Sporting Alfas saved their best league performance to date for the Madrid Stars and in the process took away the visitors unbeaten league record in a one sided performance that saw the home side romp home by 197 runs.
Batting first Alfas took maximum batting points, posting a score of 289 for 6 at the interval. Debutant S. Bhatti made an impressive start by scoring an unbeaten century and he was ably supported by Adam Algar and Christian Munoz who both contributed with half centuries.
For the Stars Ali Cheema was the pick of the bowlers taking three wickets for just 28 runs in his seven overs.
In reply. Madrid never got going with the bat and were skittled all out for 92 in just 22 overs. Captain Rizwan Shah top scored with 26 but the visitors had no answer to the bowling of former Spanish International Mohib Husseini, who bagged four wickets for just 13 runs. His continous nine over spell at the beginning of the Stars innings included one maiden and accounted for four of the first six wickets to fall.
Sporting Alfas took 20 points from the game whilst Madrid Stars added four points to their current league total.
SPORTING ALFAS REPORT ON THE GAME
Sporting Alfas stay at the top of ECCL 1 with a decisive victory over the unbeaten Madrid Star Cricket Club. Winning the toss and inviting SACC to bat Madrid Star made a quick break through when Wright fended one off from Left arm quick bowler Cheema and was caught.
Algar played a majestic innings and reached his fifty off only 47 balls, then threw it away wafting at a long hop,out for 53. New man Bhati played himself in nicely before raining carnage on the Madrid attack, Opener Laundon then followed Algar’s style with a disastrous shot from replacement bowler Waheed, out for 27. Perfect timing for Skipper Muñoz to join the fun, he and Bhati really piled on the runs until Muñoz, allegedly, middled one into his pads and was disappointed to be given out LBW for 51. K Perman walked in and out finding Cheema a bit quick, closely followed by Roper, who also blamed temporary blindness for his demise.
Two ducks with Bhati standing on 76 and the total at 223 would SACC fail to take advantage of the last 8 overs and reach maximum batting points. With Cheema bowled out Alfas took complete advantage of the tired Madrid bowlers and smashed a further 66 runs with Bhati ending his debut on 108 and Mohib striking a maximum 4 times in his 27 run innings. 289 for 6, now the game begins for Sporting Alfas Bowlers.
Ropers first ball disappeared to the boundary, but the next 5 flew by the bat at a good pace, Roper and Mohib then bowled a brilliant spell and reduced the Madrid team to 23 for 4 from the first 10 overs. Tiring quickly the lads carried on in the 38 degree heat but only took 1 more wicket in what was a fantastic effort from both Openers with Mohib coming out on top with 4 for 13 from his 7 over stint and Roper bravely finishing his 9 overs and claiming 1 for 40 Madrid taking advantage of the drained quick bowler.
Over to the never aging and always up for it Paul Taylor, Rizwan had read the script well and after belting 26 runs from his 38 balls decided Taylor should be taught a lesson and spanked Paul´s first ball straight to gully like a red balloon, lesson over off you go son. A brave rear guard was required but the truth is if the first batsmen cannot get runs then the tail should not be left with a mammoth task and other than a few mighty hard strikes from Madrid Stars quicky Cheema the innings fizzled out with only 92 runs on the scoreboard. Talor ending with 3 for 25, K,Perman 1 for 11.
A magnificent win for SACC by 197 runs.
