The end of the 2008 'Touring' season came to an end with the long awaited visit of the Finland Old Boys led by Ryland Gibbs-Harris Cholmondley-Warner.
The FOB team is a cornucoppia of experienced cricketers from the four corners of mother earth. Or as one of their team put it, an 'old bunch of gobby ol' displaced gits'. Much like us then?
Fridays 2020 encounter did not however go according to plan, with the opening partnership of Boycott and Tavare from the FOB batting their way to an admirable 148 off 20 overs. Estonias bowling, somewhat erratic at times, was confidently dispatched by the FOB openers, and only good fielding kept the score down to a manageable target.
Estonia's opening partnership of Muraleeeeeee and Siva Bangratwiceanighta took the bowling to the sword and soon took Estonia to within sight of the finish line....(get it?)
Muraleeeee's 50 showed us what potential this new 13 year old member of the club has for the future, and had it not been for the worst shot seen since Dick Cheney shot his mate whilst Moose Hunting, Siva would have joined him in the fifties too.
Successive wickets then fell but after brief cameos from Tim 'can I have a go now please 'Heath and Oliver 'Another pint anyone?' Slobodetski, the score was eventually reached with Skipper Barry and Mike 'The Groundsman' Tiffin scoring the vital runs with an over to spare. It should be noted that Tiffin hit the ball for a six to win the game (100 eek please for mentioning !)
Another thanks to Mike for preparing the ground so well.
Man of the match for the Estonian team went to Muraleeeee for his forceful 50, just pipping Siva to the match ball, mainly due to his batting and also because he has more e's in his name.
Saturday
After a few light refreshments in Nimeta bar, and a rousing chorus of 'Ruby, Ruby, Ruby' on the Friday night, Estonia took again to field only 16 hours after their 2020 victory. Despite most of players looking like they had just been released from 2 years solitary confinment chained to a radiator with no light for comfort, the team rallied to the challenge set by the skipper, when FOB was inserted for the 2nd time in two days.
With overcast and damp conditions it wasnt too soon before Estonia managed their first wicket of the day (of the weekend in fact), thanks to the bowling of Andres 'Gentleman Jim' Burget. In fact the three opening bowlers managed well in difficult conditions, and should be commended. FOB once again batted with determination but successive wickets fell despite four dropped catches.
The match was a bizarre one at the best of times with horseracing interrupting every fourth over for the first two hours. But as the wheels of the Number two horse in the third race began to fall off, so did that of the Estonian catching.
Heath especially was having a nightmare with not for the first time in the weekend a big red slippery ball squirting from his grasp! However, the introduction of Muralleeee brought about a two fine catches from Heath, sparking overly bouyant celebrations and Bangra High Fives.
The introduction of Robin 'Pull the pin and throw' Hazelhurst at last brought the welcome dimension of spin to the Estonian attack, reaping the reward of the catch of the day from Gleb Bihanov, with a factually fictionally one handed-catch at dep backward square.
Excellent fielding by Mike Tiffin, Andrus Kämbre (again!), Gleb Bihanov and new player Steve, allowed Estonia to keep the opposition down to six an over. Bowler of the day was Anil 'Yadakayamnamantashandi-owazat' Puri . Direct bowling on an excellent line and length tied down the batsman , much in the same way that they were tied down in Hedone Massage the night before.
As the rain came down and the teams retired to the Arena Pubi for some much needed grease and E-coli, the two captains, Major Ryland Gibbs Harris Farquar Farquar and Jason 'Gobby' Barry brokered a deal to see the first ever application of the Barry-Bihanov limited over formula, circumventing that of the international standard Duckworth Lewis.
It was agreed that Estonia would chase 90 runs in 15 overs, and that if successful, Estonia would pay to have Steve Law's mouth removed at Mustamae Haigla, and have it donated to the much underfunded coal-miners in Siberia to cut through the coal face 125 ft below the earths surface.... bargain!
Skipper Barry and Muraleeeee opened the batting and everything was going according to plan until Muraleeeee succumbed to the spin of the FOB.
Heaths innings didnt last particulartly long again, as he struggled to judge the direction of the FOB spin attack, and was given out LBW by Umpire Puri.
Siva joined the crease, trying to forget about his Nightmare on Endla Street reverse sweep from the day before. Good running between the wickets, similar to the day before when Siva and Murallee piled on the runs, kept the score ticking over.
Siva once again set to the bowlers, but was adjudged LBW by virtual Umpire Bihanov playing across a straight one.
Barry continued to keep the runs ticking over and with Anil Puri joining Barry at the crease, the last few runs were knocked off for another 'comfortable' victory against Finland.
Unfortunately Estonia's Man of the Match was not awarded, but rather than one individual being responsible for the victory I would like to nominate all the players that have played for Estonia this year for being the best bunch of cricketers I have had the pleasure to play with. (pass the tissues please!)
May I thanks firtsly FOB for coming and playing, and finally the Estonian team for a great season where we have played 17 matches and only lost 3, our best record so far.
Finally I would like to thank the players for putting up with me as skipper this year, and wish them all the best in the inter club championship in September.
article written by Jason Barry
| Finnish Old Boys Vs ECA 1st VI |
| 1-Innings Match Played At Hippodrome, 18-Aug-2007, |
| Player / Match |
ECA:Barry, Jason |
| Comment |
Rain Delays - Estonian to chase 91 off 15 overs for victory |
| Finnish Old Boys 1st Innings 7/150 Closed (Overs 31) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Poppy |
c Gleb Bihanovs |
b Robin Hazlehurst |
32 |
0 |
0 |
| Ryland |
c Siva Arunachalam |
b Andres Burget |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Simon |
c Tim Heath |
b Murali Obili |
41 |
0 |
0 |
| Giantha |
c Tim Heath |
b A Puri |
13 |
0 |
0 |
| Lenny |
c Jason Barry |
b Murali Obili |
6 |
0 |
0 |
| Sarat |
|
b A Puri |
7 |
0 |
0 |
| Stevie |
|
b A Puri |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Aira |
not out |
|
5 |
0 |
0 |
| Matt |
not out |
|
18 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b2 lb2 w21 nb1) |
26 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
7 wickets for |
150 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
wd |
nb |
| Andrus Kambre |
4 |
0 |
30 |
0 |
- |
- |
| Andres Burget |
2 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
- |
- |
| Robin Hazlehurst |
4 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
- |
- |
| Gleb Bihanovs |
3 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
- |
- |
| A Puri |
6 |
0 |
27 |
3 |
- |
- |
| Murali Obili |
6 |
1 |
10 |
2 |
- |
- |
| Tim Heath |
3 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
- |
- |
| Siva Arunachalam |
3 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
- |
- |
| ECA 1st VI 1st Innings 3/91 Closed (Overs 14) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Jason Barry*+ |
not out |
|
42 |
3 |
1 |
| Murali Obili |
c Stevie |
b Giantha |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Tim Heath |
lbw |
b Simon |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
lbw |
b Poppy |
22 |
1 |
1 |
| A Puri |
not out |
|
6 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b3 lb0 w14 nb2) |
19 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
3 wickets for |
91 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
wd |
nb |
| Giantha |
3 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
- |
- |
| Simon |
3 |
0 |
10 |
2 |
- |
- |
| Aira |
3 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
- |
- |
| Sarat |
1 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
- |
- |
| Stevie |
1 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
- |
- |
| Poppy |
2 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
- |
- |
| Lenny |
1 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
- |
- |
|
