The Taiwan Annual Tournament had eluded the Taiwan Daredevils cricket team since 2005, but they made a return to the winner’s circle in Chiayi yesterday, albeit with a rather scratchy chase.
Taipei’s Pakistan Cricket Club (PCCT) set a below-par target of 91 in the final, but a few good deliveries, a contentious decision and a close run out dragged the game into the final over before Roy Horgan (9), with Caleb Kenyon (22) for company, smacked the winning runs with five deliveries to spare.
Earlier, Shane Ferreira contributed the substance of the chase with 35 breezy runs from 26 deliveries, but fell to a boundary catch that opened the door to PCCT. Ferreira was named player of the tournament for his bowling and batting efforts.
Teammate George Klopper picked up the player of the final award with two wickets.
In the final round of group play, the Formosa Cricket Club (FCC) were demolished by the Daredevils, who chased down 95 in quick time.
PCCT had a tougher time against the Badshaws, who were brave in the face of a 182-run target, falling just 11 runs shy and left ruing the run-out of star batsman Mahroof Hussein (40). Amjad Zafar (62 not out) and Asif Tanoli (50 not out) set up the win.
In Saturday’s games, the Daredevils won against the Badshaws and PCCT, while the FCC lost both their games, though the Badshaws took every delivery of their 20 overs to chase down the 150-run target Formosa set them.
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