NOMADS IN Spain Ibiza October 24-29th
Ali Mujahib – For One Night Only
Nomads in Ibiza 2024
The 2024 season came to an end in the Balearics as a party of Nomads descended upon Ibiza. A few last minute drop outs left the touring party a little light – Mark Richards was summonsed to appear before the beak on his way to Heathrow (we understand that thankfully he will not be scoring runs for Wormwood Scrubs in 2025), and Kyle Bradley had to withdraw. The loss of Richards will no doubt be reflected in the reduced profits of the Ibiza CC bar, the loss of Bradley left the touring party without a wicket keeper…
Friday proved to be a day of bright Spanish sunshine as we took on our hosts in a 40 over match. Discussion among the touring party the day before had focussed upon the Kyle Bradley shaped hole in the Nomads XI. No keeper, and indeed no keeping kit, presents a significant challenge to any side. Thankfully President Blumberg has more contacts across the cricketing universe than just about anyone else alive, and after a call to friends in Majorca a keeper was sourced – Ali Mujahib.
Whilst it was the subject of much debate, we will likely never know exactly what was said that convinced Ali to turn out for the mighty Nomads, but what we can say with certainty is that he landed at Ibiza Airport at 9am and expected to be greeted by a teammate/chauffeur. Despite the President’s best efforts, no chauffeur materialised, the side offering helpful advice such as ‘he should call a taxi’ and ‘get on the bus’.
Meanwhile in San Lorenzo a game of cricket was threatening to break out. Ibiza elected to bat first on a gorgeous day, and made good progress through Dutch international Antony Barca and Nomad Rupert Style. Barca targeted all boundaries and Style rotated the strike well.
The ten Nomads were finding life tough going as Ibiza reached 115 without loss. Captain Brockton turned to spin to turn the tide, and it was the experience of Andy Penn that made the breakthrough, dismissing the dangerous Barca for 64 well caught on the boundary by Vish Trivedi. At much the same time, like Gandalf at Helm’s Deep, Ali arrived on a white horse/taxi and took the gloves off a grateful Chris Royals, having seemingly waited three hours for his driver at the airport before accepting the inevitable and calling a cab.
Royals promptly took up bowling and the combination of him and Penn proved too much for Ibiza’s middle order. What had seemed like a potential thumping was brought back excellently, both bowlers aided by solid aerial and ground fielding. Penn was the star of the show, finishing with 5-32 off his 8 overs and notching up his first Nomads fivefer since the Falklands were invaded. Royals finished with 4-18 and declared he was never keeping wicket again.
201 for victory then, and against a strong bowling attack it was tough going. Jon Thornton went early and despite starts for Jon Barran jnr and superstar Ali, wickets fell regularly. Nomads were indebted to Tom Brockton, who played a captain’s innings on an increasingly fruity track. He found support from Royals and Barran snr, before falling for a well-made 52 with the scores level. Nomads ran out winners in a tight contest by four wickets with 10 balls to play. Amos (3-23) was the pick of the Ibiza bowlers, extracting significant turn and bounce from the wicket and vodka cokes from Nomad wallets afterwards.
Post-match Ali wished to discuss his performance-based package, the man himself being under the impression that Nomads had promised him a hotel room and transfers in return for his services. His match fees, naturally, were gratis. The President responded, channelling our late Queen, that ‘recollections may vary’. Realising that his hopes of room service were evaporating, Ali decided to withdraw himself from selection and booked himself a ferry home. After unsuccessfully attempting to divert a taxi to the ferry terminal and suggesting he be reimbursed for the day’s work that he had missed, Ali was back in Majorca and was viciously removed from the whatsapp group by Brockton.
Saturday dawned wet, and a delayed start against Bharat Parivar of Birmingham was likely inevitable. The extent of the delay was however largely due to the fact that our opponents turned up two hours late, citing that half the side needed to drive into town and buy trainers.
When we did get underway, it was a 30 over affair and Nomads would bat first. Brockton and Barran Snr added 50 for the first wicket, Barran then finding support from Style and Barran Jnr. Barran Snr fell just after reaching his 50, and the innings was finished off by some big hitting from Andy Penn and sharp strike rotation from Jon Thornton. Nomads finished on 200-5 off 30 overs.
