2007 CUP HEADLINES

OSTERLEY OUTCLASS FINCHLEY TO WIN THE CUP

The Middlesex Cup Final (formerly IBEX Cup) was played between Finchley CC (Premier County League, previous 2 yrs cup champions) and Osterley CC (Middlesex Div1 Champions 2005-07) at Winchmore Hill CC on the 9th Sept. The match was going to be a roller coaster of emotions, passions and a show of sheer determination for each team attempting to win, which made it all the more nerve racking, nail biting finale for the spectators.
Asad Rizvi (OCC captain) choosing to bat, took command, leading the innings from the front, combining with an aggressive Laeeq Ahmed to create a solid partnership of 40. The previous nights League winning celebrations took toll on Asad as he could not hold the excessive amounts of cake eaten in the early hours of the morning, holing out at deep mid off.
As Sarvesh Shirat found his timing, Laeeq launched his assault on the new change bowler with a few boundaries of which two 6’s landed on the public highway, out of the ground. At 120 for 1, a rushed sweep shot from Laeeq saw him bowled and replaced by Abid Ahmed. He immediately dispatched the first ball for 4, then a huge 6 but then fell to an LBW, shortly followed by Ashraf Ali in the same manner.
Sarvesh’s batting at the other end was a demonstration of a masterclass to any youngster watching, with the vary able Qaiser Muhammed (the tank), building another 50+ partnership. Finchley changed the bowlers and manipulated the fielding to apply pressure as the game was beginning to slip away with Sarvesh reaching a well deserved 50.
The score at 190, Osterley were expecting to take the total score at least 260-270 in the last 10 overs but some excellent fielding from Finchley had Sarvesh caught out in the 60’s and Qaiser run out just short of his 50 at 48. Osterley finished on 230 for 7 in 45 overs, knowing they would have to play the second half much closer to their potential, if they were going to sniff a win.
A dream start to the second innings was nearly achieved as Abid, with his first ball, feeling he had trapped the Finchley opener trapped plum LBW, not to be, nor did he find the edge as the ball repeated beat the bat for the rest of the over. At the other end, Aman Buttar raced in like a tiger, sizing up his prey, soon, knocking out the stumps of top class batters in consecutive overs. This was just the fillet the OCC team needed.
Like many hunting packs, OCC had seen the prey slightly wounded, the pressure was further applied to a strong fighting opposition. The experienced Asad kept changing the attack pattern and placed each new batsmen in uncomfortable areas. He took the lead, snapping up the next two wickets (2-11), followed by Ashraf Ali (2-30) and Naveed Ahmed (2-12) pegging back the middle stump of the last man – bowling out Finchley for 152 and winning the cup.
The County League Chairman awarded the man of the match to Sarvesh Shirat and announced Osterley were a thoroughly professional team who had been clinical in their win, to rapturous applause from the many spectators, who we heartedly thank.

Thanks Nadeem for your Match Report.

MANDIP SOHI REPORTS:

Osterley visited the idyllic Hampstead CC ground for the Middlesex Knockout Cup Semi Final, bubbling with confidence after the giant killing feats of the past few games. Osterley CC reputation proceeded as Hampstead’s Paul Weekes brought out their star studded county line up, especially after hearing about several other Premier league teams loosing to OCC.
Asad Rizvi (OCC Captain), won the toss and decided to bat first, with Laeek and Asad facing some accurate hostile bowling. Both openers had settled in and went on the counter attack, unfortunately Laeek was caught hooking attempting a 6 to the longest boundary (2 Runs), soon followed by the in form Asad (18 Runs), who guided the ball but only to be caught to a full length diving slip clinging on with the finger tips. Just as Ashraf and Sarvesh began building a partnership, a cute shot saw another outstanding catch to dismiss Ashraf (15 Runs). A pattern was forming, batsmen get in and give their wickets away, so the instructions were to play the ‘traditional’ strokes. Both Sarvesh and Qaisar reached their respective 50’s in style, Sarvesh hooking a 6 and Qaisar blistering drive through mid on.

The confidence bug struck and Sarvesh(56 Runs) holed out on a drive, leaving the bowlers, Aman(2 Runs), Mandip(10 Runs) and Nomi (19 Runs) to support the middle order run machine Qaisar (63 Runs), taking Osterley to a total of 210 from the allotted 45 overs. This would have been a good score but Osterley knew with a few injured players out, it was going to be a tough second half.

Budika(2 Wkts) and Abid(1 Wkt) used the new ball with great cunning, luring batsmen into half shots and repeatedly finding the edge, to sneak through the slips for boundaries. The Inzi look alike Nomi soon showed how to take slip catches as if he was shelling pees, thus HCC batsmen knew no more chances and the pressure was on. HCC’s number 4 was let off when a sitter went down by Mandip but Asad the wily old fox brought Mandip(2 Wkts) on a few overs later, who lulled the batsmen with a couple of boundaries, only for the next ball to pluck the middle stump out. Runs were flowing and with the game on a knife’s edge, Ashraf (1 Wkt) came on, containing and then taking key wickets as HCC attempted the finishing attack with less than 50 required. Asad(1 Wkt) came on as his normal death bowlers were injured and took responsibility as the captain, varying bowling and causing the batsmen a nightmare, whether to attempt rash shots or take singles.

