Score: 136/5 – 137/6 (22.3/25)

HAVERFORD, Pa. - After rain conspired to cancel Haverford's opening weekend, Haverford Cricket began their spring campaign this past Saturday with a clinical victory against British Officers Cricket Club (BOCC).  

Taking the field first, Junior Eugene Yang and first year Ishpuneet Singh shared the new ball for Haverford. A series of nasty inswingers by the pair proved too much for the BOCC batters.  Yang struck first, delivering an unplayable yorker directly into the opening batter's stumps. Inspired by his elder-bowler, Singh delivered another yorker the very next over to take Haverford's second wicket. The Fords were in control, giving up just 24 runs through the power-play while taking two wickets.  

The introduction of Sophomore Deep Patel continued Haverford's wicket taking streak after the power play. Patel's tempting spin did just that—tempted the batsman into a poorly timed drive to the ever-safe hands of Senior captain Samuel Monks. Just six deliveries after Patel's wicket, Yang ended his spell very fittingly, inducing an edge which was safely caught by Junior captain Rebecca Stern. 

Following this flurry of wickets, BOCC managed to mount a comeback, with an 85 run fourth-wicket partnership saving their innings.  Junior Joshua Corbett was brought into the attack, debuting his new, yet destructive 'moon-ball'.  As one bystander commented, his bowling "completely embarrassed the [BOCC] batsman"—the visiting batters proved unable to play his tumultuous flight, with one particularly tumultuous delivery slipping under the bat and gently dismantling the stumps.  

Thanks to an economical opening spell, BOCC only managed to put up 136 runs despite their 4th wicket partnership, a total the Fords knew was still a challenge with a slow outfield.  This challenge was made more difficult after the quick loss of both openers leaving Haverford at 22-2 after seven overs. 

This brought sophomore Sidd Phatak to the crease, who showed why he was the Fords leading run scorer in the fall. Phatak mixed careful drives with explosive pull shots to put together a well-tempered innings. Six-smashing-sophomore Nathaniel Moore joined Phatak at the opposite end, scoring an explosive 25 runs off just 24 deliveries, including the inning's only maximum.  

Moore eventually was bowled out, bringing Yang to the crease. Yang provided stability to the innings, scoring 16 off 14 including some of the day's best off drives.  Eventually Yang's speed would be his downfall, getting caught outside the non-strikers end for a run-out.  

Phatak continued to shoulder the responsibility for Haverford's innings, ending on 61 runs, not out, when he struck the winning runs for Haverford.  His quick fire 61 came off just 57 deliveries and included an impressive quintet of fours.  

Haverford's comfortable victory came off 22.3 overs.  Haverford next welcomes Merion Cricket Club and the University of Pennsylvania next weekend for back-to-back home matches, with first ball coming at 12 p.m. for both contests at Cope Field.