MATCH REPORT AND SCORECARD TO FOLLOW
BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY 240 FOR 8 BEAT SPAIN 238 FOR 7 BY 2 RUNS..
Spain looked a totally different proposition to the day before and came agonizingly close to victory in a game that was undecided until the very last ball of the day. The match was played throughout in a great spirit and Birmingham batted first, posting a strong total of 240 for 9. Again the pick of the Busa premier league side batsmen was the impressive Wood who scored a magnificent 111 before falling to a stumping by Shafique Ali off the bowling of Gulzar in the 33rd over. By that time the tourists were 162 for 3 and with 17 overs left things were looking decidely ominous for the Spaniards. However, some great bowling by Tanveer,Crompton and Gulzar restricted the Midlanders to only 40 runs off the next 10 overs before a flurry by Hemmings and Griffiin at the end edged the total to the 240 mark.
Spain’s response was much more calculated than the day before and gone was the poor shot selection that marred yesterdays batting. Crompton again showed a great amount of composure with his 72 not out, and surely cemented a place for himself in the Spanish team. Fellow newcomer Khan hit a swashbuckling 70 which included four sixes and five fours and looked to have won the game for Spain before holing out at deep mid off to a fine catch by Hemmings right in front of the home supporters. Needing five from the last over Spain lost the wicket of Tanveer before managing a single and then two runs. As the tension mounted Wells kept is nerve and managed to bowl three dot balls at the death.
Yet another nailbiting game for Spain, and although the result went against the hosts, no one can deny that the effort and passion was much more in evidence than Saturday’s game, and coach George Wambeek and skipper Graham Howe will have certainly taken some positives from this early season performance,
BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY 240 FOR 8 WICKETS
L GREWCOCK CT GULZAR B WASIM 32
D WOOD STUMPED S ALI B GULZAR 111
A RICHARDSON LBW TANVEER 4
D FRANKLIN CT S ALI B CROMPTON 9
S AZLAM STUMPED S ALI B CROMPTON 12
N MURRAY ….B CROMPTON 8
J GRAY STUMPED S ALI B BEAL 8
J HEWTON CT FERNANDEZ B LUPSON 5
C HEMMINGS NOT OUT 26
H GRIFFIN NOT OUT 11
J SPRITTLES DNB
EXTRAS 9
TOTAL 240 FOR 8 WICKETS
FOW 1-104,2-133.3-162,4-170,5-181,6-196,7-201,8-203.
S LUPSON 9-1-44-1
M SHERRY 8-0-35-0
P BEAL 4-0-23-0
T IQBAL 10-1-47-2
WASIM 5-0-30-1
G CROMPTON 9-0-33-3
A GULZAR 5-1-27-1
SPAIN 238 FOR 7 WICKETS
M ALI CT GRAY B WELLS 20
S ALI CT GREWCOCK B POWELL 6
WASIM LBW HEMMINGS 8
G CROMPTON NOT OUT 72
P BEAL CT POWELL B MURRAY 8
M SHERRY CT WOOD B MURRAY 7
M KHAN CT HEMMINGS B WELLS 70
T IQBAL B GRAY B WELLS 6
M FERNANDEZ NOT OUT 2
A GULZAR DNB
S LUPSON DNB
EXTRAS 39
TOTAL 238 FOR 7 WICKETS
FOW 1-12,2-44,3-70,4-109,5-118,6-222,7-235
J SPRITTLES 8-1-39-0
B POWELL 5-0-26-1
C HEMMINGS 10-3-28-1
D WELLS 10-1-46-3
N MURRAY 6-0-39-2
H GRIFFIN 10-2-35-0
S ASLAM 1-0-19-0
UMPIRES RON GRAHAM AND CLIVE REES
SCORER CLAIRE SUNDERLAND
BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY BEAT SPAIN BY 2 RUNS.