MHV 3s cruise to second consecutive win with strong team effort against Old Haberdashers 2s

Bakhtiar Sahil and Sanket Shah recorded a thumping 88-run partnership as MHV 3s beat Old Haberdashers 2s by seven wickets on Saturday, June 4.

Sahil and Shah, who made 43 and 59 not out respectively, broke the back of a modest chase after the 3s were reduced to 35-2 in the 11th over chasing 160. Anand Verma hit the ball sweetly from the off for his breezy 16 not out, including a six over mid-wicket to finish the match in just the 29th over, after Sahil fell short of his half-century. But the standout knock was from Shah, who despite recovering from a knee injury was able to hit some lusty blows, including one memorable maximum driven straight down the ground that landed in a tree and required a step ladder to get it out. The MHV historian will have to confirm whether this was a club first.

Swashbuckling Sahil rode his luck early on his innings, nearly getting caught at short mid on, but his clean striking put a probing Old Haberdashers attack on the back foot after opener Aryan Thaker (11) was beaten trapped in front by a full delivery by pacey Josh Reynolds, the pick of the opposition bowlers. Thaker's opening partner David Hickey (12), in a scratchy first knock of the season, followed soon after, gloving behind attempting to cut Reynolds. Thaker and Hickey had at least provided something of a platform after Old Haberdashers opening bowlers Adnan Younas and Harsha Achanta had extracted prodigious seam movement early on from a spicy back pitch at the Village.

The 3s own pace attack was able to gain similar movement, taking wickets at regular intervals as Old Haberdashers limped to a below-par 159 all out with four overs remaining batting first up. So consistent was the line and length of Aryan Thaker, Asad Dullah, Hamdard Jan Temori and James Cater that it allowed wicketkeeper-captain Zafar Basit to give his bowlers lengthy spells and maintain attacking fields. Standing up to the wicket for much of the innings, Basit kept superbly while marshalling his bowlers. Spinner Raj Bajaj completed the job by taking the final wicket leg before in a pleasing cameo with the ball. MHV 3s' catching was also superb, with the exception of the slip cordon where three difficult chances were put down. For Old Haberdashers, only captain Raghav Sehgal (60) and Ansh offered resistance at the crease for any length of time.

MHV 3s had lost their three opening fixtures but after two wins on the bounce and key batters finding form, they should approach their next fixture against Letchmore, again at home, brimming with confidence.