Friendly fare for Sunday Saints

Aug 19 2009 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

ST MICHAEL’S CC’s rejuvenated Sunday XI played played two further friendly fixtures over the first fortnight in August.

Saints at Carlisle

They travelled to Carleton (Carlisle), where they took to the field for a 40-over game against a team containing several novices and juniors.

Saints’ opening bowler Mark Pagan reaped the benefits when asked by skipper Ahsanul Alam to bowl out his six overs, demolishing the home team’s middle order with a devastating spell of four for five.

Ahsanul’s own six-over spell from the other end proved less productive, but after Davey Armstrong had Cowley well caught in the deep by Ben Johnston, Saints’ own youngsters Chris Lumb and Johnston himself, whose big off spinners caused considerable consternation to the later batsmen, more or less polished off the tail between them as Carleton subsided to 70 all out in only the 26th over.

In spite of the early loss of Dylan Muir, Saints’ oldest and youngest players, Sandy McNay (33 not out) and Chris Lumb (14 not out) got their heads down and determined to avoid further loss, eventually opening out to win by nine wickets when Lumb hit a nice drive through the offside to finish in style.

The early end to the match left time for a 15-over hit-athon in which Saints also triumphed, although Carleton, with the addition of Mark Pagan, did rather better, reaching 74 after Saints had put together a total of 90, thanks largely to an excellent 41 (retired) from Pat Sullivan, who had good support from Lewis Fairbairn (10) and Ben Johnston (11 not out).

And at Galloway…

Saints faced a stiffer challenge in a fixture shortened to 35 overs when they travelled to Gatehouse to face Galloway.

The home team could only field nine players, but included overseas stars Chaudry and Mukherjee and a number of other first team regulars, while Saints’ Aussies, Hart and Sullivan sunned themselves in Headingley and gloated over England’s demise in the Fourth Test Match.

Ignoring the greenness of the track, Skipper Ahsanul elected to bat and Saints’ openers Imran and Pagan made a promising start before Pagan played uppishly to Chaudry at cover, who gave a demonstration of his juggling skills in celebration.

The slow wicket and damp outfield made for slow progress but Kevin Kirkpatrick and Imran tried to force the pace, the latter playing some eloquent shots in the area of point.

Frustration finally told as both tried to hit out at Mukherjee, Kirkpatrick falling to a brilliant low caught and bowled with the score on just 64 off 20 overs.

Hanan took on leg spinner Bradley, who was getting a lot of turn, too early and was stumped, leaving Connor Bowie and Colin Taylor to face off Bradley and the formerly pacey Pat Druce.

Although runs were slow in coming, both survived creditably and prepared for a late onslaught until it became apparent that the scoreboard was two overs behind schedule. In the ensuing panic, wicketkeeper Bradley smartly stumped Bowie (10) and Ben Johnston off successive deliveries from trundler Leon Stannus, who was amazed to find himself on a hat-trick.

Little Chris Lumb and a wheezy Taylor tried to make up for lost time by plundering as many runs as possible off the remaining overs.

Fearing his partner might collapse from exhaustion, Lumb (11 not out) wisely turned down an easy two to Stannus at deep mid on before despatching the last delivery from Wyatt to the short boundary just behind square leg for four, leaving Saints on a handy if not entirely convincing 130 for six.

After a brief break for tea, Ahsanul’s ploy of opening with spinner Ben Johnston paid off when the spinner ended Bradley’s left-handed innings, forcing him to play on for one.

Druce and Berry then made frequent use of the short boundaries to push the score on quickly until Berry popped one of Hanan’s pace deliveries up to Brockwell at silly mid off.

Brockwell then bowled five tight overs and nearly claimed the key wicket of Druce as Taylor just managed to get his fingers to a powerful drive at deep mid on.

Galloway were in the driving seat but a misunderstanding with Foster led to an easy run out as little Lumb proudly whipped off the bails to leave Druce stranded at the bowler’s end.

Almost immediately Lumb also had Foster well taken off a full toss by Hanan in the deep.

Mark Pagan then got a ball to come back a long way to take out Gorman’s off stump and trapped Chaudry lbw when he moved too far across his wicket.

Wyatt was quickly run out and all of a sudden, Galloway found they still needed 30 to win as last man Stannus strode purposefully to the wicket.

What followed was a fascinating little game of cat and mouse as Mukherjee tried to farm the bowling and Stannus blocked repeated deliveries from Pagan and Ahsanul, who attacked the number 11 with aggressive field settings while inviting Mukherjee to take the single.

In the end Stannus held out and Saints had to revert to using their juniors.

Although Bowie forced an edge from Mukherjee and Lewis Fairbairn twice caused Stannus to play and miss, Mukherjee finally managed to carve one behind square to find the winning runs.

Scoreboard: St Michael’s 130 - 6 (Taylor 22 not out, Imran 22, Kirkpatrick 22 ; Stannus 2 -7) : Galloway 131 - 7 (Druce 27, Mukherjee 22 not out, Chaudry 21, Berry 20 ; Pagan 2-6)

St Michael’s Sunday XI still have a number of friendly fixtures remaining this season. All games have been played in a good spirit with enjoyment and opportunities for junior and occasional players more important than the actual result.

For more information, contact club secretary Mike Lumb on 01387 810487.