Five innings, four fifties and now an unbeaten century. Sabaorish Ravichandran has not even been dismissed in the JCL since 14th April, and Tigers CC are grateful to him.

In this mid-season top of the table clash, Tigers posted 248/5 in 40 overs at Mount Fuji with the country’s leading batsman finishing 120* from 99 deliveries, supported at the end by a run-a-ball 28 from Rahul Koul.

For MAX, missing a number of players with travel sickness, Daichi Motoyama earned his first JCL wickets (2/47) while only Takuro Hagihara and Makoto Taniyama offered control by not conceding more than three per over.

In the chase half centuries from Supun Nawarathna (53), Amigo Kobayashi (80*) and Taniyama (57) should have been enough, but the latter’s decision to enter the fray at number eight, despite being one of the leading run scorers this season, may have left him with too much to do as other batsmen failed to cash in.

Three Tigers bowlers grabbed a pair of wickets, with Joe George’s 2/31 being the best of them to earn his side a 10-run win. Skipper Rajeev Nair was delighted with his teams batting, but critical of the bowling which he described as “below par” – a hard man to please!

Ueda (left) and Takada celebrate a straightforward victory

In the other top four clash, Chiba Sharks leapfrogged Alpha Quashers with a comfortable win to take them third in the table. New recruit Davian “Clampa” Johnson was the pick of the bowlers as his 3/15 restricted the Quashers to 155 all out in 37.2 overs; Rohit Kumar top scoring with 34.

Johnson (40) then opened the batting with skipper Dhugal Bedingfield (54) and put on 77 for the first wicket to break the back of the chase. Bedingfield completed another half century before being plumb LBW, leaving Tsuyoshi Takada and Arata Ueda to see the team home for a seven wicket and bonus point win.

As mentioned in our previous report, Tokyo Wombats were the only side to make 200 and end up on the losing side this season, which they have managed twice, so when Sano CC posted 205 all out the Wombats held every right to believe they could chase it down.

Sano were indebted to youth for their total as a mature 40 from 14-year-old prodigy Kazumasa Takahashi set the foundations, before a rollicking 62 from 29 balls from 17-year-old Nawaz Khan took the home team passed 200. Augustine Jacob (3/46) and Narendar Madhaven (3/43) were the happiest Wombat bowlers.

Patmore – Barnacle

The chase would always depend on Alex Patmore, who proved barnacle-like as he withstood everything thrown at him. A 59-run opening stand with Jacob (18) was followed by a decisive 116 partnership with Richie Bracefield, whose 53 more than doubled his JCL tally for the season.

As Wombats eased towards the victory it became all about whether Patmore could record his second JCL hundred of his career, but it was not to be as he ended 97* in a fine seven wicket win for his team.

In the one predictable match of the round Wyverns picked up their second win of the season as Paddy Foley’s remain rooted to the foot of the table with five successive losses. The total of 243/8 was built on contributions from all down the order, with Buddika Nanayakkara top scoring with 56 and Wataru Miyauchi next with 37. Saurabh Tiwari was the only bowler to experience much joy as he collectd 3/19.

It is a worry for any side when their number 10 is the top scorer; which Abhijith Sasikumar managed in scoring 17 at the end of the Paddy’s chase. Early wickets made life difficult, and then Raheel Kano destroyed the lower order; his 6/30 becoming the best figures of the season so far.

Wyverns rolled Paddys over for just 92 to earn a handsome 151-run win and the customary bonus point that comes with playing the pub team this season.