The visit of Glostrup CC


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TJF

GCA XI’s win two close encounters.

The visit of Glostrup CC from Denmark provided two excellent games of cricket on Tuesday and Wednesday, both matches going right down to the wire. Highlights of Tuesday’s game were a fine second wicket partnership of 141 by John Hazell (109) and Kabir Mirpuri (60), and an unbeaten knock of 57 by Chris Watkins. The Wednesday fixture saw a century from Soren Jensen of Glostrup, a fine all-round performance by Mirpuri who took four wickets and scored an unbeaten 48, and a whirlwind match-winning innings from Ross Harkins who struck 41 of just 21 balls when all seemed lost for the locals.

GCA XI post big total.

GCA XI won the toss on Tuesday, chose to bat first and, after the loss of the early wicket of Kieron Ferrary, Hazell and Mirpuri gradually wrested the initiative. Runs were slow in coming at first against some tight bowling, but the necessary acceleration came as both batsmen raced past their half centuries. With the total on 151 and 27 of the 35 allotted overs gone, Mirpuri was finally stumped in the search for quick runs, and Richard Buzaglo followed him soon afterwards in the same quest. Watkins then joined Hazell and these two put on 81 runs in the final six overs (a rate of over 13 an over) to bring the final total to a respectable 214/4. Hazell fell in the 33rd. over, having reached his century and Watkins carried his bat to the end.

Glostrup run chase.

Glostrup also lost an early wicket, Watkins getting Michael Andersen caught in the gully by Ferrary. Ole Roland and Karsten Mikkelsen then held out whilst a further 53 runs accrued before the entry of Adrian Hewitt into the attack brought instant success, Roland [36] square cutting the bowler’s first delivery straight into the hands of Hazell at cover point. Hazell, it seemed, could no wrong as he was brought on to bowl and immediately had Steen Thomsen caught behind by Buzaglo and in his second over accounted for Mikkelsen [48] thanks to an excellent catch by Ferrary at long on. The local side then seemed to be well in control of the game, but Martin Jensen [58] and Michael Jeppesen [38] had other ideas as they proceeded to put on 96 runs for the fifth wicket. Both threatened to win the match for their side until that man Mirpuri took a hand in proceedings dismissing both in quick succession, and when Watkins chipped in with another two quick wickets, the balance had turned GCA’s way. As the final over began, Glostrup required nine runs to win but Mirpuri restricted them to four to give the GCA XI victory by a mere four runs. It had been a nail biting finish! Watkins returned figures of 3/30, Mirpuri took 2/26 and Hazell 2/45.

Another close encounter.

Glostrup CC returned to the Rock on Wednesday with a much stronger side, whilst the GCA also strengthened their team. What should have been a fifty overs game had to be reduced to 35 as the visitors were held up in long frontier queues. GCA XI again won the toss, this time invited the opposition to bat first and tasted instant success as Harkins had Martin Jensen caught behind by Ferrary in his very first over. Steffen Langaard and Soren Jensen then put on 67 runs for the second wicket in quick time before the former skied a catch to Harkins off the bowling of Robbie Skinner for 32. This brought David Borchesen, a member of Denmark’s squad at the forthcoming European Championships, to the crease and he and Jensen put bat to ball with great effect, 76 runs coming in the next nine overs. The introduction of Mirpuri into the attack then changed the whole complexion of the innings as he accounted for Borchesen and three further wickets, including that of Jensen who had just completed his century, and at the end of the allotted overs, the total had progressed to 209/8, with Mirpuri returning figures of 4/24.

The GCA XI made a disastrous start to their innings, losing the wicket of David Young for nought. Both Karan Aswani and Iain Latin got themselves in and then out to send the total plunging to 55/3 with twelve overs gone. Ferrary had been batting steadily until he played across the line and was bowled for 39, and it was then left to Mirpuri and Hazell to retrieve the situation with a stand of 60. However, when the latter holed out when on 30 and Vikram Khatwani followed soon afterwards, 54 runs were still required for victory with only seven overs left. Harkins then joined Mirpuri but victory still seemed to be going the visitors’ way as the asking rate climbed to nearly twelve an over. Harkins then launched a ferocious attack on the bowling, hitting two huge sixes as he raced to 41, whilst Mirpuri batted sensibly at the other end. Midst mounting excitement, the final over arrived with seven runs required for victory. Harkins hit the first ball for two, the second ball went for three wides, Mirpuri faced a dot ball for the third and the fourth produced a leg bye which brought home what had at one stage looked like an unlikely victory!