An excellent three days of cricket at the Oporto Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club in Porto over the first weekend in February provided lots of opportunities for the young squad assembled and offered much food for thought with a busy Spanish schedule in place for 2025.

Facing up to a Portugal side that included six national team regulars was always going to be a tough task but the Spain ‘A’ Team showed real fight in winning the T10 series 2-1 on Friday after losing the first game and then levelling the T20 series 1-1 at the end of Saturday with a nail-biting three wicket win. Two defeats on Sunday meant that the T20s finished 3-1 to Portugal but there was much to celebrate with some outstanding contributions from young players, particularly all-rounders Mati Ur Rehman and Maanav Nayak.

Losing the toss in the first T10 on Friday, a cold, damp outfield made it difficult for Spain bowlers to grip the ball and Dhavalkumar Norotam (42 off 16) and Conrad Greenshields (67 off 23), both senior batters in the national side, helped Portugal post a commanding 175-4. Powerful hitting from Gurvinder Singh Bajwa (27 off 7) got the Spain innings off to a flying start but a collapse followed and it was only thanks to an excellent knock from Charlie Rumistrewicz (41 off 23) that the innings finished on 124-9, a 51 run defeat.

Spain chose to field in game 2 and did well to restrict the opposition to 140-4 with Norotam (45 off 20) again the key Portuguese batter. Excellent bowling from young debutants, leg spinner Maanav Nayak (1-22 off 2) and left-arm seamer Jaffer Raza (1-21 off 2), set up the game and Dani Long Martinez’s outstanding knock (66 off 17 including 9x6) led the chase, well supported by Bajwa (31 off 15) and Mati Ur Rehman (33 off 20) to give Spain victory by 6 wickets with 2 balls left

This made the third T10 a decider, Spain choosing to bat and battling to 130-7 thanks to key contributions from Ur Rehman (29 off 12) and Rumistrewicz (30 off 11). With the ball, Spain got off to a dream start, Murad Ali (2-21 off 2) bowling the dangerous Norotam first ball, and tight spells from spin twins Cris Gwilliam Lopez (2-18 off 2) and Nayak (1-14 off 2) kept Portugal to 107 all out. It was fitting that Player of the Day, Mati Ur Rehman, took the final wicket to claim the T10 series 2-1 and first-time captain, Alec Davidson-Soler, was delighted to lift the trophy.

Saturday brought a change of format, bigger boundaries and a change of leader with Lorne Burns taking over for the T20 games. In game 1 Portugal chose to bat after winning the toss and reached 180-7 in 20 overs, Norotam again top-scoring with 64, with Jaffer Raza achieving the excellent figures of 3-23 off 4 overs. Despite a strong start from Bajwa (27 off 17), the target was never in sight but, on an excellent T20 debut, Ur Rehman scored 24 off 17 to add to 2-12 off 2 with the ball.

The second game on Saturday was the most exciting game of the weekend, Spain winning the toss and choosing to bat. At 41-4 in the sixth over Spain looked in big trouble but a captain’s knock from Burns (77 off 46 including 5x4 and 5x6) ably supported by Davidson Soler (22 off 21) got the innings back on track. Having been given out caught off his shoulder in the first game, it was great to see the classy Burns in full flow. Maanav Nayak continued his excellent start, with bat this time, scoring a crucial 26 off 16 at the death as Spain finished with 179-7. The Portugal innings got off to a good start and though Ur Rehman claimed the crucial wicket of Norotam for 16, the home team were firm favourites at 97-2 in the 10th over with Amandeep and Hardeep Singh well set. A great fightback followed with Nayak once again a key figure, dismissing both Singhs and finishing with 3-20 off his 4 overs. The game ebbed and flowed with Portugal still looking the likely victors even at the start of the last over with 8 required and 2 wickets left. Burns took the responsibility on his own shoulders and a wicket first ball turned the game in Spain’s favour. However, when 4 wides followed, nerves were jangling with only a boundary required for a Portugal win. Spectators and players held their breath as a whole-hearted heave to Burns’ third ball from number 11 Rahman looked boundary bound but, instead, it nestled in the safe hands of Ravi Panchal to the jubilation of the Spanish side and Burns’ relief.

Sunday never quite got going for Spain, heavy rain reducing the third T20 game to a 5 over thrash and Spain stuttering to 62-4 off 5, mainly thanks to Burns (29 off 7). Portugal were again grateful to Norotam (47 off 11) and reached the target with 11 balls to spare to win by 9 wickets. Similarly, in game 4 Portugal dominated, finishing with 175-6 with Norotam (64 off 22) and Greenshields (61 off 46) providing the backbone of the innings. A dreadful start saw Spain tottering at 8-5 in the 4th over and then 20-6 in danger of a crushing defeat. Again though, the young players rose to the challenge with Manaav Nayak scoring a maiden 50, well supported by Mati Ur Rehman (25 off 22) and Cris Gwilliam Lopez (24 off 18). Nayak (58 off 48) fell on the last ball of the 20 overs as Spain finished 134-9.

The Spanish coach, Corey Rutgers, was ‘very proud’ of the team and felt he had ‘discovered a lot for the future’ with places up for grabs in both the 50 over and T20 national squad. He was especially delighted with the spirit and the way the young team responded under pressure, with notable performances from both new and older faces, and is looking forward to the next assignment, three 50 over inter-squad games at the end of April at La Manga.

Quentin Hughes Piñan

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