Zurich Nomads crushed Freiburg Nomads

Cricket return to the seapark Freiburg ground after long slumber of nine months. FNCC hosted Zurich nomads.  We had started of our season with a massive win and things were looking good with the team except that in this match we were a seriously depleted side. Our heroes of last match Vijay, Raghu were away. Angelo was not available due to a family tragedy, Saghir was half-fit and so on... With that we took on the strong ZN team. Despite a good start and we let the opportunities slip away and slumped to a massive loss by 90+ runs. Congratulations to Zurich Nomads. It 2-0 to ZN in last two seasons. 

Zurich Nomads Innings
With Saghir not fully fit, Rehan opened the bowling with me and Sharath. ZNs started very positively. The very second ball was pasted to the boundary. But still it was an economical first spell. Sharath started with an LBW. Balaji took a stunning catch in point region to break the second wicket partnership. Soon after Adnan topped it up with an even better catch at the covers to send back Fahim, one of the top batsmen of ZN. In between one more wicket fell and suddenly ZN were 29 runs for three wickets in 8 overs. Saghir, Nila and Sharat had claimed one wicket each.

This was the time when Vicky and Shafqat came together. They started very cautiously but were very stead and saw their team to reach 52 runs in 14 overs with any further damage. And from that point wit their eyes set they took the game far away from us. With every over they accelerated the run rate. In between Shafqat was dropped by Adnan -- it was a sitter. Except for that one flaw it was a chance less innings and completely rattled our planning. Rehan, quickly shuffled bowlers in a vain hope to find the right one who could either break the partnership or at least stop the runs. We did perhaps a touch delay in setting up a more defensive field but we have to admit that against that batting our bowling was inadequate on that day.

Shafqat took advantage of the dropped catch and scored a 100 and retired gracefully. It was a fantastic innings. Vicky who is a more accomplished batsman was playing the second fiddle to Shafqat but score a well deserved and dominating 50. He was dropped on the ropes by Srinath, except that it was also a flawless innings.

The batting that followed was pretty ordinary but the damage had already been done. They lost few more wickets but put up a score of 235 runs in 35 overs. This, if we consider the fact that they were at one point 52 in 14 overs, shows how Vicky and Shafqat built their innings and pretty much demoralised the fielding side.

FNCC Innings
It was a very big target but FNCC have shown that they have the ability to chase such total or at least put up a fight. But this time around it was a bit of a different story. Our star batsmen from the previous game, Vijay, Raghu and Angelo were not available for the game. Rehan was out of practice and Saghir unfit. Remaining batting line was a bit inexperienced.

Still we started off very well. Rahul hit a six already in the first over. But such blitz do not last long especially when they start in the very first over. Rehan was joined by Fayas. Rehan was looking good. Fayas for the first time showed his potential as a sheet anchor. But wickets fell around in rather regularly and in most cases due to the mistakes of the batsmen. Nischal looked goo in short stay but he needs some more experience at the top. Saghir was great but he was under tremendous pressure to raise the asking rate which was up to 8+ an over by time he arrived at the crease. Exactly at the point he was looking to bring us back in the game, he was out and with FNCCs hopes. 

Fayas hung around until quite late but it was mere a formality. FNCC batsmen struggle to play the slow deceiving spin of Shafqat and Dinesh. Strangely enough they were better against the pacers. However, I would say that we did rather well by scoring 149 runs in about 30 overs, given our current state.

The causes
Our bowling failed. Except for Sharath no one responded well to the situation. Once I realised the correlation between my bowling quality and our overall bowling performance. To some extent we can blame the balls which deteriorated rather fast and we got basically no skidding from the pitch. But more importantly we did not respond to the pressure that a good partnership brings. ZN gave a us a good lesson. Our pace bowlers were a touch too slow for the batsmen to time and drive. On the other hand we dont have good reliable slow bowlers. Rehan's part time bowling cannot be effective if its called in action once in a season. Adnan on the other hand should have been better...

Second reason for conceding so many runs is that we took a bit long to realise the scoring areas. Shafqat scored a century but most of his runs came off due to cross bat shots -- which was possible because there was no movement, pace and bounce in the pitch.

While we took took two stunning catches we dropped two sitters and both batsmen duely punished us for those mistakes. The fact that at one time ZN were 29/3 was not because of the quality of our bowling but it was a testament of our fielding. Still after that we got carried away and lost it.

