The Night Watchman

For as long as I remember, my team (Jakstaz) have been rivals with Rish XI. We registered for FTP within a week of each other. Within the first week, they had their first friendly against each other.

The teams have met on fourteen occasions, with Jakstaz picking up 9 wins (64.29%) and Rish XI winning a mere 5 wins (35.71%). In there club tangles, they have played 2 Twent20’s, 2 YOD’s and 10 SOD’s. Jakstaz have had a 100% record in YOD despite a 50% record in Twenty20’s.

The teams have always been friendly rivals as both managers attend the same school. This makes bragging rights good, very good. Jakowako66 enjoys the rivalry a lot as he says it’s “Warm-hearted banter”.

But last Sunday (29 Novermber 2009) was the first match the two clubs have played each other since 09 Aug 2009. Due to this delay, there had been a lot of build up to the match. I know send you over to our Match Reporter:

Hi there folks! Tooday we saw Jakstaz .Vs. Rish XI commence.  They was at M.Jordan’s Palace, with a Uneven track, with the bright sunshine blaring down on them. Rajindra Thomas won the toss for the Jakstaz and elected to bowl first, seeming to try and take advantage of the bowler friendly conditions.

Upul Senadeera was opening the bowling for the Jaksstaz (RF). The first over was a good one, starting off with a maiden. Arthur Spalding was his opening partner (LFM) and he gave away 6 runs off the first over.

Things were going well for Rish XI until over 7.5. They found themselves a wicket down, Arthur Spalding with the brake through, bowling number 1 batsmen S.Locastro. 3 Overs laster Rish XI lost thier 2nd wicket, Chris Taaffe, bowling a bouncer and making the batsmen edge it down leg for a stunning catch by Keeper Haywood.

Two more wickets fell in consecutive overs, leaving Rish XI 46-4 after 12 and a half overs. Rish XI battled on but lost yet another wicket in the 18th over. Rish XI had found themselves at 73-5, with opener  Mujtaba still fighting on.

Things were looking bad for Rish XI until the opener and Veletta put on an impressive 171 run partnership, taking the advantage back a bit. Mujtaba finally got out with an impressive 119 (142) who truly saved Rish XI’s innings. A back up innings of Veletta did wonders too with an unbeaten 86 (102)

This put up a target of 248 for the Jakstaz to chase down at a RRR of 4.97.

Malkiat Kandula and Herbert Haywood opened the innings for the Jakstaz and got them off to a flyer. After 5 overs they were 26 for 0, before Haywood was sent back to the pavilion.

Then Jakstaz gun player, Michael Jordan, (At the feeble age of 19) came in. He’s Jakstaz only NAT player and has a bright future at Jakstaz. Kandula soon left him a couple of overs later with O’shea departing the following over. Jakstaz were 46-3 before the biggest partnership of the innings unfolded. It was still only worth a mere 50 runs but at one point, threatened to cause an upset for the visitors.

As Barrat had to depart for 24, things looked bleak for Jakstaz. Especially when Michael Jordan left the crease, leaving with the top score of the innings with 34 (54). Wickets crumbled from there onwards with a tail-ender managing a unbeaten 23.

Jakstaz eventually got bowled out for 147 after 37.4 overs, with Rish XI winning comfortably by 101 runs.