TRISKEL TAVERNERS WIN FIRST EVER LEAGUE MATCH

Madrid CC 2nd XI vs. Triskel Taverners CC, Sonseca, Saturday 4th May 2014

Triskel Taverners CC wins by 18 runs

Triskels win first ever league match 

Triskel Taverners bounced back from a heavy defeat at the hands of Sonseca CC last weekend to seize their first ever Spanish league victory, defeating Madrid CC 2nd XI in a close match by 18 runs.

Boasting what Triskels skipper Woody described as “a strong batting line-up today”, they won the toss and elected to bat. It looked like the wrong decision, however, when opener Tony was clean bowled by 18-year-old Waqas Ahmed off the fourth ball of the innings. John and Joe added 17 and 1 respectively before being dismissed, leaving Triskels looking a little shaky at 37 for 3.

However, it was the fourth wicket partnership of 102 which ultimately won the game for the boys from the Madrid Irish pub. Opener Simon – who was outstanding and went on to carry his bat and score a club record 63 not out, including 5 fours – and Paul – 41 before holing out to a sharp catch by Krishna Seshut off the bowling of Tom Fryer – frustrated Madrid CC’s seconds in 19 overs of clever batting.

Simon paced his innings to perfection, playing himself in slowly (at one point he faced 20 consecutive dot balls) then opening up at the end to add 18 runs off his last 13 balls (the 18 match-winning runs?).

Following Paul’s dismissal, Waqas pulled out another peach of a delivery to bowl Steve for 7, bringing Alistair to the crease to support Simon in an ultimately unbroken 41-run partnership and taking Triskel Taverners to 196 for five – a club record – from their allotted forty overs.

Pick of the bowlers were Tom Fryer – making a long-awaited return to competitive cricket after an eight-year absence – with eight overs, 2 maidens (1 wicket maiden), 1 for 29, and Dinesh Babu, who bowled 5 overs for 17 runs and took one wicket.

Triskel’s total looked a formidable one, especially since Madrid 2nd XI was without its regular opening batsmen, but opening pair Joss Bancroft (bowled Paul for 35) and Victor Medina (caught behind for 16) got the innings off to a cracking start with a 52-run partnership off the first twelve overs.

It was an especially proud moment for Madrid CC as Victor Medina became the first-ever autochthonous Spanish player to open an innings for the club. Having taken the game up just five months ago, he equipped himself admirably and could prove to be vital in the team’s campaign to win the ECCL Eastern League this year.

Madrid lost a couple of cheap wickets before Krishna Seshut came to the crease at number five for a brave knock of 22, supported by Tom Fryer who scored 12. By this time, however, the game was slipping away from Madrid as the required run rate rose over by over. Angappan (bowled by skipper Woody) and Waqas (out caught by John, who made two decisive catches in the innings, at backward point off Paul’s bowling) went cheaply, bringing the tailenders to the wicket on 135 for eight with just 9 overs remaining.

Madrid’s seconds bat deep, however, with every player capable of wielding a bat, and a ninth wicket partnership of 32 involving stand-in captain Murari Perumalsamy and Rohit Dhamane, who batted bravely despite a badly-swollen foot, kept them in the game. When Murari was caught by Woody off the bowling of Steve in the 37th over with Madrid on 167, the game was definitely Triskels’ to lose but could still have swung either way.

In the end it was too big an ask and Madrid ran out of wickets when Dinesh Babu was dismissed thanks to a wonderfully athletic diving catch by gloveman Lester, leaving Rohit not out on 25 and Madrid all out for 178 off 39.2 overs.

Pick of the bowlers for Triskels were Steve, who took 4 wickets for 44 in 9.2 overs, and Paul, who completed an excellent match with figures of 5 overs, 1 for 15.

The game was played very competitively but in the true spirit of cricket, so congratulations to Triskel Taverners on their inaugural victory in the Spanish league and thanks to umpires Ittafaq and Ashraf for standing.

Triskel Taverners – 18 points

Madrid CC 2nd XI – 5 points

Madrid CC 2nd XI kick off their Eastern League challenge on the coast next weekend with games against Torrevieja and Intellectuals.

Madrid CC would like to thank team sponsors Bombay Blue Indian restaurant and Ocean Rock Bar for their support. 

Match report: David Stirton, Captain, Madrid CC 2nd XI.