off 39 balls. Keeper Imran Tailor (AAA CC)
contributed two stumpings off wily left-arm spinner
Subba (St Louis CC), including a quicksilver dismissal
of Florida's most experienced player, former test-batsman
Foud Bacchus. Every bowler contributed - 2 wickets each
for Nasir and Nilesh, 1 each for Shahid (Pak Gym CC)
and Tehsin (St Louis CC), and 3 for Subba. Florida
were dismissed for 128, as MCC won quite comfortably
in the end by 20 runs.
But the clear star of the day was Nilesh Patel - who,
for his 63* off 36 balls and his excellent bowling
spell of 2/22 in 4 overs, was awarded the Man of
the Match in what must surely have been one of the
easiest decisions an adjudicator ever had to make.
Game Two: MCC fall to star-studded Packers
In the second game, MCC took on the international-heavy
Los Angeles Packers, with both teams 1-0 (the Packers,
in the second match at Severn, had already demolished
Florida - Paul Singh's 39-ball 71 had set the Packers
a good 149, but they had made a mockery of the target,
with Azharuddin's 92* and Romesh Kaluwitharna's 52*
leading the Packers to a 9-wicket win with almost 5
overs to spare).
MCC started excellently - facing 2 "normal" (ie non-
international) pacemen, openers Suhail with 21, Ajit
(Wildcats CC) with 26 (including 2 sixes) gave MCC
a fantastic 48-run opening stand. The #3 Afroze
(Bears CC) contributed 21 to extend the good start -
but with former test-match spinners Venkatapathy Raju,
Kumara Dharmasena and Nikhil Chopra coming on, the
match turned in the wrong direction for MCC. A
typically aggressive knock late in the innings from
Shahid Munir (39 off 19 balls with 3 sixes) and a
late flurry from Raheel Akhtar (16 off 9 balls -
both Pak Gym CC) took MCC up to a respectable 147/7
in their 20 overs.
The two Packer stars of the previous game did their part
in the chase - but MCC still fared much better against
them than Florida's All-stars had. Romesh Kaluwitharna
hammered 25 off his first 10 balls, especially going
after Raheel in the second over of the innings - but
Raheel had his revenge by getting the former Sri Lankan
opener in his next over. Azharuddin scored 22, before
Subba claimed the prize wicket of the former Indian
captain. But in the end the international depth of
the Packers would not be denied - Indian
international Rohan Gavaskar with 29* off 19 balls
and Sri Lankan international Kumara Dharmasena with
30* off 18 balls carried the Packers home with 6
wickets to spare.
All in all, despite the loss to the Packers, a wonderful
first day for MCC with that memorable victory against
a strong Floria outfit. With the win, and with a
respectable fight against the Packers, MCC is in
position to possibly advance to the knockout
Quarter-Finals on Day Two. Before that, however, is
a match to look forward to in the morning, against
the defending champions and tournament favourites
Punjab Blues - the team that has 3 international
batsmen in their lineup, and open the bowling with
Adam Sanford and Curtly Ambrose.
-----------
Sadiq
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