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77 Jaargang Nr 2
13 May 2009 (Wed)

In this Edition

Zonnige perioden
Eerste herstelt zich met goede overwinning
Wedstrijdprogramma
In gesprek met.... Mohammed Munaf
Nieuw Vierde nog geen partij voor Drie
Zami's hebben moeite met korte pot
Zami 1 pakt de punten in Den Haag
Zami 2 verplettert Groen Geel
Regels jeugdwedstrijden
U10 incasseert nederlaag

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Zonnige perioden

Het waaide flink in het Bos, afgelopen zondag. Maar er scheen ook een aardig zonnetje en in de luwte van het terras was het uitstekend uit te houden. Met alle heren senioren op het honk was het ook aardig druk na afloop van de wedstrijden en het was verheugend te zien, dat er ook veel supporters tussen het nagenietend volk te vinden waren.
Want er was veel te genieten geweest. Drie en Vier hadden een prima wedstrijd gespeeld die door Drie, geheel in lijn der hiërarchie, overtuigend werd gewonnen. Het Tweede kon het kunststukje van vorige week niet herhalen en redde het niet tegen United. Maar de mannen van Eén kijken weer naar boven. Na de overtuigende zege op Hermes - toch altijd wel een Angstgegner - is een plaats in de middenmoot hun deel, maar wat zegt zo'n ranglijst nu helemaal na pas twee wedstrijden. Het vertoonde spel geeft echter reden tot optimisme. Met name de innings van onze nieuwe coach was puur entertainment voor de toeschouwers en wellicht aanleiding voor veel VRA-getrouwen, om weer eens het veld op zondag te bezoeken. De gezelligheid tijdens en na de wedstrijd vormt een duidelijke onderstreping van de top-kwaliteit van ons complex. Zonder nu direkt sentimenteel te worden, moet ik u bekennen, dat het wel iets bij me losmaakt, als ik op zo'n mooie dag tegen elven het terrein op loop. Het veld ligt er - zeker voor het begin van het seizoen - prachtig bij. Een echt cricketveld, bedoel ik. Ik vond het daarom wel opvallend, dat de manager van Hermes ons outfield trager dan anders noemde. Niet als kritiek, zo verzekerde hij ons, maar als feitelijke vaststelling. Hieruit blijkt, dat men zo langzamerhand de top-kwaliteit van het VRA-veld als vanzelfsprekend beschouwt. Wij weten echter, hoe veel moeite het heeft gekost om op dit niveau te komen en vooral ook, te blijven. Daar wordt week-in week-uit keihard aan gewerkt. Nu alleen nog een paar weken groeizaam weer met veel zon en ons outfield ligt er weer als een biljartlaken bij. Probeer dan maar eens een bal in te halen!

NB. Op zaterdag hadden onze Dames het heel moeilijk tegen Hermes en zij leden een zware nederlaag. De Zami-teams wonnen allebei overtuigend - zo als altijd eigenlijk.
Sander
Op de foto knalt topscorer Wesley Barresi de bal stijlvol het veld uit.

