Tag Archives: Hassan

Devils Lose Two and One

June 24, 2019Article, NewsBlind Cricket, Brenda, Cricket, Hassan, Metro Devils, paul toplis.Saul Wynne

Devils Lose Two and One

22^nd June 2019

Well the weather has improved and Metro have beaten Yorkshire twice, in the BBS cup at home and away in the league. The cup win means a home semi-final with the opportunity to avenge last year’s defeat in the final as Sussex visit on 6^th July.

The Devils have not taken up playing golf but did lose two players to injury, Ahmed unable to bowl after his first over had conceded just 8 runs and then at the start of the chase, Jack – who pulled up lame taking an easy single while running for Hassan.

They ended up on 153 chasing 155 to win as Brenda was run out on the last ball of an enthralling match. In fact, if the scores had been tied the Dolphins would have won as they had taken 7 wickets while the Devils only took two.

On a perfect afternoon for cricket, with lots of pleasant blue sky but the temperature not too hot, the day started well for the home side as they won the toss and asked Dorset to bat. It was the visitors, however, who may have been the happier after the opening exchanges as they reached 48 for 1 after seven overs having lost run one opener bowled by the home skipper.

Tim McKenzie remained in however and was hitting the ball hard to all parts of the ground – although the stumps at the bowler’s end did deny him one almost certain four, stopping the ball dead and turning a good shot into a dot ball. There was just one chance offered in his innings, the ball after his new partner had been run out from sharp fielding by Brenda at mid-wicket, as he skied one toward square leg but Ryan could not quite get under the ball. He retired on 51, including three fours and a huge 6 over square leg from a no ball, with the score on 116 at the end of fourteen overs. This left Ben and the away skipper, Steve, to finish off the innings which they did well including getting 15 vital runs off the final over.

The chase started after just a short break, as it was agreed to take tea after the game, with Ryan and Chris opening. They only managed 14 together before Chris was bowled bringing Hassan and Ryan together. They batted well taking the runs on offer and picking the extras donated by the visitors to get to a position that looked to have the Devils well ahead until Ryan was run out in not quite getting back for a second run with 80 runs on the board after eight overs and two balls.

However this wicket led to a collapse of near national scale; Asif went two, boundary 4, then caught out and Dave Samuels was also out before the half way mark,leg before to the way skipper. At ten overs the Devils with 97 had 32 more runs in the bag, so still seemed well placed with Everton, Brenda and the injured Jack all still to bat.

The visitors had other ideas and kept their bowling tight and fielding energetic, so that after Hassan was bowled by his opposite number with the score on 105, they were able to squeeze with Everton and Brenda unsure of their running together and so were restricted to a partnership of 34 from 44 balls. The Devils scoring worm had still stayed ahead of the Dolphins apart from the end on the 14^th over when it was one behind.

There was some confusion about Jack coming into bat with a runner before Brenda ended the eighteenth over with a single. The score 140, the worm 5 ahead and 15 needed from two overs. A single from Brenda and three lusty blows all for 2 from an immobile Jack left the worm 8 ahead and the equation of 8 needed from six balls.

Who was the pressure on as Tim was given the ball for the last over? A dot meant very clearly the batsman, but then Brenda got one very fine behind the stumps for two and perhaps the pendulum swung back? The next ball was probably the most critical in the over as a great stop by the Dolphins total at square leg meant a dot ball. Brenda got off strike to leave Jack with the task of scoring 5 from two balls, so a boundary needed. Jack could only manage a two to fine leg and then that single as Dorset collected the ball at fine leg to run out Brenda at the bowler’s end with a relay throw via the wicket keeper.

Wow – amazing stuff which leaves the league for the Devils to concentrate on with games to come against Dorset away and Berkshire at home, their last home fixture of the season on August 10^th.

Report by Paul Toplis

BBS Cup Quarter Final

June 12, 2018NewsAmit, Cricket, Hassan, paul toplis., WarwickshireSaul Wynne

Warwickshire; The Expected Result?

9^th June 2018

Metro have found Warwickshire barring their progress in the cup for several years and on Saturday after a very hard fought game it boiled down to this; there were 19 more, of the 181 needed by Warwickshire for a win, still required with 7 wickets down and three overs remaining.

For the visitors the wickets were critical as they had arrived with only nine players. The question thus was could Metro’s pair of totals bowling at the death defend 19 from three overs?

Amit had the first ball, of the three, from the café end; his action sends the ball looping high and dropping on a length. Gerald is on strike but cannot make effective contact with the first two balls; but then the line strays leg side and two runs are taken to fine leg. A dot follows and then he gets solidly under one and lifts it high, for a one bounce four to fine leg. The field is in close, to try and prevent the single but he plays with soft hands to drop the ball onto the strip and race through for a single to keep the strike.

Hassan comes back to complete his spell from the scorebox end; his action very different – the ball low and skiddy, often close the its third bounce as it reaches the striker. The first ball is squirted to point; for just a single and Metro have what they want – the Warwickshire total on strike. Now an error from the keeper as the next ball slips past him and a bye is taken.

Warwickshire seem to take control next ball, Matt Dean at square leg strays behind square – for a no ball – that is driven past mid off for two. Seven needed from ten balls. Hassan holds his nerve and keeps it straight as two dots follow. Then Warwickshire take a single to third man, to put Gerald on strike for the last over and Ezekiel blocks out Hassan’s last ball. Six needed, or five as a tie will win it for the visitors as they have lost less wickets.

Amit pitches up and Mo, behind the stumps does well to block the ball; the next one is edged up and Mo makes no mistake holding the catch to set up a semi-final at Highgate on the 30^th June against Yorkshire who beat Gloucestershire on Sunday.

