Vags News

We are the Champions!

Vags won the Sunday Cup 2001 against KCC Hornets at HKCC on Sunday. Here's some of the messages we've received since:


"You bunch of legends!!!!! Well done, and congrats." - Chris Frankcombe, Vags player

"Well Done Congratulations on the win!!! Keep up the good work!!" - Charles Li, Santa Fe marketing

"Congratulations Old Chap..The team did it again..read about it with the Shabbir Knock..cracker of a innings must say..sorry couldnt come...had to go shopping in Shenzan...But then looking forward to joining u guys soon." - Ram, Vags player

"it was a GREAT day - one to remember. And good for the future too. I really did always secretly think we would win - like last time. I've had four Finals in HK - all wins." - Phil Glenwright, Vags Chairman

"top effort Monty - congratulations to you and your team (and your scorer!)" - Derek Wintle, Lamma CC player

"Have been following your results all year - the cup win is OUTSTANDING - makes me feel very homesick for HK. All the best to all my old teammates at Vags" - David Steer, former Vags skipper

"I would like to congratulate you and Vagabonds on winning the Sunday Cup. I was playing in the last Sunday Cup that Vagabonds won & it was a terrific feeling & also good for cricket" - Burji Shroff, KCC Captain of Cricket

"Congratulations on the win. Thrilled to hear of the club's revival when all seemed so lost, not long ago!" - Bill Wadsworth, HK i-Mail

"Congratulations. It has certainly been the season of the of 'Independent Clubs' given that independent sides also won the Sunday League and the Saturday Plate competitions. Given the logistical difficulties of managing and running independent sides it is an even greater achievement. I hope it gives your club further impetus in seasons ahead. Congratulations once again." - Tony Turner, Chairman, Independent Cricket Clubs Association


Match report below. Cuttings and photos to follow...








Match Report

SUNDAY CUP FINAL
VAGS vs KCC HORNETS, HKCC (18.3.01)

We are the Champions!!

Seven years in the silverware wilderness is a long time. All that has came to an end on Sunday as Vags won a thrilling Sunday Cup final against KCC Hornets at HKCC on Sunday.

Losing the toss, and definitely the underdogs, Vags took the field intent on keeping the 'star-loaded' Hornets side (they had 6 present or former HK players in their line-up) to below 300 on a good batting track. Our chances had seemingly taken a knock with the loss of regulars Nasir to work commitments and injury to in-form Hussain Butt which ruled them out of our line-up.

Shabbir and Alex opened the bowling, and it looked like it might be an unlucky day for us as three sharp chances from the dangerous opening batsmen (Green & Hield) were put down in quick succession. The batsmen were not finding runs easy to come by, however, and Alex removed Hield caught by a show-boating Mark (the first of three catches) at mid-off as he tried to force the pace in the 12th over. HK keeper Brewster came to the crease and was soon amongst the runs with some aggressive batting mostly on the leg side. Green and Brewster put on 62 for the second wicket before Brewster was beautifully bowled by wily Mark Bulusu for 31. Four overs later Mark did the same thing to Green and the Hornets were starting to stutter on 137 for 3 off 26. Big-hitting Marzook rattled up a brisk 16 before he was caught at cover point by Mark Bulusu. He was soon followed back to the pavilion by Hornets captain Sujanani caught by Phil at mid-on again off Alex who was bowling an accurate and containing second spell. At second drinks Hornets were 171 for 5, but still had a number of reputable batsmen still to appear. Vicky removed TR in the 38th over caught at mid off again by yours truly. Karnani and Lama were now at the crease and put on a stand of 34 until Shabbir, coming back on at the road end bowled Karnani. Another 2 wickets fell in successive overs, Khan to Tarr caught Burns and Iqbal LBW to Shabbir. Lama and Aftab managed to put on anothe 22 runs before Aftab was caught at deep mid wicket by the ailing Ted off Burns in the 49th over, Hornets ending their innings all out for 262. It was a good containing effort by Vags with some excellent economical bowling particularly from Shabbir and Mark Bulusu, with wickets taken at useful times and with the committed Vags fielding no batsmen being able to make more than 37. Asif did a sterling job as 12th man coming on to field for the food poisoned, green looking Ted.

Just over 5 an over on a batting track with a short boundary on the tennis court side, we could manage this surely. We started briskly with Chris and Ted timing the ball well, bringing up 50 in the 10th over. We lost Chris in the 11th over, LBW to Marzook who then had Ted stumped for 29 in the same over before he also removed Vicky in his next as Vags wobbled on 56 for 3 after 13 overs. Brad and Phil shored the innings up, putting on 40 for the next wicket. We were starting to fall behind the run rate however and Phil was caught out on the mid off boundary for 15 in the 27th over, forcing the pace with the score on 99. Mark Burns came to the middle and with Brad proceeded to pick up the run rate with scampered singles and the occasional boundary. The scorers could only just keep pace with the runs as Brad and Mark were running at the smallest opportunity. Brad was run out for a very valuable 43 in the 39th over with the score on 166. Just under a hundred required with 5 wickets and 11 overs left. Daryl came to the crease looking for singles, as the two Shabbir's warmed up for action on the sidelines. The numerous spectators were starting to doubt we could win this one, but they'd probably never seen our big hitters in action before!

Mark was caught and bowled by Iqbal in the 42nd over for 38 bringing M. Shabir to the crease. Daryl followed him back next over, bowled by Khan, Shabbir Ahmed relacing him. With 7 overs remaining we required 69 to win, game on! What followed next was an absolutely spectacular run fest as both Shabbirs crashed boundaries all over the ground, as the Hornet's bowling attack came under a determined assault. Both batsmen also took singles at every opportunity frustrating the fielding side who were growing increasingly uneasy as the crowd sensed we could pull it off. Shabbir Ahmed was given out LBW in the 48th over after a great knock of 27 off just 14 balls, bringing Mark Bulusu to the middle with Vags now requiring 10 off 12 balls to win. Our guys took 3 singles plus a no-ball to leave six runs to win with one ball left of the 49th over. The field were now in as Mark was on strike, Hornets now wary from experience of Shabir's devastating 'bully bat'. They hadn't bargained on Mark's batting as Sujanani's last ball was pulled over the boundary for 6 and Vags had won the Cup by two wickets with one over to spare! A spontaneous pitch invasion by Vags players and supporters ensued with the spectators at HKCC showing their approval for a great match won in entertaining style and played by both teams in with a competitive but good spirit.

Cameras flashed and journos took aside our players for interviews after Mark had accepted the trophy from HKCA Chairman Mike Walsh.

This was a fantastic Vags batting performance, timely digging in, controlled run rate increase and then the last 10 over big hitting from the Shabbirs. It was a similar situation in the match against LSW a few weeks ago and the experience was valuable. If you're still in you can still win! M.Shabbir's innings was simply superb, 47 not out from 26 balls. But this was a real team performance with everyone playing their part, doing their job, getting the basics right and showing spectators and opposition alike what a determined, able team can do.

This was our seventh win in a row and will be our last for a while as this was the last match of the season. I was always confident we could do it - check the last several match reports if you don't believe me! This season we've beaten every team in the League except 2, if we can improve on this next season then we have a good chance of a high placing in next season's Sunday League. Think about what we've been like over the last few years and what we're like now, most of our players are the same guys. Think about that over the summer and let's carry on where we've left off next season!

Vags Man of the Final: this is a tough one, let's talk about it at Mes Amis on Friday night....!

Match Report

Vags vs Colts, 25.2.01 (KCC)


Vags get ideal run in to Cup as pigeon's suicide seals victory!

Ending the 2000-01 Somerley Sunday League season in style Vags made it 4 wins in a row to finish with 5 victories during the season and the ideal run in to the first round of the Sunday Cup.

