Yousaf brothers' show: FNCC beat Zug CC

After the massive defeat against Zurich Nomads FNCC were very determined to right the wrong and give Rehan a much deserved win as a captain. Because of the cancellation on 25th May we got a full day of intense training. The match got delayed and in fact there was a fear that the ground was double booked but the end we started the game at 1200hrs. 

FNCC InningsRehan opened the innings with Fayas. It was the third opening pair we were trying this season in as many games. But they gave us a great start. The run rate was steady 5+ and both batsmen were freely playing there shots. Fayas was especially spectacular after getting a life in the first over. Rehan was riding on his luck. Once again the slow bowlers, especially Saman, started to turn things and between 10th and 15th over both Fayas, Vishv and Saghir got out and there was a little hiccup in our progress. 

That brought Adnan to the wicket. A typical FNCC style middle order collapse seemed imminent when Adnan looked to get in to his ultra defensive mode. But this was not to happen on that day. As Adnan found his feet and Rehan continued to get the dropped by Zug CC a much needed partnership developed. Adnan for the the first showed what he maybe capable of. Both brother slowly accelerated the run rate. When Adnan returned after scoring a marvellous 41 (or 43) we were all set to set a big target. Bala again failed to get going but Angelo was there to see that we do not squander the advantage. 

Last time we played Zug CC in 2013, Rehan missed out his century by nine runs. This time Zug CC were all set to reward him with one. As far as my count goes he was dropped at least seven times. Roshan from Zug CC told me it was more than nine times. In any case it was still Rehan who had to stay in keep scoring those runs and irrespective of the dropped catches he deserved that century. Congratulations Rehan !! And he carried his bat...

Finally we set a target of 226 in 30 overs. A very difficult target on any day on our pitch. 

Zug CC Innings
With such a score under the belt, were very confident. Like our opening batting we tried the thirs opening attack. This time it was Balaji. But he could not hold his nerves and wasted an opportunity. We got our first breakthrough in the third over. It could have been two in that over but Saghir failed to hold on to a catch but it was a horrible low full toss and the delivery did not deserve a wicket anyhow. But after that Roshan and Lakmal set their eyes in and aptly countered out second line of attack. While they did not lose their wicket, the required run rate kept climbing.  Saghir, Nila, Sharath were shuffled quickly in search of a wicket. But real breakthrough started to come when Rehan brought in himself and Adnan. 

Again both brothers exploited the conditions well. Our wicket as we are discovering really suits smart slow bowling, especially when batsmen are under pressure to score. Adnan and Rehan claimed three wickets between themselves and essentially broke the middle order of Zug CC. Rehan was a bit expensive but Adnan was there to keep the score in check, moreover, with a required run rate in excess of 8 an over we could afford few expensive over. 

After Lakmal and Roshan there was essentially no one in Zug CC to provide them stability and score both at the same time. So our all our bowlers took wickets. Sharat was unlucky to miss out on this time but he bowled really well.

The After Math
It was a show of the two Yousaf brothers. Rehan scored a century and took a wicket and led us from the front to secure his first win as a stand in captain. His younger brother, Adnan played an even better innings and bowled even better to wreck the Zug middle order. It was a great sight to see these two in the middle winning it for the FNCC.

We won by more than 90 runs. We had defeated Zug last year with similar margin. We were especially happy with the way Fayas and Adnan batted. It was a bit worrisome to see Saghir fall without much on the board. But we know that he is a quality player and knows his mistakes. In bowling department, we need to use the pace attack more creatively. The ball gets old rather quick on our wicket, so I think we should use that time for pace and then switch to slow bowling. 

A very important thing to keep in mind is that the Zug team we played was a very much depleted of its important players, who could not come to Germany to play. With them in the team they would have been a very competitive side. Even with this team if they had held the catches we could have been in trouble. So we should keep our feet on the ground and realize that there is still along way to go between our potential and performance. A massive win like this should not obscure our own reality. The return game agains ZUg would be a different affair.

FNCC makes an emphatic debut in the Swiss league

Nomads could not have asked for a better start---99 run victory after scoring 255 runs in little less than 35 overs. More important was the general feeling that we could have scored more run and could have bowled out the opposition for lesser runs....every thing seemed possible on that day.

There were three players who showed what they are capable of. Nila among the bowlers, and Vijay and Rehan among the batsmen. Other still have to make their mark.

Arpit and Rehan gave us a confident start. The real magic started when Vijay joined Rehan. Runs started to come easy on a rather dodgy wicket. It was difficult to play (see below) but very quickly Rehan and Vijay found the range of their shots. Rehan more than often switched between dead bat and areal route. Vijay chose to play a second fiddle to Rehan but played some very beautiful shots. The second wicket partnership was worth 131 runs. At one point they scored 50 runs in five over. 

