Bonds Beyond Boundaries: A Fitting End to York Cricket Club's 2024 Season
- SpicyBoy
- Oct 7, 2024
- 6 min read
The final game of York Cricket Club’s 2024 season was nothing short of spectacular, as the President’s XI and Captain’s XI went head-to-head in an intense intra-club battle. On a cool Saturday, September 28th, President’s XI, led by Kannan Viswanathan, won the toss and elected to field first, putting Captain’s XI, led by Pradap Devaraj under immediate pressure.
Captain's XI First Innings: The Struggle is Real!
Captain's XI started their innings cautiously after being put into bat. George Muthu led from the top, displaying solid technique, facing his full quota of 25 balls before retiring. He later returned to the crease, but his second spell was cut short as he was run out by a sharp throw from Hyder Syed, ending his innings on 10 runs.
Atulan Navaratnam, opening alongside George, had a tough day with the bat, managing just 1 run before being run out by Rishen Lord’s alert fielding. Rajit Kadirgamar was dismissed without scoring, stumped by Kannan Viswanathan off the bowling of Feroz Imtiaz. Thaya Thevathasan and Charan Ganapathy also found it hard to settle against the disciplined bowling attack, with Thaya caught by Rishen off Sri Krishnan and Charan bowled by Roy Nadar.
The middle order struggled to gain momentum, but Captain’s XI skipper, Pradap Devaraj, stepped up with a fantastic knock of 35 off 28 balls, hitting two boundaries and three sixes to give his team much-needed runs. Rafi Mohamed provided valuable support, remaining unbeaten on 19 as Captain’s XI finished their first innings with a total of 89 for 8 after 20 overs.
The President’s XI bowlers were on point from the start. Rishen and Hyder opened the attack, keeping things tight with economical spells, while Abdul Ahmed and Feroz Imtiaz followed up with equally impressive short bursts. Sri Krishnan and Roy Nadar picked up two wickets each, and Harry Shivs added two key scalps, bowling medium pace instead of his usual spin, which caught the Captain’s XI batters by surprise.
President's XI First Innings: A Stumble, Then a Fightback!
In response, President’s XI began their first innings with a solid partnership between Feroz Imtiaz and Roy Nadar. Feroz, looking to build on his bowling efforts, managed 11 runs before being caught by Sathishraj off the bowling of George Muthu. Roy, however, played a crucial role in keeping the scoreboard ticking, scoring 21 off 23 deliveries before falling lbw to Rafi Mohamed.
The middle order faced intense pressure from Captain's XI, and the breakthrough came when Kannan Viswanathan, attempting to up the scoring rate, was brilliantly stumped by Sathishraj off Rafi Mohamed’s bowling. Sathish’s glovework was immaculate, catching Kannan short of his crease and sending him back for just 3 runs.
Dominic Dumenil was trapped lbw by Rafi for a duck, while Harry Shivs, who had shown aggression with a quickfire 9, was also dismissed lbw—this time by Shawn Rankothgedra. Abdul Ahmed fell soon after, caught and bowled by Rajit Kadirgamar.
With wickets tumbling, it was Sri Krishnan who stepped up to steady the ship, smashing 21 off just 14 balls, including a boundary and a six. His aggressive knock was the highlight of the innings as the middle and lower order fought back. Basha Jailani added valuable runs before being run out, and Hyder Syed held the fort at the end, finishing unbeaten on 2. President’s XI managed to post 98 all out in 19.1 overs, taking a narrow 9-run lead.
Captain’s XI bowled with precision, led by the ever-reliable Rafi, who took 4 wickets for just 15 runs. George Muthu and Shawn Rankothgedra also chipped in with two wickets each, while Rajit’s single wicket helped dismantle the middle order.
Captain's XI Second Innings: The Plot Thickens!
Trailing by 9 runs, Captain’s XI needed to make a strong start, but President's XI bowlers were once again on top. Sathishraj and Echi Fernando opened the innings, with Echi showing some resilience, scoring 12 before being run out by Kannan’s brilliant underarm throw. Pradap returned to add a steady 13 off 25 balls before retiring, but the middle and lower order struggled to break free from the pressure.
Rafi was run out by a sharp combination of Dominic Dumenil and Sri Krishnan, and Shawn Rankothgedra was stumped by Kannan off the bowling of Stephen Williams, who bowled an impressive spell. Charan Ganapathy fell lbw to Feroz, while Thaya Thevathasan, despite his best efforts, was also stumped by Kannan off Hyder Syed’s bowling. Rajit Kadirgamar played a crucial knock of 16, but Captain’s XI could only manage 86 for 7 by the end of their second innings.
