Friendly match (30 overs):
Comenius CC vs Taylor Vinters, Cambridge
Saturday 28th June 2008 at RAFC, Budapest

Match report

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Comenius CC
spacer
4
6
Arindam Mukherjee spacer
b Golder
1
0
0
Krisztian Szabo spacer b Golder 4
0
0
Bhitin
c Spicer
b Wright
18
2
0
Kristof Noll-Batek
spacer
b Hannay-Robertson
6
0
0
Attila Vakan hit wicket
b Hannay-Robertson
0
0
0
Saurav spacer b Turner 53
9
2
Zoltan Mago
c Beach
b Golder
24
3
2
Andy Grieve *
c &
b Golder
16
2
0
Claudia Balogh not out
5
1
0
Fanni Cziraky + c Davies b Hannay-Robertson
1
0
0
Brigi Hotea c Golder b Hannay-Robertson
7
1
0
Extras 5nb 9w
14
Total
26.2 overs
all out
149
Taylor Vinters
spacer
4
6
Jonathan Davies + spacer
b Mago
6
1
0
Richard Moon spacer
b Mukherjee
3
0
0
Edward Jarron spacer
b Mukherjee
1
0
0
John Wright
c Cziraky
b Balogh
31
5
0
Lawrence Weeks
c Mukherjee
b Hotea
11
2
0
Ed Turner run out
1
0
0
Quentin Golder
c Mukherjee
 b Hotea
0
0
0
Steven Beach *
spacer
b Bithin
3
0
0
Paul Tapner
spacer
b Bithin
0
0
0
Michael Colledge
not out
0
0
0
Ben Spicer
spacer
b Bithin
0
0
0
Extras 1nb 10w 4b
15
Total 22.4 overs
all out
71
Bowler
O
M
R
Wk
Quentin Golder
6
1
29
4
Ed Turner
6
0
30
1
Duncan Hannay-Robertson
4.2
1
6
4
Paul Tapner
4
0
22
0
Steven Beach
3
0
35
0
John Wright
3
0
25
1
Fall of wicket
2
 Mukherjee
7
 Szabo
21
 Noll-Batek
21
 Vakan
48
 Bithin
112
 Mago
129
 Grieve
136
 Saurav
137
 Cziraky
149
 Hotea
Bowler
O
M
R
Wk
Zoltan Mago
3
0
8
1
Saurav
3
0
10
0
Arindam Mukherjee
3
0
10
2
Attila Vakan
3
1
13
0
Kristof Noll-Batek
3
0
13
0
Brigi Hotea
3
0
6
2
Bithin
2.4
0
8
3
Claudia Balogh
3
0
3
1
Fall of wicket
12
17
22
56
57
57
70
70
71
71

Comenius CC won by 78 runs

The third touring team of the summer arrived at RAFC and looked with trepidation at the bowling warm-up of the Comenius side, a mix of youth and experience. Forewarned of what was to come, the team from Taylor Vinters solicitors in Cambridge, England armed themselves with some guile of their own and proceeded to set about the Hungarian team's batting order.

At 21 for 4 (after three batsmen were clean bowled and Attila Vakan comically hit his own wicket as his torn glove slipped), Comenius looked to be in big trouble, but Bithin and Saurav (who both work for Alcoa in Szekesfehervar, where Comenius are based) settled things down. They took the score to 48, when Bithin was caught, but that brought Zoltan Mago to the wicket. With his sleeves pulled up (soliciting a comparison from the fielders to Rafa Nadal), Zoli smashed every ball to help his equally-aggressive partner Saurav put on 64 for the sixth wicket. Captain Andy Grieve came and went with a quick-fire 16, then Saurav was caught having just reached a stunning half century, leaving the three Comenius girls to add some runs, including a four apiece for Claudia and Brigi. Comenius didn't bat out the overs, but they were very pleased with the competitive score of 149, especially given their precarious mid-innings position.

Striding purposefully to the wicket, openers Jonathan Davies and Richard Moon looked confident and a stylish leg glance by Davies promised much. However, the Comenius bowling attack was disciplined, aggressive and variable, making scoring very difficult and taking regular wickets. Only John Wright and Lawrence Weeks put up any opposition, with Wright staying around to hit an aggressive 31 before being caught behind by Fanni Cziraky to give Claudia Balogh her maiden wicket. Arindam and Bithin bowled some superb flighted spin, and Arindam held on to two catches off Brigi Hotea - one after running 20 metres. A fantastic run out by Andy Grieve and Kristof Noll-Batek was another highlight of a flawless bowling and fielding display, which saw the visitors make less than half the Comenius total.

All in all, a fantastic warm-up for Comenius' upcoming league campaign. The after-match drinks and food were accompanied by lots of questions and happy banter, including an invitation to Cambridge next year, proving that the touring team had no ill feelings after their on-field capitulation!

Man of the match: Saurav