An eagerly anticipated rematch following the rain affected draw in 2019, the Buccaneers arrived at the idyllic Ascott Park to play The Nomads in what would be the Buccs’ first outing of the year. Following some last minute recruitment by our bean counter Mr Marsh, the team on paper was a young and strong one, full of batting promise. To that end, a negotiated toss led the skipper to elect to bat and send out openers Marsh and Kalidasan. It wasn’t long before Kalidasan was soon heading back after some sharp and accurate bowling saw him caught off the bowling of Hamilton, the young quick. Hamilton accounted for the next two wickets of Leech and Berry respectively. Milne and Machin fell to the ever dangerous Shawl, whilst Marsh dug in for a good knock of 29, eventually succumbing to the bowling of Y Malhotra. Fletcher showed good resistance in the middle order with a knock for 30 being C&B off Royals and the tail wagged with Hobbs getting a quick fire 25 before the Buccaneers were all out for 130 off 41.4 overs.
The Nomads started their innings needing 131 to win with plenty of overs on offer to get them. As usual, skipper Brockton opened the batting with C Malhotra joining him. Malhotra fell quickly to the slow seam up of The Buccs skipper, Metcalfe but Brockton looked in worryingly good form at the other end. Three more wickets fell in relatively quick succession, putting The Nomads at 68/4 which brought Y Malhotra to the crease. Some crisp hitting soon powered Malhotra onwards in the scorebook and Brockton reached his well-deserved half century. Malhotra fell to Hobbs C&B for 35 leaving Hamilton to join Brockton but the damage had been done. Hamilton and Brockton saw The Nomads home for five wickets down and only 34.1 overs needed to get them.
BUCCANEERS CC Innings
J Marsh bowled Y Malhotra 29
E Kalidasan c Ralphs b Hamilton 0
C Leech c Vithlani b Hamilton 4
A Berry bowled Hamilton 4
J Milne bowled Shawl 14
M Machin bowled Shawl 2
T Fletcher c & b Royals 30
M McLeod c & b Bahl 6
W Metcalfe* lbw b Bahl 0
R Hobbs c & b Royals 25
W Okines not out 4
Extras b3,lb0,w7,nb2) 12
TOTAL (All out,41.4 overs) 130
Fow:1-2(2),2-23(3),3-27(4),4-54(5),5-58(6),6-70(1),7-84(8),8-105(7),9-105(9),10-130(10).
Bowling– Shawl 12 3 31 2,Hamilton 8 1 29 3(w7),Y Malhotra 9 3 12 1,Bahl 6 1 15 2,Page 3 0 17 0(nb2),Royals 3.4 0 22 2.
NOMADS CC Innings
T Brockton* not out 60
C Malhotra bowled Metcalfe 0
A Faheem c Leech b McLeod 11
B Ralphs+ c Milne b Marsh 1
S Vithlani c Kalidasan b Metcalfe 9
Y Malhotra c & b Hobbs 35
J Hamilton not out 8
Extras (b4,lb3,w2,nb0) 9
TOTAL (5 wickets,34.1 overs) 131
Dnb:C Royals,S Shawl,S Bahl,C Page.
Fow:1-1(2),2-34(3),3-45(4),4-68(5),5-121(6).
Bowling-Metcalfe 7 1 21 2(w2),McLeod 9 1 27 1,Marsh 10 0 24 1,Okines 3 0 23 0,Berry 3 0 18 0,Hobbs 2.1 0 12 1.