Vermageddon comes to Murrayfield

Murrayfield DAFS 4 304-6 (40)

beat

Watsonian 4 129 (38.2)

by 175 runs

Second consecutive league 50 for Neil

On a grey Sunday afternoon with rain in the offing, skipper Sunny won the toss, and immediately chose the blade. The cold wind however, did not bring rain, but rather the four horsemen.

            First in rode famine (Nikhil), whose sturdy defense, deft placement, and lightning fast running left Watsonians 4s famished for wickets, and his non-striker starved of oxygen. A strong opening stand of 44 was ended with the departure of Sandeep for a goodish looking dozen.

            Next came war (Push) all guns blazing. Launching missile after missile towards the rope, he bludgeoned a quickfire 50 off just 31 balls. Job done, he promptly took his leave, holing out in the 16th over having bulldozed the total to 123.

            Pestilence (Neil) entered second drop, and cruised his way through an incredibly polished and mature innings for one so young. Either side of drinks, Nikhil reeled off several excellent shots, also reaching an ideal openers 50. From here Neil launched an attack of breathtakingly good strokeplay, taking 22 off 11 deliveries with shots straight from the textbook. Nikhil fell soon after, the score already at 186 with 16 overs left.

Sandstorm watching from Armoury, he was too cold!!!

and behold, a pale horse; and he who sat on it had the name death (Sunny). Joining junior at the crease, Vermageddon rained down, adding 56 in six overs, before the exit of Neil for a brilliant 68. In a fine vein of form he is the youngest player for MUFS to hit 50’s in back to back matches (probably).

            The grim reaper scythed his way to 66*, and with the help of Cullen (1) and Raghuram (9*) pushed the innings to close at 304/6. Four 50’s, an excellent team performance, and for those that may judge the author harshly for naming a teen pestilence, they should have seen him as his father threatened to pass his score.

            Facing a mammoth task, Watsonians started gamely, before Craig ‘Jonty’ Blackhall got into the game with a run out. He went on to take a couple of fine catches on club debut as well. A tidy opening 8 from J. Gutteridge (1-18) took care of the other opener.

            A faultless, probing spell from Raghuram(2-8) broke the back of their chase, Neil, and Sandeep chipped in with a pole each. Rohil came back on for a great second spell of 3-7, including a blinder of a return catch, also getting rid of their first drop after a fine resistance. The last fell to Nikhil, and the victory parade started, 175 run win in the bag.

Neil Verma Highlight reel, courtesy of Ram “Mr LMS” Ketinedi