Dunabogdany won by 5 wickets

After the previous week's batting debacle, when they were bowled all out by Phoenix for a record-low 21 (!), Dunabogdány were determined to bounce back. And bounce back they did and in style, inflicting a heavy defeat of their own on new team Spartans with a superb bowling display and some nerveless batting chasing a total that became potentially awkward after the loss of early wickets.

Having won the toss, Spartans' captain Mike Glover opted to bat. It seemed like a great move as DCC were slow to warm to the task on another scorching day at Gödöllo, and before anyone had time to catch breath Spartans had put on 36 off the first 3 overs. The breakthrough - and the first key blow of two dealt by Kevin Johnson - came when said bowler somehow induced Mike G to leave one alone outside off-stump - whereupon the ball moved in sharply and clipped the off-bail. Two more inside edges hit the stumps from the same bowler and suddenly Spartans were wobbling - a wobble that soon became a giddy stumble when a ball edged by Lucky Singh to first slip was plucked miraculously by Kevin's outstretched right hand just centimetres from the
turf. If there was a highlights reel for the 2011 season in Hungary, that catch would be an early candidate for top of the list.

Wickets continued to tumble courtesy of Shobhit, whose inswinging yorker mojo was well and truly switched on as he struck the stumps on three occasions. And it was Shobhit who also removed the dangerous Mahesh Singh (17) with a caught and bowled off a crafty slower ball - just as Mahesh was looking to build a recovery alongside opener Rahul (top scoring with 22). Resistance broken, and with Rahul finally stumped by Steve A trying to force some runs, the Spartans quickly folded to 90 all out. Pick of the bowlers were undeniably Shobhit (5-21) and Kevin (3-21), while both DCC captain Kushal and new man Sugeesh contributed vital wickets.

DCC began their chase - and Spartans their defence - with both teams well aware of the fragility of DCC's recent batting... and with no less than three DCC batsmen falling to lbw early on, the omens looked bad at 20-3. This brought unflappable Farhan to the crease, however, to join in what turned out to be a match-winning partnership of 47 with opener Alexis Latham (25). With such a small total to chase, DCC knew that one big over would see them close to the line and Alexis it was that struck a meaty six and two fours off Lucky to bring cheers from his nervous teammates. Though Alexis fell soon after, the damage was done, and Farhan (18 not out) and Shobhit helped Dunabogdány get safely home midway through the 13th over, assuring the team a bonus point and a surprising but well-earned win by five wickets - their first league victory in about two years!

Though Rajvir (3-24) and Burhan (2-28) both picked up wickets, the Spartans' cause was not helped by conceding no less than 34 extras in the short DCC innings; appropriately enough, the match ended with five wides.

No doubt sensing the need for practice, Spartans offered to play a quick 16-over friendly, with 7 DCC taking up the offer (some batting twice). This was a closely fought affair where some 260 runs were struck and plenty of wickets taken by the Spartans - but for DCC the main event was what mattered and many pints were downed in the "evening session" back in Pest.

DCC's Men of the Match: Shobhit Gupta and Kevin Johnson