Cricket España League

Madrid Cricket Club – 10-05-2008 - Match Report

Madrid CC 180-9 (45 overs) bt Mojacar CC 104 all out (33.2 overs) by 76 runs.

The opening League Match for Madrid Cricket Club in the 2008 season against Mojacar was a tight affair, dominated by the ball with only a few notable exceptions.

Manny Fernandez, fresh from the winter break and in his second season as club captain and looking to improve on last year’s runners-up medal, started by losing the toss and being forced to bat. 

Constant opener Muhammad Akmal was joined by David Leonida in a new opening partnership for Madrid CC and they combined well against some tight bowling from Phil Beal, with Leonida playing a holding role and Akmal picking singles against Beal and boundaries against his partner Tim Vollans. Having seen off the openers and looking to be in good form, the change in bowling brought about a wicket, with Akmal missing the line and being given out leg before for 38 runs off Zayir Abbas. The opening partnership was worth 55 runs. 

New and promising batsman Rob Hall then joined the fray and immediately made his mark, contributing to the run out of David Leonida and producing a great stroke for a single before becoming Abbas’ second victim! Not the best debut but undoubtedly not representative of what he is capable of achieving for the club. 

Stephen Baker (27) and Nadeem Alvi (18) then batted solidly against the bowling of Abbas, Stannard and Jem Rose, putting on close to 50 runs for the 4^th wicket. At 100-3, Madrid were starting to look comfortable.  

Mojacar’s Abbas (5-35) had other ideas, and after Baker was caught by Andy Wooley off Jem Rose, he took three quick wickets to add to his earlier tally, clean bowling both danger man Irshad Khan and captain Manny Fernandez and then removing Alvi, plumb leg before wicket. Madrid were reeling at 112-7. 

It was all up to Madrid’s number 8 batsman, Spanish team representative Phil Read to save the show, and with some resplendent hitting to all areas of the park, Phil smashed his way to a quick fire 45 runs off 40 balls, with support from Jonathan Woodward and Tim Doust before falling to compatriot Phil Beal off the final ball of the innings. Madrid had pushed their total up to 180 – 9. 

Mojacar began brightly chasing down the below par total of Madrid, with Pete Finch and Keith Rose scoring at close to 4 an over against the bowling attack of Phil Reid and debutant Gulshan David. David gained the upper hand towards the end of his spell, sending a beauty of an outswinger to Pete Finch who played and snicked a catch skillfully taken by keeper Tim Doust. 

Danger man Abbas came to the crease and began to build a steady partnership with Keith Rose before embarking on a suicide run which ended with the long walk back to the “pavilion”. Madrid captain Fernandez and Irshad Khan (3-17) then ripped through the middle order, reducing Mojacar to 76 for 6 before leg spinner Muhammad Akmal (3-19) came on and bamboozled the tail end, the final 4 wickets falling for less than 30 runs. The margin of victory was 76 runs. Muhammad Akmal was the man of the match and Madrid continue their run of victories against Mojacar from 2007. Abbas for Mojacar is a very good addition to their squad for 2008 and looked impressive with both the bat and the ball. 

Stewart Lunn