Wednesday, February 24, 2010
MCC ARCHIVES: AWARDS BANQUET 2007-2008
BATTING AWARD: FARHAD ESSOP
BOWLING AWARD: NASIER CHARIWALA
BATTING AWARD: ASHRAF RAWAT
BOWLING AWARD: SAFWAAN SALLOO
AADIL AND EBOO RECEIVING SPECIAL AWARDS
JUJU 23 AND MARIAM WITH THE WOODEN SPOON: GUNNERS 4LIFE!
MCC FUTURE STARS PRESENTED WITH GIFTS
MR AND MRS KADWA SHARING A MOMENT
CAKE TIME
MOHAMMED JOGEE'S BIRTHDAY
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Match Report MCC vs Scaw 20/02/2010
The SA8 team was faced with the challenge of the BEE squad of SCAW who had on previous occasion given us a bit of a scare. The SA8 team was put in to bat and a score of 175 was posted. Baker scoring a patient 34 and Hamza Bhai Boom Boom a quick fire 34 with 2 monster 6's. Scaw went in to bat and started of quite steady being 68 for no wicket after 18 overs, until Azhar Powder promised Muhajir comps to lollipop lounge if he took a wicket.
Muhajir heeding the free offer broke the dead lock and this opened the flood gates of wickets. Mayur Bhai open his pack of Manick Chand and spinned the BEE compadres dizzy. He ended with figues of 8 overs 12 runs 5 wickets earning him the man of the match award. Overall the SA8 team ended the day with a comfortable 65 run victory.
SA5 ON FIRE AT MARKS PARK
With few players missing, MCC team consisted of Zain, Kadwa, Eboo, Archie, Farhaad, Ishaq,Naushaad, Fulat,Safwaan, Patroa and Uncle Haroon.
Eboo once again lost the toss. A superb opening spell had Marks Park reeling on 21/4. They recovered somewhat, to 66/7, and then good lower order partnerships. Finally been bowled out for 159. Safwaan pick of bowlers, 4/24.
Fulat 2/37
Kadwa 1/36
Eboo 2/23
Farhad 1/27
The chase was not going to be easy with the wicket keeping low. Zain perished chasing a wide one for 8, Kadwa caught brilliantly in slips for 5, and Archie run out for 3.
The Timol brothers, after few initial dodgy singles, got into their stride, with a good 70 odd partnership before Eboo fell for a well played 35. Ishaq joined a cramping Farhad at the wicket, with Naushaad in as a runner, and the pair steered MCC to the target with 3 overs remaining. Farhad again top scoring 64*, Ishaq 24*
Joint man of the Match awarded to Safwaan and Farhad.
Two tough fixtures remain for SA5, home to Heidelburg and away to Hilson Park. More strong performances needed, yet a top three finish seem definate this season.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
SA8 wins at Aryans
Marlboro batting first scored 127.
Amod 30
Makda 28
Nathi 21
Zameer 16
Aryans were then bundled out for 111
Nathi 2/29
Jogee 3/23
Juju 2/18
Chodree 2/0
Good performance by the boys in Lenz, playing so often there getting used to the conditions.
And a big up to MAKDA and RAYHAAN, 3 catches each!!! A full box of chocolates each for the two of you!!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
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THE SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPORTER DILEMMA
The big change happened in 1994. Some 16 years ago. However even prior to that, change was evident. Growing up in the late 80's and early 90's we were quite free to do as we pleased.There were not many restrictions on our daily lives, and those horrible days we just heard about, yet not experienced personally.
South African sport was in isolation. We grew up watching Transvaal under Clive Rice, and English League soccer on TV 3. Benson & Hedges cricket was the best in the world. Or rather all we knew about. Then suddenly, a tour to India. Watching Mohammed Azharudin and Sachin Tendulkar. Followed closely by 1992 World Cup. Mark Greatbatch, Allan Border, Imran Khan, Curtley Ambrose. A whole new world of cricket. South Africa overnight became a renowned team.
Names like Jonty Rhodes legends worldwide.
Yet for some odd reason South African Indians still chose not to support their country. Statements I've personally heard was " I will never support these racists" or " I support India and whoever plays against South Africa!"
And sixteen years on...
Hashim Amla, everyone's hero scores 253* against the number one ranked side in the world. A real proud moment for every South African. Do we choose to support Amla exclusively or the entire setup? Why is it that we, South Africans by birth,continue to have these 'racist' ideals now against what we firmly believed all those years back to be horrible?