Eerste herstelt zich met goede overwinning

Wat er in het hoofd van de captain van Hermes omging, toen hij besloot om na een gewonnen toss te gaan batten, is ons onduidelijk. Maar zoals de Engelsen zo treffend kunnen zeggen: ‘It was a good toss to lose.’ Het zou toch al lang in Schiedam doorgesijpeld moeten zijn, dat de pitch van VRA voor batsmen het paradijs benadert en als er dan toch enig leven in te bespeuren valt, dan alleen van 11.00 tot 11.15 uur ’s morgens!
Na een enthousiaste warming up waar het plezier vanaf straalde, gingen onze jongens het veld in en Ben en Gerrie, ook wel de Icecream Express genoemd, begonnen geconcentreerd aan hun taak. Tight bowlen en een nog niet zo vlot lopend outfield – er is pas geleden nog een forse hoeveelheid zand over uitgestrooid – zorgden ervoor dat de openers van Hermes slechts langzaam konden scoren.
Na een half uurtje stonden er 20 runs op het bord en bij de eerste de beste uithaal van opener Beijer kreeg Ben Goedegebuur meteen succes. Atse Buurman pakte bekwaam de vang achter de palen. Aan de andere kant bowlde Gerrie Snyman hard en zuinig met slechts 12 runs tegen in zijn eerste spell van 6 overs. Borrani en Statham bleven zeer bedachtzaam batten, totdat Statham (18) probeerde de inmiddels aangezette Victor Grandia om de hoek weg te glancen en zich op wonderschone wijze door Zaheer Butt op fine leg gevangen zag. 71 voor 3. Met Hermes-coach Stewart op de pitch werd het interessant. Samen met Borrani werd goed gebat; de VRA-spinners bowlden ook uitstekend en zo ontstond er een gevecht, dat pas een uur later zijn ontknoping kreeg. Borrani (61, 4 x 4, 1 x 6) had zich aan de hamstring geblesseerd en maakte gebruik van een runner. Zijn toch al niet zo indrukwekkende voetenwerk werd door de spinners danig op de proef gesteld en Adeel kreeg hem uiteindelijk te pakken: de stumping van Atse was watervlug. Mc Rae stak al snel naast een mooie bal van Adeel en met Ruud Nijman (21 not out) aan het wicket werden door Hermes nog 50 punten in een half uurtje aan het totaal toegevoegd. Uiteindelijk vergiste Stewart in een poging te forceren zich in het formaat van ons veld en hij werd op long on keurig door Victor op een bal van Peter gevangen. Zijn innings van 60 runs bevatte slechts drie vieren en een hoop singles, waar de VRA-fielders ten dele, door het niet voldoende verzorgde grondfielden, debet aan waren.
Hermes was op het vermeende batting paradise niet verder dan 196 runs gekomen. Dan moest er wel goed gebowld zijn: Snyman 0 voor 29 uit 10, Goedegebuur 1 voor 17 uit 8, Borren 1 voor 31 uit 7, Grandia 1 voor 38 uit 6, Panchal 0 voor 37 uit 10 en Adeel Raja 2 voor 28 uit 9.
Na een kartonnetje noodles, de signature lunch van VRA, mochten Vinoo Tewarie ( nog niet gebowld overigens!) en Wesley Barresi Nijman en Lenstra N. trotseren. Dat ging prima en zeer beheerst. Lenstra kreeg Vinoo (18 (2 x 4) toch lbw op 41. Met Victor Grandia op nummer 3 ( dit zijn nog eens tijden voor deze ‘youngster’!) ging de score steady naar de honderd. Op 102 verslikte Victor (19) zich in een slimme bal van Hartong en was uit, lbw. Eric Scwarczynski liet mooi, stijlvol batten zien en het deed goed om te constateren, dat hij weer aardig in vorm aan het komen is. Zijn innings (31 not out) was kansloos en bevatte 3 vieren. Al de tijd had Wesley zijn beste innings sinds tijden gespeeld. Meestal beheerst, soms wat uitbundig (8 x 4, 1 x 6), was hij hard op weg naar een honderd. Wat hem toen bezielde, wordt in VRA-kringen vaak omschreven als ‘de rode draadjes’. Een ongelooflijke full toss van Statham probeerde hij met een soort van reversed hook weg te tennissen; hij miste natuurlijk en zag zijn stumps verspreid liggen in de wijde omgeving. 159 voor 3. In kwam de coach. Nu heeft Gerrie Snyman de reputatie dat hij de bal hard kan slaan; na 19 ballen weet iedereen dat daar geen woord van overdreven is. Met 33 runs, waaronder een vier en vier zessen, maakte hij na 37 overs snel een einde aan de pot en de eventuele illusies die de Hermes-mannen zich nog hadden gemaakt. Van de spreekwoordelijke nachtkaars was hier beslist geen sprake!
Statham was met 1 voor 30 uit 4 het voornaamste slachtoffer, maar Ruud Nijman met 0 voor 39 uit 7 en Pieter Seelaar met 0 voor 54 uit 9 hadden ook eeen leerzame middag. Lenstra N. en Hartong namen elk een wicket respectievelijk voor 26 uit 6 en 28 uit 9.
Een heel duidelijke overwinning, waarmee VRA aantoonde, dat het over een goed elftal beschikt, dat zeker een factor van betekenis zal zijn in de hoogste klasse.
Sander

