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Hey Hey Everyone,
Am slowly getting through a strawberry ice cream..boy
its warm nowadays ! And to think that we braved the
heat for two days, on a weekend when children were
advised by cautious parents to stay indoors, had some
beer, got some wickets, scored some runs, got burnt,
and ..won the cup ! The ice cream tastes good...let me
get another scoop and relive some of the memories
which made the weekend..
Saturday morning, and the first tournament in Taipei
after a long long time. Three intrepid teams turned up
for this tourney organized by the Colombo boys and
Shantha. With promises of great lunches and Saturday
Night Fever, the FCC, TCA and CCC teams ambled up to
Le Petit Cauldron on the banks of a nonexistent river
( there are roads, green houses and baseball stadiums
where the river once used to flow strong and deep).
First match FCC vs TCA. The rematch after we had kind
of shown off our batting getting to about 170 odd
from 15 overs. The TCA was keyed up and were ably
assisted my their most consistent batsman Mr. Extra
getting the top score of 39. The ShannonMan had
different ideas and kept the walkways between the
pitch and the pavilion fairly busy. Rick,Bonnie,
Jayesh, Nitin, and Dilip for a memorable 5 for haul.
The TCA finished up at 88.
Their turn to bowl, they kept Mr Extra ( 13 n.o.) at
the non striker,s end for most of the innings. Despite
a fair start ( Eddie getting 15 and Shardul getting
26), the tight bowling started showing results, and
the final over left 6 to win. Bharat bowled a very
very tight over giving away 1 run and took one wicket
to effectively bottle up the FCC hopes. Cockahoop were
the TCA lads but the wisbih and betelnuts were still
to get into the FCC systems.
TCA : 88
FCC : 84 / 7
Game 2 , the FCC lads ventured into the mid day sun ,
thankfully batting first this time. Ok, lets bat some
said Eddie, Sure thing said Sunny, and they went onto
make 151 for the opening stand. Eddie let loose some
fabulous pulls and drives. Saman swears he was trying
to bowl a tight line, but some of the outfielders had
a tough time searching for the ball the 3 time Eddie
hoiked it over midwicket in the same over.
Top score in Taiwan : 96
Scorer : Eddie Bruno ( FCC)
The CCC were not to be pushed over so easily. Don
Fernando drew inspiration from Eddie?s carefree
batting and played some beautiful drives straight and
square. For a moment the CCC train was chugging along
merrily. Then came the ShannonMan again and good bye
Don Fernando ! 47 useful runs, and ably supported by
Mani 21 ( and he too a victim of the merciless
ShannonMan.) One of the highlights of the FCC
fielding was the leap Mark made to get Silva caught
off the ShannonMan. Spectators were spotted with open
jaws at that spectacular effort..is it a bird , is it
a plane..?
FCC : 154/ 3
CCC : 103 / 7
Day 2, and Ladies and Gentlemen, the start has been
delayed at Le Petit Cauldron owing to ..owing to..the
fabulous curry lunch not being ready ! The CCC looked
like they cooked up some plans for the FCC batsmen
too, and given the Saturday Night proclivities of the
FCC, the CCC must have fancied their chances. Sure
enough, everyone looked like they needed a bit more
wisbih, another betelnut, some more beer, and can I
have that double espresso pls ? Mr.Extras hogged quite
a bit of the strike and ended up with 35 n.o. and the
FCC 112. Prema was whipping some mean googlies and, no
mate, a bloody mary cannot help you read those better.
The CCC took some scorching catches, and full credit
to their fielding effort.
So the CCC were a happy bunch. Ha ! said the man from
Sanchong. This is Cauldron is mine said he, enroute to
4/9 off 3 overs. Darren chose this game to have his Ha
! as well and came up with figures of 4/2 off his 3
overs. The pressure from these two guys
notwithstanding, Fernando again top scored with 25 and
the scorebook has the entry ? No byes Eddie !!?.
FCC : 112 a.o.
CCC : 76 a.o.
The Grand Finale..who is the King of Taipei ( with
the Taiwan King’s permission). The TCA fancied their
chances after their opening game heroics. The FCC were
quieter and more determined ? Shardul and Eddie
definitely were, when the FCC went out to bat first.
33 from 5 overs. Onto 130 from 15. Classic batting,
with the strike rate being increased each successive
over until Shardul wanted to bat on and on, and the
TCA were happy when the umpy said over.
Shardul 75 n.o. Eddie 50 retd and Mark : honorable
non striker and convertor of ones into twos :0 n.o.
Bring out that new ball, and give it to Hail Hail
SoHail ! Super quick, he started out bowling
deliveries which cut a mile and the batsman had no
clue when one stuck to its line and went straight into
his stumps .Bowling tight, straight and holding their
catches ( Darren got 3 ) the FCC restricted the TCA to
112 and won the cup without any major excitement.
Cilliers had a fine cameo when in the last over he
took a hat trick with his gentle dollies ( are we
going to see more guys working on their dollies after
DB, Cilliers and Vinit in the last tournament, have
taken a bunch of wickets ?)
The Skipper was overheard confessing his
apprehensions about the morning game against the CCC
when the wickets were like 9 pins when the Big
Lebowski was practicing. But, hear all ye who play
cricket in Asia..there is a bunch out here in fair
Formosa..and Shanghai it will be where their eyes are
now turned to...
FCC : 130 for no loss
TCA : 112 / 9 from 15 overs.
Man of the Series : Eddie Bruno
( batting avg 57.33, top score 96 )…
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