Brazil closer to hosting Championship

Brazil has kept alive its chances of winning the South American Championships on home turf by defeating Peru by 10 wickets in Sao Paulo on Saturday. It must now beat Argentina 'A' tomorrow in the Twenty20 format to celebrate hosting the tournament for the first time, by winning the trophy. In the other match tomorrow, also played to Twenty20 rules, Chile meets Peru.

Winning the toss and choosing to field, the Brazilian bowling attack limited the Peruvians to 140. Captain Harry Hildebrand top-scored with 37, while Nick Appleyard (21) and Kashyap Nansi (15) made useful contributions, as did extras.

The pick of the Brazilian bowlers was Sunny Randolph (4/31), but as a unit, the Brazilian attack restricted the scoring very well.

So with a target of 3.5 per over, the openers for Brazil started steadily and finished the job strongly in the 31st over. Greigor Caisley played some great shots on his way to 77 not out, while Matt French supported him perfectly to make a confident 42 not out.

In what was easily the most exciting game of the tournament so far Argentina A chased down 175 to defeat Chile on day three of the South American Championships.

Argentina A won the toss and put Chile into bat. The Chilean innings got off to a slow start with Hooper and Walker only putting on six runs before Walker (Man of the Match from day one) was caught in the slips by Dugmore (Man of the Match from day two). Prateek and Hooper then battled for the next 18 overs against some determined Argentina fielding and bowling with Ciaburri bowling particularly well 16/1 from 8 overs). With the score on 67 Prateek (23) was caught a bowled by Tissera bringing Craig Andrews to the middle. Andrews and Hooper put on a quick 20 runs before a call for a quick single found both batsmen at the same end and Hooper was run out on 31. Andrews (29) was the next to fall LBW to Casime with the score on 124. Argentine captain Tuñon then snagged three wickets for 23 runs as the Chilean middle order pushed the total to 175 for 8 at the end of their 40 overs.

Argentina’s opening batsmen Gibson (27) and Mauro (26) set the tone for the chase with 3.5 runs an over through the first 17 overs until Gibson attempted an “easy” second run against Bradbrooks arm at deep midwicket. A sizzling low throw hit the stumps directly sending an astonished Gibson back the pavilion. Mauro followed a few overs later when Bradbrook took a great catch off the bowling of Prateek. Lucas Paterlini (22) got Argentina over the hundred mark before he tried to hit Meade over the top and was caught on the boundary by Andrews.

Argentina still needed over five an over from the last 14 overs when captain Tuñon joined Dugmore in the middle. Dugmore was very nearly run out by another incredible piece of fielding from Bradbrook. A TV replay would have shown the Dugmore’s diving bat crossing the line and the ball hitting the stumps nearly simultaneously. Chile bowled extremely well but the Argentines continued to pick up enough runs each over to keep the chase alive. Tuñon (26) was finally run out by Meade with 11 runs required from 18 balls. Andrews then put the pressure on the new batsman Williams with four dot balls - a maiden over would have brought the game down to a run a ball - but Williams had other ideas. A massive six followed by a huge 4 and the game was tied. Dugmore (44*) knocked off the final run at the start of the 39th over and Argentina A won a very exciting and entertaining game of cricket. Dugmore picked up his second consecutive Man-of-the-Match award

On a damp morning at the Sao Paulo Athletic Club, Peru won the toss and elected to bat against the tournament favorites Argentina A. The Argentine bowling attack was sharp but not as sharp at the catches taken in the slips. Grant Dugmore took the first catch in the third over to claim the Peruvian captain with the score on 5. Lucas Paterlini took the second catch in fourth over with the score on 6. Dugmore and Paterlini finished the match with three catches each. Everything hit in the air seemed to go to hand as Peruvian opener Chris Abbott (28*) watched helplessly as each of his teammates headed back to the pavilion. After 30.2 overs the last Peruvian batsman was run out with only 69 runs on the board.

At lunch the Argentines were 35 for 1 and halfway home with 30 overs and nine wickets in hand. The Peruvians rotated their bowlers and managed to take one more wicket but they bowled too many wides and just didn’t have enough runs on the board to make much of a fight of it. David Mauro (14*) knocked off the winning run in the 18th over putting the Argentines on the top of the table. Grant Dugmore was awarded Man of the Match for his three catches, undefeated 11 and bowling figures of 4-1-3-1.

Peru 69 (30.2ov.) (C Abbott 28*, N Awsari 18; S Ciaburi 3-18, L Paterlini 2-6, A Casime 2-13) lost to Argentina A 70-2 (17.4ov.) (D Mauri 14*, G Dugmore 11)

Click here for the first day's report.