Where do I begin?
Mayur and Bimal brought down 10 players from Rutland - plus three players on loan from Albany and Kirk's son Vikas - and a 14-a-side match was on!
The toss was won by Bennington, who chose to bat on a freshly-rolled wicket on a day with clouds and a breeze - perfect weather! Moiz Artani - in his last match for the BCCC before returning to his naitive Pakistan - opened the batting with Zaki, another exchange student from Afghanistan. They were put in to face some pretty stiff opening bowling from Akas - firing in from the Nemer End with great pace and ferocity. Only one wide was taken off the opening over, and by the time Zaki fell to Akas' in the third over, the BCCC was 11 for 1.
Aswhan and Moiz tried to push some singles against Akas and Mehul, but when Rutland's senior bowlers moved in, the game took a swing in their favor.
First, Mayur removed Zaki and debutante Bart Kelly on consecutive balls to end the 5th over, leaving Bennington at 23 for 3. When Ashwan fell first ball to Bimal in the 6th, however, things were looking dire indeed.
But then in strode Vinnie. The man for the moment. when he hit Bimal for Bennington's first boundary off the second ball he faced, a sigh of relief was heard around the ground. 5 8, 10 and 5 runs came off the next 4 overs, steadying the ship and keeping the run rate up.
Then this guy Satish took the ball. His first two overs went like this: W..1WW|4.12WW.
The author got a ball that made him finally understand the word 'fizzed' when used in the cricketing context. Not only did he 'hit the corridor of uncertainty' and 'leave me in two minds' about how to play the ball, he compelled me to drag my bat back and placidly watch the ball clip leg stump.
Pure voodoo. And excellent cricket.
Bennington now has 73 runs after 13 overs and were 9 wickets (out of 13) down. Things were looking grim indeed.
But Vinny held the team together out in the middle, and while Bhima grinded out a 12-ball one, Kirk and Dan each got good balls, and Vinny was finally bowled by Mayur for 41 in the 20th over. Bennington was 93 all out.
Now, I myself was hoping for 120, but after seeing what went on out there, I felt our bowling could definitely defend that total, probably.
Nipul and Dhalmesh, from Albany, opened the batting and after 7 runs came from the first over, it looked like the walk could be on. But Neel - our Neel! - came on and picked up two wickets in two balls to put the brakes on Rutland's chase. Sameer Sardaar caught and bowled Nipul in the next over, and Ashwan and Sam then came in and (barring some wides, wides and more wides) shut down the batting for three overs. Unfortunately for Bennington, Bimal came to the crease and started accelerating the run rate with 4 boundaries, leaving Rutland with 50 runs for just the loss of 4 wickets at the halfway point of 10 overs.
The ball was then tossed to Moiz - his last match with Bennington - and the old cricket magic started to happen. A streaky 4 by Bimal was the only blemish in his first over of slow, smooth spin, and Neel charged in with another maiden - giving him figures of 2/0 and stalling the chase once more. But then Moiz returned and on the penultimate ball of the 13th over, delivered an absolute peach to Bimal and clipped his middle stump. One of their best batsmen was gone for 16 and a glimmer of hope emerged for the BCCC.
Neel bowled Nayeem in the 15th over, and now 30 runs were needed off the final 30 balls.
And once again, in strode Vinny.
He quickly removed Devu, leaving Rutland at 64 for 6 (out of 13), but that was bad news for Bennington, as Mayur took to the middle.
(It was at this time that the author donned the gloves and started keeping wicket. I have never seen a man who handled a bat so naturally. I knew we weren't going to get him out. I just hoped we could get everyone out around him.)
It was then that Vinny delivered a famous ball. As he let go of it, I - behind the stumps mind you - could hear him say "Oh, no." Leg side full toss. Big 6 over deep fine leg. 24 off of 29. Rutland ahead.
But the 17th over saw Kirk remove Vikas caught behind, and when Vinnie picked up two more wickets in the 18th, game was most definitely on.
Mayur clouted Ashwan for a four before he removed Mahboob in the 19th, leaving Rutland an improbable 13 to win off the last over, with Neel drawing the bowling honors.
But Mayur was still at the crease, and a few head-high wides and a couple fours brought Rutland back into it with a glimmer, four runs needed off the last ball to win.
Now I've seen many different games across many different sports end in many different ways. As a kid, you practice hitting a 20-foot jumper or heading the ball into the corner of the net to win a Cup, a trophy or a championship.
I never dreamed that I'd ever find myself keeping wicket in an American county cricket match, diving headlong to my left, to get a glove to a thin inside edge and saving four runs. But just because I never dreamed it, doesn't mean it's not a dream come true.
Bennington wins by 2 runs.
I can't thank everyone enough for helping to put on this game - from Peter (groundsman extraordinaire (best wicket ever!)) to Mick with his scoreboard and roller (bat first, hell yeah!) to Mayur and Bimal and all the great players you brought down today. It was a real joy to play with you all.
Here's to more great cricket in Vermont in 2011!
