The first upset in this brand new tradition has already taken place. Normally ACC4 wouldn't stand a chance against ACC3, lets say out of 10 matches the thirds would win  8 comfortably and one or two may fall the other way, fueled by happenstance and good fortune. And fortune was in a good mood that day. First of all, despite weatherpredictions believing otherwise for most of the week, the sun shone all day. Secondly the toss between Abid Malik and Mike Walsh went Walshies way. Taking some time to consider his options reasonably he decided fielding was rationally the best option, he then listened to his intuition which said - bat you idiot!   And so ACC4 did.  But misfortune was there for ACC3 as well. Sajid was away, JW was injured. two players didn't show.

 

So it was with two substitute fielders that ACC3 took to the field to chisel away at the opening pair of the skipper himself and Robert Wolfe. Helped by a few wides they managed to put 5 runs per over on the board for 5 overs and in the mean time Bert Haartskeerl had arrived so they duly went out. Bert is a new player for ACC4 who came from his nightshift and was allowed to sleep in a bit. Bert may be inquiring after Hasrat Bagkari's secret diet for Hasrat also came from a nightshift but without sleep, and even went back into a nightshift. But then again ACC4 won, so perhaps the inquiring should go the other way around. Nevertheless we take a deep bow at Hasrats dedication to the King of sports. Bert and Nagesh piled on some runs, then Big Lad Matchett threw his weight around clearing boundaries on all sides. Denise made a fashionable appearance at the crease, then Tim Lewis came to test the fortunes of the 4ths again. He popped one up on 0 just behind the keeper by cross batting a half-volley and then commenced to frustrate the bowler by crossbatting even yorkers to the boundary - what timing and what an eye he has, imagine what he could do if anyone ever tells him to play straight! Richard Wolfe came in and despite or probably because of the night before didn't look like a baseball player at all. 20 not out and lovely drives over the ground will probably lead the skipper to send him out on the town on the eve of every match of the season. Mark and Joost came in to try and stave of the allout bonus point that is part of the competition but an Lbw ended all that in the 31st over. The fourths only having 10 players. ACC4 had a total of 181 and the thirds already had a bonuspoint. Mention must be made that the substitute fielders did take two catches for the thirds.

When the fourths took to the field instead of a substitute fielder they found Nagesh's 12-year old Anisha willing to field for them. She ran cheerfully from the third girl position to third girl on the other side and saved many a run there. Good work Anisha. Zeddy fell in the first over to Richard Matchett, caught at leg slip by Bert. Speedy sleepless Gonzales Hasrat was given lbw by the very same Zeddy a couple of overs later and Hasrat is still wondering if sleep actually helps peoples eyesight. Unstoppable as he is, instead of crashing on the sofa he came out to umpire. Alex frightened the fourths  booming 44 runs with Inder looking graceful and dangerous on the other side, however fortune came into play again as Inder dragged on off Richard Wolfe. Richard or Tim got newcomer Paul Liebenberg lbw who is used to quite quicker bowling in South Africa and had already started running. We are very curious what Paul will be able to do in league 3b.

Tim Lewis held on to two fantastic chances to dismiss the also dangerous Noor and beforementioned Alex. This was off the bowling of Skipper Mike who has underbowled himself in the past, but clearly was the pick of the bowlers yesterday, teaming up with Tim twice as mentioned and also getting the opposing skipper out. Richard Wolfe could have had that wicket as he got Abid to put a dolly up to Mid-on but our skipper had other plans and so he volleyballed the ball away in order to get him caught behind first ball of the next over himself. Khurram came in and knocked quite a few boundaries before Robert Wolfe got him caught at mid-on by, how befittingly, a substitute fielder. Denise gave one over of her newfound bowling technique, and if the keeper and first slip had not been so mesmerized by her action, her legbreak would have immediately led to a wicket as the batsman topedged a sitter but survived. So ACC3 went all out for 119 which is less that 80% of 181 (65% in fact) which means ACC4 have earned 5 points and ACC3 1.
The next game should be Vets vs ACC3 and Daniel Eldering (skipper Vets) and Sajid or (Abid) will inform us here when that game is scheduled. Anyone can still walk away with the trophy.