DPR Hot Dog and long time Shanghai cricketer Mike Tsesmelis added his name yet again to the SCC League Honour Boards with a sterling score of 115 against K2 on Sunday. With an international Frisbee tournament occupying the SRFC all weekend long, only two matches were played on June 10. Still looking for their first win of the season, the Dulwich Knights faced the red hot DPR Hot Dogs in Division 3, while in Division 1, the DPR Hot Dogs looked to even the season series against K2.

Division 1

K2 CCC vs DPR Hot Dogs
K2 won the toss and decided to bat. Openers Waqar Khattak (33) and Shoaib (29) Meer established a good foundation, frustrating the opening Hot Dog bowlers with the determination at the crease. 2011 batsman of the year Muhammad Shafqat added 31 to the board while regular Leopards batsmen Biplav Pokhrel (22) and Manish Lohani (21*) also contributed runs. Venki Eegapati, James Keel and Irfan Idrees all took two wickets a piece. K2 finished their innings on 229 for the loss of 8 wickets.

With such a high total to reach, Hot Dogs captain Mike Tsesmelis was not pleased to see both his openers walking back to the pavilion having faced only 10 balls collectively for 1 run. In at number three, he would anchor the Hot Dogs attack through several partnerships on his way to 115 from 119 deliveries including 10 4s and one 6. Waqar Khattak took three wickets while Sharik and Mehmood and Sharik took two each to keep the pressure on the Hot Dogs throughout the chase. Ben Goodwin added 21, Gavin Morgan 41 as the Hot Dogs ran down the required score with only three  deliveries remaining in the match.

K2 CCC 229/8, DPR Hot Dogs 231/7 – DPR Hot Dogs won by 3 wickets.

Division 3

Dulwich Knights vs DPR Hot Dogs
On a very hot and muggy morning at Dulwich College the day got off to an unusual start as the Dulwich Knights were short on players.  In order to give them time for their latecomers to arrive the Hot Dogs chose to field first.  Openers Bruce Neilson-Watts and Matt Goss started promisingly and looked like posting big totals, frustrating opening bowlers Venki Eegapati and Jitesh Hotswani.  But a few overs in a peach of a delivery by Eegapati rattled Neilson-Watts’ stumps and the Hot Dogs had their breakthrough.  Tim Bebb came in at number three and also looked composed and capable of a big score.  The first 10 overs of the innings were tight, with only one more wicket falling but with the Knights on a solid but unspectacular 56.  Dulwich looked after their wickets for the entire innings, only conceding 4 in total. Harry Worthing top scored with 27* as Dulwich reached a score of 112 from their 20 overs.

By the start of the second innings, Dulwich still only had seven players at the ground, so in the spirit of cricket, four Hot Dogs took to the field for a second time to make it a game. Some great bowling early on from Harry Worthing and Sue Hobkinson unnerved openers Andy Steel and Peter Roy, who were both removed relatively cheaply.  Stu Farr and Johnny Saldanha also came and went without unduly threatening the scorer’s pencil.  But just as the match looked like it was swinging towards the Knights, in came Manju Wijerama and Jitesh Hotswani to steady the ship. Wijerama hit 24 before being bowled by Tim Bebb and turned the tide in favour of the Hot Dogs.  Debutant Matt Short hit the winning runs with a boundary for four.

Dulwich Knights 112/4, DPR Hot Dogs 113/6 – DPR Hot Dogs won by 4 wickets.

Upcoming

Fixtures, Sunday, June 17 – Division 1: Daredevils CC vs Pudong Power, DPR Hot Dogs vs Bashers CC; Division 2: Digital Devils vs Pudong Power, Leopards CC vs Dynamite Devils; Division 3: Pudong Dream Team vs Pudong Dads and & Lads, DPR Hot Dogs vs Bashers CC, Dulwich Knights vs Daredevils CC