End of Season Captain's Report - Tartars 21/06/2011
The Saturday league 2010-2011 year ended for us rather early this year. KCC Tartars, arguably the best of the 3 Saturday teams, at least on paper, somehow did not qualify for the next round bringing an early end to a somewhat mixed season for us. We started the season with a hard fought “come from behind” game against a strong HKCC Nomads team, recovering from a down and out 40 for 6 to finish at 172 and bowling them out for 155. Was fantastic to start the season with such a game, bringing a lot of confidence and belief to the team. It certainly did reflect in our next few games. Although we never did justice to our batting talent, we won the games purely on confidence and our bowling. Midway through the season, in a repeat of the previous year, and what often happens after a long break, we forgot how to win and lost few games on the trot, bringing us way down in the rankings although to be fair, availability of key players was also a problem, never allowing us to field a full strength side. It was a perfect time to look to the ever growing junior pool. Some of the u-13’s and u-15’s were drafted in. They played superbly and made an impact in almost every game they played. Suddenly the Tartars were a team with an average age of 16. From a results point of view, we probably underperformed, but as a team, I believe we enjoyed our cricket, the seniors supported the juniors, the juniors encouraged the junior juniors and each player put his hand up, and came up with important contributions in each game. New players were “discovered” increasing the pool of players, at least for Saturday cricket. Most of juniors and some of the seniors from Tartars have made it to the top 20 KCC players list compiled by Peter, and I congratulate them for their performance. A special congratulation here to Afzaal who even managed a hatrick against LSW. He also has Kinchit to thank, who held a spectacular once in season catch at slip, without which Afzaal wouldn’t have got his hatrick. A special thank you also to Maroof, who although played for us only for a short while, but contributed immensely not just with his own performances, but also with his strong words of advice to the juniors. I look forward to another year of cricket next season and hopefully we can bring the results which we deserve. By Ravi Lulla Add Comment Afzaal (C) Usman (wk) Anoop Maroof Ashish G Kinchit Ninad Mushi Ateeq Waqas Ansh Photo Gallery - Crusaders v. Tartars 04/10/2010
 Kinchit Shah guides a ball to leg against Crusaders Check out all the action from the 2010-11 HKCA Saturday League match between Crusaders and Tartars played at KCC on 2nd October 2010. Another day, another match, unfortunately similar pattern, fortunately same result. Second game of the season, and we were greeted with a cloudy humid day but thankfully no rain. Toss done and lost, but strangely the opposition captain did not know whether he wants to bat or bowl. So of he went to check with his team mates and eventually decided to bowl first. We started off well with Usman and Miten opening the batting for us. The ball was seaming big time, but that is expected on such a humid day, so the start was cautious. After batting watchfully for a few overs, Miten shouldered arms to one way outside off stump, only to see it seam in and knock back his stumps. We knew already this was going to be a day to bat with common sense. Batsmen after batsmen followed, played themselves in, but no one managed to stay in for a long innings. Usman though, thankfully held one end up, getting out for a very well made 48 in the 23rd over. Affy then played a gem of an innings, starting slowly, before opening up and hitting a couple of sixes and fours. Unfortunately for him, none of the other batsmen were prepared to support him and we finished our inning ALL OUT in the 32nd over for 166 with Affy stranded on 33. For a team which bats right down to no 11, this was a poor effort, a day when common sense and application was needed, but was in short supply. Affy opened the bowling and went for a few in the 1st over. Mushy, his partner in crime, started off with a good over and kept the Taipan openers in check. Affy’s 2nd over then got us the much needed breakthrough with the Taipan opener playing as if they were chasing 266 and not 166. Mushy not to be outdone, got one to nip in, appealed and the finger went up. We were in business. Taipan lost wickets in heaps and looked down and out at 40 odd for 7 and we were hoping for an early finish. That wasn’t to be and their no 8 & 9 batted sensibly to put together a partnership of 50 odd before a tight spell from Shamal (finished with 5.1 overs, 13 runs , 1 