Taiwan Southerners Cricket Club (TSCC) continued their impressive winning streak by beating Pakistan Badshahs on Sunday in the final of the Tainan Triangular Series at Chia Nan Pharmacology University of Technology in Rende, Tainan County.
The Southerners were put into bat in the Twenty20 encounter and suffered an early blow when opener and Most Valuable Player Graham Terblanche was bowled by Imran Nazir for only 11.
Terblanche had reached the milestone of 1,000 runs for the season the previous day, a new record in Taiwan.
Duane Christie and Jeff Black set about staging a recovery, until Black got a top edge and departed for 33. Christie batted through the innings, finally departing off the last ball for a grafted 69, while Mark Pemberton hit a few lusty blows at the end of the innings to boost the Southerners’ total to a healthy 160 for 3.
In reply, Badshahs lost Touseef to the second ball of the innings to paceman Jared Painter and the wickets continued to tumble, with Painter picking up Badshahs “guest” player Andrew Carrick for 19. Badshahs made 104 all out in 18.2 overs, Terblanche picking up four wickets for only six runs in 2.2 overs to wrap up the innnings.
The tournament featured all three southern sides, with hosts Tainan Swingers opening proceedings against a nine-man Badshahs side on Saturday. TSCC kindly helped out with substitute fielders.
The Swingers decided to bat first on a lively wicket and were soon in trouble against the accurate bowling of Touseef Ashraf and Mujahid, finishing on 72 for 6 from 15 overs. In reply the Badshahs knocked off the required runs in 10.2 overs, with Carrick making 53 not out.
The second game featured the much-anticipated match between TSCC and Badshahs. However, Badshahs could only manage 63 for 5 from their 15 overs and the Southerners knocked off the required runs for the loss of one wicket in only 5.4 overs. Terblanche was the chief “master blaster,” with 38 not out, while Duane Christie hit 26 not out.
The third match of the tournament saw TSCC take on Tainan Swingers with the Swingers needing to win by a huge margin if they were to make it into the final. The Southerners piled on the runs, making 111 for 3 in 15 overs, with Terblanche smashing a quick-fire 62 not out.
Swingers started well, reaching 28 without loss in three overs, but wickets then fell regularly and they were all out for 75 in 14.3 overs, eliminating them from the tournament.
Next weekend sees the Little India Peace Cup at the Cauldron Stadium in Taichung, with TSCC taking on arch-rivals Formosa and the vastly improved Taichung Scunners.
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