The Shanghai Daredevils took to the field in two Twenty20 cricket matches against their Taiwanese namesakes in Pingtung City yesterday in the first ever matches between teams from either side of the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan captain Jared Painter wanted to send Shanghai in to bat first to test them in unfamiliar conditions. Painter (1-12) had his way and lived up to his word. His first delivery saw a confident LBW appeal turned down. His opening partner, Jeff Black (1-22), claimed the first wicket bowling Sanjay Anugula (3).
Former Taiwan player Jon Newton (44) sent two sixes over the long-on boundary to balance the ledger. He was supported by a pair of 23s from Sid Sinha and Taipei’s Kannan Murugasen, but Taiwan’s Duane Christie (2-29) and Graham Terblanche (1-14) combined to swing the match.
Christie first ran out Sinha, then he bowled Newton and Terblanche grabbed a caught-and-bowled chance from Murugasen.
Chasing 147 to win, Taiwan soon found life not so easy when asked to bat themselves. Anugula (2-30), who opened the bowling as well, had Andrew Carrick (5) and Christie (0) caught in the first few overs.
Terblanche (31) launched a counterattack with two sixes. When he was stumped by off-spinner Aravind Arasu, the run rate was better, but the three wickets were a worry. Jeff Black (47 not out) followed, hitting 10 controlled boundaries as Taiwan cruised to victory with six overs to spare.
In the second match, Painter chose to bat and Taiwan turned the heat up with 255. Carrick (72 not out) batted the 20 overs, scoring largely from the outside edge, including a top-edged six to the very short fine-leg boundary.
Terblanche, who hit 65 in the second match, had himself stumped again, but not before slogging Shanghai out of the match. And Roy Horgan (56 not out) got all his runs from just 20 deliveries.
Anugula (0-26) emerged relatively unscathed among the bowlers and hit 70 in the forlorn reply, which was put to an end with an “all bowled” hat-trick from Christie.
Today’s matches will be played on the Pro Ground in Pingtung City on Bangciou Road beginning at 10:30am.
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