By Grockle
December 7 2012

Thursday 8:00am and the world of Oman cricket changes as grass becomes a surface an Omani cricketer has experience of!!  Not that familiarity with it is going to come easily to them.  Here's the story of the first game.

Many thanks to all the guys watching who helped put this together today. Apologies to names I have got wrong.  Please contact me with any corrections and I'll happily put the right.  This is written for an English audience on www.grockles.com in Somerset.  I do hope people elsewhere take the comments in the good humour in which they are meant but if I have unconsciously offended anyone please let me know and I will immediately do my best to put it right.

Assarain v Muscat City @ Al Amerat Muscat Thursday 6 December 2012

8;00am on a Thursday seems a strange time to inaugurate a cricket ground but when you are playing a 50 over match in the semi heat (it is unseasonably cold at a mere 24 degrees C - almost a normal UK August day ) of the desert it probably makes more sense. The opening of the first official Omani Cricket Club grass wicket at Al Amerat outside Muscat is such an event.   The top side in the Omani league in 2011, Assarain, versus the runners up, Muscat City, with the great and good of the nation's cricket hierarchy in attendance.

There are probably few grounds in the world where you talk about bowling or batting from the 'Mountain End' but this place nestles in the foothills of Oman's shield wall  and in the quite overcast (there may be rain!) conditions it still looks magnificent - a little spot of green in a uniformally sandy brown landscape.

Assarain lost the toss and are "forced" to bat on a wicket no-one but the groundsman has any idea about. What will this strip do in unusual conditions for this part of the world - heavy dew and overcast, almost English conditions for the bowlers. Will it swing? Will it be low and slow?

The Assarain Team

It seems to have decent bounce and carry off a length as Zeeshan Maqsoud and Arun  Poulse open for Assrain (Maqsoud made 199 on debut for Oman last season) after the slow low characteristics of the matting wickets this must be heaven for the predominantly Asian players in these two sides and an early boundary and a pretty confident LBW shout suggest there is something here for both sides.

Muscat open with seam from both ends with Rajesh from the Pavilion End getting the most out of the bounce. There are a few early hold ups as the ground staff establish where the sight screens need to be at both ends and the odd door here and there is closed to provide a consistent white background to the batsman's eye. One thing thing that is immediately in step with this new environment is the enthusiastic vocal support from the 'bleachers' for both sides from ball 1.

During the first few overs the openers are looking to get the feel for the wicket. The fielding side find themselves also dealing with unusual conditions, an infield the is more predictable and a slow outfield because of morning dew. Everything here is 'bedding in' but as Nadeem of Assarain says ' players are hungry to play here now'.

The openers start to 'open' and in the seventh over Zeeshan fulfills his promise to hit the first six on grass in the country - a straight six at that!  It prompts a change of bowling for the 9th over after a beautiful cover drive suggests these two are getting their eye in. Medium pacer Adnan (Omani National team all rounder) takes over and gets some early swing. It is a wholesale change as Ganesh takes the tenth opening his account at the Mountain end.

After 10 the score is sedate 42 but the Assarain men are getting used to the length and are starting to pick lines. The 50 arrives in the 12th with another sublime cover drive boundary and 8 off the over. Arif the skipper strides to the crease as Arun misreads a slow ball and loops a drive to the mid wicket fielder in the 13th, without anything other than a Bath Festival basic scoreboard I can only say that Assarain are 63 for 1 at the end of that over. The new batsman however holds a great deal of his sides expectation as he has scored a total of over 200 in his last two visits to the crease.

But the Muscat's bowlers aren't ready to give up control however and when Rajesh is re-introduced from the Pavilion for the 19th over, the medium pace of Adnan and especially Monish from the Mountain have restricted Assarain to 79 without further loss.  Discussion is now about par scores. 250 seems to be favourite but the question of whether the outfield will quicken as it dries - lots of triples at the moment as shots over the infield are slowing up towards the rope - is an important factor.  The wicket has also had four days of rain so how it will hold up in its first full game is also coming into the equation. Cricket in the Sultanate has entered a new age of uncertainty.

Monish finally gets some reward for his variation of length and pace as Arif gets a drive too high up the bat and is victim of an excellent diving catch at mid on. This is followed almost immediately by the same man clean bowling the new batsman Fiaz.  Sindo takes his place as the 20th over ends with an entirely different position of 84 for 3. Another change takes place at the Pavilion end as Karan provides the first looping spin of the game. Assarain have to build again though the constant presence of Zeeshan does give them a foundation.  Uncertainty between the batsmen in term of running does not help when Sindo has a 'yes, no, maybe' moment with himself and doesn't get back into his ground. Run out for not a lot leaving his side 88 for 4 after 22 and in a bit of a hole.

