MIT Cricket Club vs. Commonwealth A

Venue: Roberts Field, Dorchester

Match Report by: Fred Clark, MIT C.C

Sunday May 2, 2004

Grey skies greeted the players in Dorchester on the first day of competition in the Massachusetts State Cricket League 2004. The opening match up was between last year's Division II champions, Team MIT, and Commonwealth A, traditionally one of the stronger teams in Massachusetts cricket. Both teams have been practicing through April in an attempt to remind wintered limbs of how to wield the willow, swing the ball and cut off boundaries. Expectations were high on both sides for an engrossing encounter.

MIT lost the toss and were sent into bat. Amit and Asif opened for MIT with instructions to begin steadily and occupy the crease. Things looked promising for a few overs until a wildly swinging ball removed Asif' s middle stump. It was a remarkable ball in that it pitched almost a foot outside leg stump, only to veer dramatically in some surprising late swing, crashing into middle from behind Asif's legs. Nirnay followed at number three. Again, a few promising overs looked to have Nirnay, one of last year's impressive contributors, well set until a good ball had him bowled. MIT were 2-35 at this point.  Hemant Verma strode to the crease at number four.  At the half-way mark Team MIT were 4-79. Both Hemant and Khalid were batting well, and MIT carried hoped of posting a competitive total of over 170 runs, which they realized they would need against a strong Commonwealth line-up. Hemant is one of many MIT players with natural talent and memories of great deeds from younger days. Of late those memories have grown dim, but with each season and the passing of another winter comes new hope. And so it was in the opening game of 2004 for Hemant. A delightful innings of concentration, skill and power brought Hemant back to the pavilion with a proud 54 to his name and the score 5-110. Two straight sixes of impressive timing and strength certainly surprised Commonwealth and delighted teammates. Congratulations, Hemant. However, as is apt to happen when the day's primary contributor is out, MIT collapsed to be all out for 146 with a clatter of wickets at the end. Only 35 overs had been bowled and it didn't seem enough to hold off the opposition.

The sky darkened during the changeover and light rain began to fall as the opposition batsman faced up. The first few overs from MIT' s bowlers were a little wild with quite a few wides as the rain continued to grow heavier. Soon, everyone was quite wet and an adjournment was sought when the rain began to really come down. After about twenty minutes play the rain cleared briefly and play resumed. Soon the rain returned; the ground was by this time very wet and the footing for the bowlers growing treacherous.   Commonwealth was making heavy weather of chasing 146 as MIT applied good pressure in the rain. Ashwin bowled fast and straight and accounted for two plumb LBWs. Khalid and Fred effected efficient direct hit run-outs while Khalid also took a terrific catch off Nirnay in gulley to have Commonwealth in trouble at 5-42. Ali & Fazal steadied their innings a bit and at 5-70 the captains decided to halt play due to rain at the start of the 14th over. The match was deemed a tie with both teams sharing the points.