Sunday 6th February 2011 20/20/15/15 Test match

Well this was definitely a day of cricket. Cricket Peru decided that a new format should be tried. We would play a 20/20 test match in which both teams would play two innings of 20 overs a la test match. In reality it turned into a 20/20, 15./15 over match because in Lima nothing ever starts on time. When one wants someone to turn up on time here you have to be forceful in the way you say to people: ‘Hora Inglesa’…. English Time. For some reason timekeeping is not a strong point amongst the locals. This habit is passed fairly seamlessly onto expats and the end result is that foreigners seem to not only accept this tardiness but also manage to be generally later than most Peruvians. By the time everyone arrived and the game was ready to start it was 12:30pm which meant we were already thirty minutes behind schedule. After Gary and Julian managed to sort the teams out in which Vish (current superstar) had been swapped for two good players it was decided we should play a 12 a side game, which is brilliant because many more players are getting a game than normally do. The rules of this game are fairly straightforward in that after both teams bat once and with the next innings they reverse the batting order with the opening bowlers not being allowed to bowl in the second innings until the third change. The net result is that everyone gets a good chance to bat in the match, where normally the tail is ignored and shifted around the field like grazing cattle.
So with Walter winning the toss and deciding to bat Kash and Bobby, who were both playing their first games for the season, hit the ball to all corners of the park and were rather generously allowed to make hay with roughly four catches being put down on the boundary. Gazza at this point was still able to remain cool. The openers put on a respectable partnership of 55 until bobby was out for 2odd Louis GJ was next in and scored rapidly until he was caught of Vish for 52 Kash made an unbeaten 50
(retired) The run rate then dropped dramatically with Rob Champion picking up 3 wickets with wickedly ordinary bowling including the scribes for toe ending a shot a metre wide outside off stump and being picked off by John Bell at point. Julians team managed to put on a respectable score of 143 in the first innings. A defendable score but not amazing.
In response the fielding team started excellently with Umesh removing Abbott for not very many and Vishy also. Champion and Sonnu then laid waste to the bowling with a particularly good partnership of 112, undoubtedly the best of the day. Rob made a chanceless unbeaten 50 (retired) which is a first for him, not the half century but the chancelessness aspect. Sonnu would probably have also had to retire after making his maiden fifty but was out on 47 when his skipper told him his score. Always a kiss of death for this ilk of batsman! Out next ball. Sonnu's innings was not quite as errorfree but Sonnu's golf slap to leg is a mastery in coordination. Gary and John Bell then took the score to 160, 18 ahead of Julian’s team.
Second innings: Gazza’s team won the pissing rights in the first match by beating Julian’s team in 17.5 overs.
Eight minutes later and Owen and Gerhard were opening the batting both on batting debut. The innings started fairly tamely with both openers showing commitment can overcome technique and after 4 overs were 20 odd for none. Chris Mahoney and Kumlesh then came in and both scored half centuries. In one over Mahoney showed excellent eye and pelted Gazz for three sixes. Champion managed to make the scribe his bitch by having him caught behind by Biese for 1. But Julian’s team had stated their claim. Gazza’z team needed 120 to win the game outright off 15 overs. So Tony and Peter came in with Peter not lasting long. Gareth and Tony then set about chasing down the score. Julian’s team were doing their best to make this a realistic possibility especially with some weak fielding and bowling. It was not until Kash and Louis came on did the run rate start becoming difficult for the opposition. Eventually the task became too hard and Gazza had a bit of a tizzy with Anish the wicket keeper who was becoming more vociferous with every over. He was not happy with Anish’s enthusiams. Eventually with the time at 6:20 and the light more than a minor issue Gazza’s team ended up 11 short of the target.
In summary 70 overs were bowled four players scored high forties or fifties. Everyone got a chance to have a decent bat. Tony 38. Owen and Gerhard putting on useful runs and Umesh bowling excellently in the first innings. Late comers Kamlesh and Peter were given a game. Champion achieved a personal best by being both top run scorer (57 not out) and wicket taker (fourfor) in one match. Gazza won the first game which was the most important game if you look at it from a 20/20 perspective but Julian’s team held out and managed to win the two innings games. Both skippers had felt that this was a pretty difficult game to skipper with amount of different tasks to be dealt with. 550 runs were put on the board, at an average of around 8 an over. 11 runs was the difference and Vishy had a hangover!