Wedstrijdprogramma

Zaterdag 16 mei
VRA U9 - Hercules
Aanvang: 9.00 uur
Buiten boundary

ACC - VRA U10
Aanvang: 9.00 uur

VOC - VRA U15
Aanvang: 9.00 uur

Hercules - VRA U18
Aanvang: 13.00 uur

VRA Dames - Ajax Leiden
Aanvang:: 12.00 uur
Veld 2

VRA Zami 1 - Rood en Wit
Aanvang: 13.30 uur
Veld 3

VRA Zami 2 - Kampong 1
Aanvang: 13.30 uur
Veld 1

Zondag 17 mei
VCC - VRA I
Aanvang: 11.00 uur

VRA II - CCN 1
Aanvang: 11.00 uur
Veld 1

VRA III - HCC
Aanvang: 12.00 uur
Veld 2

VRA U11 - Bloemendaal
Aanvang: 9.00 uur
Veld 1

België - VRA U13
Aanvang: 9.00 uur

In gesprek met.... Mohammed Munaf

Recently Maarten Slagter spoke with Mohammed Munaf, specialist trainer VRA youth, about Mohammed’s life and of course about cricket.
“ My youth was tough. My mother died when I was nine years old. My father, who worked for Indian Telecom, was always working. Other family didn’t care or didn’t have time. Luckily there was sports. I was playing sports in the streets all the time. We played cricket with taped up paper balls and pieces of wood. We all took on the names of the cricket heroes in those days, I was Keith Miller, the Australian fast bowler.
When I was 14 we moved from Bombay to Karachi and my father remarried. Of course I couldn’t get on with my stepmother. Now I was even more only outdoors. At school I got noticed by the selectors and I was picked in the cricket school team. I played for the school team, but also for regional school sides. This is how got the attention of the national selectors.
One day, when I was 18, the Australians were touring and were going to play a warm-up 4 day match in Karachi. Keith Miller was in that team. I was desperate to get in the Pakistan A team that was going to play the Australians, desperate to play against my hero, Keith Miller. But you had to be 21 to get into the side and I was only 18. I went to my school director and he went to the mayor of Karachi. My passport was renewed and suddenly I was three years older !
I was able to play and I did. It was the first day of my life I felt happy. It got even better, a couple of years later,
I got selected for the Pakistan test team.
I can now say that cricket was in my blood, I was immediately good at it and what made me a very good cricket were the endless ours of playing and practicing in the streets and on the sports grounds. To get my revenge was also a big stimulus. I wanted revenge for the years my family didn’t notice me. I wanted to say to them :
“Hey, look what I achieved without your help, I had to take care of myself because you didn’t care and I made it to the Pakistan test team on my own”.
It made me never forget to always believe in yourself and to discipline yourself. Two assets one needs to get through life. It makes a life just playing cricket look easy. Unfortunately after having played in 4 tests in which I opened the bowling and I did reasonably well, I suffered a severe meniscus injury. I tried to make a come back for one and a half year but never reached the level I had before the injury.
By that time I already took up coaching. I went to England to get coaching diploma’s.
I worked for Pakistan Airlines and was transferred to Amsterdam Schiphol. I met Nanda and we got married. My son from my former marriage died of leukemia when he was 18. A long time I didn’t want to have anything to do with cricket; it reminded me to much of him and the grieve I felt about his death.
I became a teacher of playing the harmonium, I am a singer and I write poetry. After six years without cricket I was back at VRA and I was asked to coach youth cricket. People can take me for granted as that silly old man who has nothing else to do, but to coach cricket. I know it’s not true. It’s a choice out of the many things I can still do with my life. I just love cricket and I love to teach it. Cricket has taught me many things, always to be a gentleman, for instance. If a little of what life and cricket taught me, catches up with the youngsters, I am happy.

