Match Report: 5-Match Rivalry Series - May 7th, 2006
LVCC humbles LCRC in a no contest Game 1
Result: LVCC win by 128 runs (Aurangzeb career best 5-wicket haul); Scorecard
Sunday, May 7th 2006:
Las Vegas Cricket Club (Home of the Xpress) humbles the Lanka Cricket and Recreation Club (LCRC) in a no contest match in Game 1 of the 5-Match Rivalry Series this Sunday. Excellent batting and extraoridnary bowling resulted in the Xpress' 128 runs victory over LCRC.
LVCC won the toss and decided to bat first in what seemed to be an excellet batting track. The decision seemed to have worked against the Xpress when the opening pair got out cheaply. Aurangzeb, one of the star players of the game, got out to an excellent catch by Arvin who was substituting in for the Lankans. Sunny, the former skipper of LVCC, was the next victim to get caught & bowled by LCRC's skipper. Lenin, the vice captain, was next to go as LVCC looked in heaps of trouble earlier in their inning.
Jahangir (52) and Ankit (33) added a solid partnership in the middle-order and the two were able to raise the score past 130. Jahangir's mixture of offense and defense got him his maiden half-century of the series. Ankit played an excellent supporting role and tactfully scored 33 runs in the process. The highlight of Ankit's inning was when he pulled Haran for a six toward deep fine-leg. With 8 overs remaining, the duo tried to raise the runrate and got out in the process. Nasir and Dabir tried to accumulate some quick runs, but struggled as they both got run out. Late flurries by Avi (12*), LVCC's newest captain, and Anupam (20*) carried the team to a formidable total of 175 runs at the end of 25 overs.
With the ask rate of 7 runs an over, the opponents had a tough task ahead of them. From the start, the LCRC opening pairs stuggled to some excellent seam bowling. Anupam, who played a masterful and dashing innings, bowled an excellent out swinger to the LCRC's skipper only to get him caught behind to a pair of safe hands behind the wicket. Aupam's second victim was bowled out by an excellent inswinger.
Aurangzeb was the main highlight of the bowling line-up as the majority of his victims were sent to the pavillion shaking their heads in misery. Majid was the only batsman in the LCRC lineup who showed some resistance by being the only player to reach double figure. His valiant inning was put to an end by an excellent one-handed diving catch by Sunny. LCRC's misery was put to an end by Dabir as he got James caught behid to a dipping delivery. James tried to smash the ball square of the wicket only to find the inside edge of the bat. The mid-morning seaming conditions helped the opening duo to limit the opponents to 47 runs. Extra's was the only flaw for the opening "A's" as they both gave away 24 runs in wides.
LCRC need to re-think their flaws and come up with a better plan to beat the Xpress or else they will find themselves looking forward to a clean sweep.