Italy prepare for Gibraltar quad-series with UK tour (3 Sep 1999)

2 September 1999

Italy prepare for Gibraltar quad-series with UK tour

Italy prepared for the four-nation tournament in Gibraltar with a tour of the United Kingdom. Dr. Simone Gambino reports:

"Italian cricket took another great stride forward in terms of international credibility at the end of the 1999 tour of the UK. The tour had been designed to provide the team with the tough opposition that it is likely to meet next year when it faces the top sides in the A section of the European Championships taking place in Glasgow from July 21st to 27th. All this following the unexpected victory over England Amateurs in last year's event in Holland which brough to Italy's promotion and the enlargement of the A section from 5 to 6 teams.

Despite the weather playing foul for most of the tour, Italy emerged with a final record of three wins, three defeats and 2 draws.

After the initial game at Eastcote was washed out, la Nazionale faced a strong MCC side at Shenley Park. Batting first after being put in, Italy were struggling at 16/2 after 11 overs before vice - captain Zuppiroli got things moving producing a reaction also in an up to then sedate Scuderi. By the time the 25 year old from Pianoro was out for 32, the score had reached 95 in the 35th over. There followed an acceleration of exceptional proportions which saw Italy close their innings at 218/5. Scuderi, having taken 107 balls to reach 50, scored 67 off the last 30 he faced to finish udefeated on 117. MCC also started badly and at 41/4 the game was wide open. Things were put in prospective by a 161 run partnership between Zimbabwe's wicket - keeper Andy Flower and MCC skipper Tim O'Gorman which settled the outcome, MCC coming home safely by five wickets with two overs to spare.

Rain caused the abandonment after only nine overs of the game against the Liverpool Competition. This was followed by a heavy defeat by 69 runs, 193 -124, against a strong Cheshire County League side in a game in which the team clearly missed Scuderi's presence on the field. The Sicilian from Queensland was back for the game against Derbyshire Premier League. With Jayasena, 44, Qureshi, 26, and Giordano, 45, all playing well Italy were strongly placed at 106/1 after 25 overs. A spate of wickets followed, including Scuderi for 2, and the innings lost momentum with the Azzurri finishing 182/9. Nevertheless, the home side looked truly beaten at 85/7! For the second time in the match, however, Italy failed to capitalize its advantage with Derbyshire reaching their goal in the last over with two wickets in hand.

A rest day in which coach Doug Ferguson gave the team a good walloping clearly produced wonders.

Italy was in control of the game against Wales from start to finish. The home side managed only 130 off their 40 overs, Qureshi 5/20, and when the rain interviened after 13 Italy were cruising at 52 without loss. Wales claimed the game to be a draw, no specific regulations having been determined before the game. Italy, to the contrary, claimed a win not only because they regarded 10 overs as the sufficient margin to compare run rates but also because they were ahead according to whichever calculation method you wanted to consider.

On to Nelson for the prestigious game against Lancashire seconds captained by Mike Watkinson. For the first time in front of a paying crowd, admission being charged at £ 2.00, Italy had to wait three hours for the weather to clear, the game being consequently reduced from 50 to 40 overs. Batting first in awkward conditions, the Azzurri reached 163/5 mainly thanks to a watchful 69 not out from Scuderi, batting through the innings against his future county, and a quickfire 28 from Qureshi. These two, also, were instrumental in sustaining Jayasena, 4/11, in bowling out the Red Rose and producing a shocking 42 run win for Italy.

With Scuderi and Giordano back to club duties, Italy toyed with their final fixture against the Almondbury Casuals. A solid undefeated innings of 36 by Maggio was the base on which a total of 185 was eventually achieved after the lower order promote to the top had caused a slump to 70/6. Corbellari, 26, and Qureshi, undefeated on 29 off only 10 balls, caused the much needed final acceleration. Almondbury were never in the hunt, ending up 135 all out with five overs left and thus ending on a happy note a tour which will long live in all the participants memories."