TCC3s v Trinity cricket club

30/07/22 - away @ Stockport. 12:30 meet time for a 1:00 pm start. The TCC3s players trickled in at the Trinity Cricket ground ( atleast 3 came in at about 12:40) after some frantic exchanges around logistics re getting to the ground. The customary high catches and fielding practice was chaotic as usual and was wrapped up quickly. Satya was enlightened politely during the jog round the ground re the real reasons for his selection in the TCC3 team ( drive players to the ground, umpiring in the first 20 overs, fielding on the longest boundary, moving players cars to safety and also pay the match fees after all that, better late than never, I would say!!!). Anyway, TCC 3s elected to bat with Raghu stipulating a target of atleast 270, for TCC3 to have any chance of a victory. On the back of this subtle threat, cars were swiftly moved out of the grounds onto the nearby lanes. Raja and Ashmit opened the innings and patiently saw a sizeable chunk of the opening bowling off, before Ashmit was out LBW for 10, off the bowling of Matt Royle with the score at 27. The Trinity bowling attack was disciplined overall. Raja departed next with the score at 41. Swaraj and Pankaj then added another 60 odd runs ( including running 4 runs, which everyone sitting in the score box thought could easily have been 5! ‘Easier said then done’ comes to mind). Pankaj survived a dramatic appeal for caught behind off the bowling of Matt Royle when on 0. Anyway the umpire was unmoved, despite light swearing and empty threats from the wicket keeper, who also happened to be the captain of the team. The grumbling, taunting, swearing and incessant knocking off of stumps and bails continued throughout Pankaj’s sublime innings of 51 and the entire first innings. Swaraj scored a well compiled run-a-ball 35 before being caught behind flailing at a wide delivery off Matt Royle; Sanchit, Raghu and Vipul contributed with quick fire cameos of 41 off 27 balls, including 3 mighty sixes by Sanchit, a 15 ball 31 runs innings from Raghu also including 3 huge sixes and a reasonably docile ( by Vipul’s standards) 39 of 29 balls by Vipul. Kiran being the only batsman to score a duck. Vijay remained unbeaten on 6. The innings finally wound up with the score on 249 for 8. Successful bowlers for Trinity were Olly Potts, Jamie Herbert, Matt Royle with 3, 2 and 2 wickets each.
Second innings; Trinity’s innings was more or less uneventful, with Zaman scoring the highest number of runs in the innings total of circa 153. Wickets fell at regular intervals. Pankaj avenged the unhealthy sledging he endured from the Trinity captain in the first innings by bowling him out first ball. Billy Thompson, Matt Royle and Mohammed Irfan also contributed with 15, 21 and 20 runs respectively. Pick of the bowlers for TCC3s were Sanchit, Akshat and Ashmit contributing with 2 wickets each. The Trinity innings wound up finally at 153 all out in 39.5 overs with Raja taking two similar catches off the bowling of Ashmit to end the innings.

Post match drinks were consumed as usual at the club along with tobacco smoke and the usual loud banter. TCC3 now move to number 5 on the table and face Oxton at home next Saturday.