This was supposed to be a somewhat truncated report as I wasn't supposed to play on Sunday, but was rudely dragged out of my post stag party bed after 11 players hadn't turned up for the first time this season. I got carried away again, though, as usual.

However, on we go, and after winning the toss in his first match as skipper Vicky did the sensible thing and batted on a damp wicket at overcast KCC. Opening with Ted, Vicky unfortunately departed early bringing Hussain into the middle. Several boundaries later Hussain holed out to HK U19 leggy Yogesh for 18 bringing new man Shazi to the crease for his first knock for Vags. And what a debut knock! Ted and Shazi proceeded to put on 125 runs for the 3rd wicket as Shazi despatched 14 fours and 1 six to the boundary to make 75 from 60 balls before being stumped with the score on 187. Ted, who was playing sensible cricket at the other end, was joined by master blaster Mohammed Shabbir who again got stuck into the bowling, more patiently this innings than is his usual style, making 36 from 39 balls before being caught behind off Kumaria having made 77 with Ted for the 4th wicket. Ted has been improving in form over the last several weeks and showed his class this innings, batting through to the last over with Shabbir and making his first ton of the season. Ted was run out eventually for 107 after his legs had almost disowned him; a quality knock. Shabbir contributed another valuable innings, 32 not out this time in just 19 balls and Vags ended with a very respectable 311 for 5.

It was far from plain sailing in part two 'The Fielding" mind you. Now up to full strength in numbers if not in energy and alertness after Mark arrived, Vags opened up with Hussain and Vicky against the young Colts top order. Chaudhuri stroked his first two balls for fours as Hussain struggled to find his rhythmn. Vicky however bagged Nazam at the other end in the sixth over, but Colts were already up to 51. Chaudhuri was stroking the ball about nicely with one certain boundary stopped well at cover Jonty Rhodes-style by a suicidal pigeon. Jonty Rhodes however does not then flap half-way to the boundary and expire like this poor bird did! But it was well worth the sacrifice as you'll see.

After Correa joined Chaudhuri there followed a stand of 84, most of which were boundaries, as the Colts maintained an impressive run rate until Correa hit one straight towards long off with another debutante, Jahangir, showing no nerves as he swallowed the catch with the score on 135. From then on it was a battle for Vags as much against the elements and the run rate as against the opposition as the spots of rain grew heavier. There followed a succession of wickets, the first of which was Chaudhuri who, after making his impressive century, mis-hit Asif's second ever ball in the Sunday League and was purposefully caught by Ted on the on side. Asif took another wicket with his last ball of the over to finish his first ever over with 2 wickets for 3 runs. Not a bad start, eh?! Mark picked up two wickets in the following over and with a run out also Colts were now reeling at 204 for 7. Vicky brought himself back into the attack in the 31st over and took an LBW wicket with his first ball. By now the pitch was very slippy with a steady drizzle making conditions pretty unpleasant. Run rates were now seriously in play and the Colts skipper suggested that his batsmen come back in as the conditions were hazardous. The batsmen however stuck to their guns and batted on for a further two overs before finally the players rightly came off just before second drinks with the score 218 for 8.

Calculators grew hot in hands and rule books were double checked before it was agreed that Vags had a better run rate by 0.01!!! If Colts had scored just 1 more run they would have had a better run rate, and as we didn't get back onto the field due to the conditions Vags took the match due to the timely demise of one unfortunate member of the local KCC fauna! And with a hangover the size of Cuba myself I felt I wasn't far behind the poor bird (the body of which had been spirited away by a gleeful groundsman).

Vicky captained the Vags well in his first match as skipper and there were a number of commendable performances on the day. Man of the Match without a doubt however goes to Ted Graban for his first century of the campaign (there's still time for a few more, Ted!). An excellent run from Vags winning 4 matches in a row (more than the team has won in 3 seasons combined!). Just another 3 wins and we'll be lifting the Sunday Cup. We've now got the players and the good form to do it, so let's go for it!