Scorecard

Optimists Cricket Club 1st XI v Royal Brussels CC on Sun 30 Jun 2019 at 12:00
Optimists Cricket Club Won by 184 runs

Match report Samel Hayat tossed up a leg break on the fourth stump, the ball was there to hit in the slot. Girish standing tall hit the ball over extra cover and a joyful “Yesssssssssssss” from non-striker James Barker watching the ball going to the boundary, who witnessed Girish scoring his magnificent hundred probably from the best seat at Pierre Werner Cricket Ground. After an unexpected loss against Hasselt CC at Home (Pierre Werner Cricket Ground) last Saturday OCC 1st XI resumed their BCF 2nd Division campaign against RBCC in extremely tough conditions. Surprising to all, the opposition’s captain chose to bowl first after winning the toss.

James Barker and William Cope were supposed to open the batting against RBCC. Unfortunately, William injured his knee during the pre-match routine practice that forced the change in the batting line up. Girish Venkatesh got promoted as an opener with James. The ball was moving both ways at the start of the inning for OCC. Both the opening batsmen respected the good balls but constantly hit the bad ones to bring up team’s 50 in the 12th over. The new ball was well seen offed, both kept rotating the strike amazingly by tickling quick runs and scoring the boundaries as and when needed. Girish brought up his fifty in the 17th over and helped the club to score 100 runs in the 20th over. Girish started looking surer and surer then shifted his gears seamlessly. The pulls, hooks and cover drives made the jaw drop in the hunt. In no time, Girish moved in the nineties. Meanwhile, James brought up his fifty quietly from another end. Girish made sure to score his first hundred of the season against the leg spinner in 27th over. Upon the hundred the acceleration was acute, Girish and James perfectly paced of their inning minting the runs all part of the ground to bring up the double hundred and the highest opening wicket partnership for OCC 1st XI. While trying to accelerate Girish got caught out in the deep scoring a flawless and effortless hundred (127 runs of 112 balls) for OCC 1st XI.

In came Mohit Dixit. James continued to attack the bowlers punishing them for fours and hitting a glorious six over mid-wicket. However, after batting for almost 37 overs in the extremely hot conditions and trying to accelerate the teams' score, he was also caught on the square leg on 82 runs. A marvelous inning thoroughly enjoyed by the team and the spectators at the Pierre Werner ground. Good and quick contribution from middle order Mohit Dixit (23 runs of 15 balls), Vikram Vijh (15 Runs from 9 balls), Tony Whiteman (7 runs of 9 balls) made sure the stage is set for Aanand and Pankaj. Aanand was in tremendous touch hitting 6 boundaries and also ran excellently between the wickets. He ended up scoring 39*(Not Out) runs in mere 19 balls to help the OCC 1st XI to reach 321 runs after 45 overs.

In pursuit of a steep target, RBCC dawdled to 15 for 2 during the Powerplay. Spearhead bowler Atif Kamal (A-Train) providing a breakthrough on the last ball of the very first over forcing the batsman to nick behind the wicket. Mohit Dixit who opened the bowling from the pavilion end took his first wicket in the fourth over. In walked the opposition captain to support the one down batsmen. The consolidation was needed for RBCC and both batsmen exactly did the same. RBCC reached their 50 runs in the 11th over. However, the required run rate was rising, and the pressure was mounting on the batsmen. Ankush Nanda provided the 3rd breakthrough for OCC in the 14th over. OCC captain introduced the spin attack to bring Vishwajeet Deshpande from River End. Vishy grabbed RBCC’s 4th and his first wicket in his first over itself and another one in his third over to reduced RBCC 73 for 5 after 20 overs.

After a small collapse, the threat was still eminent as RBCC’s start player and former Zimbabwean test player Brighton Watambwa walked in the crease. However, Mohit Dixit was in some form taking double wickets in quick time. Firstly, forcing Brighton to hit the big shot to long on, where Pankaj took an excellent catch and cleaning stumps of the newcomer in very next over. The defeat for RBCC was so close enough. OCC bowlers Atif, Vishak, and Vikram quickly chipped into all them out on 137 runs.

It was a superb display of batting, bowling and fielding efforts by OCC 1st XI team in tough condition.

OCC 1st XI will feature against Hasselt in an away game on 21st July 2019.

Optimists Cricket Club 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 14w 2b 2lb 
for 6 wickets
19
321		        
James Barker Caught  82 154 98 9 1 83.67 1
Girish Venkateswaran Caught  126 133 112 15 4 112.50 1
Mohit Dixit Bowled  23 23 15 3 153.33 1
Vikram Vijh Caught  15 15 9 2 166.67
Tony Whiteman Bowled  7 12 9 77.78 2
Aanand Pandey Not Out  39 19 19 6 205.26
Atif Kamal Run out  1 2 1 100
Pankaj Malav Not Out  8 16 9 88.89 1
Ankush Nanda   2
Vishwajeet Deshpande  
Vishakh Chandrasekhar   1

Royal Brussels CC Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Royal Brussels CC Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 22w 1b  
for 10 wickets
27
137 (29.2 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Optimists Cricket Club 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Atif Kamal8.0041220.505.13
Mohit Dixit5.011735.673.40
Vishakh Chandrasekhar4.0023123.005.75
Ankush Nanda4.0015115.003.75
Vishwajeet Deshpande5.001929.503.80
Pankaj Malav3.002100.007.00
Vikram Vijh0.20010.000.00

  • Umpire :
    TBD
  • Scorer :
    Mick