The day started pretty much ok, with a bit of sunshine and a cloud here and there. The trip to Mechelen was also uneventful, except a small bouchon autour Bruxelles. Oh, and Tony was to be picked up at Bruxelles Midi. By Anand. Luckily they were only 2 overs too late.
We started ok enough, with Suresh opening the bowling. The Mechelse boys had a clear strategy, which was : hammer-time ! The ground is a quirky one, with a bush at about 6 meters from the wicket strip, on both sides ! The Eagles found them with ease, and went ahead with sixes and fours planting the balls in the plants. Amazingly, we were able to retrieve them. All eleven Eagles knew how to hit, but special mention is warranted to Islam-Deen, who made a nice ton. Not to forget, Iqbal took 6 scalps, with fine bowling indeed.
After a fine curry, please use your hands gentleman, we had a chase of 301. Tony held up nicely, refreshlingy proper straight batted style. Reaching 41 with ease. Some unfortunate run-outs and the fall of Suresh (after some fluent batting) saw the Optimists chasing what now seemed an impossible total. The tail wagged a bit, adding 83 runs to come to something of a score.
The formality of signing the papers took almost as long as getting a government together for Belgium, and when that was finally done, we set off for Luxembourg.
Iqbal Murad : 8.4 overs, 6 wickets, 48 runs
Tony Whiteman : 41 runs.
Jeroen van der Knoop