Best of the Rest won by 3 runs

A new season brings new ideas, and in this case the new season gave birth to a brand new 'tradition' – to open the new season with the previous season's champions playing against the leading performers from all the other teams, with selection made by the HCA Executive Board based on players' performances at club or international level in the previous season. Thus it was that the Royal Tigers – 2008 champions – faced up to the 'Best of the Rest' at Gödöllő on 16th May 2009.

Before a ball was bowled things looked ominous for the Best of the Rest, with 2 of the selected 12 pulling out on the morning of the match. Frantic phone calls were made and Nick Palmer of the Baggy Blues was called in as a ’technically he doesn’t qualify because he’s a new player but we need 11 people and he is available’ substitute. Could it be that Nick’s batting brings home the match? Only time would tell.

On arrival at the ground things looked better for all players involved: the sun was shining, the pitch was freshly cut nice and low and – what’s that? A HEAVY ROLLER in action? In Hungary? For Cricket? Yes, Gödöllő is proving to be a great new location for cricket in Hungary. Surely plenty of runs in the flat deck? Only time would tell.

Before the match a short ’ceremony’ was held to welcome players, to congratulate all on making it to such a special match, and to acknowledge history-maker Zahir for his first-ever-in-Hungary century: Zahir was presented with the ball that he belted to all parts of RAFC against the Baggy Blues. The toss was then completed, with Andrew Leckonby choosing to make first use of the run-feast that was on offer: Royal Tigers would have to suffer, chasing leather in the hot sun.

Or not. The slow but steady start of 9-0 turned to 9-3 in the space of 4 deadly balls from Amandeep. Palmer gone for 4 and Zahir and Leckonby’s combined 192 of two weeks’ previous had produced not a solitary run – Zahir well caught for a golden duck and Leckonby returning to last season’s LBW habits – perhaps the ’based on last year’s efforts’ message had been taken a little too literally. At least it was second ball, denying Amandeep his hat-trick.

Habib and Haroon combined to bring some hope to the team, and whilst runs were hard to find at least the wickets had also dried up. Haroon went but Habib and Tamás Török kept some runs ticking over to get to the drinks break. Habib had been there from the start but had amassed runs uncharacteristically slowly, reaching just 5 by this point. True testament only to the fantastic pressure fielding and bowling being applied by all Tigers bowlers – no exceptions. Tactics were talked and agreed: Habib to continue to be the steady, solid rock he had been until now, Tamás to belt every ball for six. Habib liked the idea all the way to the middle, until about the time the first ball after the break was bowled to him. BANG! A solid, straight six to the long off fence to break the shackles and send a new intent to the Tigers. As it turned out, it was to be the only 6 of the day, and an impressive one it was.

Intent never really became much more than that though, and apart from a boundary or two from Tamás there was not much more to report from the Best of the Rest, the team eventually crashing to be all out for 73, with Sayed also having a hat-trick opportunity. 73 all out on a sunny day on a heavily rolled pitch against the might of the Tigers. Oh dear. At least one thing was for sure – bad light would not stop play, and the match was undoubtedly going to finish before those wispy clouds could burst in to stop proceedings.

The Tigers came out full of confidence, with the only message to the Best of the Rest bowlers being ’get wickets or you don’t bowl any more’. Abed ’Thunder’ Nazar and HCA Best Bowler of 2008 Mark Bownas had the first opportunity to meet this challenge, and meet it they did. 2 bowled and 1 LBW and the Tigers reeling at 7-3, even worse by comparison to the woeful start of the earlier innings. Lucky and Amandeep faced the tense atmosphere, with Lucky choosing to finish things quickly, one way or another. A couple of nice boundaries on a day when they were just not around, and the balance was restored. For a moment. No wickets in three overs, so time to change bowlers. Simple as that. Habib came in and Lucky and Harris went out. Habib now on the third hat-trick opportunity of the day – but do you think Tushar was going to oblige? No way, and at 24-5 it was down to Tigers dependables Tushar and Amandeep to push for the last 50 runs. And for a while they made it look comfortable, each collecting a boundary or two and finding the singles – perhaps not ’with ease’, but no-one was batting like that today.

Again, no wickets, change bowlers. Leckonby brought himself on and sent Amandeep off: once again a bowling change bringing immediate reward. But Tushar was still there, and now just 27 left to get. And Stan was joining him – Stan who the Baggies couldn’t get out last week. The partnership reached 17, leaving Tigers with just 10 needed and 4 wickets in hand. Surely it’s all over now, isn’t it? Bowling change, maybe? Yeah, OK. But first, Bownas removes Stan and then Abed comes back. 10 runs needed, 3 wickets needed. Tushar still there. Like a true summer storm, the Thunder came out of nowhere and blasted ferociously. Ujjwal – BOWLED by Thunder! Next ball, Suman BOWLED by Thunder! Hat-trick opportunity again. 4th of the day! No hat-trick, again. 1 wicket left. 8 runs needed. Tushar still there. Tushar facing, Leckonby bowling. End of the over. 4 runs needed. 1 wicket left. Tushar still there. Thunder rolling in. Kiran facing the storm. 2 balls gone. Nothing. 3, 4 balls gone, nothing. 5th ball, Kiran BOWLED by Thunder! Royal Tigers all out for 70, Best of the Rest win by 3 runs. Tushar still there - for the day’s highest score, 19 not out. And Nick Palmer reminds us of his VERY important 4 runs ’that won the match’...

Man of the Match: Abed ’Thunder’ Nazar, for his 5.5 overs, 2(.5) maidens, 5 wickets for 13 runs. And of course for his all-important 4 runs off the bat as well.

Real winner: Cricket in Hungary, for an AMAZING match to start what will surely be a true highlight of each season.