Nieuw Vierde nog geen partij voor Drie

10 mei 2009
VRA 3 (Zomi 1)
VRA 4 (Zomi 2)
It was perfect weather for the inaugural fixture of the new ZOMI league, and it was a derby match between VRA Zomi 1 (formerly VRA 3) and VRA Zomi 2, who are a newly formed team made up of Optiver employees.
With a couple of Zomi 1 running late it was agreed Zomi 2 should field first, and JJ and Scott opened the bowling to Harold Horsman (33) and Maarten Slagter. They were both bowling fast and straight and soon Scott bowled Maarten, Harold was joined by Mike George (36) and they progressed steadily against the bowling of Saurabh and Matt. At drinks they were nicely placed on 72-1 after 19. During drinks there were clear instructions to increase the tempo and they started going after the bowling. Matt picked up 3 wickets, but that just bought Willem and Deon (36) to the crease and Willem scored 50 not out to take the score to 195. The last over of the innings bowled by Abhishek was quite entertaining with 3 wickets from it. It was a good score and a well timed innings.
The Zomi 2 innings started brightly, but the in form Sanyol was caught by Mike George and after that wickets kept falling at regular intervals. There was a good period in the middle with JJ hitting 27, but after he fell, only Chris Dowson (16) put up any resistance and the innings petered out to 131 all out. The Zomi 2 guys are more used to playing Twenty20, and far too many of the batsmen gave away their wickets too cheaply.
After a quick beer at the ABN Amro ground, everyone headed back to the terrace at the club, and over more beers it was agreed that if every game is played in as good weather and conditions as that game, then we are in for a good season.
Matthew McKeogh

Zami's hebben moeite met korte pot

7 mei 2009
VRA Zami
QuiVive
Format: 16 x 8 ball overs per side
Location: VRA, main ground, artificial wicket
Result: QuiVive won by 18 runs
Zami is a machine finely tuned to perform in the Zami league. 2008’s results show that we have mastered that format: Saturday afternoons, 35 six-over-ball- innings per-side, leisurely gutsy teas from Ruth, and where the batsman that is on form that week can accumulate runs to his heart’s content.
So when you mess with the format you mess with the machine and Zami heroes become Zami zeroes overnight.
That’s what happened when we played not on a Saturday afternoon but on a Thursday evening. Shifting the innings from 35 six over balls to sixteen eight over balls placed too much stress on the Zami engine. The ten minute break left us short of fuel. The lack of drinks break rendered our pistons un-oiled. Only the “declare on 25” rule didn’t affect us because, already psychologically destroyed by these other changes, no Zami made it past 20.
Neil Browning graciously assumed the captaincy mantle because Anthony “deep throat” Lynch had picked up a rash in his oesophagus watching Ricky Hatton get pummeled in Vegas. We were pleased to note that the voice of Tim Ellerton, who accompanied Nobby to the global mecca of adult entertainment, was still in perfect working order. Timmy had no problems uttering his trademark politically incorrect comments throughout the match.
Mike George and Martin Slagter opened the Zami account setting the tone for the evening: both were run out and neither made double figures. John Reardon was one of only three Zami batsmen to score double figures, and achieved an impressive 10 for 3 (ten runs, three team-mates run out.) Horseman of the apocalypse Reardon was clean bowled when he mistook his bat for a scythe, and having scored the cricketing equivalent of three own goals he rode his horse home grateful that he didn’t live in a Latin American country.
Paul Michaelides showed that are more ways of humiliating yourself than being senselessly run out, as was the fate of Mike George (3), Martin Slagter (9), Nick Fowler (0) and Phillip Deleen (3). Paul was clean bowled first ball, inspiring Ellerton (4) and Geensen (0) to lose their wickets in the same way, albeit not quite as quickly.
Neil Browning (19) and Leon Turmaine (15) topped the Zami batting scores, yet the contributions of both were still less than the contribution of the extras (33) which were helped along by the two-runs-per-wide rule. Otto Storm (5 not out) valiantly tried to help Zami past the 100 mark, but alas Zami fell short with a rather pitiful total of 97.
Being a well-balanced machine, Zami’s bowling was as bad its batting. Only one batsman was dislodged by our bowling, the wicket going to captain Neil Browning who, as with the bat, was one of the few to uphold our usual standards. Remaining batsmen either retired as they effortlessly passed 25, or were not out because the game ended before they could effortlessly pass 25. QuiVive effortlessly passed the Zami total with three eight ball overs to spare.
Despite the lack of wickets, there were some notable bowling performances. Martin Slagter called into question Newtonian Physics with his gravity-defying deliveries that hung motionlessly in a three dimensional space described by the batsman, bowler and wicket. John Richardson - who is to be congratulated and thanked for putting in all the effort to arrange the match - delivered balls adjacent to the Slagterian space-time continuum, although Richo’s deliveries differed because they visibly moved forward, and then bamboozled the batsmen by spinning nicely in both directions.
Geensen, MIchaelides, Fowler and Turmaine were, however, shadows of their Saturday afternoon selves, and were grateful to get their psychological demons out of their systems before a real league match.
Conclusion: we appreciated the practice match and all the work that went into it. But to the extent that we care about winning, we should stick to playing the format that are tuned for. After all, we are the Zamis, not the Dondas.
Nick Fowler