Out batting was a bit too one dimensional. Except for Saghir not one showed the ability to step out and whack a couple to the spinner to break their rhythm and confidence. Fayas, although played the role of a sheet anchor, he can be blamed for keeping the batting slow. After his eyes set, he was expected to accelerate -- I think this where we lacked a crucial step in match planning. Same for other batsmen -- I think we have the ability to put up a good fight even while chasing such huger target but it was not our day -- perhaps demoralised bowling also demoralise the batting...

The aftermath
The defeat was a shock, especially after our performance against PFCC. As is the FNCC  tradition, this called for a serious brainstorming right after the match. Rehan was especially heartbroken. Indeed he should -- he usually get to stand in for Vijay and often times he ends up as the losing captain -- not because of his fault but because of weaker teams he get to lead. But I the correlation was bothering him a bit too much. Its not a good sign to see your leader getting desperate. 

The positives
There were several positives from the game, Fayas showed that he can hang around fro long, Vishv emerged as a wicket-keeper, our fielding except for two lapses was top class, NIschal showed his potential and in Sharath we have a very effective medium pacer. 

Fail better
Somebody recently told me that victory is a moment and the loss stays with you forever -- how correct and how essential that memory of a loss remains so as to remind us of avoiding the mistakes that brought the emotional trauma of losing. I think we hate to lose because we do not want to witness or even admit our weaknesses. But we should embrace it and use the opportunity to improve. As Samuel Beckett once wrote

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better

I think FNCC has now 'failed better' and its time to show what Samuel Beckett meant through these words. Indeed a number of good things came after discussion and hope that FNCC will be on the right path and gift Rehan a much deserved victory in the next game which again a home affair.


right arm over
Arvind

FNCC start the season with a convincing win over Pak Freiburg

After two practice sessions we were having a good feeling about the team. Few new faces joined and showed the right kind of hope to fill in for those nomads who have left FNCC since the last season. All we needed was a match to bind the team and but also to test the fitness of the older folks and match temperament of the new ones. Then came an invite from the Pak Freiburg Cricket Club (PFCC) to use the Thursday holiday of May 1 and play a game at their ground. It was a very kind gesture and despite the wet forecast everyone was looking forward to start Cricket which was abruptly cut short last season by the Swiss Cricket League. 

FNCC batted first
Vijay and I agreed that it would be better to bat first in those wet conditions. We wanted to exploit the fact that wet outfield would make it difficult to bowl. Also we were more confident of the bowling - as usual -- but later we discovered how wrong we were. I dont know if Vijay won the toss or not but we batted first. 

In the absence of Rehan, his younger brother Adnan opened with Vijay. Adnan started in the most positive way I have seen him. From the first ball that he middled he looked full of confidence. The low bounce and lack of speed and swing meant that batting looked easier but the wet and slow outfield meant batsmen were not getting value for their shots. In such situations it is easier to get frustrated and hit out in the air. But Vijay and Adnan kept their head steady and gave us a solid foundation. Adnan had a dropped catch but it was a very powerful blow and not everyone can hold that. 

After Adnan, came in Ragu to start his tenure with FNCC. He looked good in practice so he was asked to bat at number three. He made one of the most emphatic debuts for the FNCC in my memory. The first shot he played was a boundary in point region, I as an umpire was supposed to signal that, but instead I was clapping. Since that shot Ragu was impeccable. His shot selection and execution was just great given the conditions. He hit Mansoor, a high quality bowler, for three fours in an over. 

Vijay grew in confidence, given the way Adnan and Raghu batted. At time he even a secondary role but with he dominated the bowling all the way. If he can bat that well while nursing his tennis elbow I am wonder what he will do when his hand is fit. In any case Raghu and Vijay played with great mastery and brought their 100+ runs partnership. Both of them completed their well deserved half centuries. 

Saghir started where he had left. But rain interrupted the match and as we entered the filed PFCC gave their verdict that the match would be reduced to 30 overs instead of 35. We complied. But that meant that Saghir and Angelo had to rush through the remaining two over. At one point we were looking for 250+ score in 30 overs. We were restricted to 212 in 30 overs. A really good score. At that time we thought it was a fighting total given the short boundaries and PFCC batting style (cross bat slogs). 

