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BARCELONA TAKE THE SPOILS IN WEEKEND MATCHES AT ALBIR
Wednesday, April 9th
SACC MW 198-7 (35 overs)
J. Braithwaite's XI 199-7 (35 overs)
Last Wednesday's 50th birthday 35-over beer match saw the home skipper
win the toss and bat first on a slightly chilly and overcast day.
Guest schoolboy openers McNeill Adams and Johnson started steadily,
adding 41 for the first wicket before McNeill Adams fell caught behind
to the accurate Antcliffe for 15 in the ninth over. Johnson reached 28
before he fell to the same bowler four overs later. The MW middle
order - Marriner (17), Perrins (43) and Norton (15) - took the score
to 134-6 with seven overs remaining. A rapid 60+ partnership between
Westminister's Stewart (15) and Scott (50 not out) completed the
innings in fine style and set the tourists a highly respectable target
of 199 to win. The useful Antcliffe (45), in partnerships with Howard
(16), Aldren (40), Hill Senior (16) and Makinson (26), took the total
to within 47 of victory with 18 balls remaining. Three remarkable
overs later, after some mighty hitting from Hill Junior (31 not out)
in a brief innings that included four fours, two huge sixes as well as
the final three runs required from the last ball, ensured the visitors
had plenty more to celebrate well into the wee small hours.
Friday, April 11th
Westminster 270-9 (40 overs)
SACC MW 169-8 (40 overs)
The tourists from London won the toss and batted first. Holt (41) and
Rankine put on 87 for the first wicket before Rankine fell to Pennick
for 54. The next major partnership, featuring Patel (55) and Hadcock
(26), took the score from 130 to 203. With wickets tumbling, and with
Jack Hersh chipping in with four wickets from his late three-over
spell, the visitors continued to score freely to end up posting a very
challenging 271 run target with late-order contributions from
Fitzsimons (14), Clancy (21), and Stewart (15). All the Alfas bowlers
and fielders stuck to their task gamely though Hickie (three fine
catches in the deep), Pennick (a low diving catch at point and a run
out) and Rose (two catches) were particularly outstanding. In reply,
Pennick and Hersh were pegged back by accurate spells from the
burger-fuelled tourist openers, but put on more than fifty for the
first wicket before first Hersh (21) then Pennick (65) fell to the
excellent Wheeler, who ended up with the fine figures of 2 for 21 off
his seven overs. When guest batsman Ireland went for 23 with the home
side still requiring around 15 from each of the final ten overs, the
rest of the MW middle order struggled, especially against the rapid
leg-spin of Scott, whose six overs from the bottom end yielded three
wickets and cost just 13 runs. Ending up just over a hundred runs
short, it was left to the undefeated Howden and Bellis to ensure that
the home side at least managed to bat out their overs. A deserved
victory to the lads from Westminster School, and good luck to them for
the coming season.
Saturday, April 12th
SACC 1sts 205-9 (40 overs)
Barcelona CC 206-8 (40 overs)
On a glorious sunny day, the Barcelona skipper won the toss and stuck
Alfas in to bat. In typical style the Alfas openers reached 43 without
loss by the 5th over with the opposition captain and Spain opening
bowler having gone for 21 off his first 12 balls. However, both
openers were undone by straight half-vollies from the replacement
bowler, and the home side were left reeling at 95-5 at the halfway
stage after a succession of ill-judged swipes at the persisently
short-pitched attack. Zaka (three for 32) and (one for 14 off 6 overs)
continued to bowl well for the visitors with only Wasim digging deep
to score a patient 52 which helped Alfas to 205-9 at the end of their
40 overs.
Barcelona's openers started in positive fashion, reaching 45 for the
first wicket, before Lupson struck to take the first of his four
wickets - caught by Pennick, who went on to pouch two more victims, in
the deep. Aslam and Saghar came and went, through some very tight
bowling by Paul Taylor (one for 21 off 8) and Sam Lupson. With the
introduction of Muñoz, the Barcelona score moved along slowly with
more tight bowling as they reached 91-3 at the drinks break. With
Wasim coming on from the top end scoring was just as difficult with
only 7 runs being conceded in the following 7 overs before Tariq and
opener Khalid started to get on with it. The bowling from the bottom
end became less then satisfactory as 66 runs were conceded from only 7
overs. But Sam Lupsom came on at the death with Barcelona needing
(according to the scoreboard) 17 runs off the last 4 overs, and bowled
his last 2 overs without conceding a run to finish with four for 28
off 8 overs. This left Barcelona needing 6 runs off the last over, and
losing a further wicket to a great catch by Sam on the boundary, they
still needed 3 from last 2 balls though the Barcelona wicket keeper
smashed the next ball in typical cavalier fashion straight into the
practice nets for 6. Mention must be made of the innings by Barcelona
opener Khalid, who carried his bat for 70 not out, ensuring his side
were always in the hunt. There was late drama, however, as the teams
walked off, the calculaters came out and it emerged that the
scoreboard may have been ten runs ahead of the book. Nevertheless, a
fantastic game of cricket, hugely enjoyed by all.
Sunday, April 13th
Barcelona CC 253-8 (40 Overs)
SACC 2nds 235-7 (40 Overs)
A pulsating affair at the Woodbridge Oval saw the SACC 2nd XI fall
just short in a thrilling run chase against Barcelona CC, completing a
notable double for the visitors who enjoyed a good weekend.
Having won the toss, the visitors chose to bat and it wasn´t long
before S.Cowley (3-52 from 8 overs) made the breakthrough in the sixth
over. Barcelona's flamboyant style ensured a brisk scoring rate,
despite S.Ali's 2-32 from 4 overs and Marriner's 2-43 from 8 overs,
and even though Tanveer (51) was the only batsman to post a half
century, useful contributions from Rashid and Tariq helped the guests
to a challenging 253-8 in the allotted 40 overs.
In reply SACC lost S.Ali, leg before to the bowling of Tanveer (1-27
from 7 overs), in the sixth over, but fellow opener Mudasser (121)
proceeded to counterattack with a flourish, freely hitting boundaries
either side of the wicket, and with able support from Shafique (25)
and Morgan (14), the run chase looked very much within reach. The
turning point was to be the visitors' decision to swap wicketkeepers
so that Armagan (2-6 from 2 overs) could turn his arm over - his first
ball was enough to have Mudasser caught at the wicket, and the 2nd
XI's first centurion of the season was forced to depart with the match
at a crucial stage. With 36 still required from the last 3 overs, the
home side were finally subdued by some accurate death bowling from a
side who promise to make a real challenge for the league title, and
ultimately SACC fell 19 runs short of their target.
Junior coaching
Junior cricket coaching takes place most Sunday mornings at the
Woodbridge Oval, Playa Albir, starting at 10.30am. However, there will
be no junior coaching next Sunday morning due to a golf tournament.
For all those cricket lovers wishing to watch, play, umpire or score,
please contact either Director of Cricket Steve Lewis on 660246351 or
Chairman Phil Pennick on 620409173, 96 686 5792, e-mail
pennick88@yahoo.co.uk. or visit the club's webpage at
http://sacc.hitscricket.com/home/default.aspx
Or, just come down and watch!
Coming up:
This weekend sees the start of the Spanish league with SACC 2nds
taking on Javea with the game being sponsored by the Fandango
restarant in Albir - Saturday, 1pm start. All welcome. The annual
curry match will take place on Sunday (2pm meet) with the Under-35s
taking on the Golden Oldies.
© Cricket España
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