Beyond the Test World
Austria shock Manx to reach final
Austria shocked favourites Isle of Man to record a six wicket win in their play-off game at Royal Brussels in the ICC European Division Two Championships.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Austria shocked favourites Isle of Man to record a six wicket win in their play-off game at Royal Brussels in the ICC European Division Two Championships.
Having won the toss and elected to field, Austria fully justified their decision with a quite amazing start to the game. Gareth Morris and Oliver Webster both perished in identical fashion during the opening over, caught by Andrew Simpson-Parker at first slip - Muhammad Akhtar the successful bowler.
Things got even worse for the Isle of Man, when Peter Lewis slipped and was brilliantly run out by Qamar Abbas. Jaco Jansen was brilliantly caught by Benjamin Loader on the boundary, as he sprinted and dived full length to take the ball inches from the ground. Ahktar claimed his fourth wicket, when he trapped Max Stokoe in front, to give him the quite amazing analysis of 4 for 5 in his spell.
Full postBelgium and Isle of Man top groups
The most exciting game of the day came at the ICC European Division Two Championships came at Ghent, where Austria edged out Spain in Group B, by virtue of their point gained in a tied game with Hellas
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
The most exciting game of the day came at the ICC European Division Two Championships came at Ghent, where Austria edged out Spain in Group B, by virtue of their point gained in a tied game with Hellas. They went into the game level on points with Spain, but knew they needed a positive result given their vastly inferior net run rate in comparison with the Iberian side.
It looked like rain might give them that point, but eventually the skies cleared to enable a 15 overs per side contest. Austria batted first and made 116 for 8, with Amar Naeem top scoring with 55 from 44 balls. He shared in a 3rd wicket stand of 52 with Satyam Subhash (21). Best with the ball for Hellas were Spyridon Goustis (2 for 15) and Stamatos Giourgas (2 for 21).
In reply, it was nip and tuck all the way, as Hellas recovered from the loss of early wickets to look poised for a win, thanks to a stand of 52 between Iordanis Kontarinis (42) and Stavros Nikitaris (16).
With seven needed off the last over, Hellas came agonizingly close, with Goustis run out coming back for the 3rd run which would have won the game. Nandeep Soggi (2 for 13) and Satish Kaul (2 for 18) both bowled well for Austria who now take on the Isle of Man at Brussels tomorrow.
Full postSpain victory keeps hopes alive
Spain kept their qualification hopes very much alive at the ICC European Division Two tournament when they timed a potentially difficult run chase to perfection to defeat Hellas by seven wickets at Mechelen.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Spain kept their qualification hopes very much alive at the ICC European Division Two tournament when they timed a potentially difficult run chase to perfection to defeat Hellas by seven wickets at Mechelen.
A slow start from Hellas meant they were always on the back foot, and it took a late surge from Georgios-Chry Stogiannos to take their total up to 142 for 6. The belligerent right hander scored 45 from just 21 balls.
The early wickets of Mehmood Ahmed and Anastasios Manousis, both without scoring, meant Hellas required a period of consolidation. That was provided by Andreas Koutsoufis (26), Oliver Hutton (25), and Stavros Nikitaris (29).
In reply, Hellas were given an early boost by the run out of Sajad Ali, but a second wicket partnership of 65 between James Morgan (22) ans Shafique Ali settled the nerves. Shafique Ali scored exactly 50 from 34 balls, before being well caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Iordanis Kontarinis off the bowling of Mehmood Ahmed.
Full postBelgium stay unbeaten
Belgium retained their unbeaten record in Group B at the ICC European Division 2 tournament on Wednesday morning with a seven-wicket victory over Hellas, largely thanks to an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 67 between opener Nirvam Shah and Shahreyar
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Belgium retained their unbeaten record in Group B at the ICC European Division 2 tournament on Wednesday morning with a seven-wicket victory over Hellas, largely thanks to an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 67 between opener Nirvam Shah and Shahreyar Butt.
The Greek side had set a fairly testing target of 150, although the tournament hosts had done well to haul their way back after a rather higher total had seemed on the cards at one stage. Anastasios Manousis (37 from 32 balls) and Andreas Koutsoufis (34 from 24) had given their side a good start, and they were well placed at 72 for 3 at the half-way stage.
But their cause was not helped by three run-outs, and with leg-spinner Amir Iqbal bowling a fine spell to take 2 for 22 in his four overs and Abdul Rehman conceding just 17 in three, Belgium were able to restrict the scoring rate well in the third quarter. Captain Stavros Nikitaras struck a couple of fine blows towards the end, and Hellas finished on 149 for 9.
Amir Iqbal then started at a gallop when the hosts replied, striking five boundaries in the first two overs, and by the time he was bowled by Manousis for a 26-ball 33 the total had reached 55 from just 41 deliveries.
Full postHosts Belgium open with victory
Tournament hosts Belgium began their ICC European Division Two campaign in style with a relatively comfortable 60 win run win against Austria at Mechelen in Group B.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Tournament hosts Belgium began their ICC European Division Two campaign in style with a relatively comfortable 60 win run win against Austria at Mechelen in Group B.
