Grammarians win close match against Cmbined Colleges


	Cricket Gibraltar Official site of the Gibraltar Cricket Association

Email This Article To Someone!

TJF

Grammarians in close win.

Grammarians entertained Combined Colleges at the Europa Oval in a second round Senior League match in what turned out to be a closely fought contest, finally won by the former with 2.2 overs to spare. In the end, it was the Costa men’s wayward bowling [36 wides] which proved to be the difference between the two sides.

Steady batting from Combined Colleges.

Combined Colleges won the toss, chose to occupy the crease first and lost their first wicket with the total on 36, Mark Bacarese holding on to a catch in the slips off the bowling of Steve Martin to account for Alex Fateh. . Mark Ward was batting steadily at the other end and together with Ashan Alwis took the total along to 66 before the introduction of Charlie Harrison into the attack swung the game the locals’ way. He claimed three wickets in his opening two overs to send the total plunging to 79/4. Paul Harris then kept Ward company whilst a further 43 runs accrued before the latter was run out just after having completed his half century. This brought Michael Berger to the crease and he and Harris put on a further 41 runs before Harrison struck again getting Harris very well caught by Ross Harkins in the long off boundary for 38. Berger went on to make 23 but the tail folded up and Combined Colleges were eventually dismissed for 189 in 35.3 overs. Harrison returned figures of 4/46 whilst Martin took 2/33.

Grammarians recover from a poor start.

Grammarians made a poor start, losing two wickets with only 34 runs on the board, before Bacarese and Richard Buzaglo took command with a third wicket partnership of 100 to put their side in the driving seat. Buzaglo then mistimed a hook to give Berger a simple catch at mid-wicket when the batsman was on 62, and Bacarese departed soon afterwards having just completed his half century. There were some anxious moments in the batting side’s camp after that as three wickets tumbled cheaply but in the end, aided and abetted by far too many wides, they finally got home. Grammarians/UKCCC went home with seventeen points to Combined Colleges’ five.