HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford Cricket faced off against British Officers Cricket Club (BOCC) this past Saturday, seeking revenge after a 74 run loss to BOCC in their fall season. In an exciting match with an exhilarating finish, the Fords ended Saturday's match in a tie with both sides ending on 141-6.
Haverford fielded first. After struggling in previous matches to find wickets in their opening overs, Haverford tried their third opening bowling combination in as many games. Senior Gulesh Shukla shared the new ball with sophomore Eugene Yang. The Fords found immediate success with this combination when Yang struck in his very first over. Unable to read Yang's swinging deliveries, BOCC's opening batsman was clean bowled by Yang. In his next over, Yang would best the BOCC batsman yet again, clean bowling another beguiled batsman. This strong bowling performance by the sophomore meant BOCC finished the power play at 27-2, the lowest total the Fords have allowed all season in the power play.
BOCC would rebound, building a 73-run 3rd wicket partnership. Yang would effect a third wicket to end this stand, taking advantage of confusion between the stumps to run out the BOCC batsman. First year Deep Patel would make sure the Fords continued to stifle BOCC, with a mistimed shot traveling into the Shukla's safe hands off Patel's bowling.
The Fords continued applying pressure and bowled well at the death to stymie the flow of runs. In the 21st over, First year Sidd Phatak would take on the responsibility of fielding himself, catching the batsman off of his own bowling. Phatak struck just two overs later, this time beating the batsman with pure pace.
In their chase of 141, Haverford would turn to the partnership between first year Mohanish Bajaj and sophomore Samanyu Kurra for stability. The 46 run partnership between the two helped the Fords recover after being left 3-1 in the second over. Kurra would contribute 15 off 29 to this partnership before being dismissed in the 11th over. Bajaj would follow shortly after, contributing a vital 22 off 40.
At four, Shukla knew he had to play a true captain's knock if Haverford was to have a shot at victory. Shukla was careful to protect his partners, keeping most of the strike for himself—as strategy which appeared to be working.
The Fords required 30 runs off their last five overs—needing a run a ball. Careful to stay within striking distance, Shukla and Patel brought Haverford to 134, needing to find seven runs off the last over. Further cause for hope, a single of the previous delivery meant Shukla would start the over on strike.
Shukla would not see the Fords to the finish, however. While trying to drag a good length ball over deep midwicket, Shukla was bowled on the first delivery of the final over departing with 59 off just 50 deliveries with six boundaries, including three sixes.
This meant Yang would join First year Nathaniel Moore for the last five balls. A two from Yang and a pair of singles brought the Fords to three runs needed off the last ball. Yang did well to loft the ball to deep covers, and the chase was on. The speedy pair ran two easily, but BOCC wouldn't falter, enacting a run out before the third run was complete.
Haverford moved to 1-1-1 on the season after this tie and will face a difficult slate next weekend, taking on Columbia and UPenn. However, the Fords will be happy to go into this weekend after strong performances by Shukla, Bajaj, and Kurra at the top of the order, and middle order cameos from Patel, Moore and Yang which showed how deep the side can bat. First year Daniel Bhatti and Sophomore Jason Wild also showed their batting skill, both scoring their first runs at the College.