Look within us, and ask ourselves, is supporting Hash exclusively not being racist? We would love three or four players of 'Indian' origin representing South Africa. Will we support our National Team then? If that is not being racist I don't know what is.
The team you support is ultimately your choice personally. The reason you choose to support them also is in your hands. However we need to realise that if these reasons are based purely on race or religion we are fooling ourselves. We despise 'whites' who have a disregard of the potential of Amla, yet we feel the same about other players?
Something to ponder. In the words of Ml. Bilal Moolla: " Life is short. There isn't enough time to love, yet we find time to hate? "
Monday, February 8, 2010
Praise all round for Amla's feast
“I always thought he was a fine player, from a long way back. I always thought he had the ability to score big hundreds, but this was a superb innings especially because of the time he came in. Even in domestic cricket, he made big hundreds and he certainly knows how to bat time,” Kirsten said after Amla's 253 not out had led South Africa to 558 for six declared and all but batted India out of the game.
Kirsten, however, was still optimistic and said India would still be trying to win the game.
"We will obviously need to bat well and there's a lot of work to be done. It's a big day tomorrow, very important. We'll need to apply ourselves and get big scores on the board, but we'll still be trying our hardest to win the game," he said.
With the Indian media biting at his heels, Kirsten said he did not believe the bowling or the make-up of their side was as sick as the critics were making out.
"I thought the guys bowled their hearts out on a pitch that wasn't easy to bowl on. I was pretty happy with the effort over the last two days. In our last few tests we haven't had a fifth bowler either and we've been pretty successful," Kirsten said.
"We did what we could, but sometimes if the batting is really good, you have to acknowledge that. Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla both batted exceptionally well," the former South African opener said.
Amla hates drawing attention to himself and merely said it was a "momentous occasion", a "fantastic milestone" and he was "grateful to have the opportunity to put the team in a good position".
It was left to Kallis to put Amla's remarkable innings, the highest ever by a South African on the sub-continent, into context.
“Hashim has come a long way and is one of the main guys in our batting line-up now. He’s going to score many more runs for South Africa and he’s proven everyone wrong who said he couldn’t bat at three. “It’s also fantastic to bat with him because he has a very calm influence out in the middle,” Kallis said.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
MCC SA5 v s Randburg
Marlboro Cricket Club SA5 put on a great team performance on saturday to notch up yet another victory.With Zain Asmal and Ahmed Fulat unavailable, the team was bolstered by Zameer Loonat and a debut in the first team for up and coming youngster, and great talent, Naeem Nathie.
Batting first on demon wicket and a rather thickish outfield, MCC notched up 131/9. Moosa Patel top scoring with 39.
Randburg always had a difficult chase on their hands. And our bowlers delivered.Openers Safwaan and Nathie started brilliantly,and Moosa and Zameer took over and wrapped up the middle order. After a mini comeback by Randburg, Ebrahim Kadwa wrapped up the tail. Randburg 101 all out.
Nathie 1/29
Safwaan 0/14
Moosa 3/32
Zameer 3/13
Kadwa 2/11
Man of the Match: Moosa Patel
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Gharam Smith Diaries
Ey those aloo parathas and Tandoori chicken we had for supper was lekker. Maar ek brand in my gat nog. Anyhows I'm sure there's no Delhi Belly in Mumbai. Ek hoop nie. Eish hierdie mense kan eet. Moosajee en ou Goolam hulle voel niks. Amla eet net bietjie. I'm sure he lussing for bunny chow and all.And the jelebis and burfees-baie baie lekker!
I like this country. And I see there's lotsa soaps in the hotel rooms also. No not lifebuoy, I still bat for South Africa not the other team. I'm talkin bout the ones on the television. Yassis wat kak is Isidingo. I'm into Choti bahu now. Some smart cherries in India I tell you. Think I must hook me up one here. Bitch Minki dumped me. Eish ek brand nog. Where was I? Oh ja the soaps. I sit up all night watching. Think I need to get Indian Bouquet when I go home.
First test on saturday. Hope they don't take the Mickey out of me. Like how I took the Mickey out of South African cricket! Nagpur is the venue. I'm telling you that wicket is gonna turn like how my tummy is now. One Tendulkar fellow can't stop scoring. And that Sehwag can smack it all over. Ek is bang ekse. But I gotta be brave. I'm in charge now. We left that clown Ntini at home. He can't behave also jy weet. Let's see what our lightys can do. We couldn't kill off the Poms at home I hope we can deliver here on the sub continent.
Anyways I'm off to the office now. Good think I stocked up on plenty immodiums and Valpre. And I'll call concierge just now for more toilet paper...