HAVERFORD, Pa. - On Sunday at Cope Field, cricket truly lived up to its reputation as a gentleperson's game. Haverford Cricket secured its fourth victory of the season against the Alumni, yet the mood was such that the outcome seemed secondary to the sheer enjoyment of the sport.
After winning the toss and choosing to field, the Alumni team watched Haverford begin with an unconventional opening duo of junior Mohanish Bajaj and freshman Anuj Poddar, with Poddar making his batting debut for the 2023-24 season. The partnership was short-lived as Bajaj was run out early for six. Freshman Rustom Dubash, also out of his usual order, took over and contributed 16 runs. Leading by example, junior captain Sidd Phatak racked up 46 runs, including five boundaries and a six, before being run out by Gulesh Shukla '22, who also bowled the delivery. Crucial catches by Malcolm Thompson '21, a regrettable run-out of senior Joshua Corbett, and tight bowling by Ethan Flicker '21 prevented any significant partnerships for the Fords.
At the end of 18 overs, the Fords stood at 121/6. Nevertheless, freshman Sanil Kagawala and senior captain Eugene Yang, making his return to the XI after an injury, made invaluable contributions of 22 and 21 respectively. With a relentless batting performance, the Fords reached 162/7 in 25 overs.
The atmosphere at the cricket house during the innings break was surreal. It buzzed with generations of Haverford Cricket players bonding over common experiences, delicious samosas, and tea. Post a brisk lunch, it was back to the business at hand. After all, there was a game to play.
Haverford cricket Assistant Coach Andy Cornell '19 took to the field to open the innings and endured some spirited sledging from the Fords he spends so much time coaching. His innings came to an early end when sophomore Ishpuneet Singh took a beautiful catch off Kagawala's delivery. The Alumni swiftly reached 32/2 in 6 overs, but quick wickets from Yang and junior Deep Patel brought Haverford Cricket back into contention. Reid Sherman '04 anchored the Alumni's chase with a solid 36 runs, while freshman Poddar claimed his first career wicket in his debut bowling over.
As both teams fielded a plethora of bowlers, the match turned into a showcase of ample in-match bowling experience, with Haverford using 10 bowlers compared to the Alumni's 11.
The pace of the chase slowed as the required rate escalated to over 10 runs per over: the Alumni needed 64 from the final six overs. However, Kagawala took another crucial wicket, while Patel delivered an economical 1/10 in his three-over spell. Sam Monks '23 and Thompson formed a 29-run partnership, bringing the Alumni to 139/5 by the end of the 25th over, 24 runs short of the target.
While that is when the game ended, it was not when play stopped. The Fords continued to bowl a few friendly overs to those Alumni who hadn't yet batted, completely off the scorebook. Playing for the pure joy of playing.
This match served as a reminder of the cricket's inherent joy and sportsmanship. Despite the technicalities of a winner and a loser, the atmosphere and camaraderie in the pavilion transcended such distinctions. Players cheered for their rivals, maintaining a spirited yet amicable competition, complemented by oh-so-much banter from both sides— making Cope Field undoubtedly the place to be on Sunday.