ALL local league cricket matches were cancelled by eThekwini Cricket Union on Friday as a result of sodden fields from rain on Thursday. However, Harlequins Cricket Club played a 50 over a side KZNCU promotion league match at the ICC venue at Umzinto against a composite district team on Sunday, 9 February.
The Umzinto wicket appeared spick and well compressed, but with an extent of yield through inherent moisture particularly on the south eastern end. The outfield was overly lush with the incorrect species of coarse bladed lawn, not conducive to good ball velocity across the surface and far from ideal for a suitable outfield species of grass. The ground has a good degree of slope toward the south, acceptable for a sports venue, perhaps somewhat like the famous Lords cricket outfield in England.
The Quins team were elated to have won the coin toss and to have the option of bowling first on a sticky wicket in the sunny morning session. The slow-ish wicket was unresponsive to fast bowling. Consequently the decision to open up with accurate slow medium-paced seamer, Faiyas Safri, was a successful ploy, which rewarded the bowler with four wickets for 31 runs off 8 overs.
Fast bowler Sylvester Sauli’s initial over was costly conceding 15 runs, but when re-introduced later into the attack, bowled with good accuracy and reasonable penetration. He was rewarded with three wickets for 47 runs. Left-arm orthodox slow bowler, Rahul Bohoti, fared reasonable, capturing 2 wickets for 41 runs in 8 overs. The most economical bowler in the Quins arsenal was medium-paced right arm off-cut bowler, Mohamed Patel, who delivered 8 overs for 16 runs taking a solitary wicket. Umzinto nevertheless progressed to a formidable tally of 189 runs being dismissed in 40 overs. This was as a consequence of Quins not being able to take out the lower middle order aggressive opposition batters in good time.
Quins thought they had a reasonable chance of achieving the target due to an ever improving pitch from strong sunshine in the morning period, despite the slow outfield. Quins opener, Jeran Pillai, played out dogged determined yet delightful innings of 72 runs from 1.03pm to 4.20pm, during which he ‘carried his bat’, being undefeated at the termination of the Harlequins innings. Assistance initially came from other opener, Sheldon Spindler, who acquired a quarter of a century, played out in responsible fashion and a minor contribution of a dozen runs in the lower order batsman by Kevin Kettle who attempted to disrupt Umzinto bowlers with reverse sweeps and traditional sweeps, on a wicket which was quite difficult to drive on throughout the match.
Unfortunately for Quins, Pallai ran out of batting partners when the 10th wicket capitulated in the 40th over of this 50 a side over encounter, thereby losing the match by 42 runs to a team which Harlequins have not beaten at Umzinto in recent times and are currently placed second in the promotion league.
All seven Harlequins cricket teams have scheduled league matches on 15 and 16 February.
The first, fifth and U13 teams have matches at Harlequins on Sunday, the sixth side have home match at Lt King Park, Fynnland and the rest of the teams have away matches in their respective divisions. Practice and coaching session will continue as usual.
The club will be hosting a sixers tournament and its annual awards event on the first weekend of April. Contact 073-795-0363 for further club information.
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