Talybont/Rachels 1sts (133-9) beat Talybont/Rachels 2nds (132-8) by 1 wicket

Fine and Country WWCCC

SUMMER just about lasted long enough to give an enthralling finale to the season in the very last match of the Fine and Country WWCCC, the derby match ending in a victory for the senior side, in what was a huge contrast to the run-fest earlier in the season.

1sts skipper Vinod Matthew pondered long and hard before inviting the 2nds to bat on a dry strip.

Anant drew first blood, executing a glorious square drive to the boundary in Zaid Khan’s first over, which cost 10 runs.

The batting supremacy was short-lived, as Zaid got a ball to stop in the pitch, catching Joshi’s leading edge to take a simple return catch.

The delivery was a portent of things to come. Zaid then took out Anish’s leg stump with a swift yorker to reduce the innings to 14-2.

Pace bowler Joel Abraham joined Zaid in keeping the run-rate down.

Anant showed his usual wristy flair in striking Jestus for two further boundaries but was undone by one that turned a lot to be bowled for 26.

2nds captain Anup Menon has shown great patience when batting this year, but he top-edged a full toss from Zaid to give the bowler his second return catch with the score on 53 in the 15th over.

Lehru looked to be very comfortable and capable, but Phillip Abraham got one to seam, and a very thin edge was well taken by keeper Bava Vasu.

With half the side out for 55, and a very long tail in prospect, Huw Chambers and Milton John set about repairing the innings in differing ways.

Milton’s favourite straight drive soon appeared; Graison John being hit for a straight six into the blackberry bushes.

John hit two further powerful boundaries before Graison produced a clever slower ball which had Milton playing too soon and playing on to his stumps for 19. The score had moved to 80.

The ball was by now alternately popping and staying low, making cross-bat shots risky.

With two left-handers at the crease, the bowlers tried to lead both into the temptation of fencing outside the off-stump.

This led to a stalemate for the next ten overs or so.

Tibin finally persuaded Arun to play aggressively, and Joel took a good catch at slip.

Jino tried to up the tempo but was punished as the erratic bounce led him to pushing the ball to Titus Matthew at midwicket, Sagur being the bowler.

With the 8th wicket falling at 94, three figures looked distant, but Vivek had a novel approach.

Standing well to leg of his stumps, he adopted a ‘baseball’ method and struck his first ball from Sagur fiercely to the midwicket boundary.

The rest of the innings saw a flurry of runs, Vivek dispatching the ball in all directions.

The innings closed on 132-8, Vivek on 25, Chambers having crawled to 22 from 26 overs, a Puritan in an age of cricket hedonism.

Zaid claimed 3- 23.

The second innings began much as the first had done, Sumesh Antony taking the attack to the bowlers.

His low grip and quick hands proved ideal to counter the slowness of the pitch.

Vinod Matthew was undone by a ball from Milton John that swung into the stumps from outside leg.

Anish and Milton strived to trouble the batsmen, but Titus Matthew proved a perfect orthodox foil to Sumesh’s aggression.

Titus pushed the ball intelligently into the gaps whilst Sumesh pulled and drove gloriously.

A fifty partnership from the pair took the score past halfway by the 12th over, and the match was drifting away from Anup.

He brought on his spinners, and packing the offside with catchers brought instant dividends, the captain himself taking a catch at extra cover to send back Sumesh for 34.

Ominously, the widish delivery from Arun had stopped and bounced.

In the next over, Anant had Zaid playing a handsome flick off his legs, only for Arun to make a low catch seem nonchalant.

The delight of the fielders, indeed that of the crowd, intensified when Titus was caught by a full-length diving Milton at midwicket, Arun again being the bowler.

The batsmen had made 17 and the score was only 80.

Anant was by now getting considerable turn with his offbreaks, and with the ball keeping low as well, orthodox play went out of the window.

Bava announced his arrival in his customary fashion, effortlessly sending the ball over the boundary, but wicketkeeper Anish aided Anant in dispatching both Bava and Jestus, the latter to a stumping.

The 100 was reached with six wickets down, with the earlier cloud giving way to pleasant sunshine.

The experienced pair of Graison John and Phil Abraham whittled down the target to twenty runs with their customary aggression.

Anant was getting every ball to sing, and he beat Graison’s bat to hit the stumps.

Joel Abraham’s first delivery was an extraordinary one, a repeat of the previous one where the bails remained unmoved.

The Abraham dynasty looked to be on another winning partnership before another misbehaving delivery saw Anish pull off a fine catch off Arun, with father Phil topedging a pull having reached 20.

The experienced Tibin was just the man for a crisis, his long reach getting to the pitch of every delivery to drive the ball along the floor.

Joel had taken his side to within sight of victory and was looking impassable, but Anant’s penultimate delivery was the perfect off-break and the bails were finally dislodged.

Last man Sagur strode into the fray, Anant about to deliver his very last ball for the club.

A sweep shot missed the ball, a huge appeal went up all around, the finger stayed down.

Tibin ensured that no further crisis arose, and a flowing drive saw the winning run beneath a setting sun.

Anant ended with the fine figures of 5-33, well supported by Arun with 3- 38.

Not only does the club bid goodbye to Geufron, but it bids goodbye to Anant and Bava.

Anant’s bowling has been a revelation, combining with his impeccable batting technique.

The exuberant Bava has lit up many a match with his invariable smile and dynamic contributions.