SCC Pirates vs China Girls Lumberjack, 3 May

The Pirates is the more “social” representative team of the Shanghai Cricket Club, made up of a mixture from all the member clubs. The match was hastily arranged mid-week, and so the team was made up of Bashers, Hot Dogs and Pudong players, mostly from D2 and D3.

The day began ominously as Pirates skipper, Sharapova, forgot her car keys so messaged everyone she would be late and Shit Shoes could fill in until she arrived. Shit Shoes immediately lost the toss and the China girls (16-18 years old) chose to bat. Sharapova then arrived with a good 20 minutes before the game.

Pussy, filling in for the “injured” Paps, was given the new ball with instructions not to bowl fast or bowl bouncers. First ball he tested the grill of the opener’s helmet, and finding it sound, probed outside off stump, to close out a maiden. The China girls batted solidly until honorary Basher, Chirag, struck in the 5th over, with KP taking a good catch at point. Pussy then decided the new batswoman needed a short ball test, so hit her in the shoulder a couple of times. She didn’t show any pain.

Then nothing happened for about 10 overs until Pussy, coincidentally fielding in front of the China girls tent on the boundary, ran out the diving batswoman with an over the bails throw from the deep. Shit Shoes came on to bowl, and immediately the China girls started to swing their bats. One edge landed in the hands of square leg, and another was smartly taken by the diving gully. Pussy kept trying to impress in the deep at midwicket, but alas, the China girls on the sideline started some batting warm-ups instead.

Sharapova came back to claim consecutive wickets, and this time the LBW was plumb. The hat-trick ball was nervously defended, but she picked up another wicket in the final over to finish the pick of the bowlers. The China girls managed 109/8 off 25 overs, and it was time for lunch. Shay TBC Bisset hasn’t actually played for the Bashers, but this didn’t stop her preparing a fantastic packed lunch for the team. She was genuinely disappointed when she found out she could have packed a few beers in her esky. A true Basher, cheers Shay!

The Pirates got off to a shaky start with a crazy run out, followed by the other opener getting bowled. Sharapova was batting well, until a loopy full toss enticed a wild swing… followed by the gentlest rattling of the wickets. Thank goodness Shay contributed such a good lunch, because she didn’t contribute to the scorebook, and the second Basher perished with the rattle of wickets. Shit Shoes at the other end started to time a few crisp pulls, but led a charmed life as the China girls kept dropping the ball. Eventually, the China girls held a catch, and after 11 overs, the Pirates had stumbled to 50/7 in a very Basher-like collapse.

Pussy was still batting and we were confident, although Sharapova kept shouting from the sideline to “keep batting to the end.” Pussy didn’t last long, bowled after claiming the bowler winked at him during her bowling action. Fortunately for the Pirates we’d kept the D1 players until the end, so Guru from Pudong and Dave from Hot Dogs took us home for a 2 wicket win: Pirates 110/8 off 21.2 overs. Sharapova then celebrated the win like a Daredevil taking a wicket (or even just appealing), showing how much beating her old team meant to her. The rest of us shook hands with a very promising China girls team. Hopefully they play as well (or better) in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers!

It was a great day’s cricket, and there will be another match coming up in the next couple of weeks. All Bashers are eligible for selection, so make yourself available if you’re keen.