One Captain, Twelve Game Plans
Saturday against Old Bais began badly, with York slipping to 9 for 3 before Kishore's 44 helped drag the innings back towards respectability. From there, contributions down the order took YCC to 146, and what looked a fairly modest total became a surprisingly awkward chase. Satish and Harry picked up two wickets each, with Karthik and Echi also striking, but Old Bais eventually got home by three wickets.
Sunday brought a much better result. Harry Shivs carried his bat for a superb 105 not out, taking York to 246/8 before Ramblers threatened through Saqlain Kazi's aggressive 79. His dismissal — caught by Paran off Rafi — shifted the game decisively, and the wickets followed. Rafi finished with 4/26, Anuradha took three and Thaya two as Ramblers were bowled out for 178, giving YCC a 68-run win.
Scorecards here:
Pic Courtesy: Paran / Kishore
York Voices
This week's Saturday reflection comes from Echithran Fernando, who was asked to reflect on the match and appears to have interpreted the assignment as:
"Please reflect extensively on Echithran Fernando."
Which, to be fair, he did extremely well.
There was some cricket involving other people. Karthik called a no-ball for touching the return crease, prompting an immediate symposium under the tree where several York players confidently explained the law incorrectly. A YCC cap left behind the stumps was then struck by the ball, donating five penalty runs to Old Bais before the offending headwear was hurriedly hidden away "like contraband." And an opposition batsman with a baseball background stood halfway down the pitch, apparently unaware that stumping existed — valuable intelligence that York responded to by bowling him a ball he could hit for four.
Three excellent observations.
And with the required discussion of everybody else safely completed, Echi was finally free to move on to the principal subject of his reflection.
Echi.
We learned that Echi can now bowl eight overs on the trot without requiring oxygen support. We learned that after being taken for 15 in one over, he immediately came back and kept the same batsman quiet. We learned that his heart rate apparently rises when asking the captain for a breather. And we learned that this experience demonstrated his temperament, resilience, patience and ability to overcome adversity.
This was becoming less York Voices and more Echi: The Documentary.
In fairness, there was a genuinely good cricketing point buried somewhere inside the autobiography. Getting hit is part of bowling; what matters is how you respond. Echi didn't disappear, came straight back, changed the outcome and rightly thanked the captain for backing him to continue.
A solid lesson.
We assumed that would conclude the self-reflection.
It did not.
Because then came the financial report.
Echi finished 6 not out and informed us that his batting average has now climbed to 30. Apparently every not-out is a "healthy deposit" into his performance bank account, while the average itself is a stock "finally moving in the right direction."
Six not out.
Average 30.
Eight consecutive overs.
Successful recovery from one expensive over.
All disclosed voluntarily.
The Green & Red would like to remind readers that this was a match reflection form, not an annual performance appraisal.
Still, we're delighted the York Voices initiative is providing our players with opportunities for personal growth, introspection and, apparently, portfolio management.
At this rate, next week's submission will include Echi's resting heart rate, bowling workload graph, projected season average and guidance for FY2027.
Echithran Fernando PLC: HOLD. Outlook positive.
He did, however, finish with a genuinely nice suggestion. After seeing Old Bais display a Canadian flag at the ground, Echi wondered whether York could have a YCC banner displayed during matches — something visible at the ground that gives everyone the sense of representing the same club under the same banner.
That one we actually like.
So thank you to Echi for the column: three comedy incidents, eight overs, one character-building experience, six unbeaten runs, a batting-average update, an investment briefing and a club-improvement proposal.
We asked for three short paragraphs.
But we're glad this columnist opportunity has helped at least one member of YCC discover himself.
Deeply.
Sunday's contribution comes from Thaya "Gopi" Thevathasan, who began rather conventionally by praising Harry's century, Rafi's crucial wickets and Paran's catch at long-off that removed the dangerous Saqlain. He also singled out Venkat for an excellent afternoon in the field.
Then Gopi remembered why we gave him the form.
His takeaway was rather less comfortable: York dropped at least three catches, and he felt there were moments when the team's game awareness needed considerably more attention. They didn't cost York this time, but his point was simple enough — against another side, they might.
And then came his contribution to the captain's corner:
"Our captain has two settings: yelling and louder yelling!" 😂
According to Gopi, Rafi gives the instructions, everyone hears the instructions, and then several players apparently activate their own GPS and head off in different tactical directions.
His summary was difficult to improve upon:
One captain, 11 players and 12 different game plans. And somehow… we still won by 68 runs!
We thank Gopi for his contribution.
Submitting a written complaint about the captain's volume immediately after a 68-run victory is brave.
Doing so while the same captain has another team to select this weekend is exceptionally brave.
Looking Ahead
YCC are back for another double-header next weekend, with East End CC on Saturday followed by Wesley College CC on Sunday.
Although "double-header" may not quite cover it.
There is also an opportunity to squeeze in an away game on Saturday, potentially giving York enough cricket for two separate XIs to play concurrently. The availability poll certainly suggests the appetite is there, prompting Echi to ask whether this might be the first time two York teams have played on the same day.
Twenty-two players. Two grounds. Two matches.
After Gopi's calculations this week, that could mean approximately 24 different game plans.
The more important question is who gets Rafi.
Because wherever he goes, apparently volume won't be a problem.
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