All down to the last over, 6 runs, the skipper needed his best 6 balls as the first two went for singles. The third ball, bang and a flat one to Mandip on the line, who had slipped up earlier in the game, everyone’s hearts were in their mouths and a loud roar from Osterley, as he dove forward and the ball lodged firmly in his hands - OUT. The next ball was all about holding your nerves as the fielders were all brought in to save the 1 run to tie and win the game. A dab and run attempted but back safely for the man on 50. Last ball, everyone on their feet and many spectators unable to watch, ball delivered, everything seemed like a flash to the observers but to Asad, it all looked slow motion, picking the ball up from the dab and a full length dive to run out the batsman and win the game…. pheeewww


OSTERLEY WON THE NAIL BITING GAME by 1 RUN.
They are playing the FINAL against FINCHLEY CC on 09 Sept 07.

Osterley cricket club continued their giant-killing feat in the Middlesex Knockout Cup when they achieved a fine victory against another top County League side Brondesbury Cricket Club on Sunday. Batting first, they looked to be in trouble after losing three quick wickets for just 28 runs. But like so many times this season, the AA team came to their rescue again. That’s right, Asad Rizvi and Ashraf Ali were once again in the thick of things, showing no respect whatsoever to the bowling of their supposedly superior opposition. Sharing a partnership of over 120 runs, Osterley’s captain Asad rattled 66 runs in no time, playing some beautiful shots all around the ground. Whereas Ashraf batted with great courage and determination, scored a magnificent century and helped Osterley post a reasonable total of 256 for 8 in 45 overs.
In reply Brondesbury started really well, their openers took Osterley’s bowling apart and looked well on their way after reaching 100 runs in the 14th over without losing a wicket. And once again, it was that man Asad Rizvi, the captain of Osterley CC, who came to their rescue with a wicket in his very first over, then claiming another two in quick succession, and the rest as they say, is the history. Brondesbury CC could only manage 233 runs, losing their last wicket in the 45th over.

The semi-final will take place on Sunday, where Osterley will play another Middlesex Premier League side, Hampstead Cricket Club at Hamstead.

OSTERLEY TOO HOT FOR ENFIELD

Determined batting display from captain Asad Rizvi, Laeeq Ahmad, Sarvesh and M Qaiser enabled Osterley to recover from a poor start to win by five wickets against Middlesex County League opposition Enfield in the Middlesex Knockout Cup on Sunday.

Osterley were in real trouble after losing three wickets for only two runs in the second over of their innings, chasing 213 posted by Enfield. However, the skipper led a counter-attack by hitting a huge six to only the second ball he faced from the bowler who’d just claimed two wickets in three balls.
With Enfield's new ball pair swinging it prodigiously, it needed calm batting from Osterley and Asad provided that with a determined innings of top class batting while building a healthy partnership of 83 runs with Laeeq Ahmad. It was still a long way to go when he got out after scoring 45 runs, and when Laeeq followed him soon afterwards, the alarm bells were ringing once again.
The recovery this time was led by Servesh and Qaiser. Ignoring the perils of the situation young Servesh played a blistering array of aggressive shots, hitting four sixes in scoring a brilliant 76 not out and together with Qaiser, who was as stylish as ever in his undefeated 46, took Osterley past the required total.
Earlier, ‘spin king’ Asif Jehangir, claimed 2 wickets for only 29 runs in restricting Enfield to 213 for 8 in their 45 overs.

OSTERLEY STUN SUNBURY IN THE CUP

All rounder Abid Ahmad continued his rich vein of form by guiding Osterley to a superb win over Sunbury Cricket Club in the second round of ECB Cockspur Cup. Following his ton last week and 88 runs on Saturday he took Sunbury’s bowling attack to task and played another fine innings of 56 not out.
Earlier, Sunbury simply had no answer against the rampant Osterley bowlers and were skittle out for 146 runs with Abid Ahmad (who else?) claiming 3 for 35 in his nine overs. He was ably supported by ‘Spin King’ Asif Jehangir who mesmerised the Sunbury batsman leaking only 11 runs in his 9 overs.
Osterley reached their target in only 30.2 overs to win by 4 wickets, sweeping into the third round of the cup.

ECB Cockspur Cup 2007 (Round 2)
Sunbury 146 all out (44.1 overs)
Abid Ahmad 3/35
Mehmud Mirza 2/23

Osterley 149 for 6 (30.2 overs)
Abid Ahmad 56 not out
Manoj Sureweera 30

CAPTAIN’S KNOCK SINKS ICKENHAM

A superb partnership between skipper Asad Rizvi and wicket-keeper M Qaisar steered Osterley to a four wicket victory against Ickenham Cricket Club in the first round of ECB Cockspur Cup. Chasing a mammoth total of 297 runs set by the opposition in their 45 overs, Osterley looked to be in trouble as they lost their first three wickets with only 44 runs on the board. And although some decent middle order batting steadied their innings, an Osterley win still looked in the balance with the score at 142 for 5. And that’s when Asad Rizvi joined Qaiser at the crease.
In the face of some hostile pace bowling from Ickenham’s Captain McMillan, Asad Rizvi played an innings of sheer technique, flamboyance, grace and determination, and scored a brilliant 85 runs with eleven boundaries and two huge sixes in a partnership of 138 runs with Qaisar, who made sure of Osterley’s victory by remaining undefeated in his excellent innings of 64 runs.

Ickenham : 297 for 6 in 45 overs
Osterley: 301 for 6 in 41.1 overs

Result: Osterley CC - 1st XI Won by 4 wickets
Date: Sun 29th Apr 2007 @ 13:00
Ground: Oak Avenue Ickenham
Cup: ECB Cockspur Cup
Ickenham won toss and decided to bat first.

Osterley 300 for 8 in 50 overs
Potters Bar 294 for 9 in 50 overs

Osterley won by 6 runs.

Highlights: Abid Ahmad 113 (reached his ton in only 69 balls)
Laeeq Ahmad 59
Aman Buttar 28

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