Match Report

DPR Hot Dogs vs Pudong

15th June 2008

Another exciting and pulsating match was played out yesterday as the DPR Hot Dogs faced a rejuvenated Pudong at the Dulwich Ground under gloomy skies and a sodden pitch. As this would be the last match for Sam Hunt and Mark and Paul Turner it was simply a game that the DPR Hot Dogs had to win. 

For the first 5 overs of the match the DPR Hot Dogs only had 6 players on the field after Deepak turned up at the wrong ground and Paul and Mark Turner were delayed after their match at BIS. Mike Tsesmelis was also delayed at BIS and turned up battered and bruised after a close encounter with a cowboy statue in a Manila night club.

Debutant Max and John Kett got the Hot Dogs off to a great start with some superb seam bowling which kept Pudong to only 51 runs off the first 17 overs. Mark Turner bowled his best spell of the season and picked up the 2 crucial wickets of the Pudong team in Jeremy and Jason. JJ also chipped in with a wicket and some fine darting deliveries. Despite his ever present ritual ground humping, grouchy attitude and constant warnings given to his skipper and other fielders, Mike Tsesmelis also bowled his best spell for the season and finished with 5-10. A great bowling and fielding performance saw Pudong all out for a total of 112 runs. With such a wet ground preventing boundaries this score looked to be more competitive than would otherwise have been the case.

The Hot Dogs innings didn’t start too brightly with Peter, Chad and Paul being routed for successive ducks by the new Pudong left arm quick who was menacing with the new ball and crushed Deepak’s toe with a nasty yorker to leave the Hot Dogs reeling at 4-12. Sam and Mike steadied the ship early on and after Sam’s dismissal John Kett came to the crease and batted manfully in overcoming a painful migraine and Mike’s homosexual advances at the other end. John was caught out for a gutsy knock of 17 but Mike held firm to finished the innings on 48 not out after Josh Holway deprived him of his half century by hitting a six to bring up the winning runs.

Mike “OPP” Tsesmelis fully deserved his Man of the Match nomination and the DPR Hot Dogs are now in contact with DHL to try and fly in his lucky Manila cowboy statue for every home match.

The apparently more subdued fines session that was supposed to be finalised at 7pm actually lasted until 11:30pm with beers and various shooters being thrown habitually into the mix.

The next match for the DPR Hot Dogs will be against our traditional rivals the Bashers (also referred to as the Gimp Squad by the People’s Captain) on 6^th July 2008. A victory here will surely qualify the DPR Hot Dogs for the finals so we need every player that is available to put their hands up for this match.  

 PS: Don’t forget to make it to our Team dinner at Vedas on Wednesday 18^th June to enjoy some fine Indian food and cold beer, all at the unbelievably low price of 150RMB.

Chad