ALCORCON COMPLETE LEAGUE DOUBLE OVER LEVANTE

After a fine one wicket victory over La Manga the day before Levante were brought back down to earth by Alcorcon, and in particular Tariq Ali, as the Madrid based side completed a league double over the Valencia club.

Winning the toss Levante elected to bat first and lost their talisman Rhys Morgan early on with only 9 on the scoreboard. Tony Little and Graham Hunt then looked to dig in and see off the opening bowlers to try and ensure that the home side used their full over allocation.

By the 15th over and drinks Levante were sitting relatively comfortable at 54 for 1, but immediately after the resumption of play the hosts lost their second wicket when Little offered a simple caught and bowled to Ali.

Khakkad joined Hunt at the crease and played the anchor role whilst the latter set about the Alcorcon bowlers with an aggressive innings that was finally curtailed in the 34th over with 143 on the board.

Levante lost their way a little in the last ten overs as wickets fell cheaply and quickly, finally finishing with a competitive total of 195 for 9 on pitch were boundaries had been hard to come by.

A quick lunch and then Alcorcon came out to bat. Spanish international Tariq Ali signalled his intentions early by latching onto the very first ball of the innings and lashing it to the square leg boundary for six. Having scored a century in the initial league fixture between the two sides earlier in the season Levante knew the match could hinge on his innings.

So it proved as he smashed a century in just 53 balls with his second fifty coming off just 15 deliveries. Levante plugged away gamely at the other end taking wickets cheaply but by the first drinks brink Alcorcon had 134 on the board and were already in a match winning position.

Ali finally went in the 16th over for a fine 101 that included nine 4’s and eight 6’s. The other Alcorcon batsmen did not look comfortable against a plucky Levante bowling attack but by then the damage had been done and Alcorcon ran out winners by 6 wickets in the 27th over.

The win took Alcorcon back to the top of the table with Sporting Alfas on 103 points, although the Alfas based club have a game in hand, whilst Levante are now off the bottom of the table and with fixtures to play over Madrid United just above them they have a realistic chance of a mid table finish in their first ever season in the premier division of the ECCL.