Camden I v Cam Kerala III (home)

28/06/25

THIRDS PUSH LEADERS ALL THE WAY

Ketul’s day out is all in vain

Camden (9pts) 221-9 lost to Cam Kerala III (20pts) 222-9 by one wicket

Table-topping Cam Kerala were the visitors on a glorious day at Queens’, where Captain Redfern won the toss and elected to bat first. A first, this season, and it didn’t look so wise when both openers fell without scoring. Krishna and Mayank were the men to go, the latter a former Singapore international making his debut in CCA Junior 3 West. From 5-2 after two overs, the Thirds recovered to 66-2 after ten. Redders and Ketul were making merry, with the latter greeting the change bowler with back-to-back sixes over extra-cover. It was a shame, then, when Redders (25) was well caught in the eleventh over. Ketul continued the carnage, bringing up a half-century in just thirty-seven balls. With Irtaza providing valuable support, Ketul looked nailed on for a ton. The pair had added 69 for the fourth wicket when disaster struck. Ketul bowled for 93. From seventy-four balls. Thirteen fours, three sixes. An incredible knock. Irtaza (19) followed in the next over, but the runs kept flowing. Robinson (10) embraced the chaos, hitting his first ball for four. Farid (13) hit a six, but when he and Mukesh (0) were out in consecutive balls, the Thirds – at 184-8 – might have been in danger of failing short. Subbu had other ideas, however, adding 31 with Clarke (8) for the ninth wicket. Subbu was unbeaten on 36 and Karan 3 not out as the Thirds finished up with 221-9.

Cam Kerala had used nine bowlers. They didn’t appear to be prepared to share out the batting, however, the openers racing to 95 before Ketul followed up his heroics with the bat by making the breakthrough. Karan followed up with two wickets, including the danger man – caught by Clarke for a brutal 60 from thirty-eight balls. Suddenly, it was a different game. A game that the Thirds could win. Ketul (3-43) twice uprooted the off stump to leave the visitors on 124-5. Holding back Karan, Redders turned to Mukesh (0-25) and Mayank. It was the latter’s leg spin which accounted for the next two wickets, a catch at slip for Robinson and an LBW. 177-7. 45 to win from nine overs. 18 to win in six overs. Cam Kerala’s number nine wasn’t going to die wondering. And neither was Captain Redfern. The skipper was rewarded when Karan, off his own bowling, threw down the stumps. Run out. 204-8. With the clock ticking toward 8pm, there was still no telling who would prevail in this see-sawing match. Nine runs short of victory, the number nine essayed another big shot into the leg side. Krishna, with the ball coming out of the sun, took a terrific catch to keep the Thirds in the hunt. By this stage, Myank (2-23) had succumbed to an alarmingly swollen knee. His substitute, Sutton, was there to test the theory held by his father that you’re bound to be caught by the bloke in black tracksuit bottoms. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Karan (3-22) bowled brilliantly, but will want to forget the four byes that sealed his side’s fate. Another one-wicket margin, but the Thirds were on the wrong end of this one. It was particularly harsh on Ketul, and there was no doubt about the destination of the much-coveted Man of the Match award. No doubt, also, that this was a tremendous game of cricket. 

Man of the Match: Ketul Saharan