Malta cricket: New series begins

Sarfraz Ali and Andy Lenard opening the batting.

Ali was first to go being caught by Dave Borg  for fifteen runs including two fours of the bowling of Ronnie Sacco. Lenard was Sacco’s second wicket taking a good caught and bowled catch.

Lenard made twenty eight runs including a six and three fours. Phil Gibbs played a patient innings and made fourteen runs before being caught by Javed Shah of the bowling of Hewitt. 

Andy Naudi, Joy Ghoseroy, Tony Slater and first gamer Harold Caruana all were out under five runs. Mark G Sacco top scored for his team with thirty runs before having his bails whipped off in an instance by John Grima giving the wicket keeper his first stumping of the bowling  of Robert Dhandapani. Grima was to have a second stumping that of Sunny Krishna who had scored eleven runs.

Kevin Krishna did very well scoring eighteen runs not out and Stuart Clarke was there at the end with three runs not out. Dave Borg was the main wicket taker for the Captain’s XI. The Chairman’s XI totalled 158 runs from their allotted forty overs.

The Captain’s XI reply was that of misery and were bowled out for sixty six runs. The only shining light they had with the bat was Tony Azzopardi who made twenty six  runs before being bowled by Kevin Krishna.

John Grima tried to hold the innings together and remained till the end with twelve runs not out. Robert Krishna, Derek Ali, Ronnie Sacco (Sacco was caught brilliantly by his brother diving forward ) and Ian Pendelbury all made scores under five runs while Dave Borg managed to make eight runs. 

Andy Naudi captured one of his best bowling figures for a long time, four wickets for fifteen runs from five overs bowled.

Next weekend sees the second game of the series, starting at 10:30am. The nursery/academy will be from 9:00 till 10:30am.