End of Season report

Its been a very ordinary season for me with the bat apart from the fifty that i made in ponteland. I managed only 189 runs at an average of 18.9 per dismissal. I was looking good in quite a few innings but gave away my wicket many a time.

It is a very good season for me with the ball. Though i didnt take too many wickets, i was doing the containing job for the team. I managed 8 wickets in the season averaging 17.75 per wicket and an economy rate of mere 3.15 .Pitches here helped my kind of slow medium pace bowling, which really helped restricting the opposition.

The best match with the bat is undoubtedly the match in which i scored a 50 in ponteland. Raising the bat to the team mates in the dressing room is a wonderful feeling indeed. The best match for me with the ball is in riding mill, where i bowled eight consecutive overs for 23 runs without a wicket. I was in very good rhythm in that game and enjoyed my bowling quite well.

After the last match was over, they took yateen and myself to a small pub in Eglingham and appreciated our efforts throught the season. Sid Mitcheson, senior member of the team, gave me the match ball , used in the last match, as a kind of gift.

I am pretty sure that i will never play this quality of cricket again in my life!

What they said:

"Well Played Son!"
-- captain of KSOB team after i hit the winning runs

"Experienced it!!"
-- Player from Ulgham, who came to umpiring after being bowled by me, when i told him my guard before bowling

"You have got a very good technique and i enjoyed your batting"
-- Mike Gardiner on my batting

"All our guys were struggling before you came on to bat"
--Mike Gardiner, about the match in Backworth, when the ball was swinging too much

"You are the most accomplished batsman in the side, playing all cricketing shots..and we expect a lot of runs from you"
-- Jon Robinson, on my batting style, but couldnt fulfil his needs!!

"You are good in leaving the ball right? do it many times today"
--Jon Robinson, before i went into bat in backworth

"These guys have helped us in improving the standard of our game!"
--Bryan Taylor congratulating yateen and myself on the last day!

"If you bowl against our team, we'll give all our wickets to you"
--Mike Gardiner on yateen's bowling

Last match for the Season

It is the last match of the season for everyone, but for me, it might be last match of my career for Genetics. With lots of expectations, i prepared for my last match.

The match was played at Eglingham, which is way north of Newcastle, around 100 kilometres. It took more than an hour to reach the place by car. Eglingham is one of the most beautiful places in Northumberland. But i'd say it is one of the most wonderful places to live in the world!

Coming to cricket, it is one of the worst games i have ever played. The guy who gave a controversial run out to me in backworth last month, was made the captain for this match. We were batting first and to my horror, i was sent in to bat at number 10. I have never batted this down in my life so far. I went in to bat in the penultimate over and managed a seven not out in the four balls i faced. We made only 163 runs off 40 overs.

Surprisingly for me and for everyone in the team, the captain asked me to bowl the opening spell along with mike gardiner who hasnt bowled entire season. We gave only 22 runs in the first 10 overs and my figures were like 5-1-8-2. For the first time i took two wickets. Eventually, we lost the match with more than 5 overs to space, despite some good bowling by yateen.
I was totally disappointed only because we didnt play to win, but i enjoyed the journey and the ground in which we played. Definitely worth visiting these wonderful valleys once!!

My Best Bowling performance and Shravan's blitz

It was a long week end and I spent two days in cricket. Two one sided matches, which we lost one and won the other.

Saturday, I went to a place called Corbridge to play for Corbridge cricket club, which is one of the oldest clubs in Northumberland..founded in 1886, it has got rich traditions. Many cricketing greats have played on this ground that includes one of the greatest English test player ever..WG Grace.. he has made more than 50,000 runs in first class cricket and a little matter of 2000 plus wickets.

Coming to the match, we fielded first and saw the batsman showing us all the shots in the book, made us run behind the ball and made 200 runs in their 40 over. Needing 201 runs, our openers started cautiously...er...too cautiously making 51 runs in 20 overs. When I went in at number 4, we required 150 runs from 20 overs.. I managed eight runs (2X4) and skied one to midwicket attempting my third boundary. Finally we managed only 113 runs in our 40 overs. A one sided match, in which I was in the wrong side.