PFCC suffered for the lack of pace in the first spell. And then they lost one of their best slow bowler -- Mohsin -- who had to leave the field because of an injured finger. Indeed with heavy ball and wet outfield slow bowling could have made a big difference. So luck somehow favoured FNCC.

PFCC innings
213 was an imposing target. We were hoping to cut the runs in the start and raise the asking rate. Both Saghir and I started with very a tight opening spell. Rizwan and Fovad were very watchful. We could have got a wicket in the first over -- but it did not hurt us much. Rizwan did not add much to his total before getting run out. In between in the fifth over we got our first breakthrough -- Fovad was beaten by the swing -- it was clearly a big wicket. 

The batsman who came in hit a powerful shot which landed the ball on sharp metal the ball was cut and unsuitable for bowling. So we were lucky to start with a new and dry ball again in 6th over. Vijay brought in Saghir. In that over Rizwan got run out. And I took Mansoor of the first ball in my next. Mansoor and Fovad both had the ability to change the course of the match but by the 7th over they were back but less than 20 one the board. We were feeling secure but you can never trust when a random player can come in and change the course of the game. So there was indeed a little bit of scare in our thinking. 

But fortunately for us, PFCC batsmen did not really play according to the situation and either were too defensive (e.g. Rizwan/Zeb) or too attacking (rest of them). From the 10th over onwards we conceded in an access of seven an over. The rash attitude of the PFCC batting and some excellent catching and perfect field placement meant that we kept getting wickets at regular interval. Every bowler who bowled got a wicket.

Moshin returned very bravely in a hope to repeat his heroics from the previous game. But by the time he came in to bat the match was far away from their grip and he was severely limited because his injury. After his departure, FNCC were clearly getting complacent. The number nine batsmen was named Bhatti. He had one of the most unusual of the stances. There was no way the bowler could see the wickets. There was no danger of getting LBW, for obvious reasons. But in his defence, despite all the wrong stance and cross bat shots the ball never really hit his pads. For three over he entertained everyone. Of course his entertainment was at the cost of ruining the bowling figures of few bowlers including mine. And that's why I was so expressive to catch him. 

We thought it was all over but the last pair had other plans. They to my thinking, played the best from the PFCC. There was no expectations from them so they did not play any rash shot and just continued to block. This was fine by us but the accumulating clouds were making everyone in FNCC nervous. Finally, after torturing us for nearly six over, Adnan got the final wickets -- it was very fitting that Adnan closed the game as he started it in the morning. 

We won but...
For FNCC it was very satisfying to start the season with a massive victory. The new guys Ragu, Sharath and Nischal played important role with their batting, bowling+fielding and fielding. Raghu was just brilliant. Sharath can become our second change bowler. And without doubt he is a very sharp fielder. NIschal did not get a chance to bat but with his fielding he saved many runs on the square leg boundary and took a much needed and brilliant catch. With these new guys FNCC looks stronger than ever. Welcome to FNCC, Raghu, Sharath and Nischal.

The victory margin of about 90 runs says that we dominated the match. But if you were in the field you would have known that it was not really true. It was an equal reflection of the quality of PFCC batting. As I said earlier from 10th over onwards we conceded too many runs. We desperately need a wicketkeeper.

Even more worrisome was the form of Rahul and Nila. We were trusting them a lot. Nila was not even a shadow of himself and failed to bowl a single legal delivery. So to start we lost an important bowler. Rahul was very erratic. So was Adnan. Both these bowlers never forgot to top up their good deliveries with generous wides. The way mine and Saghir's over were scattered all through the innings says a lot about the quality of our second line of attack. 

This time we escaped because our batting was so superb and even without needing support from Fayas and Rehan we scored so much. There is no doubt that bowlers have to raise their game and match it with the effort of the batsmen. We have the talent but we have reduce the distance between the potential and performance. 

But all in all with the kind of start we have got and kind of new players we have, I am very eagerly looking forward to the season, which might well turn out to be my last with FNCC.

A big thank to PFCC, especially to Zeb Bhai, Mohsin and Mansoor to give us this opportunity to play the game and host us so graciously. The food was great. I hope we will have more such friendly interactions in the future.

Go nomads 
खुल कर खेलो : Play with no bounds but those imposed only by the game of cricket.


right arm over
Arvind