Malta cricket weekend review

Further trouble came to the select team when Nowell Khosla was lbw for fifteen runs and Javed Shah was caught  and Ronnie Sacco was bowled leaving the Select team in trouble with the loss of four wickets and only forty five runs on the board from fourteen overs.

Mark G.Sacco was the only top order batsmen who was showing defiance but was brilliantly caught in the slips by Derek Ali for twenty two runs. Mike Caruana had now been at the crease slowly building an innings. Tony Azzopardi came in and made fifteen valuable runs before being bowled. Sarfraz Ali came in and remained not out with Caruana. Ali made fifteen runs while Caruana ended up with seventy nine runs. Including three fours and a six.

The Select team totalled 180 runs from their forty overs. The wickets for the Combined team were spread, Bikram Arora two, Andy Naudi , Derek Ali, Jim Heasman, Gordon Hewitt and Will Nicholls all one each.

In reply the Combined team lost Malcolm Crabbe for five runs which brought together Phil Gibbs and Chris Naudi. Gibbs played the silent partner giving the strike to Naudi who was making light work of the bowling.

They put on a partnership of forty nine runs before Naudi was trapped lbw for thirty seven runs. The Combined team were on track for a win. 

On comes Mike Caruana to change all that. He bowled three overs, two maidens and took five wickets. He was well aided by Ronnie Sacco in slips who took to great catches and by the wicket keeper John Grima who took a stumping and a catch, the other wicket was bowled.

After this spell he was rested. Bikram Arora was still at the crease prodding along when after the barrage of fallen wickets said to his self I have nothing to lose. He opened up his shoulders and the ball went sailing over the boundary four times.

Tony Slater tried desperately to stay with him and gave him as much strike as possible and making a partnership of fifty two runs before Slater was stumped for one run. Arora was caught on the boundary for fifty three runs and the game was all over. The Combined team totalled 128 runs losing by fifty two runs. Other wicket takers for the Select team were Sarfraz Ali,Tony Azzopardi, Pierre Naudi,Jay and Aman.

 Last Tuesday the third game against Queen’s Park was played where the visitors completed a whitewash over the home side. Gordon Hewitt managed to take three wickets for the highlight for the home side.

Last weekend a level one cricket coaching course was held where Nadia Gosney, Samuel Aquilina, Derek Ali, Malcolm Crabbe, Mike Rawle, Nowell Khosla and Kevin Krishna all attained the status. Well done to all.

Next Saturday the MCA Winter league commences with last seasons Winter league winners Melita Betfair C.C playing Krishna C.C at 10:00am.