Stiri

1st game: Bulgaria 157-5 (Barben 37, Rehman 34*, Thakur 2-27, Mohsin 2-30) v Romania 158-5 (Thakur 72, Nehrujee 23, Mishra 4-7)

The first of three 20/20 matches at Bulgaria’s National Academy of Sports in Sofia began well with Romania’s captain, James Kodor, winning the toss and asking Bulgaria to bat in clear, sunny conditions. Although Saad Mohsin achieved the first breakthrough by separating Bulgaria’s opening pair with the score at 9, the next wicket (Grant Barben, 37) did not fall until the score was 70. Such was the pattern of the Bulgarian innings: whenever it looked like getting on top of the bowlers, Romania would strike back. Mohsin struck a second time by bowling the dangerous Prakash Mishra for only 4, whereupon Bulgaria consolidated and just as it looked like setting Romania a difficult target, was pegged back. Bulgaria’s total after 20 overs, 157 for 5 wickets could have been less had it not been for the visitors’ 38 wides and some sloppy fielding. Nevertheless, 157 would have been considered par for the course by both teams.

With each team confident of a win, Romania’s opening pair Sudeep Thakur and wicketkeeper Zeeshan Mazhar got the visitors off to a flying start with 39 runs off the first two overs. Mazhar was the first man out caught behind after a potentially match-winning platform of 70 at better than 10 an over, the first of Prakash Mishra’s four victims. His replacement, Sanjay Nehrujee (23) played elegantly, caressing the ball behind square for ones and twos, and together he and Thakur brought the innings total to within sight of the target, before Romania lost 4-29; with the scores level Thakur, who had been in imperious form hitting the ball to all corners of the field, needlessly holed out to deep cover. A wide from Bulgaria handed Romania a 5-wicket victory and a 1-0 lead.

(click here for detailed score card of the match)

2nd game: Bulgaria 101 (Khan 31, Katarski 12, S Singh 2-1, Nehrujee 2-26) v Romania 102-3 (Thakur 31, Solanki 26, Mishra 2-36).

The second game began after the lunch break when Bulgaria’s captain, Saif ul-Rehman, won the toss and decided to bat first under grey skies that threatened to deteriorate as the game got into its stride. Indeed, Bulgaria’s flowing run scoring of the earlier game was not in evidence, as tighter bowling restricted hitting and the increasingly leaden outlook helped the ball swing. Of Romania’s bowlers, Solomon Singh was best able to exploit the conditions, with the symmetrically pleasing analysis of two wickets for just one run from his three overs, which included 16 dot balls, and Dalvinder Singh’s performance (0-18, with 13 dot balls) was also noted. A brilliant direct hit from Laurentiu Niculie fielding on the point boundary ran out the threatening Rehman for just two runs, ended Bulgaria’s best partnership and effectively swung the game Romania’s way and changed the course of the game. Only Rajab Ali Khan (31) and Ivor Katarski (12) achieved double figures as Bulgaria’s innings ended prematurely on 101.

Romania’s innings again began briskly with the same number of runs after two overs – 39, without loss – as had been posted in the first game. The outstanding form of Thakur (31) from the first game continued into the second; his opening partner, Raviraj Solanki (26) was just as compelling. The pair racked up 69 from six overs before Solanki departed, at which stage the game was never really in doubt – although two further wickets were to fall – with the winning run coming once again from a wide. The result: a second Romanian win, this time by 7 wickets.

Sunday morning’s game went ahead despite the threat of ominous weather rolling in from Mt Vitosha. Kodor won the toss and decided to bat and although the game was abandoned after six overs, it was not before Solanki (46) had showed spectators a batting master class, which included hitting four 4s and two 6s from one Kamal over.

The weekend of cricket was the first time a national team had formed since cricket was formally recognised as a sport in Romania, in December 2010. James Kodor, who managed to instill a spirit of unity and selflessness into his players, ably led the team, with representatives from five of the six registered Romanian CRC-affiliated members. There were moments to cherish, demonstrating the consummate skill, athleticism and cricketing prowess of the players in our midst. Perhaps most impressive was to see batsmen at the crease such as Nehrujee and Mazhar walking after being dismissed without waiting for the umpire’s decision, evidence that the spirit of cricket is alive and kicking in Romania.

(click here for detailed score card of the match)

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