Mo Smashes Cavs to Dramatic Victory

The Cavs victory over Tooting United was one for the ages. Cricket is very much a team sport, but it really helps when you have someone who can hit the ball pretty much into Putney - step forward Mo Saleem! For the good stuff skip to our innings. It was at times, frankly, bonkers.

A late start saw the Cavs fielding on a wet but drying pitch in a 35 over match. Dillon and Mo were bowling tight and giving little away.

Stephen Broad came into the attack, also bowling tightly - although ironically took his wicket with one of the worst balls of his otherwise tidy spell! A half tracker was sent soaring to cow - with Dillion taking a sharp catch.

Wickets were starting to tumble - two going to skipper Fahad Hassan in one over, who finished with an impressive 4-10. First Will Barnett took a fine low catch (it ended with him cuddling the ball, but a catch is a catch) and then bowling their number 4. Another Fahad wicket followed the next over.

After 15 overs, the score was 53-4 - and frankly we were feeling rather pleased with ourselves. Good fielding, good catching. Very un-Cavs like.

After drinks, we turned to our twin spin attack Abiram Ramesh and Ekaan Sheikh.

Abiram struck immediately with a ripper that gripped on the pitch.

But with the change of bowling also came their number 7 who was starting to play expansively on his way to a well struck 50, and for the first time the score started to get away from us.

Abiram got the danger man out, with Mo catching on the rope.

A few big heaves from their lower order kept the score rising - with Dillon picking up a well deserved wicket, with Stephen taking the catch.

We were chasing 190 - doable, but also with the feeling that we probably had let the game get away from us slightly.

And then the drama started.

Mark Boag and Will Barnett started well enough. Will especially was playing some gorgeous stuff, frankly making us elder players wonder what we've been doing wrong our whole 'careers'.

But in true Cavs style we collapsed. Going from 28-0 to 30-3. Top stuff.

But that brought Mo Saleem and Fahad Hassan to the middle. Mo had a let off on not very many at all, chipping to mid-on, with no-ball the call. Little did Tooting know how important that no-ball would be.

Fahad and Mo dug in and started the recovery, but crucially the runs started to dry up. 37 runs in 10 overs followed - with the required run rate going up and up. At drinks we were 67-4, with Fahad departing.

The job for incoming batsman was pretty clear - give Mo the strike, or score quickly. Ideally both. But Tooting were starting to bowl really well - getting them away was a real challenge, even for Mo.

With 10 overs to go we were 100 runs off what we needed - a run rate of 10 an over... Things weren't looking great. Myself and Rich Else both departed desperately trying to up the run rate with daft shots. But crucially Mo remained.

With six overs to go we were 80 runs off with 4 wickets left. 13 runs an over needed. It was looking pretty dead.

And then Mo went crazy. There is literally no other way to describe it. What followed was a masterclass in big hitting - monster 6s were flying everywhere. Tooting were desperately guarding the short boundary, but it really doesn't matter where you put your field when Mo is creaming the ball 50 foot over your head. They weren't even bowling that badly either, Mo just looked fired up. These were the sort of sixes that made you fear for cars parked on the road. The sort of sixes that had snow on the ball when they came down.

Problem was, we were running out of batters to keep Mo company. Dillon was caught behind, Stephen was run out gallantly trying to get Mo back on strike - both scoring valuable runs too.

With four overs and two wickets left, we needed 38 runs. Mo continued his aerial bombardment with Abiram for company - who did a stellar job rotating the strike and also picking up some runs. But he also fell, leaving #11 Ekaan. 13 from 12 needed. Ekaan did superbly when called upon to get Mo back on strike - and Mo's 8th 6 of the day, with 8 balls left took us level, with a single finishing it off. Cruelly Mo was 99*, but it was a performance that will live long in the memory.

MoM - Mo, obviously.
Champagne moment - Mo's final 6 to effectively win us the game.
Wally of the day - Mark Boag for starting to wonder off thinking he was out caught by the bowler, despite the ball clearly bouncing!