Today was game four, the WAM walking wounded versus the A.K. Sports Club. Apparently the ground was very close but we were still required to leave by 8.30. Once again we journeyed on the Noida Expressway southwards and slowly before turning off and backtracking on a service road. It appeared we had missed the turnoff and were not quite sure where we were meant to be going. The feeling did not improve as we drove on to dirt roads and away from built up areas and into wasteland and then farmland on narrow lanes. After a while we emerged at the Flora Farms which seems to be a farm as well as a function facility, you know weddings, parties, anything. The anything in our case being cricket and the Flora Farms has a quaint cricket ground in the middle of a rural setting. It was delightful. The sounds were of birds not traffic. We would har a single car horn for next seven hours. On one side of the ground were small fields complete with a small rough huts and local families. In one field women were squatting and weeding using hand trowels. Barefoot kids ran up and down the road.

For the first time we arrived at a ground and the opposition were not there, only the umpire was there, he was sitting beside his motor bike . Twenty minutes late the opposition and scorer arrived, in two very small cars and on a single motor bike.

We lost the toss and were asked to bowl. The opening batsmen were the most sedate we had encountered so far on tour. They poked and prodded at Wayne and Steensie's swingers and swatted for four at any short ones that popped up. Wayne bowled 8 very good overs and the runs were not flowing as expected on such a small ground. The opposition were a mixture of oldies and young teenagers and the techniques varied. As the pitched dried and became truer the middle order starter to hit out and over. Frank bowled one comeback over for a wicket before his hamstring said stop.

One of our young travel agents, Gaigan, donned his whites to help our injury crisis, taking a good catch and showing us how to run around. It was Simon’s turn to join the injured list, straining a groin muscle but not bad enough to stop Simon’s bowling finally being debuted on tour . He regularly deceived the batters with his lack of pace. 

 Everyone bowled steady, but in the final 8 overs the opposition went ballistic scoring 106 runs, one youngster was completely fearless in hitting the ball anywhere scoring 61 off 21 balls. Larry was hit straight down and out of the ground several times into the field where Indian hemp was growing wild. It was hard to tell what went higher the ball or the fielders sent to retrieve the ball. The AK Sports Club finished with 8/275.

The Cougar and the Duke opened. Forbsey hit the first ball of our innings for six. As neither he nor the Cougar could run boundaries were what were needed. Forbsey (38 retired), Cougar (26) and Morrie (21) all got away to good starts but our run rate prospects took a dive when Chopper was out quickly. Frank batted well for 40 retired but the new boys Sherro and Steensie could not score a run between them in three balls as the opposition leg spinner deceived the lower middle order with some big wrong uns. We were heading to a big defeat until Wayne came in at the end and hit a stunning 50 not out, off only 31 balls with 10 fours. Blistering stuff!

We finished at 8/222.

Back at the hotel it was into the pool for another recovery session in the infinity pool with the lovely view of kids playing cricket in wasteland.

For variety we had drinks first in the Roadhouse Bar and then dinner in the Café on 3 restaurant. Injuries and illness have now kicked in and slowed down the consumption (slightly) of food and drink.