Scorecard

Glenmore Cricket Club Glenmore Braves v Crown Canasia on Sun 25 Sep 2016 at 11am
Glenmore Cricket Club Won by 1 wicket

Match report The great thing about cricket is that on any given day, anything can happen and any member of the team can be the hero. On Sunday it was Tejas Chitre that stood up, showed great skill and determination, and ensured that Glenmore finish their league campaign with a win over Crown Canasia. It was a topsy-turvy game until the very end. The leading wicket taker in the league, Manji Sandhu, had put his team in a great position by taking a second successive 6 wicket haul. But, an abject batting display from Glenmore's top order meant that Crown were odds on favourites to be victorious. However, the Glenmore tail, led by Tejas and incredibly well supported by Sandy Sahota, Manji and Kunal Makkar did the business to get the win by the skin of their teeth.

It was the final league game of season for Glenmore and a play-off spot had already been secured. So, there was a slightly more relaxed feel to the boys as they wandered onto the field to take on a Crown team rooted to the foot of the table. Any feelings that it might just be a walk in the park were amplified in the initial overs as Crown crumbled with little resistance against the new ball. Yet again it was Manji Sandhu who was the chief destroyer, claiming six wickets for himself to go to the top of the list of wicket takers in the league in 2016. He got his name in the book with just the second ball of the match when Khaliq inexplicably left a delivery that hooped back in and knocked out middle stump! It would have been a brave leave if the ball hadn't swung, so it was a positively crazy one when it did!

Crown were two down in as many overs when Jaideep, entrusted with the new ball for the first time, tempted Gupta into a lazy drive and the ball flew to Tejas at cover. The little fella stretched every sinew to take a good catch high above his head. After that it was over to Manji to keep knocking over the stumps. Makwana was cleaned up with another inswinger. The experienced Kirmani attempted a slog across the line and played onto middle peg. And when a Crown batsman did finally get some bat on the ball he could only edge to Ikbal in the gully. Ikbal's safe hands were something of a blessing on a day when Glenmore's catching in the office was the worst it's been all Summer. Three catches were spilled at second slip, something Glenmore won't be able to afford in their play-off weekend coming up.

Hamza Butt and Muneeb Cheema offered some decent resistance when they came together. Muneeb looked to play some shots while Hamza was content to block and just survive. Both had some luck, particularly against Kunal who bowled an excellent spell that found the edge multiple times. However, each time the ball went to ground and found a gap through the corden. His persistence was eventually rewarded when Cheema went for a big slog and Jaideep took a smart catch at mid-wicket.

With Crown six wickets down Manjinder was brought back into the attack and he continued where he'd left off. Bajwa was his fourth clean bowled of the day, and then Storey took a good catch above his head to remove Abbasi for 2. Six wickets for Manji, to go with the six he claimed last week against Kanata Panthers, and to take him to 36 for the season. He has been exceptional all year, so it's great that he's claimed some big hauls in the final few weeks. Hopefully his good form will continue for one more weekend.

With the end in sight Hamza Butt started to play a few more shots and once Taha Lodhi had removed Zahid it was left to Hamza and the number 11 Aftab Baluch to get the score moving. The last pair did a great job to take the total to 88 before Jaideep picked up the final wicket, well caught by Amar Singh.

89 to win on a decent track against a team facing relegation. Surely nothing could go wrong. But, cricket is a funny old game and it tends to bite you if you start taking things for granted. It was certainly a great leveler for Alex Storey who followed up his fifty the previous week with a duck on Sunday. His demise started a procession of Glenmore batsmen walking to and from the crease, mostly succumbing to pretty ordinary shots. Martyn Challoner was caught at point, Jaideep was caught in the gully, Taha was caught by the keeper and Ikbal, following an extended and heated dispute with the opposition, was also caught behind. And when Anjan was bowled for a duck playing an ugly hoik Glenmore were in a very deep hole at 23-6. Crown were on fire, with Baluch leading the charge with a fantastic spell of 5 for 12 in 10 overs.

What then transpired was a complete reversal in the approach of the batsmen. The overly ambitious shot making was put on the shelf and it was replaced with some good, old-fashioned defensive grit. Amar, who had seen all his partners come and go, continued his impressive first season with the club by making a patient 16 at the top of the order. His was a solid, calming innings that at least got the run chase moving in the right direction. But it was his new partner, Tejas, who was looking most comfortable against the Crown bowlers. All season long Tejas has looked good in the middle without producing a big score or making a match defining contribution. That was all to change today. Against some good, probing bowling he showed all the necessary skills required to get his team back into the contest. He defended, he left, and just occasionally he timed the ball into the gaps for a single here or a double there.

