Victoria Park Juniors v Traditional Corsairs

Victoria Park Juniors 137-1 (16 overs)
Hassan 55*

Traditional Corsairs 139-1 (14.1 overs)
Aftab Ahmed 50* (8x4s)
Fazal 47 n.o. (2x6s, 4x4s)

GENTLE 'GIANT' RETURNS WITH A ROAR

By Traditional Corsairs' Ajaz Rashid

Traditional Corsairs notched up another win against a determined Victoria Park Juniors (VPJ) team, but this game was dominated by the return of the Corsairs very own gentle 'giant'  Aftab (Arfy) from the oil rich fields of Arabia as he fought his way to a fifty with his first innings since summer 2004.  

Arfy is a Corsairs giant in the sense of the regard he is held in by the Corsairs, not in physical size....but it cannot be ignored that the gentle giant 2005 version, is a bit more of a giant than when he was last spotted on the green fields of blighty, especially his extensive gut which is a throwback to an unpleasant era when these were too common amongst the Corsairs.      

Nimo, yet again managed to lose the toss (and allegations of spread betting linked to his name continue) and VPJ opted to bat first.  'Has he lost it again?'.......'He's such a loser'.......'someone else toss up next time'  could be heard from the ranks of the corsairs (well actually, it coudl be hearld only from Aamir).  Matthew and Hassan opened the batting for VPJ.   

The former played and missed regularly and survived a couple of very close LBW calls from Ajaz on his way to 31 not out, but Hassan dominated the VPJ innings and retired unbeaten on 55.  Not before he was on 49 and was presented by Emran with a gift wrapped (might as well have been covered in chocolate and served with cream) ball that he devoured (like Arfy must have been devouring the cakes since last summer) for a big six.  

After Hassan's departure, VPJ made slow progress and eventually finished on 137 for 2, helped enormously by crap fielding and too many extras from the Corsairs.   Junaid (even though he asked the umpire for the short ball to be removed from Laaeq's armoury??!!....the innocence of youth) played well for his 18 but was undone by the wily desi bowling of Fazal, who bowled him and was the corsairs only wicket taker, as the other wicket came as a result of a run out.  

The corsairs replied by sending out the big guts....I mean big guns Arfy and Laeeq.   Laaeq played his usual machismo dominated innings and went for the bowling, and perished on 21 to Junaid.   

This left Arfy and Fazal to take up the baton, with Aamir eagerly awaiting padded up and raring to let loose on the VPJ bowling.  So much so that fivers could be seen exchanging hands between Aamir and the VPJ bowlers fielding at long leg as incentives to get the next wicket.  

Fazal played his usual effortless innings and bombed his way to 47 including a couple of big 6 hits, but Arfy did oblige Aamir's wishes and let him have a bat by retiring on fifty.  His innings was hard fought as he slowly shook off the cobwebs, as expected given the long period of cricket inactivity and which it looks like he spent imitating a couch potato. 

His fifty included 8 fours including a couple of thumping drives (the old magic is still there) that flew to the boundary.  Aamir then did his best to resurrect the ghost of Chris Tavare and played out 8 balls before he got the 1 run the corsairs required for victory.  So another win, by 5 wickets and within 15 overs thanks to the Corsairs batsmen who got the runs pretty easily and welcomed back one it's most popular players.

However, the corsairs fitness coach has been alerted to the girth of a new giant in the corsairs ranks and the girth control procedure has been actioned.