A round up of the ECS Series courtesy of one of the commentators, and the Director of Junior Cricket for Spain, Rico Phull …
“Thank you ECS Barcelona, it was an epic three weeks, full of action and entertainment, here are just some of my highlights!!!
Week One, Day One Match Four and a Golden Ball victory for Fateh CC with Kuldeep Singh the hero.
Day Two, Match eight saw a fabulous catch from the Men in Blue’s Puneet Sharma to remove the ‘Big MAK’. In Match nine it was Muhammad Sheraz’s turn to take a blinder, taking a super one handed catch for United CC Girona in their game against against Kings CC.
Raval Sporting’s Ishan Patel’s was a busy captain and led the way for his team, staring on day four match eightenn when he took four wickets for 10 runs. Another good bowling spell ended my week one highlights, United CC Girona’s Khalid Ahmed 2 overs, 1 maiden and four wickets for just 1 run in match nineteen.
What stood out for me in week two was Falco’s Adeel Sarwar’s 75 of 23 balls in match twenty one against Joves Units CC, and then in match thirty one, it was Falco’s all-rounder, Shahbaz Ahmed that made the headlines taking a Hat trick and finishing with figurse of four wickets for 7 runs of his two overs.
Week three was the build up to the finals with many hard fought battles; United CC Girona’s Sumair Khan showed his sides bowling strengths by bowling out Fateh CC for the lowest T10 series score ever, 35. He entered the T10 hall of fame taking five wickets for nine runs.
Match Forty Seven was all about more history being made, this time it was a batsman entering the hall of fame, centurion Shahid Nazir of Joves Units CC making 116 not of 34 balls.
In match Fifty, Bengali CC registered their first victory, thanks to young Omar Ali’s 80 of 37 balls and his captain, Riaz Howlader taking 5 wickets for 12 runs, another player entering into the T10 bowler’s hall of fame.
Then it was all about the bling again in match 52, an amazing second Golden ball match which the runs scored to tie the match will be talked about for years. The bowling side, Catalunya Tigers held their nerve, and beat Pakcelona CC on the Golden ball.
One batsman scoring a 100 was not enough, well that’s what out of form Kuldeep Lal decided, and what a way and time to get back into good nick, scoring a historic ton for his Gracia CC, 110 of 33 balls, unfortunately the form did not last, in match Fifty Four, he made 110 less!!
In that same match, Fifty Four, Gracia CC were left shell shocked when Pak Montcada CC made the most amazing of come backs, chasing 127 for victory, they were reduced to 26 for 6 and then I witnessed the biggest hitting of the series, Mohin Ali scoring 70 of 23 balls to lead his team to victory, amazing!!
Big names have to perform in the semis and final, and Catalunya’s Naveed Aslam found form just when it mattered, scoring 73 of 27 balls setting Kings CC 142 to chase. Kings never gave up and thanks to a fine 87 of 35 balls from Jubed Miah, it was nearly an upset no one predicted, Kings falling 10 runs short. Falco overcame United in the other semi final to set up a repeat of Match 56, Cataluyna v Falco.
Falco’s hat trick man Shahbaz Ahmed decided we also need two hat tricks, so in the final against Catalunya CC, he turned on his magic once more and took his second hat trick in the series, 3 for 19!! But Mr Reliable and captain Armaghan Khan scored a brilliant 57* of 21 balls setting Falco a target of 133 to win. Adeel Sarwar scored a quick fire 46 of 18 buT Falco fell 12 runs short, and unbeaten Catalunya CC became worthy champions of the European Cricket Series Barcelona,
Just Fantastic!!
Rico Phull – Cricket España
