HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford Cricket faced off against Germantown Cricket Club in their final match of the season on Sunday, May 1. The Fords ended the season on a high, scoring 170-5 to Germantown's 158-9. While Mohanish Bajaj starred with the bat once again, the win was an all-around effort with vital contributions across the board.
Once again batting first, the Bajaj would again join Senior captain Simon Babb to open the batting. The pair produced 54 runs through nine overs—Haverford's highest first wicket partnership of the season. In his last collegiate innings, Babb produced his best knock of his career, departing with his personal highest total. His partnership with Bajaj meant the Fords were well poised, with plenty of wickets in hand heading into the drinks break. Bajaj would see useful contributions from the other end. Senior captain Gulesh Shukla produced a useful 27 off 30, including two fours and a six smashed over long on. First year Nathaniel Moore also had a useful 13 off 17 at the tail end of the innings—his personal best.
Bajaj produced the bulk of Haverford's runs. While he started the innings watchfully, Bajaj pressed the accelerator in the later overs. He smashed eight fours, as well as plenty of 1s, 2s, and even a few 3s in his innings of 82 runs off 69 balls. He outdid his and Sidd Phatak's totals from the previous day, scoring the highest total for Haverford of the 21-22 academic year.
Bajaj's flurry of runs meant the Fords needed to defend 170 runs when they took the field. Germantown's opening batsmen managed to see out the first 7 overs without losing a wicket. Phatak would break the stand in the eighth over, finding the edge and sending the ball to Rebecca Stern at keeper. To overs later, he would take his second wicket, making a catch off his own bowling.
Germantown's opening batsman was able to see out Phatak's attack and began to build a solid partnership in the middle overs. Hoping to break the stand, Haverford brought Eugene Yang back into the attack. This move proved a success, with Yang taking two wickets in his final spell thanks to safe hands in the field by Moore and Shukla.
Yang's spell would spark a late order collapse by Germantown. A wicket fell in the 17th, 18th, and 19th overs, with Shukla deftly finding the edge, Deep Patel inducing a routine catch, and Yang's second wicket occurring in consecutive overs.
Cameos from the lower order put the Fords back on the defensive. Germantown required 28 runs in the final 18 deliveries. While Sophomore Joshua Corbett took a difficult catch in the 23rd over off Patel's Bowling—the batsman responsible for Germantown's late innings acceleration was still at the crease.
Phatak took the penultimate over, the equation sitting at 22 runs off 12. With the danger-batsman on strike, Phatak sent a ball flying into the slot. Germantown's batsman sent the ball soaring towards long-on. Haverford collectively held their breath—surely the ball would sail past the fielder for 6 and put the 'Fords further behind the run rate. It was not to be, however, as the ball soared straight to Bajaj, who cradled the ball against his chest to dismiss the batsman.
Patel would finish the work for Haverford, taking his third wicket in the ultimate over after the batsmen sent the ball rocketing straight up, before it landed safely in Stern's gloves. He and Phatak ended the season with career best figures of 3-30 and 3-24, respectively. The 'Fords were elated to give their seniors a winning sendoff. While Haverford Cricket will not be joined by Seniors Simon Babb, James Garland, and Gulesh Shukla next year, the impact of the three will remain.
We were graced by Shukla's lightning pace and powerful hitting for the past four years. His steady line and length with the ball, will be missed almost as much as his contributions with the bat, scoring five half centuries in his time at Haverford. Babb showed an uncanny ability to pick up the game. Joining his sophomore year, Babb was selected as co-captain to Shukla by his senior year. We will miss his stoic batting at the top of the order, as well as his leadership as captain.
While injuries sidelined Garland for much of his senior year, he was a fixture of our Saturday and Sunday matches. We will miss his passion for cricket as well as his camaraderie and witty remarks. We thank the seniors for their contributions, wish them luck in their future endeavors, and look forward to seeing them next year at the alumni match!