Early Bird Catches the Ferry
After an average of 5 hours sleep from the Estonian boys and 2.5 for the Carmel CC team, all arrived at Terminal A on time for the Superseacat boat to Helsinki. (In order to satisfy the sponsorship deal, I must mention the word Superseacat in the following text at least ten times....apologies).
Well almost all. Anil didnt appear. He was later to employ Estonian business tactics by stating selective memory in his confirmation of coming to Helsinki. However his ticket would prove invaluable on our return as Mike Bevins ticket (for the Superseacat) went walkabout, and he officially re-entered Estonia as Anil Puri, official team Buddha. Better that being Mr Peter File, I suppose.
We were met at the port (having got off the extremely clean and well maintained Superseacat) by lovely Tiina who organised all taxis and transfers for us, something that we wish she had done of the return journey, severly screwed up by the owner of the Aussiebar, who was obviously on a commission with the Estonian taxi drivers.
We arrived at the ground to be told we were playing immediately and Estonia went on to the field to start the whole process of making it through to the knock out stages. We said a tearful goodbye to the B team who headed up to the top field, and their report will surely reflect and highlight the huge successes they had that day too.
Never have such words been so prophetic as those uttered by Tim Heath in the lead up to the tour during the last few weeks.
FOUR RUNS... HELSINKI!'
Meanwhile back on the field of dreams, Estonia dispatched Carmel once again, largely due to a fine batting display from Tim (can we have our ball back please) Heath, and a nightmare bowling display from the Carmel Skip who learned that he cant bowl off six strides instead of his normal 20. The bowlers of note were also Heath and James Ramsden.
Part one of the Mission accomplished.
In between each game the Estonian skipper and his vice captain were seen to be in animated conversation walking around the field.
For those of you interested in the conversation went something like this.
JB - 'So, can I have a fag old chap?'
TH - 'fair Dinkum, me ol' pommy possum. But you owe me at least 20 packets now you ponsing faaarrrt.''
JB- 'So what do you reckon in the next game....'
TH - 'Give it a hit.'
JB- did you like the Superseacat?
TH - F******** 'A' !
JB - ' Have you noticed how pink that bloke from Finland Old Boys has gone.?'
TH - F******** 'A' !
Game Two was to be the crunch game for us. Playing against a strong SKK team from Helsinki, we knew that to get to the finals we had to win this group game. SKK had always been Estonia's nemesis in the past and it was time to lay those demons to rest.
The Estonian Skipper won the toss (makes a change) and put SKK team into bat. Despite a fast getaway by the SKK barsman Siva Bangralinga and Rob Brookes tied down the batsman with some quality deliveries, only matched by some equally impressive fielding by all the team especially Mike Bevin, Mike Tiffin, and Rob Brookes.
Chasing a gettable total of 65, Estonia took the SKK bowling apart, with Heath hitting 4 sixes and two fours on the way to an unbeaten 38 runs winning the game with an over to spare.
Estonia had earned their rest break, and following the game was to be a valuable wake up call, against the unfancied Finland Old Boys.
The third match in the group was to prove that sixes competitions are much harder than expected. The Old Boys posted the highest total for Estonia to chase to that time, and although the score was achieved with the tournament top score of 39 by the Skipper, the fileding and bowling was a well below par performance, and the team knew it.
A stiff talking to by the Estonian Skip (sorry lads) refocused the team as their high standards. It was now semifinal time and the team had to be firing on all six cylinders if we were going emulate the 2001 Estonia sixes team by reaching the finals.
Semi Finals.... The Crunch
Estonia were put into bat and the opening partnership of Barry and Heath realised a sound basis from which they accelerated with the additional support of Siva Bangralina to Estonias highest score of the tournament of 86.
It was now all up to the bowlers. Mike Tiffin would rather forget his over, and Im sorry for mentioning it Mike. However it made the game far more interesting.
However not as interesting as Tims over. With the batsman chasing down 22 off the last over, Tim Heath decided to bowl three balls down the leg, and with one straight four for good measure, the batting pair were within 7 runs of pulling off a dramatic last over win.
Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man. Thanks Tim for that last ball!
The Final
I would rather not dwell on the final too much suffice to say that we nearly won it. Here is the chain of events that saw estonia snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
- Barry won toss.
- Carmel CC inserted.
- Carmel CC score a massive 91
- Great over by Rob Brookes
- Estonia bat
- Estonia hit 50 off two overs and all going great
- Heath pulls hamstring
- Runner comes in upsetting batting balance
- Barry gets caught out
- Heath Stumped
- Wheels fall off despite valiant rear guard effort
- Carmel CC win final
- Bollocks!
- (almost forgot...Superseacat )
Summary
The tournament was great fun and a great day out and thanks to Mother Nature for the weather. As to the committment and spirit, it was an honour and a pleasure to do battle with the team on the day, and we can all be very proud of the effort and standard of our cricket which has improved 100% from the start of the season.
Player of the A Team. Tim Heath
Epilogue
The ferry trip on the Superdooperseacat was eventful. We discovered Gleb was indeed an inveterate gambler, that it takes only three beers for Martin to speak Swahili, that if Bolts doesnt get 12 hours sleep he gets cranky, and that James shouldnt ever mention the Goonies again in public.
On arriving back to Tallinn, the skipper feared for both the fitness of some players, and the mental state of others. For the first time in years, Tim was in bed before one o'clock, and none of the team had any energy to even remotely suggest a last drink in Nimeta bar.
Report by Jason Barry
| Wales 1st VI Vs ECA 1st VI |
| 1-Innings Match Played At Helsinki 6s, 28-Jul-2007, |
| Wales 1st VI 1st Innings 4/68 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Wales 1 VI #1 |
c |
b Mike Bevan |
29 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #2 |
|
b Tim Heath |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #3 |
|
b Mike Tiffin |
6 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #4 |
|
b Rob Brookes |
9 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #5 |
not out |
|
10 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #6 |
not out |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b0 lb0 w12 nb0) |
12 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
4 wickets for |
68 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| James Ramsden |
1 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
| Tim Heath |
1 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
| Mike Bevan |
1 |
0 |
19 |
1 |
| Rob Brookes |
1 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
| Mike Tiffin |
1 |
0 |
22 |
1 |
| ECA 1st VI 1st Innings 1/70 Closed (Overs 4) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Tim Heath |
not out |
|
31 |
4 |
2 |
| James Ramsden |
lbw |
b Wales 1 VI #3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Jason Barry*+ |
not out |
|
5 |
1 |
0 |
| Mike Bevan |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| Mike Tiffin |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| Rob Brookes |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| extras |
|
(b0 lb0 w32 nb0) |
32 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
1 wickets for |
70 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| Wales 1 VI #1 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #2 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #3 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
| Wales 1 VI #4 |
1 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
Round Robin - Game 2
| SKK 1 VI Vs ECA 1st VI |
| 1-Innings Match Played At Helsinki 6s, 28-Jul-2007, |
| SKK 1 VI 1st Innings 1/65 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| SKK 1VI #1 |
not out |
|
23 |
0 |
0 |
| SKK 1VI #2 |
run out |
|
17 |
0 |
0 |
| SKK 1VI #3 |
not out |
|
4 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b7 lb6 w8 nb0) |
21 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
1 wickets for |
65 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| James Ramsden |
1 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| Mike Bevan |
1 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
| Tim Heath |
1 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
| Rob Brookes |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
| ECA 1st VI 1st Innings 1/67 Closed (Overs 2.5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Tim Heath |
not out |
|
38 |
2 |
4 |
| James Ramsden |
c |
b SKK 1VI #1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
| Jason Barry*+ |
