Visitors lose both matches


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TJF

VISITORS LOSE BOTH MATCHES.

Sporting Alfas CC from Alicante paid their third annual visit to Gibraltar this week-end and lost both their matches against a GCA XI and Gibraltar Under Nineteens respectively. Highlights of the week-end’s action were centuries by David Young. Karan Aswani and Fernando Shrard, a five wicket haul for Phil Reid on the Saturday and an undefeated 69 on the Sunday which gave Gibraltar under nineteens a scare or two! Also in form on the Saturday was Steven Gonzalez who hit a fine 63.

High scoring match.

The match on Saturday between Sporting Alfas and a GCA Selection turned out to be a high scoring affair. The locals won the toss, batted first and lost the wicket of prolific run-getter Christian Rocca in the fourth ball of the innings. Another batsman in form this season, Mark Bacarese, also went cheaply, but Young and Gonzalez then came to the rescue with a third wicket partnership of 154. When Young finally fell, caught behind for 118, three wickets fell for the addition of 17 runs including that of Gonzalez, and a further one with the total on 229. However, a fighting 40 from Richard Buzaglo, coming in at number seven, enabled the GCAXI to reach a total of 287 in 39.1 overs. For Sporting Alfas, Reid returned figures of 5/44 and Alan Fletcher took 2/45.

Sporting Alfas lost an early wicket after which Fernando Shrard and Ben Mariner put on 83 runs for the second wicket. When Mariner fell eight runs short of his half century David Climent joined Shrard in a stand of 71 runs but by then the visitors were well behind the required run rate, and although Shrard remained undefeated on 129, the final total at the end of the allotted forty overs was 51 runs short of the target.

Aswani and Ainsworth to the rescue.

Gibraltar’s under nineteens occupied the crease first on Sunday and found themselves in deep trouble as they lost their first four wickets with only 55 runs on the board and a further wicket on 89. Karan Aswani and Shaun Ainsworth then came to their rescue with a fine partnership which yielded 132 runs for the sixth wicket. Aswani was run out for 124 towards the end of the innings and Ainsworth followed him soon afterwards; his contribution of 27 had been more valuable than that figure suggests as he kept Aswani company whilst runs were accumulated. At the end of the forty overs the under nineteen’s total had reached 230/8.

The tail wags for Sporting Alfas.

Sporting Alfas made a terrible start to their reply, their first three wickets going down with only 38 runs on the board, and worse was to follow as the total slumped to 108/8, only Ben Mariner with 25 and Manni Fernandez with 32 making any impression on the bowling. An early finish was then in prospect but Reid, coming in at number ten, had other ideas as he put bat to ball with great effect and nearly pulled off the rescue act of the century! His undefeated 69 enabled Sporting Alfas to reach a total of 193 before he ran out of partners. Kayne Peliza, Kabir Mirpuri and Robbie Skinner took two wickets each.

Next Week.

The Wiggins Shield comes to an end next week-end, GCC taking on PGCCC on the Saturday and Calpe facing Grammarians on the Sunday. Both matches arte scheduled to start at 11.30am. Also next week the mid-week twenty overs league gets under way with matches scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

-TJF.