Friendly v HCL
Op de eerste speeldag van de recreatieve zaterdagcompetitie stond de wedstrijd Zomi- HCL gepland.
Rond 18.30 uur kon captain Kobus tossen. Omdat het naar verwachting rond 21.00 uur door de schaduw wat lastiger batten zou worden, zou de winnaar van de toss wel willen batten. De Zomi’s konden zich dus direct opmaken voor een fieldingbeurt.
Onze bowlers leverden prima werk, en al snel leek het erop dat HCL niet boven de 100 runs zou komen, temeer daar hun topscorer retired ging, nadat hij teveel eentjes en tweetjes had moeten lopen. Toen ook de pech nog eens toe sloeg door een retired hurt, roken de VCC’ers bloed. Maar de jacht kon niet zo groot zijn of het sportieve hart was ook wel zo groot dat de eerder retired gegane batsman terug mocht komen toen alle wickets verder gevallen waren.
Dat kostte toch nog een slordige 20 runs, waardoor HCL uiteindelijk op 126 eindigde.
De innings startte met Gaurav en Kobus en zij legden samen een mooi fundament. Gaurav had er goed het oog in en sloeg met een aantal prachtige schoten 32 runs bij elkaar. Na een partnership van 63 runs ging hij LBW. Kobus moest er na een welverdiende winterpauze weer even inkomen, maar leunend op zijn ervaring, speelde hij zich in de wedstrijd om op een stand van 76 (na 12 overs) een bal te hoog weg te slaan die werd gevangen.
Daarna was het de beurt aan nieuwkomer Deepak, die samen met Mirweis een nieuw partnership opbouwde.
Deepak bleek het eerder te hebben gedaan, en van Mirweis wisten we dat al. Na 15 overs waren we nog steeds op koers (96/2 dus nog 31 uit 30 ballen), maar we zouden wel elke over een boundary nodig hebben. In de 18e over moest Deepak zich toch gewonnen geven (nog 18 runs uit 16 ballen nodig), waarna de Zomi's hun geheime wapen Jaap Mulder (al enige jaren in de pensioengerechtigde leeftijd) in de strijd gooiden.
Jaap zag zich geplaatst tegenover een van hun snellere bowlers en liet de eerste bal rustig aan zich voorbij gaan om eens te kijken hoe snel hij nou was. De daarop volgende bal ging voor 4 en met nog twee overs te gaan hadden de Zomi's er nog 12 uit 12 ballen nodig. De HCL-mannen hadden het echter ook goed gespeeld en hadden twee van hun snellere bowlers nog achter de hand. De spanning nam hoorbaar toe, wat Mirweis en Jaap kennelijk onberoerd liet, want de 19e over ging voor 7 runs: 1 wide en 3 runs voor beide mannen.
De laatste over nog 5 runs met Jaap aan strike. Dot - wide - 1 - 2 en we hadden een tie. Nog drie ballen te gaan, Mirweis aan strike en alle HCL-fielders kwamen in om de ene run te voorkomen. Het was vergeefs: met een machtige uithaal tilde Mirweis de bal over de fielders heen en de bal rolde voor vier! Jaap 12 no, Mirweis 16 no. De Zomi's behaalden de eerste overwinning door met zeven wickets te winnen van HCL. Maar dat was allemaal niet zo heel belangrijk, 22 mannen en een aantal verdwaalde corona-officieren hadden genoten van een heerlijk potje cricket. Er werd zelfs even nagezeten. Op 1,5 meter natuurlijk…
Gelre -- 5/7/20
A beautiful ground and not-so-beautiful weather marked a narrow victory for the Wizened Old Men in their first ever match against Gelre. We made our way on a wet and windy day to the Zomi league’s newcomer club in the eastern Netherlands. It was a 250 kilometer round trip from Voorburg, but worth every minute in a day to remember.
Robbie was the hero of the day, scoring a magnificent 80 and achieving the rare accolade of being an opening batsman who survived the entire innings, signing off the scorecard with the words that every batsman wants to see – ‘not out’. Robbie had originally declined to play, citing a prior injury. We were lucky that he changed his mind, as his innings was the game-changer.
We lost the toss as usual, and Gelre opted to bat first. The rain enabled Voorburg to employ some comedy fielding that benefitted the Gelre openers. When the ball was struck, at first we all frantically ran to the boundary to stop a four, before realizing that the rain-sodden grass meant the ball was always going to stop about 20 meters from the rope anyway. John remained unsure about whether to stop a ball with his feet or his hands, so decided to do neither and missed it completely. Colin treated everyone to a Scottish reel – normally a dance set to music, but instead, to the bingo caller entertaining the Gelre crowd - while trying to stop a real boundary. And Rutger tempted the fate gods by complaining about “sloppy fielding” before falling over himself.