After tea, Chris Redhead opened up economically from the pavilion end, and Andy Penn from the Andy Penn end. Bharat really had just the one batsman, Patel, but he was quite a serious one and his teammates were content to bat around him. Patel took a liking to Vamsi Sukhavesi and 126-2 seemed like a dangerous position. Enter Vish Trivedi who ran through the Bharat middle order on his way to 4-18 off just five overs.
The game was still on for as long as Patel remained at the crease, however, and nerves started to fray around San Lorenzo. Patel farmed the strike and kept his side in it, but he eventually departed run out, a sharp throw from the mid-wicket boundary from Royals well collected by gloveman Jon Barran jnr. After that there was no way back for the Brummies, Kit Barran collecting one final wicket as Nomads ran out victors by 30 runs.
Saturday evening saw the Nomads assemble for a Tour Dinner, organised with some local knowledge from Rupert Style. Excellent food accompanied a fine speech from the President, at which the late great Kevin Smith was toasted. Some also drank to Ali’s good health across the sea.
Sunday rolled around, and Nomads took on Ibiza in a t20. Vamsi had to go to the airport and Rupert Style was playing for our opponents, so the Nomads were somewhat shorthanded. John Barron snr described the game as ‘toy town’ and that certainly seems an apt description. Nomads had no answer to a battery of exceptionally slow bowling that somehow bounced to around head height. 84-6 off 20 overs was no score at all, but once young Kit Barran’s leggies had accounted for three of the hosts the side dared to dream. Amos, in need of a vodka coke, had other ideas and deposited a couple of sixes into the field to square the series 1-1.
As Nomads enjoyed a final drink of the tour with their hosts, Ibiza’s amazing club steward Lyn revealed that there was still one Nomad who had not settled their bar tab, by the name of Ali. Once the assembled Nomads had stopped laughing, the President charitably opened his wallet to settle the account of our erstwhile pro.
And with that the tour closed. Our thanks to Tom Brockton and Michael Blumberg for making all the arrangements on behalf of Nomads, and Rupert Style, Lyn and all at Ibiza CC for being excellent hosts. The Carnes March Oval is a pleasantly appointed ground, framed by the hills around. The cricket is played hard but fair, and at a good standard. The island is beautiful and has other charms for those interested. A tour here should be on any Nomad’s list.
MATCH 82 NOMADS CC v IBIZA CC San Lorenzo Ibiza Spain October 25th 2024 11.00am-40/40 overs, 8 overs max per bowler
Result: Nomads won by 4 wickets
Toss: Nomads CC
Umpires: Several
Scorer: Various
Debuts: Johnny Barran,John Barran, Kit Barran & Ali Mujahid
IBIZA CC Innings
A Barea+ c Trivedi b Penn 64
T Style lbw b Penn 45
M Bartley c Barran snr b Penn 24
H Foster bowled Penn 1
J Gooda bowled Penn 0
J Wix c Ali b Royals 8
R Thomson * st Ali b Royals 15
M Amos c Penn b Royals 4
M Makepeace c Ali b Royals 15
L Makepeace not out 3
R Plews bowled Royals 0
Extras (b10,lb1,w5,nb1) 17
TOTAL (All out,39.5 overs) 200
Fow:1-115,2-124,3-140,4-140,5-149,6-149,7-166,8-167,9-188,10-200.
Bowling – Redhead 5 0 20 0Barran Jnr 5 0 31 0,Barran Snr 5 0 30 0,Trivedi 7 1 36 1,Penn 8 0 32 5, Royals 7 0 18 4,K Barran 4 0 19 0.
NOMADS CC Innings
J Thornton c Plews b Bartley 2
R Barran Jnr bowled Amos 21
V Sukhavesi st Borea b Amos 17
Ali Muhajib c Foster b Amos 24
T Brockton c Amos b Barea 52
C Royals c Barea b Plews 21
J Barran jnr not out 27
AMD Penn not out 0
Extras (b15,lb9,w12,nb1) 37
TOTAL (6 wickets,38.2 overs) 201
Dnb:V Trivedi,C Redhead,K Barran.
Fow:1-22(1)2-68(3),3-72(2),4-94(4), 5-135(6), 6-200(5).
Bowling – Thomson 8 0 23 0,Bartley 8 0 46 1,Amos 8 1 23 3,Wix 3 0 21 0,Plews 8 0 51 1,Barea 3.2 0 19 1.