In the 25th, with only 95 on the board a stumping increases the batting sides' agony, Ram strides forward to stroke the ball back to the bowler, doesn't connect but does leave his crease and a sharp piece of keeper work removes another Assarain batsman with the side still under 3 figures at 98 for 5 passing the halfway point. A score under 200 will not be enough on this ground.

Presently most people think the score is some 30 odd below what would be par at this stage but the wicket position is more of a problem.  Wicket number 6 seems a matter of time as the new batsman Asif seems keen to give the slips fielding practice with guided flicks.and he dies to a first slip catch in the 26th with a one run increase to the score. My source of information, Nadeem takes his place at the start of the 27th.

It's pace again from the Mountain as Muscat's number 41 comes steaming in. Nadeem's defence is far more solid and the two men take their side to 100 by the end of the over.  Unfortunately they are making no headway against the Muscat fast men or the loop of Karan from the Pavilion. They simply can't get the ball off the strip.
It's spin from both ends from the 30th as number 7 comes on at the Mountain, the pressure increases and the score is not moving. Muscat have a stranglehold on this game.

Assarain try to break that and take 6 off the 31st but Zeeshan, while trying to keep that going, holes out to long off at the start of the next one and the tail is exposed to their rivals at 106 for 7. Khalid takes his place and has to try and compile some kind of defendable score with Nadeem in the next 18 overs while the Muscat boys are pretty confident that they can stop that happening.

It looks like they are right as Khalid tries to cut a looping delivery and feathers one to the keeper.  Eight down and Shuji at the crease. Abbas (Assarain's Salkot Stallion) is the last man in but at 108 for 8 in the 33rd his side are probably hoping for more from him  with the ball than the bat.

Shiju has had a think about how to deal with the loop of Karan and employs the sweep, Muscat give the helmet to Adnan and employ the close fielder and the game of cat and mouse continues into the 35th which ends on 'Nelson' (no jumping about here though). The replacement of the difficult Karan (everything about his bowling says a batsman should be able to fill his boots but no one seems able to get his length) with the pace of 41 gives a respite and allows Shiju and Nadeem to put something together. By the 37th they have got out of the doldrums and moved the score to 123 but Monish is back at the other end so the 'breather' is short lived.

With 10 overs to go, the wickets seem to have dried up but constant rotation of the bowlers had made scoring very difficult and there is only 130 in the Assarain kitty with only 2 wickets left.  It is unlikely that the batting side can start to accelerate and even 175 seems a long way off.  Shiju does try to move things on but sweeps once too often and is caught at 136 in the 41st. Abbas enters the fray but not for long as he is the last man out at 145 in the 45th.  Some determined fight from Assarain's tail but it surely isn't enough, even if the outfield stays this slow for the whole game.

I spend the lunch break after a very generous meal courtesy of the match organisers (hospitality is a watch word here) talking to a very keen and excited Ugandan international Kyobe Arthur who is playing here for one of the other league sides (wonderfully called 'Passage to India'). He is very much looking forward to getting his teeth into this pitch tomorrow because he sees loads of potential to exploit the unfamiliarity of the conditions to opposing fielders, batsmen and bowlers (he is coached in Uganda by Alviro Petersen's old coach Conrad something and the Mighty Steve (there can be only one) Tikolo).

Movement and unpredictability don't go away though at the start of the reply.  By the 5th over, against line and length from Nadeem and Abbas, Muscat City find themselves 16 for 2.  146 looks a very long way away.  The middle order batsmen Asaad and Adnan look semi settled though and I am told that the opening bowling pair for Assarain are the best of the attack.  That is how it seems to be, although the scoring is slow, it is constant and wickets stop falling while 146 gets nearer. The openers give way to spin and the 50 arrives in the 16th over, the game is not beyond Assarain but they need wickets, they can't hope to restrain Muscat to within 150.

In the 20th over the fielding side get some hope as Asaad is tempted to give a delivery the long handle but only succeeds in finding the hands of Abbas rather than the boundary - 65 for 3.  Unfortunately this simply brings the present Omani captain Mr Mehta to the crease and the steady accumulation of runs continues.  My second information source Imran reckons the game is over when Adnan hits the ground boundary that takes Muscat over 100 in the 27th and by the 30th this has become 105.  It's slow but pretty inevitable unless there is a catastrophic collapse of wickets in the next few overs.  One aspect that the Muscat batsmen have learned is that hitting the ball THROUGH the infield is the way to get boundaries.  If they hit OVER the inner ring the ball just stops on the soft ground.

