HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford finished its opening weekend with a resounding defeat of Merion Cricket Club. After the difficult chase the previous day, Haverford was happy to have a bat first for the Sunday matinee.
Juniors Agastya Singh and Nihaal Kochar once again opened the batting for the Fords and showed why they were such a winning combo in previous years.
Singh lasted through the first 10 overs, scoring a watchful 16 off 33 before being bowled out in the 11th over. His watchfulness was just the start Haverford needed as it allowed senior captain Sanil Kagalwala to construct an innings in his trademark style: a middle-over explosion of runs to boost the team to a respectable total.
Kochar grounded the innings, allowing Kagalwala to swing the bat freely. The pair added 90 runs to the total before Kochar was dismissed one run shy of his half-century. Kagalwala continued his onslaught to the last ball of the innings, slashing 7 fours and 2 sixes in his unbeaten 66 off 51.
Defending a total of 140, first-year Zaki Siddiqui shared the new ball with Kochar. After a quick meeting with the edge of a Merion bat, Kochar's second delivery landed in sophomore Rasik Waikar's gloves, caught behind.
The incoming batsman proved less easily dismissed, as the pair batted through the remainder of the power play. They appeared to threaten a comeback with a 37-run partnership before Kochar's ball was once again nicked to Waikar.
This proved the last of Merion's resistance. The next-highest partnership they managed was just 13 runs while an ensemble of Haverford bowlers feasted.
Kagalwala would take 2 wickets along with Singh. Waikar showed he doesn't need gloves to make a catch, darting in from cow corner for Kagalwala's first wicket. His second wicket was caught by junior Vivaan Hingad, shortly before Hingad took a wicket of his own. Hingad's delivery was too juicy for the batsman to resist, but also proved too juicy for the batsman to hit, missing the bat and gently dislodging the bails.
Returning to the bowling attack after the beginning of his career was marred by chucking allegations, senior Rustom Dubash finished the Merion collapse on his second delivery, with Waikar's magnetic hands once again making the catch — his fourth of the day.
While the Fords let the 12th man face a few deliveries in the middle after the 10th wicket fell, Merion's total of 80 runs was well short of Haverford's total. Perhaps the home pitch will give Merion the advantage when the sides meet in early October, but the Fords will enjoy the win in the meantime.
