The rain held off yesterday to allow a full day’s action at the Taiwan Cricket Sixes in Chiayi City. Defending champions the Daredevils lead the table with five wins.
Roy Horgan led their early charge by hitting 70 from 19 with seven sixes, retiring twice and not being dismissed in three innings as the southern side knocked over the Badshaws A and B teams, the Scunners and the Scrubbers.
The Daredevils’ final match of the day was under lights against their own B team, the Oddfellows. The matchup always provides great entertainment and this was no exception, with Hercules Malan bowling in a Santa beard and some enthusiastic, if ineffective, catching.
The Oddfellows were involved in the closest match of the day, failing to defend their total of 50 against the Scunners. Eben Haarhoff was handed the ball in the last over with 22 required, but Chad Sinovich and Justin Lambie defied the odds and hit a six off the last ball to win.
Kris Belling, Scunners manager, said it was a “great day of cricket. The boerewors [South African sausage] sold like hot cakes.”
With one more win, Belling’s side should make today’s Cup semi-finals for the first time ever.
Van Diemen Formosa is also in the running for a semi-final appearance with a series of convincing wins and some powerful performances with bat and ball by captain Heinrich Nothnagel. They racked up a very good 64 against the Badshaws A side, who are also in the top four, but conceded too many runs early.
With 16 required off two overs, Thomas Rayen gave Formosa a chance, conceding just nine, but the Badshaw batters hit a six and scrambled a couple of byes to win with a ball to spare. Mujahid Aleem powered the earlier chase, retiring on 35, which matched his effort against the Scrubbers.
Mike O’Callaghan took charge of field two for the day and was concerned about his experience as an umpire, but he found that, as the day progressed, so did his judging ability. O’Callaghan said the derby between the two Badshaw sides was the most challenging, with the two sides eager to prove their superiority over the other.
Touseef Ahmad decided their fates, retiring with 34 with his team chasing 49 in 4.3 overs after Raj Khan picked up 2 wickets for 3 runs.
The Swingers made an impression with wins over the Scrubbers and the Oddfellows.
Today’s morning matchups are scheduled to confirm the top four teams for the semi-finals.
Play continues today with two more rounds of group play, before the semi-finals and finals for the cup, plate, bowl and the wooden spoon.
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