Sunday, we played a match for Genetics, my home club, against Eglingham cricket club. They travelled more than 50 miles to come to our place. After the thrashing on saturday, I know that things cannot get worse for me, it can only get better and in fact it did! we bowled first and I came in as the first change bowler.I was a bit wayward initially, was lucky that they were defended and finally got my rhythm going. We restricted the opponents to mere 140 in 40 overs and I finished my bowling with 6-4-9-1. eight runs were scored off my second over. I have never bowled four maidens in my life and three of them were consecutive. Yateen bowled well in the slog and took a magnificent return catch which was hit quite hard at him.. that was easily the worst ball he bowled, but compensated with a great catch..

I know that we only need to stay in there to get the runs. I was due at number 7 and was relaxing in the scorers room. Shravan went in at number 4 when we required 50 runs off more than 20 overs. He struck a wonderful 31 with more than run a ball to see us home with 15 overs to spare. He hit a six over square leg and a gorgeous back foot cover drive through the extra cover. Wonderful performance indeed! but its a shame that he couldn’t stay till the end !!

Its a Fifty!! and my first!!!

I played a couple of matches during the week end. Won one and lost one..it was a week end of mixed fortunes for me..
saturday, we played a match at a place called monkseaton in newcastle. It was a 50 overs match, and it was the first time i played a 50 overs match... I was sent in at number 5 to bat after winning the toss..and when i wnet in we were 10/3 in five overs... i tried to play a slow game and get myself in.. left four balls contineously to the keeper and all four were away swingers... tried to drive on the up the fifth one and was caught behind.. so, got out for just two runs...and finally my team was all out , rather bundled out for 91 runs.. opponents chased those runs in 13 overs without loosing a wicket.....to add to the horror, i dropped a catch, it was a half chance at square leg, but it hit my finger tips and fell down!!
sunday, we went to a place called ponteland, which is near the newcastle airport.. it is a posh area where all the newcastle united fooball players stay.. it was a beautiful ground. It was a hot day (28 degrees) to start with and we again batted first in the 40overs contest. This time, i was sent in at number 3.. i was initially fishing outside the off stump for the away swingers.. started very slowly makeing my first 5 runs in 17 balls.. then i settled in a bit and made 59 runs (six boundaries)..... turned a ball to fine leg for a single to bring up my fifty!! and raised my bat towards the dressing room...greatest moment in my cricket career in newcastle.. we made 249 runs in 40 overs and won the game by just 5 runs in a thrilling match... yateen bowled his leg spinners but was unlucky not getting a wicket.. he got the edge a couple of times but they didnt carry to the slip.
it was a wonderful week end for me, especially after scoring first fifty...it was a special moment indeed!! i have never raised my bat in my lifetime!! a moment to cherish!!
i wasnt getting runs for quite sometime... would like to thank yateen who gave me good practice before the game...which really helped me...
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The agony of not being promoted!

yesterday we played cricket in a place called backworth near newcastle..One of the most beautiful cricket grounds i have seen so far... cricket ground and a golf course to each other.. was really wonderful...
bowled first and the opponents made only 69 runs off 14 overs.. we were 0/2 in the first over and i was due at number 5..and was running inside the dessing room to get padded up..at 10/3 i went in.. faced eight consecutive balls of a genuine swing bowler for the first time with new ball... all away swingers and i was dancing in the pitch without even touching it... out of the eight balls,i managed to defend two, hit one four through the third man, comfortabley left two balls and got beaten three balls consecutively...

got run out the very next over... but i was well in ...bloody umpire gave me out!! so, i made only 5 runs off 9 balls... poor effort..but we managed to win in the 12th over... and the league season is over..no promotions for my team...will have to play division 2 next year also...agonizingly missed promotion to division 1 by two points!!!
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My Name in cricket newsletter!!!

Couple of weeks back, i played a league game in a village called Humgaugh. The scorebard was released in the North East Mid week cricket newsletter. Though i made only 10 runs, i was the second top scorer and hence my name appeared in the newsletter.

am so fortunate that only one guy scored more than my 10 runs and still we managed to win the game... wonderful team effort!


Genetics 92-8 (14) G Mason 26, Gopal 10, Armstrong 4-0-26-3 beat Humshaugh 89-7 (14) J Abbot 16, N Benson 11, G Mason 4-0-20-1, Chris Mee 4-0-18-1, MoM C McKenna.