Fate steps in as Sindu ensures that the Omani national skipper does not partner Adnan to victory. Mehta is judged LBW  off the Assarain bowler at 117 in the 32nd.  Swapinal, the keeper, fails to stay long enough either as he is caught behind 10 runs and two overs later. Yousef, the Omani batsman I have seen destroy attacks before also fails, cutting to point straight into the fielder's hands at 129.

Assarain start to hope for some kind of late collapse and an unlikely victory as Nadeem caps off a good allround performance by taking his fourth wicket.  Muscat hope for some stability and a bonus point as new batsman Rajesh joins Adnan and together they move to 134 in the 39th.  A boundary from Adnan moves his side to 140 and the batsman to an excellent, well crafted 50 as part of another excellent allround performance.  5 balls looking for 146 and that vital bonus point puts pressure on the men in the middle and with 143 off the first 3 balls, Rajesh is bowled by Shuji looking for the winning boundary.  Assarain fall three short and have to wait until the 41st to take the game by 3 wickets with 9 overs to spare

An excellent start on a wicket that fooled many and gave a lot of those playing and watching a great deal to think about.  Al Amerat is going to catch a lot of players out and tax the skills and techniques of many more. "Par"scores are going to be difficult to predict as this strip beds in and the bowlers and batsmen who learn to adapt themselves on a game by game basis are going to benefit the most from the opportunities to play 'real' cricket.  It's going to be fun watching Omani cricket go through this learning process and they are going to come out of it a great deal harder to beat.

The Green Green Grass of (H)Oman

Discussion started by Grockles.com , 14/12/2012 19:05

Grockles.com
14/12/2012 19:05

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:21:22:09:53 by Grockle.

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AGod
15/12/2012 09:40

Have you, I wonder, ever thought of using whatever contacts you may have built up at SCCC to see whether there's any chance that an SCCC Academy type side might want go out there to further their experience, whilst also giving the Omanis some different types of players to play against?

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old boy!
15/12/2012 10:30

Quote:

AGod
Have you, I wonder, ever thought of using whatever contacts you may have built up at SCCC to see whether there's any chance that an SCCC Academy type side might want go out there to further their experience, whilst also giving the Omanis some different types of players to play against?

Sounds a pretty good idea! Grockle could be Manager (Director of Cricket) with AGod as assistant doing the Kevin Shine bit.

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Grockle
15/12/2012 12:52

We did discuss a Somerset rep side coming out to open this pitch with Guy but the guys itineraries seem to be planned well in advance and the other "MCC" (Club Cricket) were coming out in April.

When it's settled down a bit it would be interesting. May have a chat with the new man in the June. We have another involvement coming up if things go to plan.... But not yet confirmed.

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Naxxar
31/05/2013 20:49

This is a wonderful article.

This Grockle writes really well and has a real passion and love for cricket. A nice read.

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Grockle
31/05/2013 21:19

Thanks for that Naxxar much appreciated.

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Loyal of Lhasa.
01/06/2013 11:21

I love that notice: invite Trott out to play and he would need counselling. It might even cure him of his OCD.

LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

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Grockle
01/06/2013 12:04

I'm sat here watching the start of the Lions tour with 30 nutters about to play rugby in Hong Kong in 32 degree heat and 70 odd % humidity.

It's 36 degrees here with a little less atmosphere and NO-ONE is playing cricket until after Ramadan - late July early August. They look after their pitches and aren't stupid.

I did think this morning that I ought to go out and have a look at the pitch at the end of the year before I come back. It's had some heavy play on it so it will be interesting to see how it plays now and at the start of the next season. Big one for Oman. 2 fully Omani sides in the top league next season.

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AGod
01/06/2013 13:38

Are they an ICC Associate team at national level?

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Grockle
01/06/2013 13:48

Yep since 1980. Oman were one game from the last World Cup (the place finally taken by Afghanistan).

They were third in Division 2 in 2007 but since then they have gone backwards as the side has aged and a split between Oman and Asian players in the leagues and the National side has developed. (That was what my Wisden article was supposed to be about before the editors got hold of it)

They have just been relegated from Division 3 after two very poor performances in ICC tournaments - (15th out of 16 in the ICC World Cup Tournament in Nepal in 2011 and then 5th out of 6 in the Division 3 tournament last month in Bermuda).

They need to rebuild and get the government and the youth involved in the game.

I'm writing an article for the Omancricket.com site before I come home and I'll leave the rest for that.

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