Match Day 4 of the league started with cloudy & overcast weather conditions, but we got a full game of Cricket as Costa Del Sol CC was head-on-head against Malaga CC.
Malaga CC won the toss and elected to bowl first. Malaga CC started with Asad and Jack in bowling attack. Lee Rimmer and Phil Hall opened the batting for Costa Del Sol CC. Both Batsmen looks good at the crease as they keep scoring runs at brisk pace and keep hitting boundaries at regular intervals to keep the scoring at 6 RPO at the end on first 10 overs with score at 60/0. Trying to accelerate the inning, Lee Rimmer then got caught by Jack of the bowling of Avinash for steady 23. That bought Gurnam to the crease and runs keep ticking in 1s & 2s and boundaries dried up as Malaga CC bowlers kept the pressure on with some tight bowling from Mohsin, Avinash and Maanav in the middle overs. Opener Phil Hall then got run out after scoring crucial 46 runs as Costa were 96/2 in 20 overs at that point. Kenroy joined the crease as number 4. Gurnam then got bowled of bowling of Maanav for 11 trying to push the scoring rate. Captain AJ (Andrew James) came to the crease at number 5. Both Kenroy and AJ, both tried to pick up some momentum to the inning, before Kenroy was run out for quick 13 runs. This brings Jaime to crease, who played a quick cameo of 14 runs before getting clean bowled by Mohsin. Trying to push the scoring rate, AJ was soon dismissed as he got caught by Jack of Maanav’s bowling for 21. Costa’s innings finally closed at 180/7 of 35 overs with some useful runs down the order from Ian Higgins (Iggy) & Richard Cunningham.
The second innings started, as Malaga CC needed 181 runs to win of 35 overs. Malaga opened the batting with Nadeem and Asad. Jaime and Lee Rimmer took the new ball for Costa. The inning started with Costa Del Sol CC getting the intial momentum after a dramatic run-out, as Jaime flicked the ball to the stump at the bowler’s end of straight drive by Nadeem and found Asad short of his crease, who was unfortunately dismissed for 0. That bought Manaav at number 3, who along with Nadeem keep hitting boundaries regularly to the keep the scoreboard ticking. Maanav and Nadeem then both got dismissed by Jaime in quick interval and pressure started building on Malaga CC with some good fielding from Costa’s team. Avinash then came to crease at number 4, but he didn’t got any support from the other end as Asim, Nauman, Naeem & Mohsin all were dismissed quickly as Jaime and Lee Rimmer both getting 2 wicket each to dismiss all four. This derailed Malaga from this run-chase as they lost 7 wicket with more than 100 runs stil required.
Avinash on the other end kept a cool head and kept the scoreboard ticking by playing some splendid shots as he started building a partnership with number 9, Jack.At one point it looks they will take Malaga home in this run-chase. But Captain AJ,then bought Phil Hall to the bowling attack, who responded with a wicket as Jack played a pull shot that went straight to Lee at deep mid-wicket.
Avinash then decided to take much strike as Costa just needs last 2 wicket for a win. Avinash hit some nice boundaries of the bowling Kenroy, who was touch expensive with 50 runs of his 5 overs. This bought the run-chase more closer. But Malaga number 10 then got run-out after an excellent throw from Bruce from deep mid-off.
Costa then applied pressure with their fielding to keep Avinash off-strike. And this tactic finally paid off as Malaga’s number 11 Husnain was caught at slip by an excellent catch from Lee Rimmer of Phil Hall’s bowling. Malaga CC were bundled for 155/10 as Avinash left stranded at one end on an excellent inning of 64 not out. Costa Del Sol CC won the match by 25 runs.
Result- CDS won by 25 Runs
CDS CC (Phil 46, Lee 23 , Maanav 3-32, Avinash 1-8)
Malaga CC (Avinash 64*, Maanav 30, Jaime 4-34, Phil H. 2-17)
Player of the Match
Phil Hall 46 runs & (4.1-0-17-2)
