DELAYED Business vs K2 Leopards July 7th Lumberjack

Due to unforeseen circumstances this lumberjack is a week late.

July 7th saw the table topping Business meet with the cellardwellers in the K2 Leapards on the SRFC Far ground. Pigu was making his Business debut in his last game before an elongated summer break. He was to be joined on hiatus by Fruitbox after this match. The remaining Business boys were in for the long haul with this match being the first of 5 on the trot in the oppressive Shanghai summer heat. It was with this heat in mind that skipper Filthy tossed with the intention of sitting back and watching the top order pile on the runs. He lost and the Business were in the field.
Paps and Dazzler opened up and the K2 openers (W. Khattak and S. Anwar) got off to a fairly brisk start. With the score at 32 Paps got one through Waqar and had him bowled for the 2nd time this season (32-1 in the 5th). S. Kamal joined Sajid and they inched through to drinks at 61-1.
Filthy came to the bowling crease after drinks and had immediate success picking up both batsmen in quick succession. Smurfy picked up the dangerous M. Shafqat for 1, Shandy taking a fantastic catch over his head running back towards mid wicket. Relief was paplpable for Chitty who had dropped a sitter of Shafqat earlier in the over. The Business found themselse on top with the K2 tail tantalisingly close.
Unfortunately it was a false hope as Business butterfingers and some inexplicable not out decisions by the umpire conspired to allow M. Lohani and K. Khanaya to put on an epic 5th wicket partnerhsip that took K2 through to 219-4 after their allotted 40.
220 is always a tough chase, more so after 40 overs in the energy sapping heat. The job got even tougher when Shandy and Lunchcutter were quickly back in the hutch (14-2 in the 3rd). Dazzler (16 off 50) and Fruitbox (31 off 55) went about resurrecting the innings putting on 57 before Dazzler fell. A middle order fight back from Filthy (31 off 26) and Pigu (33 off 45) gave the Business a glimmer off hope. However the rising run rate required was too much and the late order couldn’t put together a much needed partnership as Tubby (2), Paps (2), Chitty (4) and Korean (2) all fell in quick succession. The Business fell 45 runs away from victory and a chastening conescutive loss dampening their bright start to the season.

Highlights:
Filthy 2-35 off 8, 31 off 26
Smurfy 1-27 off 8
Fruitbox 31 off 55
Pigu 33 off 45