Zami 1 pakt de punten in Den Haag

9 mei 2009
VRA Zami 1
HCC Zami 1
Hoe zoet smaakt de victorie!
A nice late Saturday morning and the crème de la crème of the Zami gathered for the first time at Wildschut. Waitresses were still looking nervously and timidly over their shoulder every time they heard the warm welcome for yet another fit and able body. Who could blame them after last season slaughter campaign of the victorious amsterdamse bos militia. They didn’t need to worry too much this time as our dear Captain Nobby, master of the 2nd battalion was still in bed with the Swine Flu, freshly caught from a Mexican chambermaid in LasVegas.
Both teams went south bound to do battle in the Haagsche Duinen.
The second team to Groen&Geel, but that story would only reach the annals of Dutch Cricket as a footnote, and whilst our glorious battle is a story worthy to be captured by a great poet.
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother for seasons to come
And what a prize we brought home my friends.
The heads of the royal hcc. Those abject mindless followers of the Haagsche Kliek.
Firstly the bare and cold figures:
HCC 1 Batting
179 for 7 off 35 overs
with only Tops (58), Lee (36) and deMolvanOtterloo (31) putting up a resistance worth mentioning
Zami 1 Bowling
Phil Ysrael 7 – 31 – 2w
Neil Browning 7 – 25 – 2w
Zami 1 Batting
180 for 4 in 34.3
Mike George 26 (10 overs)
Louis Collignon 36 (33 overs)
Phil Ysrael 34 (15 overs)
Mister wide 45
HCC Bowling
2 run outs
But that, my friends, doesn’t do justice to the story to be told to our grandchildren. A battle fought at one of the most rugged grounds of Dutch cricket, a true football pitch unfit for any noble sport. The preliminary skirmishes were not in our favor, as our brave captain Louis ‘lionheart’ Collignon lost the toss again. Perilous on foreign ground and one of the weak points of the Kolenjong. The team is considering sending him on the renowned training course of Mufti Kapeldevski to finally learn how to toss around. We’ll see next Saturday.
HCC were convinced to stun us by building a nice total on their deep-pile carpet but our deep penetrating offence was too heavy for them. Browning an Ysrael scalped their openers within 6 overs for a meager total of 14. we were dreaming of a total annihilation of the Hague forces, but the overconfidence of a good start and the “sleepy time” batting style, some missed stumpings and inaccuracy in our bowling suddenly made us aware that the 3rd wicket only fell in the 25th over for 97 and the 4th for 116 in 27th. Some nice catching of Phil took their away nr 3 & 4 of HCC who together brought hcc back in the game.
The forces flowed away from our untrained bodies and despite a good team effort in the field; leg side catch in the pink gloves, two catches of Paul the Greek and two excellent run outs (? & ?/sorry) the Hagenezen brought their total to an unexpected 179.
A total which would normally not make us blink, but the Diepput has seen lesser parties struggle and perish in reaching those figures. We had let the royals get back their confidence by not keeping the pressure on and now after a haags bakje tea, they were ready to suppress our hopes for victory.
Their confidence was smitten though by our opening pair. A true captain’s innings with the support of our old Man and the man from the old People we had given us a strong position to humiliate the royals. 52 in 9 when our dear Mike had himself run out because his eyes and brain are not working that quickly anymore. A straight shot to the only hcc player (a youngster of mere 17) who would hit the wicket in a straight throw was not properly processed by the grey matter of the Welshman.
Some proper running firstly with Phil and later with Kalashnikov brought us to a nice 100 in the 20th but then again our forces weakened, their bowling improved and our tempo dropped.
Phil was bowled for 34 in the 24th brought some pressure on the shoulders of Browning to speed some things up and the running between the wickets became bullit like. Perhaps a bit too much for our brave captain at that point of the battle as he was run out in the 33rd over at a stand of 162. We found ourselves in desperate straits. 18 in the remaining overs is a task of mythical proportion in the Diepput when the HCC full force of sledging and body line bowling is on again. Neil was out of ammo after 19 quick runs in and support of his captain. So it was up to our loyal forces from abroad. And Paul and Nick rose to the occasion and like true mercenaries finished of the last resistance of the yellow&blacks. Trashed their hopes of an unlike outcome of the classic battle between the VRA and HCC. Some quick running and a mighty four of the fowler howler in the last over brought the final and well deserved victory home to Mokum.
A victory well deserved with some excellent fielding of Blokland, agent Mulder and some unconventional bowling of Willem (no son of) van Mierlo gave the wicketkeeper a glorious occasion to make up for his fumbling behind the wicket with an stunning leg side catch. And Sander Kempen is not only making an impression just with his appearance. Two overs of steady bowling (keep looking at the pink gloves) and some breathtaking throwing to the wicketkeeper shows promise for Merv Hughes-like dimensions.
Ruurt needs special mentioning for making good Johnny R’s lack of concentration in the morning by supplying us with the scorebook. Thanks R.
And other thanks go to our dear Sanne for supporting the 1st Zami team on a hostile ground. With his erratic comments he was confusing everybody again. Keep the good spirit in there mate.
Theo Lindemann