Sadly, the slippy conditions had a more serious side when Victor twisted his ankle and was sidelined for the rest of the game. To replace Victor, Gelre shouted to the tent jokingly asking, “Can we have our worst fielder”, and
fortunately for us found someone who was better than we were. Two occasions of rain stopping play in the sixth and ninth overs left everyone wondering whether the game could continue: mercifully for our fielding, a decision was made to restrict the game to 30 overs.
But then we found our feet, and some epic bowling from Deepak – who took four wickets – made up for things. We were able to enjoy a neat father-and-son combination when Jacobus took an excellent catch from bowling by dad
Kobus, who later took a catch himself. At the end of a rainy innings, Gelre were 148-6, leaving us with everything to play for. Lunch in the rain shelters, facing a 148 run chase.
As the sun began to shine, we wondered whether perhaps we would have a slight advantage batting in better conditions. Put into bat, Robbie and Rutger opened for us, a useful partnership bearing much fruit before Rutger was caught behind on 27.
Unfortunately for the next two, Gelre’s demon bowler – not so much a fast pacer as some sort of rocket-propelled grenade launcher – had Jacobus and John both clean bowled for nought in quick succession. The 15-year-old Jacobus took it like a man, while the 57-year-old John spent the rest of the afternoon sulking about always having to face younger fast bowlers instead of his fellow old farts.
Deepak scored a couple before being run out, while Richard managed a very useful 16 before being stumped (which is obviously quite embarrassing for a wicket keeper). Lennaert managed one before being bowled, and Gaurav got a couple before he was caught. Kobus came in, bagging a few, and then the excitement began, as the Zomis only needed nine runs from the last two overs, and then four runs from the last over.
It was windy. Bottoms were clenched. We had been in this situation before and usually lost. Finally, captain Kobus made up for almost running out Robbie in the frantic bid to get us over the line with a sublime strike earning the necessary two runs with just three balls left. We were home and dry… well home, anyway… on 149-7.
John Coppock
Having a well-earned beer: Rob after his innings
Qui Vive - 12th July 2020
With the clear skies it was a perfect day for cricket. This time Zomi's had to face Qui Vive on their home ground at VCC. On agreement from both sides the match was reduced from 35 overs to 30 overs. As usual Zomi's lost the toss and were asked to field.
Charu opened the bowling with Suresh at the other end. Qui Vive opened their account with a boundary. Charu picked up the first wicket of the match. It was a gifted wicket as the batsman tried to reach a short pitched wide delivery and got an inside edge on to the stump. Charu continued his good spell and took another wicket in his third over. Richard stretched himself to his right as much as he could before the ball was stuck in Rob's safe hands at the first slip. Suresh took his first wicket, very well caught by Richard behind the wicket. The opponents were at 24 for 3 after 8 overs.
At the crease was a promising lady cricketer (Nidhi) to bat after the fall of third wicket. She defended few deliveries very well before getting out caught behind, Gaurav claiming his first wicket of the match. The opponent gained the momentum as the match progressed and reached at 56 for 4 after 16 overs.
Then captain Kobus took the ball and got the well set batsman out as LBW very first ball. Suresh joined Kobus to bowl his last spell. The opponent picked up Suresh's length and hit couple of boundaries and a six before Suresh picked up his second wicket on the last ball of his final over, a good catch at first slip by Rob. Then Charu joined Kobus. Charu picked up his third wicket of the match in his last over as caught and bowled. By then the opponents
were at 111 runs for 6 wickets after 24 overs.
Gaurav came back and picked up his second wicket of the match in his fifth over. What a fabulous catch by Rutger at backward square leg, the ball was travelling like a rocket. Deepak bowled a couple of no balls over the batsman head before giving up in his last over with stiff shoulder and five balls to spare, thanks to Colin for completing that over. In effort of maximizing the last over, the opponent lost their eighth wicket as run out and put up a score of 153 runs at the end of 30 overs.
Then came the best part of the match. Thanks to our strike bowler cum the chef Charu for the delicious and satisfying chicken curry meal.
