We Lost the Plot (Then Found It in Old Bais)

Three games.

Two heartbreaks.

One high-stakes, away-from-home redemption.

York Cricket Club endured a grueling triple-header this past week. Here's how it unfolded.

June 7 – YCC vs Mahajana College OBA

Result: Lost by 2 wickets

A tough start to the weekend. After choosing to bat first, YCC endured early chaos with the top 3 dismissed for just 5 runs. But then came a magnificent recovery:

• Sathishraj Mohanraj stood tall with a composed 41

• Harry Shivs counter-punched his way to a thrilling 40

• Stephen Williams held things together with a vital 31

Thanks to their efforts (and 45 wides from the opposition!), YCC reached a respectable 180.

The bowlers fought tooth and nail, led by:

• Koushik Jaykumar – 2 early wickets to jolt Mahajana

• Echi Fernando & Shawn Rankothgedra – 3 wickets each to keep hopes alive

But Mahajana’s lower-order resilience, aided by a flurry of boundaries and… you guessed it, 28 wides from YCC, edged them home in the 39th over.

Lesson learned: Build from the top, and close those extras!

The Legend of the Pads

It was foretold in ancient club scrolls that Andrew’s beloved pads—weathered by time and 3000 net sessions—would never leave his kit bag. But on June 7, destiny shifted.

Out walked Andrew… in snow-white pads.He looked lighter. The sun reflected off them. The opposition’s slip cordon wore sunglasses.

The sacred tan pads? Retired. Possibly sent to the Hall of Fame. Or mummified.

📸 We snapped a picture. Because if you didn’t see it, did it really happen?

June 8 – Wesley College OBA vs YCC

Result: Lost by 17 runs

Back-to-back action on Sunday saw YCC hosting Wesley College OBA. The visitors opted to bat first—and YCC’s bowlers put on a clinic:

• Lahiru Wijesinghe was simply unplayable: 4/23 in 8 overs

• Tibish Mathew kept the pressure high with 3/27

• Shawn and Rafi chipped in with scalps at key moments

Despite that, Wesley managed to post 158, riding on a 46-run partnership in the middle overs. YCC gave away 44 wides—once again, the invisible villain.

In response:

• Sri Krishnan (35) and Abdullah Ahmed (29) gave us a strong start with a 75-run stand.

• But once they were gone, wickets tumbled like dominoes.

• A late push from Rajit, Lahiru, and Shawn wasn't enough, as YCC fell short at 141 all out.

Another game where we were close... but not quite there.

June 11 – Old Bais CC vs YCC

Result: YCC won by 2 wickets

Ah, sweet victory—away from home, under pressure, and after back-to-back losses.

Old Bais posted 148, powered by a lone 56-run innings and extras. But this time, YCC’s bowlers were disciplined:

• Shawn Rankothgedra: 3 wickets up front

• Harry Shivs: A surprise packet with 4 wickets

• Support from Tibish, Rafi, and Chris kept Old Bais in check

The chase? Not for the faint of heart.

• Dominic (27) and Jayantha (24) stabilized the innings

• Basha (23) ran smartly and built key partnerships

• Despite a flurry of wickets in the final phase, Shawn (12) and Chris (6)** calmly guided YCC to the finish line

A match-winning partnership at the end. A gritty, needed win.

Character, composure, and closure to a challenging week.

Looking Ahead

Two bruising losses. One brave bounce-back. Momentum’s on our side again. Let’s take the confidence from Wednesday into the rest of the season. The team is learning, adapting, and refusing to go down without a fight.

Eyes forward. Bats ready. Let’s go, YCC!