The Pakistan Cricket Club Taipei (PCCT) won the Greater Taichung Cauldron Trophy yesterday overcoming neighbors the Formosa Cricket Club (FCC) and the Daredevils from the south, with big hitting and lively fielding.
In the final, PCCT captain Mujahid Muhammad won the toss and chose to bat. Graham Terblanche inspired a strong start to the Daredevil’s attack, taking a good low catch off Amjad Zafar and continuing Shezhad Khan’s (20) poor weekend with the bat by running him out with a direct hit as he backed up too far.
However, Muhammad (67) was in fine form. In partnership with Ninad Malwade (58 not out), Muhammad saw the total through to 147 in the 15th over. From there, wicketkeeper Asif Tanoli (33) and Malwade shared eight sixes, plundering 70 runs to set 217 for six.
Requiring 10 an over from the outset, Andrew Carrick (38) latched on to some length bowling and provided impetus. Carrick’s wicket was important as he fell to Khan a ball after sending a Khan delivery into the stands, but of greater value was Jeff Black’s (37), who employed something of a block-smash approach.
Newcomer Elmar Scheepers (18), captain Jared Painter (18) and Kyle Mullaney (2 not out) provided late entertainment, but the chase fell 55 runs short.
In the semi-final the Daredevils survived a consistently threatening FCC bowling attack to post 141. Their total was made possible by Carrick (64), who opened the batting and was last man out.
Carrick’s conservative approach was offset by Black, who smashed 42. However, Black was well caught, which put the brakes on the scoring rate.
Carrick, though, held his nerve, shepherded the tail and set up the win. Bowlers Salim Indiradevi (2/13) and captain Ric McGrail (3/16) capped off an impressive weekend with the ball.
The FCC chase was held together by Dhananjay Magar (41), who found too few partners able to stay with him for long. Govindaraj Sridhar (29) put his hand to the task, but with Black (0/14) in a miserly mood the chase ended nine runs shy.
The action returns to Chiayi City on April 30th for the Jan Hong Tournament.
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