Malta defeat Luxemburg in Euro Championship

The first game was against Portugal and the Malta team batted first. After eleven overs were at a reasonable platform of seventy seven runs. Unfortunately they could only muster up 124 from their full overs. Nowell Khosla batted well and made forty eight runs from thirty nine balls which included four fours and two sixes. Frank Spiteri made twenty four runs while Andrew Naudi and John Callus made fifteen runs each. The Portugese took seventeen and a half overs to reach their target and only lost two wickets along the way.

Next day the Malta team had to play two games. The first was against Israel who at fifteen overs were on 77 runs and managed to make 133 runs by the end of their allotted overs. Justin Brooke, Nowell Khosla and Mike Caruana were the main wicket takers with two each. In reply the Malta team faltered and only made 92 runs, Frank Spiteri was the main scorer with forty three runs which included five fours an a six.

The second game was against Luxemburg. They batted first and made a healthy 151 runs with T.Barker making fifty five runs. For the Malta team Justin Brooke, George Agius and Derek Ali were the main wicket takers with two each. In reply Nowell Khosla kick started the innings with a fine forty two runs from forty one balls which included four fours.  John Callus made seven runs and Frank Spiteri fourteen runs.

The Malta team needed 64 runs from six overs with Andrew Naudi and Ronnie Sacco at the crease. After the two previous batting displays one would not believe what was about to unfold. Naudi faced four balls without scoring which put more pressure on the Malta team. After that the Luxemburg team wee dumbstruck by the awesome batting display.

Naudi made sixty six runs from twenty seven balls faced which included five fours and five sixes while Sacco scored fifteen runs from four balls. The Malta team reached their target with two overs to spare. One of the greatest wins Malta has made since competing in international cricket.
Next against Estonia, who batted first and posted 184 runs in their allotted overs.

The Malta team had a bad start to this game where a catch was dropped on the very first ball and the batsmen went on to make seventy one runs. Estonia only lost three wickets. The Malta team tried hard but could only make 128 runs. Frank Spiteri top scored with twenty two runs and Ronnie Sacco made nineteen runs.

In the last game of the group stage the Malta team played against Spain. The Malta team batted first and after being seventy runs after ten overs were bowled out for 119 runs. Andrew Naudi top scored with twenty nine runs. In reply the Spanish made the runs in twelve overs without losing a wicket.
Malta now played against Croatia. The Malta team batted first and scored 127 runs.

Nowell Khosla bating well and making forty three runs from thirty nine balls which included five fours and two sixes. Ronnie Sacco made twenty three runs. In the field the Malta team gave it their all only to see the Croatian side make their target in the last over. Mike Caruana and Nowell Khosla were the main wicket takers with two each.

Malta now faced Cyprus to see who will end up last. The Malta team batted first and made 96 of their allotted overs with Nowell Khosla making twenty six runs. The Cyprus team made the runs in the twelfth over without losing a wicket.
The Malta team will have to work hard for the next tournament especially on their batting and something which was a big surprise in this tournament, their catching.