Finally, the first match of the season in perfect cricket weather. At 11.00 we all gathered (match would start at 11.30) at the clubhouse and had almost everything ready to start play. Ofcourse, VVV came at 11.30 and before the match actualy started it was 12.00.

With almost a new team, we were send in to field first and stand-in captain Abid Malik faced a the honorable task to lead ACC3 in their first competition match.
Abid opened the bowling and on his third ball he bowled the openingsbat out with a yorker on off-stump.
New ACC3 player Paul Liebenberg bowled from the other end with the new ball but had some difficulty controlling the swing.
Then VVV started to play really defensive and that created chances for us but unfortunately for Abid, a few edges on his bowling weren't caught in the slips.
Frustrating for the bowler but then again, it is the first match of the season so we all are a bit rusty. No worries.
 
First change bowlers Shahid Noor and also new ACC3 player Zeeshan Choudry did try to upset the batsmen but they didn't go for the shots or even trying to go for it.
Slowly they did get used to pace bowling and did free their arms now and then so time for a change.
In the tradition of 'after waterbreak a wicket falls', kind of same happenend.
Changing to spin, Zahid (zeddy) Malik struck in his third over by a flighted delivery hit straight to mid-off and a catch was taken by Abid.
This did upset VVV because in Zeddy's next over, he clean bowled the next batsman in and bowled his first wicket-maiden for ACC.
Now, VVV's still in openingsbatsman got his eyes (finally) in and did show us that.
Fortunately, there weren't much runs on the board yet, therefore almost everyone had a bowl.
Must me a memorable first cricket match for another new ACC3 Maarten Boeye, as he too managed to get a wicket.
In the end VVV still managed to score 203 runs, which is an achievable target on the second ground.
 
Being the first match and the achievable target set, the captain experimented with two new openingspair: Shahid and Farhan Nadeem.
Both started well, playing the balls in the gap and smacking the bad balls away.
The running and calling could have been better but they did stick around untill Shahid got out on a fullish ball.
Batsman no.3 Zeddy's innings started really good with a deadstraight drive all away to the boundry but got an edge on his next over so had to head back to the pavilion.
In-form batsman Inder Rana bhai, steadied the fall of the two quick wickets and built up the score together with Farhan.
Farhan struck a ball straight back but instead of going through, he hit Inder bhai on his ankle so Inder bhai retired hurt.
Now, it did get a bit exciting because we were a few wickets down, but we still far ahead of the required run-rate.
Another new ACC3 player Tahir Malik (another member of the Malik brothers Abid & Zeddy) wasn't planning to stay long.
He did play himself in and betterd his score almost every ball: a single, a boundy, a six, then bowled out.
Abid didn't stay long either and got out for a duck, not really the captains innings he was hoping for.
Luckily for the team, Inder bhai came back in and scored some excellent needed runs together with Farhan (got stumped) and Guy Pathak.
Special note for Guy, excellent team spirit by giving up your wicket to keep Inder bhai in. Great example.
In the end it was our very own Alex Swaneveld who, before we started batting, asked to go at no.11 because he didn't intended to go for the quick singles (cramps).
Well, the big shots were all fine so you don't need to run if you keep batting like this mate, probably one big shot too many.
Last but not least, Paul's batting skills are known in the nets and showed importance in the last few stages together with Maarten's and finished it off.
We passed their total in the 38th over..we just had to keep it exciting for the crowd, didn't we.
 
Just for the stats:
Batting:
Farhan: 29
Shahid: 21
Inder bhai: 24
Alex: 41
Paul: 19

Bowling:
Abid: 1-24-8
Paul: 0-10-2
Zeeshan: 0-33-6
Zeddy: 2-23-5
Farhan: 0-25-4
Maarten: 1-22-3
 
The Good: great team spirit, good discipline, one target: win
The Not-so-good: The extras (wides/no-balls), dropped catches
In the end, a great win and really good efforts made by all of you, thanks guys for the win.
Let's try to even better ourself and set some new targets for our next match on the 21st of May.
One focus: becoming champion this year.
 
Cheers,
Abid Malik