Under 15s and Seniors Awards Day (25 October)
So grateful to have access to the wonderful ZIS indoor hall in Adliswil for our Awards Day, the players arrived, the cricket equipment quickly
set up and we were ready to begin the first of three 14-over matches with the three 7-a-side teams.
With the team sitting-out taking over scoring and umpiring duties, at 10 o’clock we got underway. The bowling of Suleman and Latif for Team B
produced wickets, and added to the two run-outs Team A struggled to get a competitive score on the board. Baljit, Max and Latif scored rapidly and ruthlessly exploited anything offering width and
short of a good length and soon overtook the necessary total to win.
In the break the 1st and 2nd XI players were presented with a season photo and a few personal words for each player by the
team captains Nic and Brijesh. In addition, batting clads were given to each player for the new season in 2021, courtesy of a generous sponsor. Thanks were also directed at Stephen for his
efficient and tireless work with our finances and so many other issues that a club like ours constantly faces, at Laurence for his work checking the books, Steve and Johan for their frequent
willingness to take on the task of scoring matches, and Brijesh and Gokul for looking after and ensuring the smooth running of our successful 2020 project, the 2nd XI.
In the second match Team A presented a different picture with runs flowing from the bats of Gokul, Nic, Attaullah and Noorkhan despite two rapid
run-outs. Team C’s reply stuttered and started and despite Brijesh and some mighty blows by Gianluca and two sublime 6s off the bat of Alex, they fell short.
The second break saw the Under 15 players Danyal, Shankar, Arya and Sasha presented with awards by Michael and Shafi before Baggy Caps were
awarded for 1st XI colours to Baljit, Attaullah, Latif, Lavan and Westy, as well as to Brijesh and Vadim in recognition of their long service and achievements with the club. Finally,
the Favotto Cup was deservedly handed over to Shankar, who has had a wonderful season for the club. He is, without doubt, a fine role-model for so many young players, he works hard, has produced
excellent performances for his age group and has already become a great asset to the 2nd XI in the senior league. Congratulations to all those players.
The third and final match saw Team B’s Baljit, Shankar and Aryan, in particular, put together 130 despite some tight bowling by Abdullah and
Noorkhan. The reply by batsmen Noorkhan, Abdullah, Danyal and Nic was solid but two wonderfully economical final overs by Khawar and Suleman denied what had looked like certain victory for Team B
and what would have meant one win apiece for the three team. Instead they fell just short.
The matches reflected the spirit in which all these players go about their game, and what better way is there to
spend a day with one’s club mates than in skilful and good-humoured competition that includes younger members who can only profit from older and more experienced players?
