Levante and Sporting Alfas second teams produced a fantastic game of cricket for the watching fans with the result in doubt right until the final over.
Alfas won the toss and put the hosts into bat and it was the visitors who looked to be in the stronger position at the half way mark of the Levante innings with 88 for 4 showing on the scoreboard.
The tide changed in the second half of the innings thanks to a fine partnership between Dave Tivey and Richard Harris. Tivey rode is luck and went on to score a vital 77 runs for his team as Alfas missed several opportunities to dismiss the all-rounder early in his innings.
Richard Harris was a superb foil to Tivey’s swashbuckling approach and added a fine half century to his teams total. At the end of their innings Levante had chalked up a score of 244 for 7, setting the visitors a target of 245 to win.
Alfas started well with the opening pair putting on 38 for the first wicket. Alfas continued to keep on track and at the 23rd over mark Alfas had the same score that Levante had at that stage, 133 for 4.
Kieran Perman was playing an innings that defied his teenage years but the introduction of Orville Sennhouse and Pete West stemmed the run flow. The next seven overs produced only 18 runs to swing the odds back towards the home side.
With 28 needed off the last over it looked an impossible task and despite a couple of lofty blows by Hamza (36 not out) it was the home side that prevailed by just 11 runs. Kieran Perman remained undefeated at the end with a fine 70 not out, whilst Sennhouse finished with the economical figures of one for 26 from his eight overs.
The two teams meet again in the final league match of the season in what could well be the title decider. Congratulations to both teams for playing the game in a great spirit and entertaining the spectators with a great game of cricket.
Levante II (17 points) beat Sporting Alfas II (7 points) by 11runs.
Levante II 244 for 7 (D Tivey 77, R Harris 52) Sporting Alfas II 233 for 6 (K Perman 70 not out, Hamza 36 not out)