Doctors scorch the Suns

It’s that time of the week again!

For the third straight week the Pitch Doctors were to play out at Kianawah Park, this time on the tiny ground 12, a ground where even this reporter, if he had had a chance to bat, could have hit a maximum. Coming off a comfortable win last week, the Doctors had only three changes to the line-up this week, with Raja Chinthamuneedi making way after his 95 and Sachin Perera taking the week off after his equally man of the match winning performance of bringing the VBs and Rishi Gupta away on other duties. To replace them Gus Douglas made a return after being a later out last week, Garry Cheng made a return playing in the inaugural season of the Doctors and veteran John Cross rounded off the changes.

The opponents this week were the Springwood Suns (Blue), a team that had more trouble getting a side to the ground on time than the Doctors do. Nonetheless they managed to save face by winning the toss and sent the Doctors in to the field.

Opening up again this week again were Shamsul Kazi and Rob Corrigan and the first few overs were modest, without any wickets. Corrigan managed to take the first wicket with a catch behind square leg to Sooraj Prakash, before possibly making the best decision of his life by bringing on Tony Pham. Unlucky not to have a bowl last week and having only bowled two overs in the first game, Pham was keen to make his mark and make it he did. W.W.W. was how the over went. 3-0 after six balls and Springwood were in a disarray having been ripped apart by the hooping leftie. It could have been easily a five wicket haul for the young man if half chances had fallen the way of the Doctors, but the damage had been done. A father-combination managed to consolidate the Springwood innings to bring them to a respectable total, before Whittle, Cross, and Prakash took the remaining wickets to close out the Springwood innings.

Set 140 to chase, the batting innings could have gone either way with a small total like this, but what ensued is best described as clinical. Panju and Jo Corrigan opened the batting and put on a solid opening partnership before Corrigan hit a leading edge to a short mid-wicket. There was no looking back from there though as Panju and new batsmen to the crease Matt Belford put on a show hitting the ball to all corners of the park with precision and skill, a batting masterclass. Belford ended up on 66 not and Panju fell short of his 50 with a 42 not out. Doctors win by 9 wickets. The win now leaves the Doctors at the top of the ladder with rivals Macgregor losing to Kuraby.

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