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Welcome to The Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong on . Local Time . |
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Cricket team bats on |
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The Correspondent magazine, January-February 2010, p.8 |
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The omen for a day’s cricket can only be good when your wicket-keeper’s dedication is such that he dashes from the pulpit on a Sunday to the University of Hong Kong’s Sandy Bay ground for the match.
Pastor John Snelgrove’s commitment on his busiest work day, plus several solid evening net sessions, meant there was a touch of confidence about Club’s side for their second-ever game at Sandy Bay on a grim and chilly Sunday, 24th of January.
However, bowling like the wind and cracking imagined boundaries within the cloistered confines of the India Club’s net – and repeating this during a game with fielders and league-level batsmen – are very different propositions.
And it became obvious this University team would be more serious than social and yes, HKU were generally younger, fitter and more seasoned than the F.C.C.C.C, but the Club side lifted to at least partially meet the challenge. Catches were made, fielders dived to cut off singles, and still everyone managed to bowl at least three overs.
While the ball was dispatched frequently onto the nearby football pitches before finally being lost forever by one well-timed shot into the ocean, the Club side were by no means disgraced.
Catches were actually held – one brilliantly by Matthew Wake on the boundary, two by Richard Cook and another by Paul Christensen – and runs were saved. Diving, sliding, skidding stops on the boundary by Nick Gentle and Richard Frost were an example of a new-found resolve. Their knees must have been feeling it for days after.
HKU were not quite dismissed for 275, bringing on the Club’s batsmen.
Despite the daunting total, no one shrank from the challenge and there were some notable batting performances. Hari Kumar and captain Neil “Daddy” Western produced some quality shots, Western coming undone to a brilliant catch at mid-on and Kumar lifting his head while looking to drive. God was on the Pastor’s side, allowing him to survive a torrid opening spell, and become the bookend on which an innings could be built.
While a classy-looking John Batten was called back to the wicket by Club’s opponents, who deemed him unfairly dismissed, the best batting performance was left to Alistair Bruce, who clubbed a series of boundaries and sixes, and looked set to become the first Club player to be forced to retire at 35. Alas, he fell two runs short of this still elusive target.
Club was eventually dismissed for 156. Best news of the day was there were no ducks and the captain’s children Isabella and Daniel survived unscathed. Special mention goes to Tom Mitchell on the sidelines who enjoyed good-natured ribbing from both teams while quaffing wine and cheese.
Anyone who wants to join the FCC Cricket Club please contact team skipper Neil Western: neil_western@yahoo.
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