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Cup holders through to anothe final
TJF
GCCbwin THROUGH TO MURTO CUP FINAL.
Cup holders GCCbwin went through to the Murto Cup final on Saturday at the Victoria Stadium, defeating Combined Colleges comfortably in the end but not without some hiccups along the way. Their saviour with the bat was veteran Rudi Phillips whose undefeated half century enabled them to post a very competitive total.
GCCbwin recover from stuttering start.
Combined Colleges won the toss, chose to field first and claimed the early wicket of Adrian Hewitt with only 28 runs on the board. Ian Farrell and Christian Rocca then added 63 runs for the second wicket before the latter, who had looked strangely out of touch, had his stumps disturbed by Mick Berger when on 26. Farrell seemed set for his half century when he hit Mark Ward straight into the hands of Ashan Alwis when one run short of that target and at the twenty overs half-way stage the total had progressed to 100/2. Four overs later Fernando Shrard dismissed Gary De’Ath and at 155/4 and only eleven overs remaining, GCCbwin were struggling to reach the 200 run mark. Ferrary, like Farrell earlier, seemed set for his half century when he was trapped leg before by Chris Harris for 48 and with only six overs remaining the total had progressed to 186/5. Enter Rudi Phillips at this stage, and supported by Sebastian Suarez, he proceeded to flay the bowling to all corners of the ground, hitting 57 runs off just 31 balls as the total raced along to 253/5 at the end of the allotted forty overs; 67 runs had come in the final six overs!
Combined Colleges fail to recover from a poor start.
The Combined Colleges innings got off to the worst of possible starts as Mick Berger hit Paul Grant to backward mid-on where that man Phillips held on to the catch, and two overs later Cliff Knezovich hit the same bowler to deep square leg where Michael Wood took the catch, to send the total tottering on 17/2. Chris Harris and Kevin Nolan then steadied the ship with a third wicket stand of 64 before Vishal Kainth disturbed the latter’s stumps, and at the half-way twenty overs stage the total stood at 97/3. The outcome of the contest was settled in next five overs as five wickets tumbled for the addition of only twenty five runs, only Harris with 63 making a worthwhile contribution. The whole side was dismissed for 144 in 28 overs. For GCCbwin, Grant, Phillips and Farrell took two wickets apiece.
Next week.
The final of the Murto Cup, between GCCbwin and Calpe CC will be staged next Saturday at the Victoria Stadium and this will bring the 2007 season to a close.
-TJF.
© Gibraltar Cricket Association
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