Zami 2 verplettert Groen Geel

9 mei 2009
Zami 2
Groen & Geel
So the Zami Army congregated at the fine hostelry that is the Wildschut. Some earlier than others and some with fresher heads than others. However, all filled with excitement and anticipation of the first away game of the season. Floris’s recruitment drive at Schipol Airport has worked well and hours of standing outside the arrivals gate with a sign saying “Cricket Players Wanted” have paid off as we welcomed Deon Veldtman (more of him later), JJ Sobti and Linton van Zyl into the team. Linton was very much in the good books of the dictator during the car journey to the match when he was heard to ask Floris: “So for how long did you used to play professional cricket?”. On arrival to the Groen & Geel ground we were welcome by some familiar faces (notably their very friendly and likeable captain Peter) and also our very own Ruurt Schreuder who, despite being injured and unable to play, still came along to support his friends and help out with some scoring and umpiring. What a man. What a team player. What a legend.
Fresh from his adulation at the hands of the new boy Floris and Tommy Spits set about getting the requested 200 runs that our captain Bob-Jan had set us before the start of play. Whilst not exactly scoring with the pace of Gilchrist and Hayden in their opening 10 overs or so they helped soften up the hard ball on what was clearly a very difficult wicket to bat on. In a move that seemed to defy physics the slower the bowling was the higher the bounce was – a scenario that was to become the undoing of the middle order as the innings progressed. Floris was first to go after an industrious 10 runs and John Reardon entered the fray. A man of his experience and class must have been licking his lips at the more than friendly bowling and average (at best) fielding so it was a surprise to all, and especially himself, that he was soon walking back 3 balls later after the ball looped off his bat quicker than Usain Bolt on drugs. Ellerton was next in and with the fortune of seeing his predecessor go out to an extraordinary bouncing delivery he reminded himself to play back on what was clearly becoming a very unpredictable wicket. This advice lasted all of 3 balls and he too was back in the hutch. Bob Jan pushed himself up the order and joined his brother who must have been wondering what on earth was going on as he hadn’t so much had given half a chance away. Bob Jan looked in fine form but then from nowhere he walked back onto his wickets….the responsibility of being captain and wanting as many of his team to bat as possible was obviously at the front of his mind. What a sacrifice he made. Joost Deckers was next in and faired only 1 run better than Reardon and Ellerton as he too was caught. The G&G smelt blood and threw on their secret weapon – a gentleman who hadn’t played cricket for 10 years who bowled a 17 ball over!
With the advantage back with the Zami 2, Spits and new boy JJ Sobti (a schoolboy minor counties player who used to be in the same team as a one Monty Panesar) took the game to the G&G attack and soon the runs started to flow. The busiest fielder was Joost Deckers – signed by G& on a loan basis for 3 sandwiches and a cup of tea. Sobti went to a great catch on the boundary and the icon that is Toon Hintzen joined Spits. The partnership didn’t last long and Tommy was back in the pavilion after a valiant 44. Hintzen and our South African import Deon, who had only arrived in the country that morning and was playing under special dispensation by the