Rain Spoiled my week end! (15th august)

I was supposed to play two games over the week end.. one in Morpeth (a small town 30 miles west of newcastle) and one in newcastle itself.
both were called off due to rain. No cricket during the entire week end.

My First Double Header!

its been a great week end for me since i played two matches in two days.
On saturday, i played a match for a division 1 club called corbridge. I again travelled 25 miles north of newcastle to another stunning village. It was a fourty overs match and to my surprise, i was asked to go in at number 4. I padded up during the first over and got my chance only in 37th over. I managed to score a quick 17 not out (9b, 1X4). We scored 209 runs off the allorted 40 overs...
The opponents started steadily making 45 runs of the first ten overs without loosing a wicket.. then they collapsed a bit and they required 80 runs of the last ten overs. i was asked to bowl three overs.. i was a bit afraid becasue it was a crutial stage of the match and the guys who played with me in madras know how well i bowl under pressure!! fortunately for me, i went only for 14 runs and took a wicket, caught and bowled!! eventually, they were all out for 178 runs...
after the match was over, it rained for a couple of minutes and sun came out.. two wonderful rainbows came out in the sky...wonderful scene to watch.. i have never seen two rainbows at a time on the sky...and all 7 colors were clearly visible in the first rainbow.. wonderful scene..
after the match was over, they prepared a barbeque on the ground, and i had some good burgers and drinks...
on sunday, i played for my home club (Genetics) in a ground which is couple of minutes walking from my house. Again, we batted first, again i was sent in at number 4. but this time, i went in during the 12th over and came back to the pavilion in the 13th over!! made one run (2b). i missed a straight ball and was bowled!! was a bit frustrated with myself... we managed only 125 runs of 40 overs... but, we managed to bowl the opponents out for just 78 runs.. i was getting a good line and length and my bowling figures was 5-1-9-1.. Missed out with the bat, but we managed to win!!
after two matches in two days, i was a bit stiff this morning and came to office as tired as a dog!!
hope u enjoyed the commentry!! feedback is always welcome from you plesae!!

Hungaugh victory...

I played another match yesterday...I travelled around 50 miles north of newcastle to a place called humsaugh. it is a beautiful village..was amazed to see the farmers using all the latest machines on the fields... lush green outfiled again and quite a big ground..
we won the toss and elected to bat first.. My captain, again sent me at No3, went in to bat during the fourth over and managed to make only 10 runs in as many balls.. unlucky for me because my cover drive and square drive were stopped just inside the boundary.. very slow outfiled because of the overnight rains...
at the end of eight overs we were 38/2 and i thaught i have to hit out since we are short of runs.. trying to do so, hit one ball straight down the throaght of long off and was caught inches inside the boundary... dissapointed with myself... managed to score only 92 runs in the allorted 16 overs (all are 8 balls over)..
Our bowlers did a terrific job to get them all out for 89 runs... it was a pretty tight match.. fortunately for me, i didnt get any catch...and i had a good day on the field..
didnt take the camera with me there... probably i'll take some snaps durng sunday's match and send it to you..
vasanth, followed ur advise this time..but was helpless the way i got out... anyway, sunday is a 40 overs game..planning to spend some time in the middle, if sent at No3. thanks mate... for ur valuble advise..it really helped..
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Riding Mill... my first away match!

yesterday, we played cricket at a place called riding mill. it is a small village 30 miles north of newcastle.. it is a wonderful village in the valley with some amazing natural scenaries...
we bowled first and conceeded 184/3 runs in 40 overs.. i had a good day with ball giving away 27 runs in my 8 overs without a wicket.. first time in my life, i bowled 8 overs contneously... the temperature was pretty cold (12 degrees) with nice wind blowing all around... yateen bowled in the slog, took two wickets..his bowling figure is 4-0-32-2
i batted at number 7 since they had some men who didnt had batting practice... when i went in to bat, we needed 51 runs of 8 overs... i managed to make a quick 17 (of 12 balls 1X4)... after that, i slipped and fell very hard on the ground while attempting a run..and was run out...when we need 18 runs of 3 overs... was quite dissapointed with me for some time!!!
eventually, we lost the game by 6 runs... it was like 7 runs required of one ball... our guy hig a big shot, but was caught inches inside the square leg boundary.. pretty close match!!!