SinSen Club (Norway) Tour Report

By Philip Bell

 

Game 1 SinSen Club vs Island Invitation XI

On Saturday 26 September the Island Invitation XI hosted the Sinsen CC touring side from Norway in a 40 over game on HV1, the home side being captained by Muhammad one of the National Team stars. Sinsen won the toss and elected to bat first and started steadily feeling their way in the sunshine but moving quickly onto the back foot for anything bowled short. However with the introduction of the slow bowlers Gough and Babu who bowled full and very straight restricted the Sinsen to a modest total of 145.

 

However the Island were not confident with their batting especially as they quickly lost the openers to good quality bowling from the Sinsen openers. However a controlled innings from Gough steadied the ship and when the captain Muhammad got his turn to bat at number 7 the whole game changed. Opening shot a pulled 6 over square leg to warn them of his talent, however they didn't take heed and the next over 3 sixes over the leg side and suddenly the Island team were back in it! Muhammad using his experience now played straight and worked the ones and two's until he was out for 36. Nervous faces from the batting side coming in but Sadiq and Wajid who were in the side for bowling batted very straight and played each ball on its merits and gave no chances, then bang bad ball, gone for 6! Next ball played straight and the Sinsen team were in disarray and couldn't work out how to get them out and the Island XI won by 2 wickets and 3 overs to spare.

 

Game 2 SinSen Club vs Island Invitation XI

The following day the Cyprus Invitation XI entertained the Sinsen again in a 40 over match on HV1, this time with a much changed team. National team stars David Bailey, Kashif and Anil staring for us. Sinsen again winning the toss and batting first, but the bowlers let themselves down and bowled far to short and the Sinsen batters took a real liking to it, coupled with a rush of dropped and missed catches, 87 on the board after 10 overs and 124 after 20 overs. Captain Anil brought on the slow bowers of Lincon and Babu and this slowed the Sinsen batters but they still finished on a score of 245 off 40 overs.

 

Surely no worries with the batting of Anil, Haroon and Kashif to come, but Anil caught behind for 0, a good partnership between Haroon and Kashif started to worry the touring side and give control to the Cyprus team for a while but this was lost when they were both out, Babu batted well working the ball around and some lusty blows from Sadiq and Wajid again but the Cyprus team fell some 30 runs short.

 

 

 

Game 3 SinSen Club vs WSBA Invitation XI

On Wednesday 30th September WSBA Invitation entertained the Sinsen CC Touring side on HV3. This was to be test for the tourist with a slow low bounce pitch with a very fast outfield especially as the WSBA had a strong bowling side captained by GOUGH.

 

Sinsen won the toss and elected to bat first feeling confident as they feel 20/20 is their normal game.

 

WSBA rotated their bowlers with 2 overs each and none of the Sinsen batters could get used to the slower and lower pitch and the bowlers pitching the ball up and bowling straight, Sadiq bowling quick with his straight yorkers.

 

Only Arshad got going with a score of 39 help the innings together and they finished with 118.

 

WSBA feeling confident that they could beat this relativity low score and sent in Sumon and Thompson who both batted well and had an opening partnership of 35 and then the captain went in and made a steady 23 and worked the ball around well but with the youngsters of Sinsen lots of 2 's and 3'' were made into singles and WSBA found themselves with to much to do in the last 3 overs and nobody could manage to get boundaries on the large outfield and they finished on 103.