SPAIN LOSE TWO GAMES IN CONSECUTIVE DAYS TO ABERDEEN CC AT LA MANGA
Last week Spain entertained the Scottish premier division side Aberdeenshire CC in two 50 overs matches at La Manga in Murcia, Spain. Aberdeenshire, fresh from last years appearances on Sky Tv proved a stern test for Bobby Denning and his team, and sub-par batting performances by the hosts on consecutive days gave the Scottish side two comfortable victories.
In the first match Spain won the toss and elected to bat on a gloriously sunny day. Openers Spencer and Ali, both of Sporting Alfas started well enough until Spencer edged one behind off the bowling of Wood for 4, with the score on 21. Morgan soon followed with the score on 37 and when Ali was out for a quickfire 39 Spain were in trouble at 54 for 3. Things got worse when Faran was caught at first slip one run later and when Howe followed for 7 Spain`s top 5 batsmen were all out with just 69 on the board.
Spain wickets continued to fall at regular intervals with Wasim (29) , Khan (15) , and Sajid (13) the only other players to get into double figures. A saving grace for Spain were the 29 extras they received from Abrdeenshire, which included 25 wides. Spain´s final total was 150 all out after 42 off their allocated 50 overs.
Aberdeen started badly with both Brand and Gul out for ducks off the bowling of Faran and Shohib but a third wicket partnership by Reid (53) and Williams (40) turned the game in the Scottish sides favor. When Faran came back for a second spell and bowled Williams and Lewis there was renewed hope but with Buchan staying strong at one end the visitors came home by 3 wickets and with 11.3 overs to spare.
BATTING SPAIN
M Spencr Ct McRae Bowled Wood 39
S Ali Ct Reid Bowled Buchan 39
J Morgan Ct Shay Bowled Buchan 6
F Mahmood Ct McRae Bowled Brand 0
G Howe Bowled West 7
Wasim Bowled West 29
Farhat Ct McRae Bowled West 0
Akmal Bowled West 6
M Khan Ct Williams Bowled Byrne 15
Sajid Not Out 13
Shohib Ct Brand Bowled Byrne 0
Extras 29 Total 150 all out off 42 overs
BOWLING ABERDEENSHIRE
T Buchan 8-1-35-2
P Wood 5-0-21-1
I Brand 7-1-2-1
P West 9-0-23-4
M Byrne 9-0-27-2
N McRae 4-0-17-0
BATTING ABERDEENSHIRE
K Reid Bowled Akmal 53
I Brand Ct Akmal Bowled Faran 0
A Gul Ct Farhat Bowled Shohib 0
M Williams Bowled 40
G Johnston Bowled Faran 4
T Buchan Not Out 18
S Namthakumaran (Shay) Run Out 0
A Lewis Bowled Faran 0
P Wood Not Out 4
M Byrne Dnb
M McRae Dnb
Extras 19 Total 154 FOR 7 off 37.3 overs
BOWLING SPAIN
Faran 10-0-43-4
Shohib 6-0-12-1
S Edwards 3-0-20-0
I Khan 5-0-18-0
Wasim 10-0-37-0
Sajid 2-1-5-0
Akmal 1.3-0-9-1
ABERDEENSHIRE CC WON BY 3 WICKETS..
The following day both teams were back at La Manga to play another 50 over game. Spain again won the toss and elected to bat. First impressions for the hosts were good, and there was no sign of Spain`s poor batting display from the day before as the openers scored quickly and untroubled to reach 31 off 5.5 overs.
With the last ball of Buchan´s 3rd over Spain lost their first wicket of the day when Al was clean bowled for 23. The former Scottish Under 19 player then soon got Morgan playing early and caught at short mid wicket for 8 and when former skipper Howe was run out by a brilliant piece of fielding by Innes for 0 the hosts had subsided to 44 for 3.
The introduction of South African pace bowler Fraunstein did nothing to alleviate Spain´s woes.He had soon captured Spencer, Faran and Zubin in quick succession and with Brand chipping in with the wickets of Akmal and Farhat Spain were reeling at 66 for 8.
A ninth wicket partnership of 45 by Shohib and Khan gave the Spain score a little respectability, but a final score of 108 all out off 29 overs never looked likely to be a problem for the Scots.
Spain came out with passion and Faran and Shohib bowled excellent spells to have the tourists rocking at 39 for 4 but a masterly innings by Haynes who scored 62 off 30 balls in an knock that included 7 fours and 3 sixes gave the visitors their second win in consecutive with more than 23.5 overs to spare.
The two results were dissapointing from a Spanish point of view and Spain´s batting will need to show more polish and resolve if the team are going to be a force to reckon with when they host the Division 3 ICC European tournament at La Manga and Alfas later this year.
SPAIN BATTING
M Spencer Ct Shay Bowled Fraunstein 15
S Ali Bowled Buchan 23
J Morgan Ct Williams Bowled Buchan 8
G Howe Run Out (Innes) 0
Akmal Ct Shay Bowled Brand 4
Faran Ct Byrne Bowled Fraunstein 2
Zubin Bowled Fraunstein 1
Farhat Bowled Brand 0
Shohib Not Out 9
S Edwrds Ct Cross Bowled Byrne 0
I Khan Ct Fraunstein Bowled Byrne 32
Extras 14 Total 108 All out off 29.1 overs
ABERDEENSHIRE BOWLING
T Buchan 7-1-26-2
R Lamb 8-0-31-0
S Fraunstein 5-0-7-3
I Brand 5-0-11-2
M Byrne 4.1-0-24-2
ABERDEENSHIRE BATTING
M Cross Ct Howe Bowled Shohib 1
S Namthakumaran (Shay) Not Out 18
I Brand Ct Spencer Bowled Shohib 6
A Innes Lbw Faran 0
R Lamb Ct Farhat Bowled Farhan 4
M Hayes Not Out 62
A Lewis Dnb
M Williams Dnb
C Fraunstein Dnb
T Buchan Dnb
M Byrne Dnb
Extras 19 Total 110 for 4 off 26.1 overs
SPAIN BOWLING
Faran 10-4-17-2
Shohib 10-2-29-2
Farhat 4-0-27-0
S Edwards 1-0-15-0
Akmal 2.1-0-16-0
ABERDEENSHIRE CC WON BY 6 WICKETS
Feedback on the two days cricket came from the National Coach Bobby Denning, who had this to say on the Spanish performances….
“It’s been a disappointing 2 days, losing on both days to a side that on paper we are easily capable of beating. I hoped our batsman would have learnt from the first game, by taking responsibility for their wickets and executing our game plan. For whatever reason this didn`t happen and when you hand wickets to the opposition as much as we did, then it was always going to be hard. to defend the small totals.I am pleased however with our overall approach with the ball and in the field, particularly with us being a few bowlers short each day. It was crucial that we poved we have the fight and the spirit to compete. Had our batters shown the same mentality, I am confident we would have come out on top each day”.
He went on to add, ” I have every confidence that each player we select for the competition has the ability to achieve what we have set out to do, providing players understand their responsiblities and are committed to the game plans we set. This will be the focus for our final training camp in July”.