After thanking Switzerland for putting us back in the game, the realisation followed that they were now Cyprus rivals for promotion. Overnight calculations gave Cyprus confidence that all they had to do was to win their last game to gain promotion. Switzerland who were closest on run rate had a remote chance of overtaking, Austria who had fallen behind on the run rate seemed to have none.

So the last day saw Cyprus take on old rivals Finland on Happy Valley 1, Austria were in a run chase against bottom team Slovenia, but their game on the savannah of Happy Valley 2 outfield did not promise high scores, Switzerland were on the lightning outfield of Happy Valley 3 where high scores were the norm, playing against a now deflated Luxembourg side .

 

 

All Cyprus could do was to concentrate on their own game. Winning the toss for the fourth time openers Muhammad and Kapila set off with intent. By the fifth over they had scored 29, by the fall of the first wicket at the eighth over the score was 44, Muhammad caught off Knight for 24.

 

 

Kapila and Kashif pushed the score on to 68 when Kashif (16) was lbw to Sadiqi in the seventeenth over.

 

 

Two quick wickets, Anil (3) and Dileep (1) set the nerves jangling with the score 78 for 4. Surely Cyprus could not commit hara-kiri at the eleventh hour and allow another batting collapse?

Pressure was on no 5 Danuka to calm the game down. He could draw confidence from his half century against Slovenia, but had to fight the gremlins of his ten ball 6 against Austria.

 

 

 

Fortunately for Cyprus he and Kapila settled into a partnership worth 41 runs taking the score onto 119 when two wickets in two overs brought the gremlins back. Kapila was caught off Khan for 32 and Dhanuka caught off Bhatia for 26..

With the top order gone, the score 124 for 6 off 32 overs, silence descended on the Cyprus tent, fixed smiles frozen on their faces.

Five overs later Niroshan (4) was bowled by Batia with the score on 132 for 7. The Swiss were smiling. The game was tilting their way.

 

 

No 7 Nalaka and No 9 Sawar held Cyprus hopes in their hands. They had 13 overs left in the game to take Cyprus up to a defendable score. But if either lost their nerve or their wicket the consequences were unthinkable.

 

 

 

But both did hold their nerve and grew in confidence as Nalaga found the boundary with two big sixes, which led to a flurry of fours from both batsmen. They built a partnership over the next ten overs worth sixty runs and took Cyprus into a winning position.

Sawar (30) was out first, caught off Khan, a few inches short of the long off boundary. Nalaka (26) followed two balls later, but the job had been done. Cyprus had a total of 192 runs. It was especially sweet as this time it had not been the stars, but the unsung payers that had pulled the game back from the precipice.

The mood in the camp over lunch was relief and satisfaction. A confident Cyprus team took to the field. But the mood was tempered just a jolt as news of a punishing Swiss victory over Luxembourg reached the tournament scorers.

 

 

Finland lost two wickets for 17 by the sixth over. Openers Mike K and Chris M had taken a wicket apiece, one caught behind by Sawar, the first of three catches he was to take, and the other in the slips by Anil. 

 

 

Kamal and no 4 Sheerzad formed a partnership taking the score onto 53 when Niroshan bowled Kamal for 31.

 

 

By now the tournament scorers had done their work and the official word was that Cyprus had to restrict Finland to 135 runs. 136 runs would hand the championship to Switzerland on net run rate.

The team had to re evaluate. Wickets had become key. Take the wickets and Finland would not be able to score the runs. Mike K set a permanently attacking field and let the quick bowlers loose.

 

 

Kashifs extra pace was crucial, and his pace became even more extra as he threw every morsel into every delivery. He took the wicket of Sheerzad (13) in his third over, and then of no 7 Kuchey (7) in his fourth. Two overs later he dismissed Islam (5) and Khan (0) in successive balls.

At the other end Mike K and Chris M were swapping duties. After 28 overs the Finns were 90 for 8. In his next two overs Mike dismissed the last of the Finnish bats, the last wicket an appropriately spectacular rolling catch from Dileep on mid off.

 

 

All out for 99 the Finns had lost the game. With the score well short of the 135 target, Cyprus had won the championship. And the celebrations began.

 

 

 

Cyprus batting Muhammad 24, Kapiila 32, Kashif 16, Anil 3, Dileep 1, Dhanuka  26, Nalaka 26, Niroshan 4, Sawar 30, Mike k 1 no, Chris M 0.

Finland bowling Khan 30-3, Bhandari 30-0, Knight 37-1, Bhatia 24-2, Sadiqui  22-3, Kuchey 43-1.

Finland batting Kamal 31, Shaw 4, Scamans 0, Sheerzad 13, Bhatia 2, Bin Islam 5, Kuchey 7, Bhandari 10, Khan 0, Sadiqui 12 no, Knight 0.

Cyprus bowling Mike K 26-3, Chris M 20-1, Niroshan 23-1, Kashif 26-4.

 

For complete scorecard go to http://www.icc-europe.org/EURODIV4/CARDS/CYPFIN.shtml