An opening partnership of 69 between Nirvam Shah (40) and Amir Iqbal (25), laying the foundation for their total of 183 for 6. Abdul Rehman smashed eight sixes as he raced to 58 from just 18 balls, sharing in a match winning stand of 82 with Nadeem Khan (20no). Satyam Subash removed three of the Belgian top order to finish with the excellent analysis of 3 for 26.
In reply, Belgian opening bowler Waqas Shafiq dismissed three of the top order to reduce Austria to 28 for 4, and virtually seal the contest. Benjamin Loader played some delightful shots in a spirited half century from 46 balls, as he shared in a stand of 58 for the 6th wicket with Satyam Subash (26). In the end, Austria finished on 123 for 8, with Amir Iqbal (2 for 16) the other bowler of note.
Full postIsle of Man make it three in three
Isle of Man made it three wins out of three to assume control in Group A when they recorded a comprehensive nine wicket win against Finland at Royal Brussels.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Isle of Man made it three wins out of three to assume control in Group A when they recorded a comprehensive nine wicket win against Finland at Royal Brussels.
A thoroughly professional performance in the field restricted the Finns to just 87 all out in 17.2 overs, with only Bilal Khan (26) reaching double figures. All six Isle of Man bowlers shared the wickets, with Ross Berry claiming 4 for 14. Jaco Jansen taking 2 for 9, but his championship tally of five is still well short of his colleague Arne van der Berg, who has 9 wickets, at an incredible economy rate of just 3.11.
A target of 88 was never likely to prove difficult for the powerful Isle of Man batting line up, and so it turned out, as they lost just the one wicket. Gareth Morris was the batsman dismissed, bowled for 26, which included three fours and six sixes. He is now the leading run scorer in the competition, with 262 runs at an amazing average of 131, and a quite incredible strike rate of 225.86.
Fellow opener Max Stokoe scored 29 not out from 41 balls, as he shared in an unbroken second wicket partnership of 56 with Oliver Webster (27 not out). Webster’s innings contained three fours and a six, and came from 24 balls.
Full postPortugal led by 64-year-old Saiyad
Portugal’s captain Akbar Saiyad, who was born in Mozambique, will aim to show age is no barrier when he leads his country at the age of 64 in the ICC European Division Two Championship in Belgium.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Portugal’s captain Akbar Saiyad, who was born in Mozambique, will aim to show age is no barrier when he leads his country at the age of 64 in the ICC European Division Two Championship in Belgium.
The winners of the 11-team tournament – Switzerland have recently withdrawn from the event – will progress to Division One which will be held in the Channel Islands in July while there is an ultimate prize of a play at the global Twenty20 qualifiers in UAE next March.
At the other end of the age spectrum to Saiyad is 15-year-old Sebastian Aycock from the Isle of Man who will be the youngest player in the tournament while Luxembourg twins Timothy and James Barker are also 15.
Isle of Man are the top ranked team in Group A while Spain takes that honour in Group B although it is expected to be a closely fought tournament.
Full postNigeria squad heads into training camp
Nigeria have put together a 23-man squad that will go into a training camp ahead of the ICC Africa Twenty20 Cricket League Division One tournament in Uganda
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Nigeria have put together a 23-man squad that will go into a training camp ahead of the ICC Africa Twenty20 Cricket League Division One tournament in Uganda. The group is dominated by the players who gained promotion into the World Cricket League Division Six in May, while former captain Dolapo Gafar is set to return to national duty after being included.
Cricket’s foothold in Nigeria was strengthened after they won Division Two of the African Twenty20 tournament, and the Division One competition is another step in their goal of qualifying for a World Twenty20 event.
The training group also includes Seun Odekwu, Endurance Ofem, Kunle Adegbola, Ademola Onikoyi, Segun Olayinka, Emmanuel Okwudili, Joshua Ogunlola, Jide Bejide, Seye Olympio, Ramit Gill, Tope Olayinka, and Osita Onwuzulike among others.
The camp, which resumed June 11, will continue until June 26. Nigeria’s first match of the Division One competition will be against Namibia in Kampala on July 9.
Full postNigeria win Africa Division Two T20 tournament
A dominant Nigeria prevailed in the ICC Africa World Cricket League T20 Division Two tournament in Johannesburg, defeating Tanzania in their final game to top with tables with 14 points from seven victories.
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
A dominant Nigeria prevailed in the ICC Africa World Cricket League T20 Division Two tournament in Johannesburg, defeating Tanzania in their final game to top with tables with 14 points from seven victories.
Yet again batsman Sean Phillips was the star performer for Nigeria, racing to an unbeaten 80 as his team reached 150 for 6. His knock means he ends the tournament with 446 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 148. Tanzania’s batsmen made a fist of their chase but fell just short, reaching 144 for 4 before they ran out of overs.
Nigeria and Ghana, who finished in second position with 12 points and ahead of Botswana on net run-rate, will now proceed to the Division One Twenty20 tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Entebbe, Uganda in July this year.
Full postUAE and Namibia join Intercontinental Cup
UAE and Namibia have been selected to join the top six Associate and Affiliate nations in the next edition of the Intercontinental Cup
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
UAE and Namibia have been selected to join the top six Associate and Affiliate nations in the next edition of the Intercontinental Cup. They were picked based on their performances in World Cricket League Division Two, where they finished in the top four, and take the first-class tournament back to its previous structure of eight teams.
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