The Optimists and Deutsche Welle CC of Bonn played out two close fun/competitive games of cricket on the weekend of 28/29 May.
There was a tie in the Saturday timed game. Batting first, the OCC started briskly through Burleigh (40) and Arvind Pandey (46). The run flow was restricted, though, by the pleasing, teasing leg-spin of Oly (10 overs 3-29) which helped keep the target at a gettable 210 off 39 overs.
DWCC began slowly and seemed behind the rate with eight an over or seven wickets needed with twenty overs to go, and the game could have petered out. However, the skill and power of Neo (72) defied the OCC's efforts to buy a wicket. But with the target now down to 6 an over off 6, pace was reintoduced and Sajid (3-17) removed Neo.
Wickets continued to fall until with eight balls remaining and six required to win, the DWCC number 11 Lal strode to the crease. With his team-mates merely praying for survival, Lal decided that attack was the best option, cutting his first ball for a stylish four. A single was taken off the third ball of the final over, levelling the scores. However, this time Lal missed a straight dart from Fitzgerald and was bowled.
The game was tied, keeping the Optimists undefeated in 2011. This remarkable result was debated over pizza and beer after the game. Then DWCC went into town to emulate Manchester United, who also watched while Barcelona won the Champions League final.
Sunday's game was one-sided but close at the same time. After 15 overs of a 35 over game, DWCC were floundering at 44-6 thanks to near flawless bowling from the entire Optimists attack. Fearing a damp squib of a game, the tourists were offered another set of ten wickets.
This enabled the lower order to attack and helped the bowlers to some cheap wickets. The highlight was a treble-wicket maiden for Steve Evans to complete his five-fer (5-15). It would be churlish to mention that the hattrick ball starting the next over was a wide that barely hit the mat...
But with bats flying (and despite the incisive, unlucky bowling of Trevedi (3-22)) DWCC were able to post a decent total of 143.
DWCC's bowling was better than their batting, however, and even the OCC 1stXI players struggled to dominate. Wickets kept falling and at 95-7 after 20 the OCC looked on course to be throwing it away. But with just three an over required, Trevdi provided support to top-scorer Rutvij (35) to see the Os home without further loss.
Steve Evans