The President’s XI bowlers tightened their grip on the game, with Stephen, Abdul, and Feroz delivering tight spells. Hyder’s 3.0-0-6-2 was particularly impressive, while Sri and Rishen kept things economical despite not picking up wickets in this innings.
President's XI Second Innings: Chasing Glory, One Run at a Time!
President’s XI, needing 79 runs to win, opened their second innings with Basha Jailani and Hyder Syed at the crease. Both batters displayed remarkable determination, soaking up the pressure and accumulating runs steadily. Basha retired hurt after a solid knock of 17 off 25 balls, while Hyder continued his fine form, scoring 19 off 22 before being caught by wicketkeeper Sathishraj off the bowling of Shawn Rankothgedra.
Rishen Lord, despite a promising start, was trapped lbw by George Muthu after contributing 4 runs. However, the game was swiftly brought to an end by Sri Krishnan and Kannan Viswanathan. Kannan, displaying his usual flair, smashed 20 off just 9 balls, including a huge six, while Sri Krishnan played a calm and composed innings, finishing unbeaten on 3. Together, they ensured that President’s XI comfortably chased down the target of 79 runs in just 11.4 overs.
The bowling from Captain’s XI was solid but not enough to stop the determined chase. Shawn Rankothgedra bowled well, picking up 1 wicket for 20 runs in his 3 overs, and George Muthu and Rafi Mohamed kept things tight, but ultimately President’s XI proved too strong on the day.
Pic courtesy: Asia & Rafi M.
A Shoutout to Our Shutterbug Extraordinaire!
No cricket game is complete without some amazing action shots to remember it by, and Atulan Navaratnam absolutely delivered! Armed with his trusty DSLR, Atulan captured some truly stunning moments during the intra-club game. Whether it was a perfectly timed dive or a wicket celebration, he made sure the magic of the day was preserved forever.
Almost every photo is frame-worthy, and we're sure these shots will be cherished for a lifetime. So, a huge thank you to Atulan for sharing these priceless memories with the team. Honestly, these could double as sports magazine covers—who knows, maybe we’ve got some future cricket stars right here!
If you haven’t seen the pictures yet, make sure to check them out. You might want to clear some space on your wall for these beauties!
Visit here for the full-set of captures by Atulan: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GVnY5mvKxX617tXj8
A Memorable End to the 2024 Season
This final match encapsulated what York Cricket Club is all about—fun, friendly competition, and a great sense of community. Every player who participated gave it their all, and the camaraderie on display was truly heartwarming.
As the cricketing action came to an end, the celebrations began! The End-of-Season Social Event was a wonderful success, filled with laughter, awards, and well-deserved recognition for all the players who gave their best throughout the season. Special mention must be given to Stefan Gray and his team, who did an incredible job managing and conducting the event, making it a night to remember for all.
Spilling Tea on 2025 Plans!
As we wrap up the 2024 season, the excitement is already building for what’s next. Whether it’s at the indoor nets for some early training or an international tour—perhaps Jamaica?—we’re sure the fun will continue off the field. And, of course, if nothing else, we’ll see you all back on the field for the 2025 cricket season!
But before we dive into next year, there’s one important event that we encourage everyone to attend—the York Cricket Club Annual General Meeting (AGM). This meeting is vital in shaping the club’s future, and it’s the perfect platform for all members, followers, and well-wishers to provide their thoughts and feedback. During the AGM, we discuss key items such as financials, team strategies, and the way forward for the club.
It’s also a fun and engaging space to pitch new ideas and strategies for the club. One such idea that came from a previous AGM was the successful implementation of digital scoring apps like CricHQ and CricClubs. Another great initiative born from your feedback was the revamp of our club website. Your ideas and suggestions are not only heard but often adopted to make York Cricket Club stronger and more efficient. So, whether you’ve been a long-time supporter or have recently joined us, your input is invaluable.
We highly encourage all playing and non-playing members, supporters, and well-wishers to attend the AGM and be a part of these discussions. Let’s work together to make the club even better in 2025 and beyond!
Stay tuned for updates, and until then, a big thank you to all the players, supporters, and readers. The journey with York Cricket Club never truly ends, and together, we can continue to make it more exciting each year!
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