Charu Kawade
Zomi’s needed 154 runs to win from 30 overs, with required run rate of 5.13 per over. Rutger opened the innings with Rob. A perfect start for the Zomi’s as Rutger hit a boundary to square on very first ball of the innings. Rob at the other end was struggling a bit to connect. The opponent soon broke the opening partnership in third over when Rutger got an edge behind the wicket. It carried very low, however the wicketkeeper stretched himself to his right to complete the catch. Gaurav came as one down and showed some intent with couple of consecutive boundaries on the opponent’s fierce bowling attack. Rob was doing well at the other end. However, the opponent did not allow him to settle and he got out bowled after being survived on couple of close LBW calls. Rob got out on 12 runs. At the end of 6 overs, Zomi’s were at 39 runs at the loss of 2 wickets.
Charu was sent up the batting order. Gaurav was on 14 runs and could not resist himself. He kept on hitting aerial shots, one of which found the fielder at mid-on. That forced captain Kobus to come in and take responsibility on his shoulder. With Kobus at the crease, what Zomi’s needed was just someone who can stand alongside him. But the opponents were well in control, as Zomi’s lost 5 wickets for 65 runs in 13 overs.
Captain Kobus was scoring steadily end while Colin joined him. They stuck in there for some time keeping Zomi’s hopes still alive. Alas, what a stunning catch at point to send well set Kobus back to pavilion. He made the highest individual score of 25 runs from Zomi’s side. That left Zomi’s only to crumble.
John came in at number 10 when VCC needed more than 50 runs to win with sufficient overs in hand. The aim was only to stay on the crease and play all 30 overs. But it did not happen. John got run out on a close call by Colin. Then the last batsman Suresh came to the crease. As opponent were certain that they are going to win, they handed over the ball to their woman cricketer (Nidhi). While Suresh was facing her, she showed no mercy. Colin remained not out on 9 runs. Zomis were all out for 103 runs after 22.3 overs.
A great win for Qui Vive and heart breaking defeat for Zomis with a deficit of 50 runs. Hope Zomis will forget this defeat and will come back strong. Till then, bye bye!
ACC zomi -- 19/7/20
Rutger opent goed met 31. Verder komt alleen Mr Extra boven de 10 (33)!
ACC heeft 29 overs nodig om onze 77 te passeren. Gaurav Jain 1 v 5 in 6!
Gelre zomi -- 26/7/20
We spelen 30 overs. Gelre maakt er 183. Dinesh neemt 3-29 en Charu 2-14. Rob twee vangen. Onze keeper Deepak Shinde maakt een knappe 50 maar krijgt alleen steun van Gaurav Jain 28. VCC 142.
Qui Vivi zomi – 2/8/20
In de eerste over slaat Wouter Rutgers toe dankzij een vang van zijn bijna naamgenoot Rutger Beekhof achter de palen. Ondanks een stevig partnership in de middle order reikt QV niet verder dan 144/8 in 35 overs. Rutger (57 not out) gaat er eens goed voor staan en legt samen met Bisani Madhu (51) een partnership van 120 runs neer voor het eerste wicket. VCC 145/2!
Excelsior zomi – 9/8/20
M. van Gelderen maakt er 138 en dat is wel wat veel. Dat geldt ook voor de target van 264 runs in 35 overs. Floriaan Cordesius 3-37. Dankzij 50 van Kobus, 34 van Deepak Shinde en 18 van Floriaan komen we nog een heel eind: 193 all out.
Hermes DVS zomi – 16/8/20
Yasir Hamid, toch vooral bekend van zijn bowlen, heeft het in de middle order op zijn heupen en wordt topscorer met 58 runs. 142/9 in 30 overs is onze eindscore. Hermes heeft het hier nog best lastig mee dankzij 2-25 van Suresh Ramamoorthy.
Hermes DVS zomi – 23/8/20
Wederom Hermes en misschien wel het sterkste optreden van VCC zomi. Eerst wordt dankzij 51 van Rutger Beekhof en 39 van broertje Guus een solide 165 neergezet. Vier LBW’s helpen ons aan de winst, waarbij Gaurav Jain met 5-15 (!) de absolute uitblinker is.
ACC zomi – 30/8 of 13/9 (daar zijn de geleerden het niet over eens)
Met ACC hadden we nog een spreekwoordelijk appeltje te schillen. Helaas was het mesje bot. Voldoendes voor Guus (30), Richard (26) en Sono (20) uit 146/8. Charu (2-17) en Kobus (2-35) kunnen de tweede Amsterdamse zege op VCC niet voorkomen.
De zomi’s zagen kans negen wedstrijden te spelen en dat is geen slechte prestatie in dit coronajaar!
Een goed stel!...