After a hiatus of over 2 years, the Brazilian National Cricket Championship, aka The John Landers T20 Shield, returned with a bang in December 2021. Teams from Rio, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Poços de Caldas descended on the São Fernando Polo and Cricket Club to fight it out for Brazilian bragging rights. The competition was a league format, with all teams playing each other once and the title going to the team with the best overall record. Saturday began with blue skies and bright sunshine, and some visiting players were overheard asking if it was always that hot in Rio – the answer being it is often much hotter!
Carioca Cricket Club began its quest for a first title in 8 years by facing a team of promising young players from Poços. CCC won the toss and elected to bat, and were soon fighting to stay afloat against Poços’ phalanx of fast, accurate bowlers. With scoring opportunities limited, CCC’s normally explosive opener Khalil Khan top scored with a gutsy 49. However, with no-one able to keep going at the other end CCC were restricted to 113/7, leaving Poços as slight favourites in the chase. 3 quick wickets at the beginning of Poços’ innings meant there was suddenly everything to play for, but Poços continued to play attacking cricket, perhaps sensing that one quickfire innings could break the back of the chase. However, excellent outfielding by CCC kept runs to a premium and flawless catching meant wickets kept falling regularly. Felipão de Melo took 3 wickets in the middle overs, bringing Cricket Brazil grandee Matt Featherstone to the crease as Poços’ last hope. When he was 8th man out with 28 runs to go, CCC finally felt like they were favourites and duly wrapped up the innings with Poços 18 runs short.
Meanwhile São Paulo were facing Minas on the other pitch with a bouncier wicket, conducive to faster bowling and quicker scoring. SP batted first, and although they were tied down by Minas early on, acceleration in the latter part of the innings meant they set Minas a target of 156 to win. Minas kept ahead of the scoring rate and looked to be favourites with around 30 needed to win off the last five overs, but an excellent spell of fast bowling from SP’s Rohan meant the tensest of finales with one run needed off the last ball. Huge cheers were heard from the Minas contingent when the ball was glanced to the leg side boundary for 4 runs and victory.
CCC’s second match was against old rivals São Paulo, who despite being slightly under-strength, still had some of the most talented individuals in the tournament and seemed confident going into bat first. However, with the wicket taking spin, CCC had a bowling attack to match them, and in Doug (The Head) Hutchings, had a left-arm wrist spinner in the form of his life. Batters were bowled around their legs sweeping, bowled through the gate driving, or caught out mistiming forcing shots whilst attempting to up the scoring rate. Scarcely believable figures of 6/12 for Doug meant SP were bowled out for 35, a total which CCC chased down with 6 wickets to spare. In the other game, Poços showed their batting skills by setting a monster total of 255, dominated by a daddy hundred by their talented young batter Luizinho Morais (which would lead to him getting the batter of the tournament award) and bolstered by quickfire innings from Richard Avery and Ale Felipe. Unsurprisingly, Minas were unable to chase down such a big score. Thus, as the teams wound down on Saturday night with the traditional bonfire (not to mention some bottles of finest Minas cachaça), the right combination of results the next day would lead to 3 teams on 2 wins each and a net run rate decider, something CCC were determined to avoid.
The teams woke up on Sunday to discover that there had been heavy rain overnight, and as we approached the ground there was some trepidation as to what state we might find it. In the event, the outfield had drained off nicely and the ball skidding off the wet wickets would offer new challenges to both batter and bowler alike. In the first match to finish, Poços gave themselves a chance of the crown by restricting São Paulo to a total of 102 which they were able to knock off in 12 overs. Thus, all eyes turned to Minas vs CCC, with Minas needing a win to have any chance of emerging as champions. CCC went into bat first, and the initial overs were a struggle with runs coming slowly. Three early wickets for Daniel Hobbs against his erstwhile teammates meant CCC needed to rebuild, and at the half way stage a score of 53-3 meant the Cariocas still had a lot to do. The second half of the innings saw CCC accelerate whilst keeping wickets in hand, Spike Strang posting an impressive fifty. An explosive knock at the death by Syed Hamza Safeer, including 5 sixes in 13 balls, took CCC to an imposing-looking 165-5 off 20 overs. Beginning their reply, Minas’ task was complicated by 2 quick wickets and a run out by CCC captain Cameron Hall. Three more wickets from bowler-of-the-tournament Doug The Head meant Minas were suddenly looking down the barrel. However, with big-hitting Greigor Caisley coming in at number 8, all was not lost. Could he inspire an amazing turnaround? It was not to be, as a fantastic running catch in the deep from who else but Captain Cam removed the dangerman. CCC could finally breathe more easily and Minas were eventually dismissed for 73. Cue ecstatic celebrations from CCC, who lifted the trophy with a 100% record to decisively end 8 years of hurt! After the many frustrations of the previous 2 years, all involved could go home with good memories of a thoroughly enjoyable tournament, and excited by the prospect of more to come in 2022.
