ALFAS STROLL TO LEAGUE FINAL APPEARANCE
Sporting Alfas’ progress towards its seventh Cricket España title within nine years was unhindered by the visit of La Manga C.C. as the home side eased its way to a comfortable six wicket victory.
La Manga C.C. 171-9 Sporting Alfas 172-4
La Manga C.C. won the toss and, not unexpectedly, chose to bat on what was an oppressively hot afternoon. The score progressed slowly against the Alfas opening attack and by the tenth over had reached thirty for the loss of N. Brook. who was well caught at slip by Howe off the bowling of Muñoz who completed five excellent over claiming 1-14. The total was taken to forty-six, at which point, Riley who looked to be in good form was unnecessarily run out. The scoring rate almost came to a standstill as Laundon, Bacon and Taylor conceded only twelve runs in nine overs which looked to have condemned La Manga to a low final total. Zaid flourished briefly, before his second attempted reverse sweep was found wanting as he was bowled by Taylor . Goldsmith (35) and Boon then featured in a stand of fifty-five for the fifth wicket, but when they were dismissed in quick succession by Crompton, the innings collapsed to leave the final score standing at 171. For Alfas, Crompton claimed 3-25 and Laundon produced eight economical overs that cost him just twenty runs.
The La Manga C.C. total was never likely to be a challenge to Alfas unless it could take early wickets. Although Alfas lost a wicket in the first over, the La Manga bowling lacked penetration and Climent, making a welcome return after injury, and W. Ul-Rehman took the score to sixty-four by the thirteenth over when the latter was bowled by Ruble. Howe joined Climent and with sensible batting they added eighty-seven for the third wicket before Climent (58), became Riley’s second victim. With Alfas in sight of victory, Howe (39) fell to the bowling of Davis , and it was left to Crompton to finish the match in style with a lofted six.
It had been a good all round performance by Alfas which had resulted in a very comfortable win with ten overs of the match remaining.
| CE LEAGUE MATCH | |||||
| Sporting Alfas 1 | v | La Manga C.C. | 28/07/2007 | ||
| Columbus Oval | |||||
| Umpires: R. Graham & R. Kew | Scorers: D. Coleman | ||||
| Result: Sporting Alfas 1 won by 6 wickets | |||||
| LA MANGA C.C. | |||||
| N. Brook | ct Howe | b Muñoz | 3 | ||
| G. Parker | Retired Not Out | 22 | |||
| N. Riley | Run Out | 18 | |||
| A. Zaid | b Taylor | 27 | |||
| R. Goldsmith | st Ali | b Crompton | 35 | ||
| Ruble | b Taylor | 4 | |||
| J. Boon | ct Mudassar | b Crompton | 24 | ||
| R. Lobb | st Ali | b Crompton | 6 | ||
| P. Davis | ct Climent | b Lupson | 0 | ||
| G. Wambeek | ct Ali | b Lupson | 7 | ||
| G. Potton | Not Out | 2 | |||
| Extras | b4 lb2 w15 nb1 | 22 | |||
| Total | 171-9 | ||||
| Fall of wickets | 1-11 (Brook) 2-46 (Riley) 3-82 (Zaid) 4-100 (Ruble) | ||||
| 5-155 (Boon) 6-157 (Goldsmith) 7-158 (Davis) | |||||
| 8-165 (Lobb) 9-171 (Wambeek) | |||||
| S. Lupson | 7.4 0 39 2 | ||||
| C. Muñoz | 5 1 14 1 | ||||
| K. Laundon | 8 2 20 0 | ||||
| A. Bacon | 3 1 2 0 | ||||
| W. Ul-Rehman | 4 0 18 0 | ||||
| G. Crompton | 3 | 0 25 3 | |||
| SPORTING ALFAS 1 | |||||
| S. Ali | ct Lobb | b Riley | 4 | ||
| D. Climent | b Riley | 58 | |||
| W. Ul-Rehman | b Ruble | 27 | |||
| G. Howe | lbw | b Davis | 39 | ||
| G. Crompton | Not Out | 14 | |||
| M. Yousaf | Not Out | 0 | |||
| S. Lupson | Did Not Bat | ||||
| C. Muñoz | Did Not Bat | ||||
| K. Laundon | Did Not Bat | ||||
| P. Taylor | Did Not Bat | ||||
| A. Bacon | Did Not Bat | ||||
| Extras | b5 lb5 w18 nb2 | 30 | |||
| Total | 172-4 | ||||
| Fall of wickets | 1-4 (Ali) 2-64 (W.Ul-Rehman) 3 157 (Climent) | ||||
| 4-168 ( Howe) | |||||
| N. Riley | 8 2 31 2 | ||||
| A. Zaid | 6.1 1 30 0 | ||||
| G Potton | 6 0 43 0 | ||||
| Ruble | 3 0 28 1 | ||||
| G. Wambeek | 2 0 9 0 | ||||
| P. Davis | 5 1 21 1 | ||||