A Brief Club History So Far

    Although the history of cricket at the university goes back a little further, the history of our club itself really goes back to the time we got on the train for our first ever outing to the Vinoř cricket ground near Prague.

Summer 2012

    We played two matches that first summer, winning the first against a mixed Prague 11. We bowled agressively, Somsuvro Basu and co nipping out some early wickets,Phill Butterill taking three catches behind the stumps, but unfortunately gave them half of their 140 odd runs in extras :). Batting second, mainly thanks to a sparkling 70 by Ray Duraisamy, supported by Rajiv Rana, with 20 odd, we had effectively won the game with only half the overs gone, but as wickets fell, Phill Butterill, ably partnered by Dilu Bhusal, finished it off.

In the second game later that summer, we faced Prague C.C. who put out a pretty strong side, and we got fairly soundly beaten :).

We voted to call the club Budějovice Barracudas Cricket Club

We went to the university to ask for them to build us a pitch, negotiations continued with the help of Petr Kos and Karel Zeigl (C.C.A. President).

We started a tradition of club barbeques :).

Winter 2012/13

We had a presentation to attract new players.

We started coaching, practicing and playing inside.

We collected match fees to start buying club kit.

We had a general meeting to elect officers and approve a constitution, a proccess neccessary for us to become a fully-fledged club, open a club bank account, and gain sponsorship.

Electing officers was an important step in making the club run smoothly, and hopefully ensuring its future.

We were invited to play some indoor friendlies in Prague, winning one and losing three.

Spring 2013

We had another presentation.

We started coaching outside.

Summer 2013

    At the beginning of the season, an understrength side, helped by players from other Prague clubs, took on Prague C.C Seconds. They won, but the main thing was that Pavlína Wiedenová, who batted for ages, and Markéta Tahadlová got their first real taste of cricket outdoors with the leather ball.

    In the second match of the season we nearly, oh so nearly, pulled off a shock victory over Bohemians. Lead by Somsuvro Basu and Channa Keshav, our bowling unit bowled brilliantly to leave the opposition rocking. Som and Channa were on the money from the word go, Som taking a wicket with the very first ball of the match, Channa with the first ball of the second over, followed by Som with the first of the third. The madness was to continue as Miloš Vitámvás, in his first match ever (after joining the club less than two months before) took a wicket with the first ball of his first over. Som, Channa and Miloš went on to take two wickets each, as did Petr Čapek, also making his debut.

    Unfortunately, our batting wasn’t up to the standard of our bowling, and we fell 4 runs short of beating the 77 set by the opposition, whos early catastrophes were salvaged somewhat by their middle order. Sameer Dixit top scored. Phill Butterill, not out, lead a rearguard action, but to no avail. We should have won that one guys!!!

    In the third game we took on a touring team of young Englishmen, the Sussex Swans. Batting first, our top order had a few problems with shot selection, and we were in trouble from fairly early on, only gaining respectability due to a late order charge by Phill Butterill, Anupam Priyadarshi and extras.

    The bowling, however, started well, Sameer Dixit taking 5 wickets in as many overs, and it looked like we were on the way to a comfortable victory. Unfortunately, due to a freak accident, the match had to be abandoned.

    We sent a team to the Prague Sixes tournament. After loosing honourably to Prague Firsts, the team eventualy placed second, we won a close match against Bohemians Seconds, to go on to win their third match comfortably agains Vinohrady Seconds. (Guys, I think you would have won that one whatever happened, but winning the toss, and batting first as the night gathered certainly did no harm :) ). We finished in fifth place out of eight over all.

    The last match day of the season, two matches in one day, was similar to the first. Our “fantastic four“ played against Vinohrady with the help of other Vinohrady players, then against Bohemians with the help of Vinohrady and Bohemians players. Highlights were Pavlína Wiedenová continuing her form with the bat, Miloš Vitámvás running out the club chairman and hitting his first two boundaries ever, and Tom Fayle  taking a blinder of a catch in the outfield. In the second game, he also stuck around well and “made use of the whole bat“, in fact breaking it :).

As of October 2013 the club has 23 fully payed-up members, 11 of which are Czechs who have started playing the game with us in the past year.