ANOTHER THRILLER AT THE VCG

For the second consecutive match at the Valencia Cricket Ground a ECCL Premier League game concluded with a one wicket victory, but this time it was Levante who were on the losing end of a fantastic game of cricket.

Batting first the home side started well with makeshift openers Scott Burchill and Barry Eaton seeing off the new ball with comparative ease. Burchill departed for 25 but incoming batsmen Graham Hunt continued to bat aggressively, and along with Eaton the Levante pair put their team in position for a strong total.

Eaton finally went for 86 and Hunt for 59. Then followed a middle order collapse as United clawed their way back into the game before late cameos from Bruno Nunges (17) and David Tivey (32 not out) gave the Levante score the kind of total that their batting deserved.

For Madrid United Atif Ali with his left arm seamers was the pick of the bowlers, taking four crucial wickets. They did however come at the cost of 64 runs, as Levante finally finished their 45 overs on 259 for 8.

Madrid United played from the first ball with their usual attacking gusto and were easily up with the run rate from the off, it was just a question of whether they would not be bowled out before reaching the magical 260 margin. Opener Humyun was the mainstem of the United inings scoring a fine 87. The majority of the other batsmen contributed with double figure scores but the fall of regular wickets left the result in doubt right until the end.

With the score at 253 Madrid United lost their ninth wicket. Levante then had two sharp chances to win the game. The first saw the wicket keeper Eaton make a valiant effort to cling onto a nick behind that would have been gobbled up by first slip, and the second chance fell to Hunt at point who saw his acrobatic one handed attempt spill to the ground despite two attempts to cling on.

There was not to be a third chance for Levante as Madrid United inched over the line with plenty of overs but only the solitary wicket to spare. Dave Tivey took four wickets for the Levante cause, but for the second week running cricket was the winner as two equally matched teams gave the spectators a feast of runs and entertainment.

The eight points Levante got from the game moved them ahead of Madrid at the bottom of the table, whilst Madrid United leapfrogged over Alcorcon into second place.