Optimists Cricket Club played at home to Antwerp this weekend, denying the visitors the chance to exact revenge for their last resounding defeat. Below is the Optimists’ own report on the match. 

Sunday 4 June 2017 saw a must win match for the Optimists Cricket Club in Luxembourg. Hosting Antwerp Indians Cricket Club at the picturesque Pierre Werner Cricket Ground in Walferdange, Optimists had already beaten Antwerp Indians once this season in Antwerp and were wary of the motivation of revenge by the visitors.

Antwerp Indians won the toss and elected to field first. Openers Ben Embleton and James Barker strode out to start the Optimists innings. Embleton immediately continued to show his fine form with a series of boundaries and Barker was also looking confident at the other end having scored a fine century in his last 1st XI match.

Barker got an inside edge and was caught by the wicket-keeper for 11. Joost Mees came in next and hit a signature cover drive for six runs early on. Mees looked to relax and started to play some good shots but was caught out for 15. Vikram Vijh was the next batsman and together with Embleton started to put the Optimists in control. Both batted excellently with Vijh hitting some powerful drives against a tight bowling attack.

Embleton brought up a fine 50 but was out shortly after, caught and bowled. Vikram too was then bowled and memories of the match earlier in the season against the same opposition were coming back. A strong start followed by a collapse and unfortunately for the Optimists, this is exactly what happened.

Only Tony Whiteman put up any sort of resistance as other batsman came and went. After 27 overs, the Optimists were well set up on 140-2 thanks to Embleton and Vijh but were all out for 188 in 42 overs.

The Optimists knew they were around 80-100 runs short of what they initially targeted and a win was going to require someone to bowl exceptionally well and an inspired fielding performance.

Atif Kemal and Nishith Gandhi opened the bowling with Kemal particularly bowling extremely well. However, after 12 overs, Antwerp Indians were 44-0 and the Optimists desperately needed a breakthrough. A double change was instigated with Yatin Bhamare and Sohail Sadiq coming into the attack. Bhamare quickly made an impact by bowling the opening the batsman and Sadiq, not to be outdone, trapped the other opening batsman LBW. Suddenly, Antwerp Indians were 56-2 off 14 overs. Yet again, the Optimists were frustrated by a very good third wicket partnership by the AICC batsman. Yatin Bhamare finally made the breakthrough though with a good catch from Tony Whiteman at cover. This gave Bhamare a taste for wickets and he went to decimate the Antwerp Indian batting line up. Bowling quickly and with a bit of away swing, Bhamare was proving a handful and with two good catches from Joost Mees, who was the wicket-keeper and Vikram Vijh at slip, the Antwerp Indians started losing wickets every couple of overs. Suhail Sadiq was keeping the pressure tight at the other end with banana shaped inswing. When Sadiq finished his 9 overs, his figures were 1-37. Yatin Bhamare was the hero of the bowling attack and after his 9 overs, had claimed 6 of the Antwerp Indians wickets for 37 runs. 

Atif Kemal came on at the end to “rough-up” the tail-enders and at the other end, off-spinner, Saransh Kulshrestha picked up the final two wickets to give the Optimists an excellent win from seeming out of no-where. 

The Optimists Cricket Club have now won three games and lost one, ensuring their title hopes remain very much alive. Part of the game was livestreamed on the Optimists facebook page (so ensure you join the Optimists facebook page) and the next game for the Optimists 1st XI is on Saturday 29th July away vs Gent CC.