not out |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| Mike Bevan |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| Rob Brookes |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| extras |
|
(b0 lb0 w24 nb0) |
24 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
1 wickets for |
67 |
|
|
Round Robin - Game 3
| Old Boys VI Vs ECA 1st VI |
| 1-Innings Match Played At Helsinki 6s, 28-Jul-2007, |
| Old Boys VI 1st Innings 3/69 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| HEL Old Boys VI #1 |
|
b James Ramsden |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| HEL Old Boys VI #2 |
not out |
|
23 |
0 |
0 |
| HEL Old Boys VI #3 |
|
b Mike Tiffin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| HEL Old Boys VI #4 |
c Tim Heath |
b Mike Tiffin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| HEL Old Boys VI #5 |
not out |
|
13 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b1 lb2 w28 nb0) |
31 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
3 wickets for |
69 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| James Ramsden |
1 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
| Mike Tiffin |
1 |
0 |
11 |
2 |
| Rob Brookes |
1 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
| Tim Heath |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
1 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
| ECA 1st VI 1st Innings 1/70 Closed (Overs 4.1) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Jason Barry*+ |
not out |
|
39 |
3 |
3 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
c |
b HEL Old Boys VI #3 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
| Mike Tiffin |
not out |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Rob Brookes |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| James Ramsden |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| Tim Heath |
dnb |
|
- |
|
|
| extras |
|
(b4 lb1 w16 nb0) |
21 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
1 wickets for |
70 |
|
|
Semi Final
| ECA 1st VI Vs Helsinki CC VI |
| 1-Innings Match Played At Helsinki 6s, 28-Jul-2007, |
| Comment |
Helsinki 6's Semi Final |
| ECA 1st VI 1st Innings 2/86 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Jason Barry*+ |
c |
b Helsinki CC VI #4 |
30 |
4 |
1 |
| Tim Heath |
not out |
|
18 |
0 |
2 |
| James Ramsden |
|
b Helsinki CC VI #4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
not out |
|
7 |
0 |
1 |
| extras |
|
(b5 lb2 w24 nb0) |
31 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
2 wickets for |
86 |
|
|
| Helsinki CC VI 1st Innings 1/78 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Helsinki CC VI #1 |
|
b James Ramsden |
5 |
0 |
0 |
| Helsinki CC VI #2 |
not out |
|
32 |
0 |
0 |
| Helsinki CC VI #3 |
not out |
|
13 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b0 lb0 w24 nb4) |
28 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
1 wickets for |
78 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| James Ramsden |
1 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
| Mike Tiffin |
1 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
| Mike Bevan |
1 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
| Tim Heath |
1 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
Final
| Wales 1st VI Vs ECA 1st VI |
| 1-Innings Match Played At Helsinki 6s, 28-Jul-2007, |
| Wales 1st VI Win by 13 runs |
| Comment |
Helsink 6's Final |
| Wales 1st VI 1st Innings 4/91 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Wales 1 VI #1 |
|
b Rob Brookes |
34 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #2 |
|
b Mike Bevan |
13 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #3 |
lbw |
b Tim Heath |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #4 |
not out |
|
5 |
0 |
0 |
| Wales 1 VI #5 |
|
b Rob Brookes |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b4 lb1 w32 nb0) |
37 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
4 wickets for |
91 |
|
|
| Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| James Ramsden |
1 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
1 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
| Mike Bevan |
1 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
| Tim Heath |
1 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
| Rob Brookes |
1 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
| ECA 1st VI 1st Innings 3/78 Closed (Overs 5) |
| Batsman |
Fieldsman |
Bowler |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
| Jason Barry*+ |
c |
b Wales 1 VI #3 |
29 |
2 |
3 |
| Tim Heath |
st |
b Wales 1 VI #4 |
22 |
2 |
2 |
| Siva Arunachalam |
c |
b Wales 1 VI #3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| James Ramsden |
not out |
|
4 |
0 |
0 |
| Mike Bevan |
not out |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
| extras |
|
(b0 lb2 w20 nb0) |
22 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
3 wickets for |
78 |
|
|
|
