After last weeks match, we were bound to make this right against R&W, whom we had defeated before.
So everyone was almost on time. Two of our teammembers have sworn never to come on time so the day they will be on time, it will worry me..Due to misscommunication apparently, we were supposed to start at 13:00....That memo didn't reach me so considering that, everyone was on time.

The sun was shining for a change and luckily, we were going to play on the 1st field. Same field were we last saw Bhukhi reaching his 100 in the T20.
Since half of our team members were there to watch that match, speculations and bets were made who was going to hit a six and where.
I can tell you already, sixes were hit but nowhere near or way they were supposed to.

Won the toss (again) and batted first. The usual openers, Zeddy and Asif went in and made their bowlers sweat..and it wasn't because of the sun.  If an openingsbat (Asif in this case) get's of the mark by hitting a six, he means business. After 4 overs we were 37.
Smart by their captain to change their openingbowler because the expected target looked like 370 runs by then with no wickets down.
The changed proved to be unlucky for Asif, who mistimed a short ball into his body. Deep midwicket didn't make a mistake and out he went. 46/1
Saqib came in and got quickly of the mark by running a hard double. Both took the score to a healthy 71 when Zeddy got surprised by the sudden bounce. He tried playing it with soft hands but it was too late, it had already hit the top of the bat and landed safely in the hands of the bowler while in his follow through. 71/2
Young Zulfi, Sikander, got the confidence of the captain and was sent in at no. 4. Both batsmen, natural quick runners, felt like fish in water and lifted the score to 100 in the 19th over.
Next unexpected thing happened: a run out. Sikander played a shot towards long off which didn't reach the boundary and for a run. Saqib ran hard but fielder was faster than expected and he was sent back. By then he was already halfway, ran back hard, in came throw and off were the bails. Just a bit too short. 100/3
Mehran in at five had plenty of overs to play and also being a quickrunner, could either support Sikander, who had around 40 runs, or atleast take singles and convert them to doubles easily.
For this to happen, one tiny detail is very important: not getting out. Mehran did the opposite and got bowled. 129/4.
Don't know if it was a good ball or he just wanted to get bowled by a celebrity: Erik van Muiswinkel. Erik is a dutch comedian with a passion for cricket (google him). Nice chap who loves to bowl balls with a flight almost the few birds flying over the pitch but with the speed of a snail. Also can bowl a lot quicker, submarinish bounce.
Being a team with the talent to mostly play "Lapetas" we failed to do that to him but luckily, didn't get out trying either.
Just a wiki moment: in every cricketer lies a "Lapeta" player. It's a terrible looking shot where you hit balls, almost going wide on offside, towards Cowscorner. The result is always a mystery and/or a misery.
For the analysts our there, the wickets fell at a steady pace, around 30 runs. Hopefully with now Khurram in, we could change this statistic. It surely looked like it because Khurram started where he left last week. He gave Sikander the much needed support because wickets falling and young kid, almost getting his first half century with seniors, started to became hesitated.
A few shots of him just landed behind long off fielder for boundaries. A few overs later, the choice, actually Zeddy's advice, to put him in at no.4 proved to be lucky for us and him.
50 for bat no 4 the electronic board showed and the few extra supporters of R&W cheered with us. Ofcourse it wasn't over yet and after Sikander got his fifty, both Khurram and he, went for it.
Two consecutive sixes by Khurram and a some doubles ran by Sikander were the first moves to a large total. Unfortunately, Sikander misread Muiswinkels delivery and charged him to hit his first six but got stumped. What a fine innings he had played. 199/5
Since the set-batsman got out and just a few overs to play in the innings, I got myself in. Just before leaving I said to the team: I'll be (right) back in Punjabi and sounded funny. Didn't expect it to turn it into reality. I just tried to hoik everything out of the boundary but got singles instead.
Remember I said something about "lapeta's" (read above) Khurram did exactly that. Only this time, he mistimed the shot and the ball flew towards backward squareleg and got caught. 201/6
Amir got in to safe the day.
I think I forgot hyperspeed of Amir in running between the wickets. I always try to do my best not to run and hit 'em out of tha park. While, trying to get a double, the fielder running in hard from thirdman had a direct hit. I couldn't believe it, end of my story and long way back. 204/7
If one hitter goes, the other is ready to take the place so Zee got in. He started with some singles then unleashed himself with two huge sixes. When going for another six, he got bowled by another Muiswinkel special. 218/7
Imran was the next man in and with just a few overs to play Amir and he scored a few singles and stayed in for the remainder of the match. 232 runs on the board and target reached.