But, Tejas couldn't do it all by himself and when Amar went it was Sandy who once again came to the party. Sandy batting heroically in the previous game when there was already a good score on the board. This time, with the pressure well and truly on, he produced an even better and more important innings. He and Tejas showed great maturity and patience throughout their partnership, and gradually the score began to grow. Sandy was particularly enjoying himself, singing his way through his innings, much to the annoyance of the many close in fielders.

Sadly Sandy's vigil was ended when he was out lbw for a most valuable 11. The next man in was Manji, and he was always only going to play one way...aggressively. First ball he played and missed attempting to give it the kitchen sink treatment. Second ball he absolutely crunched a slog-sweep for an almighty 6. He continued to play his shots, occasionally riding his luck with a series swing and misses, but at least he was moving the score along. He and Tejas had got the runs required down to just 10 when Manji tried one shot too many and was clean bowled.

It was now 10 runs to win for Glenmore, and one wicket required for Crown. Kunal Makkar joined Tejas in the middle, and on the sidelines the tension was almost too much to bear. As you'd expect, the Crown bowlers targeted the stumps of Kunal but he was steadfast in his defense, repeatedly bringing his bat down just in the nick of time to keep the ball out. An eternity passed between each over as the Crown team huddled in discussion as to who should bowl each over. As they did Tejas, Kunal and Anjan (square leg umpire) spoke and gathered their thoughts. Tejas continued in the same calm, safe manner throughout all the pressure. Defend, defend, leave, leave and then he'd just lean on a push through the covers for a few. It was beautiful batting in increasingly tough circumstances. Kunal survived a maiden over against the opening bowler. A few 7-ball overs were sent down. Still they survived.

And then...2 byes scampered to make the scores level. But who wants the game to end in a tie? Thankfully that result was not to be as Bajwa gifted Glenmore the game with a lazy wide outside off. The game was won thanks to the magnificence of Tejas (who finished unbeaten on 18), Kunal (a brilliant 1 not out), Sandeep and Manjinder.

The Glenmore players rushed onto the field to congratulate Tejas and Kunal on a wonderful effort. Both players should be incredibly proud of their contribution in winning the game for their team. Sometimes it's not always a hundred or a five wicket haul that makes the difference, and they showed that today.

Great credit should go to Crown Canasia for putting up a spirited fight despite their season being a disappointing one for them.

For Glenmore the win was their 9th of the season. A truly remarkable effort that surpassed any pre-season ambitions they may have had. Just two seasons ago Glenmore won a thriller against St Johns to stay in the division. Last season they finished mid-table despite having the excellence of Mark Turner in the team. So, to finish with a 9-3 record, claim 3rd spot in the division and secure a place in the play-offs is a tremendous achievement. All the guys who have played this Summer should be very proud of their efforts.

And so now onto the play-offs and a semi-final against Knight Riders at Riley Park. Please try to come along to support the team.

Crown Canasia Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
5w 2lb 
for 10 wickets
7
88 (31.0 overs)		     
S.Khaliq b  M.Sandhu 0
P.Das Gupta ct  Chitre b J.Singh 2
G.Makwana b  M.Sandhu 10
S.Kirmani b  M.Sandhu 1
H.Butt Not Out  33
M.Patel ct  I.Sandhu b M.Sandhu 1
M.Cheema ct  J.Singh b Makkar 18
A.Bin Zahid lbw  b Lodhi 8
U.Bajwa b  M.Sandhu 0
T.Abbasi ct  Storey b M.Sandhu 2
A.Baluch ct  Amar Singh b J.Singh 6

Glenmore Cricket Club Glenmore Braves Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Manjinder Sandhu10.022564.172.50
Jaideep Singh7.0221210.503.00
Kunal Makkar5.0117117.003.40
Taha Lodhi9.0223123.002.56

Glenmore Cricket Club Glenmore Braves Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
14w 2b 6lb 
for 9 wickets
22
89		        
Alex Storey ct  slip b Baluch 0 1
Amardeep Singh ct  keeper b Baluch 16 1
Martyn Challoner ct  point b Makwana 1
Jaideep Singh ct  gully b Baluch 2 1
Taha Lodhi ct  keeper b Baluch 0
Ikbal Sandhu ct  keeper b Makwana 5 1
Anjandeep Singh b  Baluch 0
Tejas Chitre Not Out  18 1
Sandeep Sahota lbw  b Patel 11
Manjinder Sandhu b  Bin Zahid 13
Kunal Makkar Not Out  1

Crown Canasia Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
A.Baluch10.051252.401.20
G.Makwana9.0126213.002.89
M.Patel4.01818.002.00
M.Cheema4.001400.003.50
U.Bajwa5.001800.003.60
A.Bin Zahid3.22313.000.90