The start of the new cricket season in Cyprus brought something very familiar to UK cricket followers – rain.
The first match in the 40-over league had to be cancelled on Saturday due to the weather, but fortunately the three T20 matches on Sunday were able to be completed, resulting in wins for Nicosia Tigers, Black Caps and Amdocs.
The opening game, played between two teams of Bangladeshi players, saw seven Tigers batsmen score double figures, led by Jahid Hassan’s 45 and Iftekar Jaman’s 33 as they totalled 223-6 in their 20 overs. Limassol Bangladeshis also had six players in double figures as they made their way to 135-9, never being in with a chance of winning but enjoying the chance to have a bat in a good-natured game. Opener Emon Bhuyan made their top score of 29.
The second match was a far more feisty affair between Black Caps and Royal, who both demonstrated that they have the players to be a force in this competition. Both also suffered fielding penalties for slow over rates, an area in which they need to improve.
The game was a close one which could have gone either way. Black Caps had to work hard to score 158 against a decent bowling attack spearheaded by Sandeep Singh (4-15) and Karan Singh (3-24). A patient 48 from Lovedeep Singh Sandhu, and more aggressive contributions by Resham Singh (27) and Sukhjinder Singh (22 including two extraordinary legside sixes) took them to a defendable total.
In reply Royal slipped to 41-4 as Resham took three cheap wickets before suffering from the onslaught of Sehran Ahmed, who threatened to turn the game on its head with a blistering 67 from 22 balls, with 7 sixes and 5 fours. When he was out a further 62 runs were needed from 11 overs, and Royal’s main problem was the loss of wickets.
Sarpreet Singh played his usual sensible innings and Harwinder Singh Gill kept trying until he was last man out at 143, leaving Black Caps victorious by 15 runs. In the crucial latter part of the innings there were two wickets each for Gurpreet Dhaliwal, Sukhjinder Singh and captain Rajwinder Singh Brar, who struggled to keep his emotions in check in a match that almost boiled over on occasions but did provide some memorable cricket.
The final game of the day resulted in a comfortable 7-wicket win for Amdocs over Limassol Qalandars, whose innings featured an excellent innings of 49 from 24 balls by Numan Munir, supported by captain Sohail Ahmed’s 26. Amdocs’ Vimal Khanduri took 4-18 and Prince Rai 3-23 as Qalandars were bowled out for 133, with Preetaj Deol taking four catches, including one off his own rarely seen legspin bowling.
Preetaj then led the Amdocs reply with an unbeaten 44 opening the batting, although he was upstaged by his captain Chaitas Shah who stroked his way to 57 from 24 balls with 5 sixes and 4 fours. Amdocs reached their target in 16 overs for the loss of 3 wickets.
Next weekend, weather permitting, there will be a full programme of matches in the 40-over and T20 leagues on Saturday and Sunday at Ypsonas and Happy Valley as the season gets into full swing.