Batting figures with no strikerates this time:
Sikander 61
Khurram: 36
Zeddy: 24
Asif: 24
Saqib: 20

So, total score of 232 to defend and with one less strike bowler, Ali had the opportunity to show his skills in the 2nd's, I decided to open myself.
After a lot of inconsistent bowling in the first leg of the season, I finally managed to bowl line&length, swing the ball in and out. The cutters still don't work, well, they turned into a couple of wides so didn't try them too much.
Omar was promoted to open and had a bit difficulty controlling the swing but the batsman couldn't read him so that was fine. After 10 overs they were on 34 and pressured got to them.
Our own Zeddy was in the middle of the action display when he stopped a ball hit hard to him at cover. The batsman on the non striking end didn't really think Zeddy was quick but with pinpoint precision, only able to target one stump, he threw the ball and just hit the stump and stun everyone. He has proved his worth at cover and won't hear me say anything anymore. 35/1
Neither of us got through their defenses so after Omar bowling six and me bowling seven overs, we decided to change the bowling from both ends. Zee and Khurram into the attack.
The change worked. Fourteen runs later, Khurram was about to be hit for a boundary but our junior Sikander ran hard and took a brilliant catch over his head. 49/2
Their opener still in and not trying to get out either misread a full delivery and got bowled by another Khurram delivery. What a little bit of confidence can do to a player is marvelous. The rule "get me a wicket and you get another over in return" works. 53/3
Barely six runs later, another mixup by the batsmen led to another runout. Too bad that one, I can't remember but it must have been an excellent one because they were 59/4.
Their comedian got in at 5 and showed that he meant business. He got of the mark with boundary, edging it towards the boundary. Moving Saqib to backward point worked and got him thinking. He middled a hard delivery straight into Zeddy's hands in cover. 63/5
It was Khurram's day, he got runs and wickets too. So complying to the rule, he got another over and was third time lucky. Batsman tried hitting Khurram for some runs but a high catch taken by Omar at Long off, made sure he was the duck of the day. 64/6
Just two runs later, Zee cleanbowled their batsman so the board displayed 66/7 after 20 overs. Things looked like they couldn't get better.
Khurram and Zee caused enough damage so they were taken off and replaced by Asif and Imran. That gave their batsmen a bit more hope and freeing their arms.
That last thing is usually a hard thing when batting against Asif because of his cutters and L&L. The ball hit the pads in front of the stumps, we all appealed, the umpire gave the batsman the finger. As in 'out', nothing else. 88/8
Imran deserved a wicket but on the boundary the man in form, Khurram, managed to drop one by running in from the boundary and realizing too late that he ran in too much.
No wicket and a boundary against you, that spoils your day I can tell you.
As promised, I gave Omar his 10 overs this week (he only bowled four last match but should have more). Another successful change and Omar got his wicket with an brilliant dive forward at mid off by our most senior players Asif bhai. Fine example to show how things are done. Looked as difficult and very similar like the one Zeddy had in our first match against R&W. Only difference is around 14 years... 99/9
The last wicket took a while before it fell. I tried for myself again but dot balls instead. I even tried Mehran aka Shoaib Akhter. His motto is: if you can't get the wicket, atleast hurt the batsman and bowled two beamers, almost three. Just to wind things up, I gave Zee the ball and he cleanbowled the batsman in the 2nd ball. 116 all out.
I think we gave away about 25 runs too many and should have gotten them all out under a hundred. On the otherhand, we enjoyed the day with music during our batting and again the popular sunflower seeds.

Bowling figures:
Zeeshan: 4.2-14- 3
Khurram: 4-17-3
Omar: 10-1-36- 1
Asif: 3-19-1
Abid: 9 - 19 (worthwhile mentioning)

Man of the match: the talented Sikander Zulfiqar

Abid Malik