Jesus College CC vs Wealdstone Corinthians CC

Date: Sunday, 19 May 2024

Venue: Jesus College, Victoria Road, Cambridge

Type: Timed Game.

Result: Won

Key Facts:

• Jesus College CC rotated a fielder at certain points to allow 12 players to participate upon agreement with Corinthians skipper

A beautiful sunny day graced the picturesque Jesus College ground in Cambridge for a great day of cricket. The Wealdstone Corinthians, led by their captain Akshay Samarth, arrived ready to tackle a tricky pitch. The skipper and his deputy, after a careful inspection, decided the pitch would improve as the day wore on, making the decision to field first an easy one, if they were to win the toss.

Winning the toss, the Corinthians captain Akshay Samarth confidently opted to bowl.

First Innings: Jesus College CC

The match began with Akshay and Shaji Jacob leading the attack, setting the tone with aggressive fields. The opening batters from Jesus College, Cameron Ryall and Noel Rutter, found themselves stifled by tight bowling and sharp fielding. Boundaries were hard to come by, forcing the batsmen to scramble for singles and twos. Despite some byes aiding their cause, Jesus College could only muster 20 runs by the end of the ninth over. Ryall and Rutter survived some exceptional deliveries but failed to capitalize, their luck only marginally keeping them in the game.

The breakthrough came with a run-out, a testament to the Corinthians' commitment in the field. Noel Rutter, attempting a quick single, nudged the ball to short fine leg. Akshay Samarth's initial misfield lured the batsmen into attempting a second run, but a swift recovery and direct throw from Akshay saw Rutter out by a considerable margin. The introduction of Vamsi Sukhavasi's pace and Dharmik Shah's spin kept the pressure on Jesus College. Vamsi struck with a brilliant yorker, clean bowling Sybil Stacpoole. Cameron Ryall, showing resilience, was eventually trapped LBW by an inswinger from Vamsi, who was on fire, claiming Freddie Jayarajah in the same over, bowled comprehensively. At drinks, Jesus College were struggling at 50 for 4 after 20 overs, a result of disciplined bowling and fielding by the Corinthians.

David Wilson and Ben Thurlow attempted to stabilize the innings, but Dharmik Shah soon dismissed Thurlow, caught behind by keeper Shiju Raju. A determined partnership between Wilson and Henry Barrow added 40 valuable runs before Barrow fell victim to an unlucky dismissal, the ball ricocheting from bat to pad to stumps, bowled by Dharmik Shah. But this was also a measure of how well Dharmik Shah had bowled, a tight line not allowing the batter to get away with it at any stage.

With the lower order faltering, David Wilson stood firm, guiding Jesus College to a declaration at 147 for 8 in 51 overs. Wilson's gritty 66 not out off 99 deliveries, including six boundaries, was the cornerstone of their innings, providing a challenging yet achievable target for the Corinthians.

Notable Performances:

• David Wilson: 66 runs not out

• Cameron Ryall: 24 runs

• Noel Rutter: 11 runs

• Vamsi Sukhavasi: 9 overs, 3 wickets for 26 runs

• Dharmik Shah: 10 overs, 2 wickets for 30 runs

• Balaji Ravi Kumar: 7 overs, 1 wicket for 9 runs

• Shaji Jacod: 7 overs, 0 wickets for 11 runs

Second Innings: Wealdstone Corinthians CC

The declaration meant Wealdstone Corinthians had roughly an hour before the mandatory 20 overs came into play. The discussion in the dressing room revolved around maintaining a run rate of around four an over for the first 10 overs, ensuring they had enough wickets in hand for the mandatory 20 overs. With this strategy, the think tank of captain and vice-captain opted to open with Shahbaz Baangi, and promoting Gaurav Sharma to play an aggressive role.

Despite an early setback with Gaurav Sharma run out for 5, Shahbaz Baangi provided stability at the top. He witnessed another loss when Balaji Ravi Kumar, after a promising boundary through the offside, was bowled by a brilliant inswinger from Henry Barrow. This brought the in-form Tejas Ved to the crease. The vice-captain, mentally prepared for an aggressive role, wanting to ensure that the team didn't fall behind the asking rate.

The partnership between Shahbaz and Tejas flourished, blending Shahbaz's calmness with Tejas's aggression. The duo's 50-run partnership in just 47 balls made the first innings pitch struggles seem irrelevant, showcasing their superb batting and domination of the bowlers. Tejas motored along to his half-century with a spectacular six, before being bowled by Cameron Ryall. Tejas finishing his innings scoring 55 off 54 deliveries, including ten fours and one six. Shahbaz on the other end had quietly accumulated runs with clever singles and a few boundaries.

This partnership had allowed the Corinthians to breathe easy, knowing the asking rate had dropped below three per over. However, Jesus College, historically, known for their resilience, struck back by dismissing Shiju Raju and Abhay Marwaha for 4 and 9, respectively. At 123 for 5, the Corinthians needed to ensure no further hiccups. Steve Brown, known for his recent reliable middle-order performances, provided the necessary support. Though he only added 4, his presence allowed Shahbaz to continue scoring freely, finishing the game with a boundary. Shahbaz had moved onto 42 not out which included 6 boundaries. The anchor bringing the game home!

Jesus College's persistent efforts fell short, as the 84-run partnership between Shahbaz Baangi and Tejas Ved was enough to bring Corinthians within touching distance. Wealdstone Corinthians chased down the target in 31.3 overs for the loss of 5 wickets, securing a well-deserved victory.

Notable Performances:

• Tejas Ved: 55 runs

• Shahbaz Baangi: 42 runs not out

• Abhay Marwaha 9 runs

• Devavrat Verma: 3 overs, 2 wickets for 17 runs

• Cameron Ryall: 5 overs, 1 wicket for 19 runs

• Henry Barrow: 5 overs, 1 wicket for 20 runs

Player of the Match: Shahbaz Baangi ⭐

Highlights from the Cricket Fixture