Dutch Immigration officials who were on hand to whisk him back for more questioning after the game, were the Zami 2’s last real hope of getting the total somewhere near the 150 mark. And boy did they deliver! Both played with beautiful timing and panache on what was a difficult pitch for batting – 4 was followed by 6 and followed by some great running between the wickets and soon the score ticked along at a rapid rate. The 150 which looked so difficult to achieve when the middle order were skittled out was not surpassed but totally smashed and now they had 200 in their sights. Hintzen’s 38 runs was his highest score in the 21st century and helped by a dropped catch by Ellerton, fielding for the opposition, he played a starring role in the 90+ partnership they put on. Special mention to Deon who batted with patience, class and style. No care for the bouncy pitch that had taken many of his colleagues earlier in the innings - he just got on it in a good old fashioned manner. The makings of a long and successful Zami career had begun.
So it was with great enthusiasm that the Zami 2’s headed towards the pavilion (or should that be golf course clubhouse?) for tea after taking their total to a very respectable 189. Conversations of “what flavor the sandwiches would be” or “I wonder how many different types of cakes they have” were soon dispersed as the reality of what can only be described as the worlds worst cricket tea in history. Some pathetic looking biscuits and only a few slices of cake were presented. Not acceptable for a bunch of athletes like the Zami 2 if have strick nutrional requirements when playing active sport. A letter of complaint has been sent to G&G and we await their feedback.
The tea that had done so much to deflate the Zami 2 spirit now provided the inspiration for our leaders team talk with Bob Jan getting the boys into a huddle and saying “Lets kick these guys butts for giving us such a f***ing awful tea”. With added enthusiasm and a spring in their step the Zami 2 looked like the professionals they once were (Floris) and prepared to mastermind the defence of their 189 runs. It became clear very early on that not only was the 189 safe but infact 50 runs would be safe as well. Linton and JJ Soti’s opening partnership proved too strong for the weak G&G batting lineup and soon the top four were back in the pavilion. Deon couldn’t stay out of the action even when in the field and took a Collingwood-esque catch at mid off to remove their one and only half decent batsman. The game was all but over. With the score at 13-5 it was time to let a few others have a go and Richardson and Deckers came to the party. Concentration was always going to be tough when it was so early on in the innings that the game was all but over but the Zami 2 stuck to their task and reduced the G&G to less than 50 for their innings. Not only were they helped by the fact G&G only had 8 players (clearly they do not adopt the Schipol recruitment drive that Floris does) but the brutal pace of Sir Richo’s bowling rendered one of them in hospital and 3 stitches were required to heal the gaping wound. OUCH!
With the game over the boys enjoyed some Dommelsh (filthy lager) in the sunshine and true to form even the G&G post match snacks were pitiful….when will they learn? Its times like this we must mention how lucky we are to have the lovely Ruth & Patrick as hosts….great food, great company and great passion for the Zami. Remember how lucky we are gents – take the time to thank them next Saturday. We must be the envy of all Dutch cricket.