Once Vijay fell to a rather rash shot after scoring 55 runs, the famous FNCC collapse started. At one point we were looking to score 300 runs and soon we were hoping not to get out within 35 overs. Rehan scored 91 runs. He looked all set to score a 100 but ...

Saghir was unlucky again, Angelo was a undone by the strange bounce and Adnan fell victim to his over cautious play. Bala lifted the game with some tentative defence and soaring sixes. In the end we were bowled out for 255 runs.

Zug CC had some good bowler and some under par ones. Suggi and Nesson were pretty handy and troubled the batsmen more than often. But once a batsmen is set, bowlers have to wait for the mistake and Rehan and Vijay took a lot of time to commit there mistakes. We were not sure it 255 runs were going to be enough given the outfield and unfamiliarity with the opposition.

We started in our regular economical way. I was struggling with my rhythm. Saghir was however, channeling is batting failure in to an aggressive opening spell. Nila however was the pick of this spell. From mid-on when nobody expect he gave us the first breakthrough in the form of a runout. In my third over I went for 14 runs. Even though the required run rate was more than 7 an over in that ground it was doable and we were wary that few such loose overs to could undo the hard work of Rehan and Vijay. So Saghir correct my mistake as one of his yorker hit the stumps. 

Arpit and Nila then tied up the batsmen. One of Arpit's over also costed him 13 runs but overall the second spell pretty much closed the doors for the Zug CC as the required runs rate increases slowly to nine an over. Such run rate can be maintain for few over but only rarely for 20 overs.

Nila bowled beautiful. He had the perfect length for that wicket and he was duely rewarded with maiden overs and wickets. Arpit was unlucky that he didnt pick a wicket... Pranjal was spot on... when he came in there was a pressure to consolidate the advantage Nila and Arpit brought to us and he did that job excellently. 

Vijay changed his bowler regularly and gave Zug CC batsmen no chance to pick any bowler. With run rate climbing it was clear that batsmen will go for big shots but proper field placement and bowling length meant that we did not leak too many runs. 

After drinks break it was more a matter of victory margin. I returned after drinks, still struggling for rhythm but was lucky to pick up two wickets credit however should go to Saghir who took quickly amending his rare lapse  in fielding and Pranjal who judged the catch in cover very well. 

But again it was Nila who stole the show. At one point he took two wickets in two balls -- Saghir intercepted a very good shot and I took a skier. He ended up with four wickets as Vijay wanted to try out Adnan, Bala and Bala. The small Bala (a very colorful character) was successful in claiming a wicket and FNCC was celebrating a victory after 10 months... It was a great feeling....

From Zug CC, Roshan and one of the opener were very good. I thought that Rishan came a bit too late. But overall I think more than our bowling they crumbled under the weight of runs they were supposed to score.

But it was not all that great. We were good in the field but should have held few more catches. Vijay needs some more practice behind the wicket. Bowling was superb but I really need to work on my bowling rhythm. Batting showed our depth and shallowness at the same time. The collaps of middle order cannot be acceptable and we cannot hope to go further just based on one big partnership. This match clearly showed that if our middle order clicks what we are capable of ... what is important is that we convert this potential to reality. 

Man of the match: I am bowler and I biased when I think Nila should be the MoM. But truely it was Rehan's batting that helped us put up that huge score. It is only a shame that he missed out on his well deserved  century. But there are going to be many more opportunities.... Thank you Rehan. Of course Rehan's effort would not have been enough without Vijay and Nila. 

The wicket

In the main land Europe nothing surprises you more than the cricket wicket. For instance, we play on plastic wicket in football field where we cannot even nail the plastic thing. From a cement wicket with artifical turf to jute and plastic mats you will find every variety except for the real wicket. Talk about cultural schock...There are many more innovative and creative wickets that can test your abilities. In Zug we were told that the wicket was a surprise even to the home side. We of course played in football field with turf i.e. the outfield was lightening fast. There was a real chance at the boundary the ball may bounce over the fielders. 
The wicket in such field was a mere carpet which was tapped to the ground and the other end which just extended to the half of the pitch. Usually the carpet was stretched at the start of the over and for subsequent deleveries the accumulated wrinkles which invariable led to unpredictable bounce and speed.  This is real cultural shock....

The hosts
It was great to play at the ground of Zug Cricket club. Very good hosts... made it an every bit an enjoyable atmosphere. Thank you guys for beging so nice and kind off the field and competitive on the field.

It is of course only a start... It is easier to win one or two odd games and it is completely different to maintain a consistence particularly when wicket is part of the cultural shocks and most oppositions are unfamiliar  It is beginning of a long journey for the FNCC... the nice things that there are many young and enthusiastic players who are showing every promise to take us through.

right arm over

Arvind