The 2^nd XI continued their winning start to the 2011 season with yet another determined win over Turnham Green following last week’s dramatic victory.

Having lost the toss for the second successive week, MTSSC were put in to bat and lost opener Farrouk early on after being dismissed by a great reflex catch at first slip. Nathan and Niranjan began building the partnership for the 2^nd wicket in circumspect fashion to reach 11-1 after 10 overs. Both batsmen soon began to play a few strokes as the opening bowlers began to show signs of fatigue and duly brought up the 50 stand. Nathan was dismissed on 29 having hauled out to mid-off attempting to go over the top with an ambitious drive. Niranjan soon followed after he perished on 38 and brought overseas debutant Sudip to the crease. After Naved cheaply when he lofted a drive straight to cover, Sudip fell for 18 as he popped a return catch to the spin bowler for a simple caught and bowled. Asela & Dilshan chipped in with cameos of 29 and 20 respectively as the innings looked as though it was gaining momentum towards its conclusion as the score reached 155-5. A flurry of wickets then fell after both batsmen were caught in the deep, followed by the cheap dismissals of Sree, Prakash and Lavan as MTSSC were eventually bowled out for 188 off 54 overs, leaving Turham Green needing 189 to win off 46 overs.

Both sides would have backed themselves to take a positive result at the tea break and it was then down to the MTSSC bowlers to make the most of the bowler-friendly conditions. MTSSC began well, applying pressure from the go and soon got a breakthrough as Nathan got a delivery to pitch and straighten up just enough to remove the opener’s off stump. Asela gave Nathan ample support from the other end, bowling a consistently probing off stump line. As the shine on the new ball began to wear off, the batsmen looked more settled as skipper Lavan and leg-spinner Sree were introduced into the attack. After picking up a niggle whilst batting, Lavan struggled to find much rhythm as he was hampered by his ankle. Sree also showed promising signs but his spell was somewhat ruined by a series off full tosses and short deliveries. Turnham Green looked to be cruising at the drinks break at 23 overs, having compiled 86-1; requiring a further 103 for victory off the remaining 23 overs. Lavan then turned to the spin bowling off Prakash and Mo, who then turned the game dramatically. A combination of disciplined bowling and good fielding applied pressure to the batsmen as the runs began to dry up and the required run rate started to climb. They finally got the key wicket when Mo got a delivery to hold up in the surface and clean bowled Turnham Green’s number 3. Prakash then chipped in with a wicket of his own as he got a length ball to keep a touch low and was enough to bamboozle the batsman. At 130-4, MTSSC were regaining hope of capturing the winning draw which, at the drinks break, looked to be a tough task. As the spinners continued to pluck away at Turnham Green’s middle order, it brought about a couple more wickets as the batsmen tried to force the scoring along off the bowling of Mo, who picked up 5 and 6. With 4 wickets remaining and 40 needed for victory off the last 9 overs, Asela was brought back in to the attack as MTSSC smelt Turnham Green blood and began an emphatic push for victory. Mo continued to use the pitch superbly as he got deliveries to keep low, turn and bounce up at the batsmen & was soon rewarded again for his persistence as another middle order batsman fell victim to his off spin. During a fiery spell of seam bowling at the end, Asela then got a length delivery to keep low as the ball cannoned into off stump as MTSSC got even closer to the victory. Mo picked up wicket number 9 with a very short delivery, as the batsmen looked to hit the ball out of Sudbury Hill but only succeeded in getting a top edge to Lavan at short fine leg and give Mo a well deserved 5-fer. Replicating last week’s scenario, MTSSC had one wicket to take with just the single over remaining and it was left to Asela to deliver. With the first ball of the over, he trapped Turnham Green’s no. 11 straight in front as the umpire slowly raised his finger to send MTSSC into ecstasy.

Another fantastic performance by MTSSC 2^nd XI as they demonstrated their fighting spirit and determination yet again. A special mention must also go out to Mo Hussein for his match winning performance, taking 5-34 to record his first 5-fer for his new club.

Never a boring game in the 2^nd XI.