Great celebrations by Metro follow.

Not that those quite match the individual celebrations from Amit at his earlier match winning contributions – his speed, after grabbing chances at short square leg from both Warwickshire’s England stars, could surely only be matched by one of the home side.

The first catch had been the breakthrough Metro were after as the visitors had looked to be taking control at 66 without loss after ten overs; before Justin was caught for 46. Luke marshalled the rest of the innings batting carefully and aware that the required run rate was always under control. He batted nearly two hours for his 45; departing sixth with the score on 151.

The Metro bowling display was brilliant, backed up by energetic and enthusiastic fielding to make sure that the rate never got too low. The best figures of the day belonged to Amit and Mo with two wickets each; Mo’s for just 23 runs from his six overs; while Gareth took four to add to his five from the week before.

Earlier in the afternoon, batting first after having been put in, the Metro innings was based on a rapid 52 from Matt Dean out of a score of 79 for three and then solid contributions from all led by Ryan who came in as Matt left and batted for over an hour in scoring 35 while the team score increased by ninety-five.

After he was out from the second ball of the twenty-sixth over with Luke and Justin bowling Metro collapsed; Mo followed at the end of the over bowled by Justin, leaving Rory as a spectator for the next over from Luke. This was a fast and accurate over – dot, bowled, no ball, dot, bowled, not and then lbw. Metro had not batted their full allowance of overs, as Justin had two left and Luke one, and surely had not scored enough.

It was all set up for a test of bowling skill and Hassan and Amit passed with flying colours.

Report by Paul Toplis

Cricket: Hat Trick! Hat Trick?

May 8, 2018Article, NewsBerkshire stags, Cheshire Cobras, Cricket, HassanSaul Wynne

To begin then in the middle with the final over of the Cheshire Cobras innings against Metro in the first round of the BBS cup. The visitors to Highgate were on 167 for 8 and the dangerous Howard Greenhill was on strike for the final over, on 110 not out that included three sixes; two scored off the home captain’s bowling.

Matt Dean came on to bowl and it was perhaps a surprise that Howard took a single off the first legal delivery; to leave the number 10 on strike. A no ball was followed by three dots and then a straight one – bowled; the final ball of the innings was a repeat of the previous one. This leaves Matt on a hat trick next time he gets to bowl – perhaps against Kent at Highgate next Saturday in the first league home game for Metro.

Mention must go to those who helped restrict the Cobras score – Mo who bowled his six overs for just 13 runs and picked up the wickets of both opening batsmen; Gavin to a brilliant diving catch by Andy that must already be a contender for catch of the season.

The modest target looked straightforward to chase down until in just the eighth over Howard took a fantastic catch to dismiss Matt for just 14 allowing the visitors to put pressure on Metro, the scoring worm dropping behind the visitors in the twelfth over. Not until Andy Law was bowled by Gavin Griffiths, and Simon Ledwith joined Nick did the rate increase to leave Metro exactly on the required rate at half way also just one ahead of the Cobras at that stage.

Sensible batting was the order of the day and this pair put on 63 from 133 before Simon was bowled by John Prasher; hope flickered again for the visitors when Nick finally fell for 51 with just four more runs added – but this was in John’s last over.

Mark Bond and Hassan needed to get 33 from the final six overs with all the Cobra’s top bowlers having completed their allotted six overs. Mark steered Metro home with 19 balls to spare as he reached 29 from just 19 balls to set up a quarter final against Warwickshire on the 9^th June at Highgate.

So that was win two for Metro after their tense 157 run victory – with just one ball to spare against Sussex on 21^st April.So as one hat trick hangs in the balance can Hassan skipper the Devils to a win in Berkshire to make it three wins from three and a great club start to the season.

The weather played its part delivering another warm, sunny day with little breeze at the charming Binfield ground. Hassan certainly made a good start by winning the toss and putting the home side in to bat. However with many bowlers having not bowled for months there was no early wicket for the Devils and both of the Stags openers scored at a good rate, reaching 107 without loss when drinks were taken after twelve overs.

Richard had to retire shortly afterwards and then the Devils wicketkeeper eventually completed a Dave S run out with both runners at the far end of the pitch to dismiss the other opener just short of 50. Everton chipped in with another run out and then good bowling backed up by energetic fielding – albeit with Hasmukh only blocking two shots where a catch was on offer – slowed the scoring rate. The Stags made use of the full 28 overs available to them to reach 202.

The following main event at Berkshire – tea, lived up to the anticipated high standards; although Dave & Gary had limited time to enjoy the excellent cakes as they had to open the innings. At drinks the rate of 8.5 had just been kept up as wickets again appeared hard to take on a good pitch for batting; Dave retired, just one ball after tea, with the score on 106 and Hassan came out looking to up the scoring rate.

Having swept to midwicket for two he unfurled an elegant off drive only to see his runner short of his ground after a good throw in from deep mid-off. Jack joined Gary briefed to up the scoring rate and did just that; it looked as if he might overtake Gary but there was not quite enough time for that before Gary retired with this pair having added 59.

So when Jack hammered the ball back waist high to be well caught by Tom Gray, the bowler, with the score on 180, Aemonn and Chris had 20 balls left to score the remaining two dozen runs. Aemonn was swinging and missing but Chris remained calm and with two boundaries to square leg scored 14 off 9 balls while facing just two “dot balls” to gain victory with 11 balls to spare.

A fantastic hat trick of victories – can Metro follow up against Kent and the Devils at the cradle of cricket on the 26^th May?

report by Paul Toplis