Big day last Sunday for ACC4. After the disappointment of losing to Groningen away the 4s had got back to winning ways against Rood & Wit and we were looking to keep bringing home the points on the Championship run-in against Baarn.

The chance to play on the ACC Oval (sponsored by Ruud don Griot – good work this season with the stumps big lad) had the lads from the 4s as excited as a fox in a henhouse. Old MacDonald (Mike Walsh) had been flown back from Africa for the main event, but had brought back a belly full of dodgy bugs in his Heineken and was at home dropping his guts…so we were down to 10 men.
 
Some quick phonecalls and Hasrat was roped into the line-up.
 
The Baarn side made a leisurely tour of darned well every cricket ground in Amsterdam (without a TomTom they visited Jinnah, VRA and VVV on their tour) before arriving very late.
 
In the meantime a pitch inspection was taking place. And in the style of Tony Greig and Mike Atherton, our very own Tim ‘Smithers’ Lewis noted that there were some big cracks in the pitch. And Tim should know – he has seen a few big cracks in his time, most notable on tour when he shared a room with Patrick and Richard…
 
Brian ‘Bruce’ Lemmens our stand-in captain duly won the match and elected to have a bash at the Baarn bowlers and go in to bat. Hasrat and Haney got off to a great start – loads of stylish shots and decent running between the timbers in the style we are accustomed to enjoying from these blokes.
 
As with many ACC4 matches the opposition frequently choose to pick on the most vulnerable member of the squad (Richard Matchett) and subject him to brutal sledging and abuse – once again this happened as his umpiring style (allegedly assisting the openers with calling between the wickets) was called into question by some old bloke in the Baarn side. A potentially explosive situation was calmed down by Richard who suggested that the Baarn player should “blow it out your arse big lad”.
 
Haney and Hasrat motored on with Haney eventually out (36) to a devilishly good delivery. Hasrat took over the reins and was able-y assisted by Bruce who looked in feckin’ great form (super straight shots) before getting out to a marvelous delivery when on 21.
 
At this stage we were tooling along at around 4.5 runs per over. So with 10 overs left we had somewhere in the region of 140…what didn’t look like a great deal on a good batting strip. But no worries, loads of batting to come and big hitting from Hasrat (eventually out for a marvelous 83 – great batting Hasrat bhai), Robert ‘Cuddles’ Wolfe (10 at a run a ball), Patrick ‘Pops’ Phillips (8 in 2 shots), Ugly (34 no) and Nagesh (7no) got us up to 238 for 5 from 40 overs.
 
Not a bad total in the end.
 
Only downer on an otherwise marvelous innings was not getting to see future international Denise Hannema at the crease. Not problems though, this kept Denise fresh to have a charge at the Baarn batsmen – good luck lads we reckoned.
 
A most marvelous lunch – many thanks to the ladies in the kitchen it was Baarn’s turn to have a crack at chasing down our total.
 
From the off it was clear that ACC4 were in marvelous form in the field. Tight bowling and tight fielding from everyone with only 10 blokes (Hasrat was off hosting the jolly friendly chaps from Ingerland).
 
Noor steamed in from the CMG Logica End and ended up with marvelous figures of 6-3-14-2. He’s a bloody good bowler is Noor – a real find of the season for ACC4 and we’ll be wrapping him in cotton wool for the big games against Groningen and Baarn at the end of the season. Drops it on a spot, good pace and does a bit with the ball as well. Good work big lad.
 
Two quick early wickets brought T Houtman to the crease for Baarn and for a while he looked like he could make things tricky for ACC4 – ‘squeaky bum time’ as Sir Alex Ferguson once referred to his nerves. No worries though, Denise took over from Noor and bowled downwind some cracking stuff. No wides, no no-balls, good pace and a fair bit of movement in the air. Marvelous bowling rewarded with 2 wickets and the prize of T Houtman who was out for a very entertaining 58 (well played sir). Denise was easily the pick of the bowlers on show with figures of 7-0-22-2.
 
With the big wicket gone Baarn never really looked in the chase from there on in. In fairness they never got a look in with tight and accurate bowling from Nagesh 8-2-24-0, Umer 4-0-13-1, Patrick 3-0-20-0, Brian 4-0-28-0 and also Richard 4-0-15-1.
 
Final word went to Richard ‘Ronaldo Fernando’ Wolfe who steamed in to bowl into the wind and picked up a couple of late wickets – 4-0-17-2.
 
We didn’t get Baarn all out, but they ended up stranded on 159 for 9 after 40 overs…so not even close to reaching our total.
 
Special mention to Noor for sticking it out in the field with a pulled hamstring and Robbie Wolfe who looked as green as a lizard with an attack of last night’s pizza. Both blokes hardened up and stuck at it – good to see none of this injury and sub-fielding nonsense that is creeping into the game.  Great support as well from the sell-out crowd at the ACC Oval – see youse all again soon!
 
Beers and a good laugh with Baarn after the game, but hard to enjoy ourselves knowing that skipper Mike was stuck somewhere in Amstelveen on a toilet. Get well soon big lad.
 
A quite marvelous all-round performance. No doubt putting pressure on the ACC Selectors to make wholesale changes and pick a number of ACC4 players for this weekend’s Twenty20 slog-a-thon against Hermes.