Match report
ECC vs Beausoleil CC Sunday 12th May 2013
With some noticeable absentees there was a welcome return of Roshan Perera to lead Entrecasteaux against a Beausoleil team eager for revenge after their 9 wicket loss in the previous encounter two weeks ago. On a bright day with a strong west wind blowing Entrecasteaux openers, Glen Burrell and Andy Fife, could have felt confident of scoring runs against only nine fielders, although the length of grass on the pitch was always going to hinder their efforts.
Such hope was dashed in the third over when Evon Shan delivered a fast inswinging Yorker which had Fife, who hadn’t troubled the scorer, walking back to the pavilion. The captain joined Burrell at the wicket and both batsmen had a torrid time in defending their wickets against an attack led by Evon whose figures of 7-1-29-1 , with 16 of those runs coming in his last over, are testimony to an impressive spell, and who was ably supported by Baldev and Pardeep.
Burrell and Roshan tempered the storm taking singles and twos whenever possible and it was in this arena that their undoing was so nearly achieved. Roshan struck a ball directly to mid wicket whereupon Burrell bizarrely called for a single, Roshan stood his ground and so both batsmen found themselves in the same crease. All that was needed was an accurate throw, which was not forthcoming, and so Roshan was able to make his ground with a backward glance that you do not give to your best friend.
It was the catalyst to spur an onslaught from both batsmen which saw boundaries come aplenty. Burrell was gladiatorial, swathing his way to an impressive 81, relishing every ball like the next beast to his slaughter, and Roshan (72), somewhat more elegant but no less effective, with his peculiar on drive which sends the ball backward of square, compiled a partnership of 152 before Roshan holed out to a well taken catch on the midwicket boundary.
Chaminda Perera joined the fray making a rapid 38, and Dight Everton hit a 6 with his first shot and was then caught. Entrecasteaux had amassed 217 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in their 35 overs.
The Beausoleil innings was as much about constant pressure in the field from the home team which contained and frustrated the batsmen into playing shots and making mistakes as they tried gainfully to reach their target. Beausoleil’s opening batsmen, Roshan (40) struck the ball fiercely before his middle stump was uprooted by a straight fast ball from Robbie Lange. Everton and Shalana Karunarathnage had opened the bowling. Everton bowled in 2 spells and claimed 2 wickets, both well taken catches behind the wicket by a rejuvenated Philip Batchelor, and ended with figures of 7-2-21-2 which was the more impressive as he bowled from the Garden House End into the stiff wind.
Chaminda Perera and Roshan Perera each claimed wickets and with two run outs; one of which was a superb throw from Robbie Lange at square leg, who with one stump to aim at, smashed the wickets so sending Beausoleil’s captain Somnath(16) back to the pavilion, the Beausoleil total had reached 114 when time was up – Entrecasteaux had won by 103 runs.
It was good to see both the young and the not so young being given a chance to turn their arm. Maurice Mitchem proved that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve and would have had a wicket had our noble wicket keeper been able to stay on his feet and break the wicket. Whilst Yannick Perera is improving with every game and showed us that he is learning the art of bowling.
So ended the day, a day when we saw some high class cricket and we had some laughs, and although the margin of victory was somewhat similar to our previous encounter, Beausoleil should be praised for bringing a team who are keen to fight for every run and for every wicket, and who play the game in a very good spirit.