COLLEGES SEE OFF CORDOBA BY THREE WICKETS

Southern Spanish Cricket League

Cordoba CC  v  Combined CCC  25 April 2010            Won by   Combined CC by 3  Wickets

Cordoba Cc won the toss and batted.

Cordoba CC 194 All Out ,  6 Points.      Combined CC 195 for 7, 19 Points

Combined Colleges opening bowler Brian Barrett took a wicket in the 3rd over and two more in the fifth to get the visitors off to a flying start, leaving Cordoba on 33 for 3.  Cordoba desperately needed someone to steady the ship and up stepped Shoab Hussain who proved the rock on which the home side’s innings was built, departing late on for 80 runs. 

The middle part of the innings proved hard work for the Combined Colleges bowlers as Cordoba steadily reached 138 for 5 in the 22nd over then 179 for 6 in the 28^th, helped by contributions of 24 from Riaz Ahmed and 18 from Waqas Ammeo.  Only a lightning stumping by Kasun Heruth disturbed their equilibrium.  Four wickets for fourteen runs in four overs late on saw Cordoba finish on 194 all out after 33 overs.

During the interval the sky clouded over and the air became very humid – ideal swing bowling conditions.  Thus it was that Combined Colleges opening batsman Brian Barrett departed after five deliveries to a rising, swinging devil of a delivery that he could only steer straight to Shoaib Hussain at gulley. 

The Cordoba bowlers were in command and 195 to win looked an impossibly long way off.  Combined Colleges struggled to 56 for 4 after thirteen overs before Azard Thajudeen (56) and Ashan Alwis (49) could bring some stability to the innings.  They stayed together for thirteen overs (more than a third of the allotted 35 overs) taking the score on to 151 in the 26^th over. 

During this time the sky cleared, the sun beat down mercilessly and the first stirrings of the infamous Cordoba summer heat drained the stamina of the bowlers.  With the end of the big partnership there were nine overs remaining and 44 runs needed and the game could have gone either way but Mark Ward, coming in at number seven, steered the late order to victory with three wickets remaining in a hard fought match which was a credit to both sides.

Man of the Match?  No award this time as there were many excellent personal batting and bowling successes contributing to two fine team performances.  Well done both sides.