Regels jeugdwedstrijden

Vorige jaren begonnen wij later dan door de Bond aangegeven. Het lukte bijna altijd om dan nog steeds op tijd klaar te zijn voordat de middagwedstrijd begon. Wij hadden daar dan altijd ook goed contact over met de jeugdleider van de tegenpartij die altijd blij was in de vroege ochtend iets meer ruimte te hebben voor verzamelen en reis naar Amstelveen.
Maar de Bond zegt:

U9-U10-U11-U13-U15 - aanvang 9:00 uur - pauze tussen de innings maximaal 30 minuten.
U18 - aanvang 13:00 uur ( en een paar regels verder staat 13:30 uur )
In de praktijk is 13:00 uur haalbaar na een wedstrijd van een jong team, maar speel je na U15 op het zelfde veld, dan liever 13:30 aanhouden.
Speelduur innings van U9 is 12 overs,
U10 is 16 overs,
U11 is 20 overs,
U13 is 30 overs,
U15 is 35 overs,
U18 is 40 overs.
Mark Reeves

U10 incasseert nederlaag

9 mei 2009
VRA U10 15
Rood & Wit U10 32
De eerste wedstrijd van het seizoen. We stonden nog wat onwennig te kijken voor de zeer dichte deur van het clubhuis. Ondanks de toezeggingen van de bar was er niemand op te openen. Toch wel vervelend om 08:15 uur. Gelukkig kwam Binnert 3 minuten voor de tegenstanders om de deur te openen en ons een blamage te besparen. Het veld werd keurig uitgezet door onze nieuwe groundsman, wat een luxe weer, en wij zetten de stoelen en tafel bij het 2e veld neer. De toss werd gewonnen en Victor Storm van 's Gravesande en Robin Lysen de 2 captains besloten na onderling overleg eerst te gaan fielden. Gezien het feit dat we nu met een zware plastic bal spelen en de lucht en het gras nog wat vochtig waren een begrijpelijke beslissing. De bowling werd geopend door onze beste bowler van vorig jaar Zohra Kahn. Uiteindelijk bowlt iedereen 2 overs. Nog veel wides maar tussendoor echte goede ballen. Ben Vlielander Heijn is de beste bowler vandaag, hij neemt 2 wickets voor 5 runs. verder nemen Lancelot Bloemen en Emma Turmain ieder nog 1 wicket. Samen met 1 run out komt het totaal van Rood en Wit op 17 runs. (voor ieder wicket gaan er 3 runs af). Dat lijkt een makkie.
Jasper Herszstein en Emma Turmain gaan openen met batten, zij nemen de opdracht geen wickets te verliezen erg serieus en scoren 2 runs en helaas 1 runout. Ook Victor en Robin hebben 1 uit maar wel 4 runs. Lancelot en Zohra voegen 4 runs toe aan het totaal met 2 x uit. Ben en Rohan hebben ook moeite met de toch wel trage bal van Rood & Wit en uiteindelijk hebben wij 15 runs en 6 x uit dus een totaal van -3.
Na de wedstrijd vieren we de verjaardag van Victor met lekkere Wafels. En wordt er gezamenlijk gelunched. We hebben besloten om zelf boterhammen te gaan smeren voor ons zelf en de tegenstanders, dit omdat er voor de jeugdlunches helaas geen budget meer is.
Al met al een leuke wedstrijd met leuke tegenstanders waarvan we zeker volgende keer kunnen winnen. Dus goed trainen aanstaande woensdag om 16:15 uur!!!