Ping Tung Cup  June 21, 2003

GAME 1 - Friendly (FCC v KCCC)

Scores - FCC 91/8 in 15 overs v. KCCC 92/5 in 14.3 overs

Notables

FCC: Charl 3/14, Stephen 2/5 and 10, Shardul 19, Sunny 17, Dwight 14

KCCC: Andy Carrick 42 NO, Peter 3/8

Well the opening match saw a bunch of bleary-eyed Formosans milling around the sidelines under the beautiful burning sun of the picturesque Ping Tung Betel Nut Stadium.

Uncharacteristically, DJ won the toss and batted with Jimi and Sunny opening the batting. Jimi was out with the score on 13, before Dwight joined Sunny to lift the team to 1/32 before the man from Hyderabad ran himself out on 17 after looking in great touch.

Dwight and Shardul then took up the challenge and the Formosans were looking good on 2/50 with the two best bats looking at ease at the crease.  

Dwight was caught (another example of poor shot selection) on 14 off the bowling of the effervescent Jon and DB was bowled first ball by a fellow called Eddie. The golden duck was DB's first ever. (And we kept reminding him)

At 4/52 Stephen and Shardul added a nice 24 run partnership before Shardul was caught off the bowling of Peter and Stephen was out in the same manner a few runs later. Some good hustle in the end saw FCC reach 91.

Definitely defendable with our bowling attack.

But it wasn't to be. Despite some great bowling from big Charl (3/14) and Taylor-Made (2/5) the Kaohsiung boys managed to get home with three balls to spare. A magnificent 42 not out from Andy Carrick saw them home.

Our ground fielding also contributed to our defeat. "Atrocious," was the way word used by one spectator to describe it. "Un-Formosan," by another.

Deservedly won by the KCCC, it was a closely fought match that was the pre-cursor for the main event... 

GAME 2 - The Ping Tung Cup (FCC v KCCC)

Scores - FCC 155/2 in 25 overs v. KCCC 87 all out in 17.1 overs

Notables

FCC: Dwight 60 & 3/25 (MVP), Shardul 62*, Charl 3/9, Stephen - 12*  and 3 run outs

KCCC: Jon 52,

Man of the Match : Dwight Johnson

The KCCC had gained some confidence going into the big game after their brave win in the friendly. In a telling blow DJ AGAIN won the toss and batted.

And what a performance it was by the men from North - almost reminiscent of Ponting and Martyn in the 2003 World Cup.  After DB was bowled off a full toss for a well-compiled 1 (Is 0.5 a good average DB?), Shardul and DJ took the game away from the southern team. Adding 94 for the second wicket, theirs was a partnership made in heaven. With Shardul's grace and DJ's muscle the pair worked in tandem to break the spirits of the KCCC boys. One notable was that DJ blocked more balls than this writer has ever seen. They played intelligently, placing the ball and running well between wickets to frustrate the fielding team.

The pair were finally separated on 108 by a brilliant catch by the mercurial Jon at mid on. There was some doubt as to whether Jonno held the catch long enough - it was a bit like the Waugh / Gibbs run in during the World Cup in 1999. The main difference being that DJ walked...

The ever-reliable Stephen then joined Shadow to add 47 for the last wicket with Shardul smacking two sixes over midwicket. After 25 overs the visitors were 155/2. Under lights the KCC would need to score at 6.24 an over to win...

Well if the fielding was awful in the friendly it improved greatly in the second with the Formosans effecting three run outs - thanks to the Taylor-Made at short 3rd man. The bowling was awesome from Charl and Dwight who worked up nice pace in the sultry evening air.

An early run out and a fine catch courtesy or Stephen saw the KCCC stalwart Andy Carrick return to the crease to follow his 42 NO in the previous match. Elation was ours as he fell to an attempted Yorker from DJ. Josh quickly followed getting trapped in front. At 30/4 odd, the visitors looked to be well on top of the game... but Jon was at the wicket still and in a punishing mood. He dispatched anything that was bowled at him to all parts of the park in a one-man show for the KCCC. In addition, He managed to break Jimi's finger as the VC dived forward for a catch at mid on. After some tight frustrating bowling from our go-to man Kerri, the express train was derailed on 52 by a direct hit from Stephen at 3rd man as the KCCC were forced to push for runs. With the score on 7/84 the FCC could smell victory, Charl was ruthless as he punished the tail with straight thunderbolts unleashed from 11ft claiming the last 4 wickets with little addition to the score.

Game over  red rover...a comprehensive victory by the boys in the red, white and blue.

Credit and thanks must go to Jon, Andy and the KCCC boys for a two tightly contested games of cricket and for being exceptional hosts both at the ground and afterwards back in Kaohsiung. Also a farewell to Simon from Kaohsiung who returns to the fatherland with Afro wig in hand.