SACC II MAKE IT TWO WINS OUT OF TWO

Sporting Alfas Cricket Club Sporting Alfas 2nd X1 v Valencia on Sat 26 Apr 2008 at 13.00
Sporting Alfas Cricket Club Won by 40 runs

SACC 2 produced arguably their most complete performance of the season to see off Valencia CC by the margin of 40 runs and cement their place at the top of the Northern League in the process.

Having won the toss, the home side batted first and had moved to 41 when Williams (12) was run out in the 8th over. Fellow opener Mudasser (83), however, continued his recent rich vein of form with some excellent strokeplay and crashing anything short to the boundary. With Spencer (27) and S.Ur-Rehman (29) playing useful innings in support, a big score was always likely, and the icing on the cake was a sparkling 69 not out from Climent that lifted SACC 2 to 275-5. Despite opening bowler Faizal´s 0 for 36 in 8 overs and Hasin´s 2 for 50 from 8, the visitors were never able to control the run rate, as SACC 2 collected maximum batting points from the final ball of the innings.

In reply, Lewis (1 for 27 from 5 overs) trapped Akeel (8) in front early on, before Shaid (26) and Safraz (38) begun a charge at the home total that was only halted when the former was undone by a brilliant one-handed catch at mid-on by Mudasser off the bowling of Muñoz (2 for 43 from 7.1 overs). An accurate spell from Spencer (3 for 39 from 8) helped increase the asking rate, but it was the introduction of the left arm orthodox spin of Patterson (4 for 53 from 8) that conclusively turned the match in the home side´s favour, leaving Valencia at 180-9. Credit must go to Babar (60), and tailenders Afzal (33) and Hasin (17 not out) for some tenaciuous batting late on that got Valencia an extra point, but fittingly the innings was wrapped up when young stars Muñoz and Sunderland combined to take the last wicket and hand SACC 2 maximum points.