MATCH 83 NOMADS CC v BHARAT PARIVAR CC San Lorenzo Ibiza Spain October 25th 2024 12.00 noon->-30/30 overs, 6 overs max per bowler
Result: Nomads won by 30 runs
Toss: Nomads CC
Umpires: Parmenter & Others
Scorer: Michael Blumberg
Debuts: None
NOMADS CC Innings
T Brockton* c Tewara b S Patel 26
J Barran Snr st S Patel b Pedman 53
R Style bowled Sarath Nair 17
J Barran jnr c S Patel b Sarath Nair 28
J Thornton not out 28
AMD Penn run out 24
V Trevedi not out 6
Extras (b6,lb0,w24,nb1) 31
TOTAL (5 wickets,30 overs) 200
Dnb:C Royals,V Suhavezi,C Redhead,K Barran
Fow:1-50(1)2-119(2)3-133(3),4-141(4),5-185(5).
Bowling – Vishal Tewara 6 0 8 1,Shyam Katetsi 6 0 36 0, Sagar Patel 3 0 30 1,Naveen Gury 3 0 18 0,Alastair Pedman 2 0 26 1,Sarath Nair 5 0 26 2,Jobin Dobin 3 0 27 0,Amit Vij 2 0 23 0.
BHARAT PARIVAR Innings
Sijam Surya c Barran Snr b Penn 13
Sagar Patel run out(Royals) 86
Rajhir Singh c Thornton b Sukhavesi 13
Naveen Gury c Thornton b Trivedi 12
Amit Vij bowled Trevedi 9
Arnav Vij bowled Trevedi 0
Ali Predman bowled K Barran 0
Sureh Nair c Royals b Trivedi 7
Vishal Tewara not out 17
Jobin Bobin not out 1
Extras (b14lb2,w3nb0) 19
TOTAL (8 wickets,30 overs) 170
Dnb:Shyan Katetsi.
Fow:1-35(1),2-82(3),3-126(4),4-134(5),5-134(6)6-139(2),7-141(7),8-162(9).
Bowling – Redhead 4 0 7 0,Penn 6 1 20 1,Sukhavesi 6 1 51 1,Royals 5 0 29 0,Trivedi 5 0 18 4,Kit Barran 4 0 29 1.
MATCH 84 NOMADS CC v IBIZA CC San Lorenzo Ibiza Spain October 25th 2024 2.00pm-20/20 overs, 4 overs max per bowler
Result: Ibiza won by 6 wickets
Toss: Nomads CC
Umpires: Parmenter & Others
Scorer: Various
Debuts: None
NOMADS C Innings
J Thornton lbw b Thomson 2
J Barran Jnr c Amos b Hoddle 2
V Trivedi c Maher b Mills 15
J Barran Snr bowled Hoddle 8
A Penn c Amos b Maher 12
C Royals c Thomson b Maher 2
T Brockton* not out 11
C Redhead not out 13
Extras (b0,lb4,w12,nb1) 17
TOTAL (6 wickets,20 overs)84
Dnb:K Barran,2 x Missing Nomads
Fow:1-6(1)2-6(2),3-37(4),4-40(3),5-50(6),6-56(5).
Bowling - Thomson 4 0 11 1,Hoddle 4 0 23 2, Mills 3 0 11 1, Maher 3 0 20 2, Amos 3 0 14 0, Cruttwell 3 0 11 0.
IBIZA CC Innings
R Style bowled K Barran 17
C Prentire c J Barran b Redhead 25
S Feasey c (sub Style) b K Barran 3
H Foster c Royals b K Barran 0
R Thomson not out 6
M Amos not out 16
Extras (b8,lb3,w4,nb2) 17
TOTAL (4 wickets,14 overs) 88
Dnb:T HoddleS Gooda,P Cruttwell,S Mills,N Maher.
Fow: Not recorded
Bowling – Penn 4 0 20 0,J Barran Jnr 2 0 8 0,Trivedi 2 0 10 0,K Barran 4 0 27 3,Redhead 2 0 14 0.
Martin Makepeace interviews Michael Blumberg
Nomads in Spain….0o0…. Cricket In Spain 0o0 CW XI in Spain & Ibiza
Nomads in Ibiza 2024.. 0o0.. Nomads in Spain Honours Board
Free Beer ….and Ibiza/Eivissa Cricket Club is born
