UK ASIANS SQUEEZE PAST ACADEMY IN TAVERNER’S OPENER

The Spanish Academy started with a narrow defeat in their first game of last weekend’s Lady Taverner’s tournament.

The UK Asians are regulars at the La Manga ground and always provide serious opposition, having won the La Manga Charity competition a couple of seasons ago.

The vistors won the toss and elected to bat. The first ball of the day went for a wide but four balls later the UK Asians opener was clean bowled by Ravi Panchal to give the Spanish Academy the near perfect start.

Akhil Patel, (the brother of Notts and England player Samit) and Saif then put together a useful partnership of 38 before the former offered a catch to newcomer Yasir Ali off the bowling of Jamie Roper.

A flurry of quick wickets left the UK Asians struggling at 98 for 7 but a strong eighth wicket partnership of 39, and then a ninth wicket partnership of 26 boosted the visitors total. At the end of the 19th over the Academy were punished for a slow over rate to the tune of six penalty runs which were to prove crucial in the context of the game later on.

UK Asians ended up with a total of 170 all out. Akash Panchal took 4 wickets on his debut for the Academy, although his final over went for 23 at the business end of the UK Asians innings.

The Catalan pair Armaghan Khan and Vinod opened for the Academy but the latter was caught early on with the score on 17. Munoz-Mills entered the frame and looked on song from the word go as he and Armaghan Khan put on 63 before Khan was caught off the bowling of the wily Khalid for 16.

Young Adam Algar was unlucky on his debut as the Academy got bogged down in the middle of their innings thanks to some tight economical bowling from the Asians. A late flurry from Yasir Ali and Tausef Ahmed gave the Spanish fans renewed hope and they got themselves into a position were a six off the final ball would have given the team victory.

Unfortunately, the pair could only manage a single as the hosts fell short by just three runs. Many positives were taking from the game as the mixture of youth and experience blended well at the first time of asking from the Spanish coaches.