wicket) got us the much needed breakthrough. Next couple of overs was all that was needed and Taipan were all out 116, losing by 50 runs. Important to add are the 2 highlights from our bowling. The 1st is when Affy got one to away swing, just enough to beat the defensive prod of the batsmen, and kiss the off stump on its way to Miten who did well to catch the ball half way through his celebration. The 2nd one was from Ninad, who in his very first over hit the top of the stumps, with the bails flying half way to the boundary with one of them breaking into 2 (I understand this bail is now with him as a souvenir) Admittedly, batting conditions were tough, but better application should have seen us post a better total. Thankfully our bowling has been top notch, but it’s time the batsmen make their presence felt. Not much time though, our next game is in 2 days. Match highlights Usman 48 Affy 4-1-12-3 Ateeq 6-0-32-2 Ravi Lulla Team for match: 23/9/10 22/09/2010
Ravi LULLA(C) Miten Khatri(wk) Usman Manj Shivang Baid Afzaal Haider Ninad Shah Mustafa Ghulam Ateeq Iqbal Waqas Ahmed Farooq Saeed Shamal Periera The long wait over, there we were, getting all warmed up (pun intended) for our 1st game of the Saturday league 2010-2011 season on a super hot day. The prospects of a game against a HKCC team always gets the adrenalin flowing and tends to keep one well focused on the immediate task on hand, so any thoughts of weather, pitch conditions etc. etc. don’t exactly merit any attention. Traffic conditions outside KCC meant the HKCC Nomads arrived later than expected, resulting in the toss and match being delayed by about 10 minutes. I called correctly and promptly decided to bat ignoring any warnings by my senior teammates who thought batting first in our first game might not be sensible. Shivang and Miten got us of to a fairly quick start with Shivang hitting a magnificent six over cover point, only to fall the very next ball trying to pull a bouncer. The ball hit his glove and looped up high to the keeper. The Nomads were ecstatic. The floodgates opened and within a few overs, we went from 30 for no wicket to 41 for 6. The advice to not bat first now seemed prophetic. Situation desperate, and Farooq and me decided to bat out a few overs playing low risk shots and keep the score board ticking with singles or doubles (stamina permitting). We batted together until the 26th over until which time the heat was simply too much for me and I managed to get out with the score on a somewhat respectable 130. It’s worth mentioning, although due to the heat and fatigue, it was all blurry, I think at that point I had scored more runs than Farooq, something which might never happen again in our lifetime. Shamal went in, batted for a bit, only to be given out to a poor LBW decision, the ball hitting him fairly high and would have certainly gone few inches over the stumps. Ninad walked in at number 10 and not only did he support Farooq, but hit a few smart shots of his own showing maturity and skill well beyond his years. Good lad. Farroq then holed out to long on in the 34th over falling 4 short of a well-deserved 50. We finished our innings at a very respectable 172/9 with Ninad and Ateeq the not out batsmen, and we were in with a serious chance. Afzaal and Ninad opened the bowling for us and kept it absolutely tight. The pressure was back on the Nomads and Ninad got his 1st wicket of the season with the ball being smartly pouched by Miten (wk) – 2 young boys combining well to get us the first breakthrough. Afzaal not to be outdone, got one to move with the resulting edge once again carrying to Miten. The next one was a classical dismissal with Shamal flightling and dipping one, the batsmen dancing out of his crease only to be deceived by the flight and Miten whipped of the bails in a flash. What a time he was having. The Nomads then started building partnerships, but we kept getting wickets regularly to keep them under check. Shamal picked a great catch at the midwicket boundary just managing to stay inside, and when Ateeq bowled the last man with a slow incutter, the game was over with the Nomads falling short by 17 runs. Afzaal finished with 4 for 18, Ateeq with 3 for 34 and Ninad and Shamal both getting one wicket each. Perfect start to the season and playing to our potential should bring positive results in next rounds as well. As I write this report, Typhoon Fanapi is making its presence felt but hopefully will pass soon enough to allow the cricket to continue uninterrupted. Ravi Lulla Tarters 2010-2011 Squad List 12/09/2010
The following players have been named in the Tartars squad for the 2010-11 season:
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