Match two of the Cricket Espana national finals was between the Cataluyna regional winners Pak-Barcelona and Lanzarote CA and it was the former who came away victorious to set up a winner takes all game with Sporting Alfas tomorrow.
Lanzarote won the toss and elected to bat on another sunny day at the Woodbridge Oval. The opening bowlers of Tanveer Iqbal and Asjad Muhammad for the side from the North of Spain bowled economically in their combined opening spell of eight overs, yielding just 15 runs for the loss of Webb, caught behind off Aslam.
Adam French and Macca McDermott offered resistence in a second wicket partnership worth 50 and Ruble Singh top scored with 37 in the middle order but a constant loss of wickets at crucial times prevented a really challenging score from being posted.
The Islanders were eventually all out for 172 with just one ball of their innings remaining. Tanveer Iqbal bowled an excellent spell of one for 18 off 8.5 overs that included three maidens and Adeel Arif also bowled his full quota for just 23 runs that also yielded two wickets.
After the interval the Catalan batsmen started aggressively, plundering 21 off the first over. Despite losing Awais for 7 in the next over the Pak-Barcelona innings continued to consist of lusty blows from opener Zafar and number three bat Muhammad.
Zafar finally went for 41 and although the Catalans lost another wicket they easily surpassed their required total with twenty overs to spare. Muhammad finished unbeaten on 91, with an innings that comprised of seven 6’s and six fours off just 65 balls.
Tomorrow will see the winners of this years finals crowned. Whoever is victorious in the contest between Pak-Barcelona and Sporting Alfas will be National Champions. The match is set to start at 10 am and is scheduled for 45 overs per side. Entrance is free with bar facilities available.
Pak-Barcelona (20 points) beat Lanzarote (3 points) by 7 wickets.
Lanzarote 172 all out (Ruble Singh 37, Adeel Arif 2-23)
Pak-Barcelona 174 for 3(Asjad Muhammad 91 not out, A Zafar 41)