This is your Future
By Grockle et al
November 7 2013
It's the Islamic New Year and a good chance for the OCC to see what they have in the U19 squad. A trial game between the best young Omani players and one of the best Omani league sides - Seeb. As the manager of the youngsters says as they look out on the turf pitch for the first tiime in some of their lives he simply said to them "This is YOUR future. You will make of it what you will"
MuscatU19 V Seeb@ Al Amerat Tuesday 5November 2013
50 over match on New Years Day @ Al Amerat.
Two months on and the pitch has found a bit of life. It's quite ironic really as the life of Omani cricket is on show on it.
This is the Omani youth team taking on one of the good all Omani senior sides in what seems to be a hastily organised holiday fixture (the Islamic New Year was only confirmed here on Monday - all to do with seeing the moon it seems)
I got to this late (7AM starts are just not on) and Seeb had 135 off 32 overs but were 5 down and fighting for every run against 2 excellent slow bowlers both called Sheryas .
My cricketing compadre here, Abbas al Balushi, is in and has made some runs for the first time when I've been at a game (he always blames me for this). Some spirited bowling and fielding at the end makes sure Seeb do not make it to 50 overs and are dismissed for 170.
l had a chat with the manager of the U19 squad during the changeover and found out that this is a kind of trial to put together a side for an up and coming tour. It is also part of a youth initiative to engage teenage boys with the game as part of Oman's push for associate ICC Membership.
In their reply the younger boys show their unfamiliarity with the turf wicket (those that do play in the leagues will do so on baked earth pitches with matting strips). They are 21 for 2 after 6. Wickets fall regularly as Abbas ties down one end and Sufyan (Oman's youngest full international ) makes it difficult at the other. Nevertheless a small but knowledgable crowd keep up the vocal support for the young batsmen and this helps "lvan 18" and Gayash get the score to 47 before they lose their 4th.
This brings skipper Shreyas in and the Seeb side must see him as a threat because they crowd the bat and appeal for everything as he takes his side past 50 in the 14th. His arrival also prompts introduction of the slower men as one of the many 'Yousifs' in the Seeb side is thrown the ball (number 11 in this case). He is joined by Younis at the other end for the 16th. He gets the captain (bowled) at 64 and Shoib takes his place. It looks like the new shape of Omani batsmen is tall, wiry and thin as a rake. Having said that, Shoib is certainly not afraid to take the bowler on as he aggressively attempts to pull his 2nd ball and smacks the 6th through the covers for 4.
For a country that prides itself on strokeplay from its batsmen, it is surprising how many players are absolutely anchored to their crease. Even the most flamboyant Omani bats hardly ever move to the pitch of the ball. They would rather step back almost on to their stumps or out to leg to cut than come at the bowler. They make Marcus T look
like he is dancing around his cease and never seem to have heard of the 'chassis drive'. For that reason the Seeb slow men keep the score to 91 for 5 after 23 overs.
Tall seamer Essa is next to be tried and athough both batsmen try to get him away they are stuck in a 'rut' after being tied down for so long. Learning to accelerate seems to be the next session on the experience plan. Their lack of momentun entices the Seeb skipper to bring Sufyan back but the U19's pass 100 before the end of the 26th over with 5 down. The total required is not massive and it looks like the Seeb attack can't split these 2 and so they slowly move towards the 171 needed led by Gayash who looks the most competent and solid batsman in the U19 line-up.
By the 30th it is 50 away and Gayash has reached his own half ton intelligently. The frustration starts to show among the League bowlers as the pair keep accumulating and give no chances. They don't have to. The win is a mere 2 runs an over away and Seeb need 5 wickets but the U19 pair look in no trouble and with 15 overs to go they need 29.
Shoib tries to get there in style but after a masterful boundary to bring up 150 he falls trying the same again and Yash takes up the job of seeing his side home with Gayash. 150 for 6 in the 37th. Yash goes at 164 but this game is done by then and Taha enters the 40th over just needing to keep his head. 168 at 41 leaves Essa with the job of defending 3. Then Asian cricket rears its head as the bowler runs out Gayash backing up too far!! It makes no difference as 2 balls later an over the top 4 wins the game by 2 wicket but to this westener it's a shabby end to a good contest. This year I've seen it done twice in games I've watched (less than a handful). Kartik's folly in the game more than a season ago was the ONLY time I've seen it in English domestic cricket.
So the younger side shows considerable promise as they put one over on their more experienced rivals. They are an enthusiastic and talented group of players and the sooner the OCC gets these guys playing in the leagues and pushing for international honours the better. As the boss said, it is their future and for cricket in this country you can only hope they make the most of it.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:11:23:11:00:31 by Grockle.
Good for them.
You have to have a decent level of commitment to follow that one through on a day off from school. Some very promising slow bowlers and a coupe of batsmen with potential.
Anyway off to Abu Dhabi for South Africa v Pakistan tomorrow. Will send your regards to the numerous Grockles there;
Graeme, Vernon, Reolof, Mornie, Alviro (if he's there) and Abdur/Abdul
With reference to the SA v Pakistan game. The only ex Somerset guy playing from the number who could was Mornie.
Philander was on the bench
Smith injured
Petersen not in the one day side
Rehman on the bench
van de Merwe - T20 side only
The only one that seemed strange was Vernon who probably would have given them more trouble than Tsotsobe
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:11:12:02:38:36 by Grockle.
I get them confused all the time. We had one of them as a T20 player and the other was supposed to join Greame Smith when he came over in 2005 but knackered an ankle and didn't get here - that was Albie.
Then none of the Somerset guys were playing on Friday then.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Albie was meant to join Smith. And he did play for us in the T20.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter