FRESHFIELDS

 

 

WSBA welcome the tourists to Cyprus

(Marcus Holden writers)

On a blistering hot day down Happy Valley the home of Cyprus cricket WSBA were squaring off against the talented touring team Freshfields from London. Freshfields won the toss and decided to bat, which was proved to be a bad decision. The pace of newcomer Rafik and the line and length of Van Zhyl seemed to be too good for the tourists, with Van picking up his first of 2 wickets with a textbook piece of cricket. WSBA where on the attack taking 3 wickets in 5 overs for just 11 runs but a steady innings from the Aussie Carl McNeil and skipper Dave Sugden kept the tourists in the game.

 

 

McNeil eventually retired for a well played 34 and Dave Sugden the man of the match went on to make 51 but was eventually bowled by South African Pete Last. Some low order hitting gave Freshfields a good score of 143 for 7. Some great bowling from Van Zhyl finished with figures of 2 for 13 off 5 overs, and also a great bowling performance from youngster Tom Mills showing his maturity with some audacious leg spin.

So a target of 144 was left for WSBA to score within 25 overs, and it wasnıt looking too good with Mel Green falling for 4. This brought usual opener Han in to partner Pete Last some unusual running in between the wicket from the pair was looking shaky. Pete Last was next to go for 22 with Han following shortly after, both to the bowling of M Cooper. This brought a new pair of Dom Spencer and Rory Harris to the crease with the score at 66 off 14 overs. Things where not looking good for WSBA as some tight bowling from M Steele kept them at bay. However some incredible hitting from Dom Spencer and superb timing from Rory Harris turned the game into a thriller. Then a good piece of fielding saw Rory Harris caught on the boundary for a score of 43. Harris and Spencer putting WSBA in the drivers seat with a match winning partnership of 87. With WSBA needing 13 of 3 overs Captain Marcus Holden came in. Holden scoring 3 runs not out letting Dom Spencer seal the win for WSBA with a superb innings of 45 not out. A great Game of cricket with some real drama, WSBA would like to thank Freshfields for the game and would love to see them in the foreseeable future.

 

 

CYPRUS XI FOILED ON THE LAST BALL

The next day Freshfields took on the Cyprus national team. Recovering from the drama of their game against WSBA, the tourists had to gear up again for a rollercoaster ride as this game proved to be another nailbiter.

Putting Cyprus in to bat, openers Sawar and Andrekos looked solid until Sawar(8) danced down the wicket to nick the ball to the keeper. This became the pattern of the Cyprus top order, with Khan (11) and Niroshan (1) caught behind off over ambitious shots they had plenty of time to regret consequently.

 

  

Andrekos grafting at one end found a partner in no 5 Nalaga, together adding 36 runs  before he succumbed after 24 overs of willfull batting, leaving Nalaga to build again  with no 6 Gill.

The scoring rate had been conservative, just 90 off 27, when Nalagas thoughtful innings came to an end, top scoring with 39. Mike K went in to try and attack over the last 13 overs. But Freshfields accurate medium pace attack managed to prevent him and partner Gill from breaking away.

 

  

The two patiently built up the score with twos and a very occasional boundary before Mike was caught in the pentultimate over for 24, of a 50 partnership. A flurry at the end from Qamar(13) and Gill (37 no) brought the total up to 177-5 after 40 overs. Freshfields tall Aussie Michael Steele looked the most impressive of the bowlers, but there were very few free shots from anyone.

Freshfields opening pair Hepher and McNiel looked to be invincible. Both paced their innings to keep up with the rate while taking no risks. After 17 overs, with the score on 48 Freshfield lost their first wicket. Cyprus were on exactly the same score at the same point in the game but 3 wickets down. No 3 Coetze( 5) was run out on a hopeful run called by partner McNiel, who went on to one short of his 50 in spite of it.

 

  

 

Now partnered by Steele they were slowly pulling away from Cyprus who were bowling accurately but unable to take the vital wickets needed to get them back in the game.  After 27 they were on 107 well ahead of the rate and cruising to victory.

A four over spell from Mike K and Gill took three wickets for 14 runs including that of the big hitting Steele (40) and suddenly there seemed fresh bounce in the Cyprus teams step. With 10 overs left, 47 runs to win, and only 4 wickets down Freshfield were happy. With five overs to go, 7 wickets down and only 15 runs better off they were definitely wobbling. The middle order was pinned down with the return of opening bowler, 16 year old, George P. As they tried to find the big over they only managed to loose another wicket. Georges 3 overs conceded only 9 runs while taking two wickets, and the game was wired for a thrilling finish. It was left to no 9 Nick Havers and no 11 John Wood to find the 13 needed off the last over. John Woods stood up. He hit a big six over mid on the fourth ball of the over, and did it again on the last. Even the very correct team of London solicitors could not help jumping with delight.

  

 

ISLAND XI BREEZE HOME

The third and last their games brought the tourists against the Island xi, possibly the strongest of the three teams, and on a day when Freshfields were at their most vulnerable. After two hard fought games, both going down to the last overs, and two hard nights of commiseration and celebration, they had to take their tired bodies into the breach once more.

Batting first they managed only 124 all out in 37 overs, unable to get on top of some good bowling from Raj (2 wkts) Kapila (2 wkts) and Manju (2 wkts).

The Island xi breezed past that total. With their opening partnership still intact. Sampath Tsangerides was on 80 when the game ended in the 17 over.

So, after a weekend of cricket, Freshfields went home with an exhilarating victory and two defeats, and some good memories.

 

 

(David Sugden, Freshfields captain, writes)

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride". Generally the safest tactic for single men at weddings but also the prevailing sentiment of the season so far, before the Freshfields cricket team embarked upon its most successful cricket tour of Cyprus on record. In what was truly one of the most remarkable games of cricket, Freshfields beat the Cyprus National Team by one wicket having needed four to win off the very last ball of the 40-over game, when number 11 - Jon Wood - sent a missile (a six) into the bordering Turkish territory earning himself a place in the pantheon of Freshfields cricketing legends. The wedding was certainly worth the wait. Ask Havers about the local bridesmaids.

The warm-up game against the British Army served its purposes as the touring side learnt a few valuable lessons - win the toss and chase; have at least seven slips for Steele; and Havers is not a "classic" number 3. However, the very reason for the tour was the Saturday show-down against the Cyprus National Team - a team that played in the non-Test nations World Cup last year - and the game surpassed any expectations. After singing the National Anthems and taking photos with the mascots, the Angels took to the field knowing the previous night's 3 hours of sleep should last long enough until tea. Steele was as pumped-up as Katie Price as he peppered the Cypriot openers with 75mph bullets aimed at the ribs or higher. First and second slip padded up for their own safety. However it was the cunning, zippy pace of Couper that brought the first break-throughs, as Brown held onto three top

catches behind the stumps to leave Cyprus with more concerns than just its disputed border. Wood, Coetzee, Sugden and Hepher all bowled with discipline, but the National side was in no mood to roll over and kept the scorers busy. Matters weren't helped when Haq clearly mis-interpreted the skipper's call to "up the tempo" when he inexplicably fired the ball at the stumps when there was no danger, and instead hit Smith in the elbow as he crouched, back-turned, in preparation for the next ball. Cyprus ended up posting a competitive total of 177-7 from 40 overs at the half way stage. Little did they know that their total would never be enough.

The senior pro Hepher and very senior pro McNeil led the Angels reply, putting on 55 before the first wicket fell. Coetzee came in at 3, but didn't understand McNeil's insistence on "boundaries or nothing" and was run-out just after drinks while attempting an easy single. Steele used the same pulling technique mastered only hours earlier and, with McNeil, helped take the score to 120-2. Pole position - you would think. Then followed a collapse not seen since Enron as Sugden, Deacon, Brown, Couper and Smith fell in quick succession; Deacon in most convincing fashion as he played an immaculate first ball front-foot defensive down the District Line only for the ball to swing down the Jubilee. Ultimately the Angels needed 27 from the last three overs as Wood joined Havers in the middle for what would be the last stand. As Neville Southall once said, "if you don't believe you can win, there's no point getting out of bed at the end of the day". Thankfully Neville does not play for Freshfields. Jon Wood does. Losing was never an option, indeed the Wood family motto is "Show me a good loser and I'll show you an idiot". Ones and twos brought the target down to 20 from 12 balls - still utterly improbable with no batsmen to call from the Pavilion. Wood was hitting cleanly, but every striker needs a non-striker and Havers stepped into the role with aplomb, deciding to win the mental game by using tactics such as walking with the bowler back to his mark, and asking fielders unrelated rhetorical questions. And so to the last over: 13 needed from 6, Havers facing - dot ball, another mental victory. Second ball, a scampered single - surely not enough leaving 12 required from 4 balls; the engraver prepared to start his work on the trophy. Third ball, Wood strikes it high, the fielder gets a hand but can only parry over the rope for a maximum, the Angels had not yet fallen. Two runs off the fifth left 4 to win from the last ball - the odds still firmly against the touring side. However Wood doesn't deal in odds, he deals in evens and his six off the last ball was one of the finest hits you'll see. A hero was made, the National team had been humbled, cricket wasn't even the winner - Jon Wood was. A truly remarkable game.

Needless to say the final game of the tour against a select Island XI was a non-event after the sort of preparation that would make "Fredalo" look like a quiet night in with the late Mother Teresa. The Angels fought bravely, but eventually succumbed to the sober opposition.

Results:

Friday 23rd May: FBD 143-6 (Sugden 51, McNeil 34*), WSBA British Army 147-4 (Couper 5-0-31-2). WSBA won by 6 wickets

Saturday 24th May: Cyprus National Team 177-7 (Steele 8-1-23-2, Couper 8-0-28-2), FBD 180-9 (McNeil 49, Steele 44, Wood 24*). FBD won by 1 wicket

Sunday 25th May: FBD 124 all out (Hepher 32, Wood 30), Cyprus Island XI 126- 0 . Cyprus Island XI won by 10 wickets

Squad:

Brownŭ, Coetzee, Couper, Deacon, Haq, Havers, Hepher, McNeil, Steele, Smith, Sugden*, Wood

 

 

SARACENS

 

 

SARACENS CC V AMDOCS

The first touring side of the autumn were Saracens CC from the Enfield area of London, visiting Cyprus to take in the sun and the cricket.

Despite the same name the cricket club does not have any connection with the Sarcens rugby club. They were formed in 1929 and are basically a Sunday team who play friendly matches. They have previously visited Spain and Malta.

Though the forcast was for rain it was a bright and beautiful day at Happy Valley when they met an Amdocs side lacking several of their usual team but nevertheless a strong side. After winning the toss Saracens asked Amdocs to bat. A bright opening saw Amdocs reach 34 before losing their first wicket. The innings progressed steadily but became bogged down in the middle when tight spin bowling replaced the seam attack. At the halfway stage Amdocs had reached 66 for 5. Further tight bowling after the drinks break by 15 year old Richard ŒTrickyı Young (25-2) , Robert ŒWoodyı Morgan (11-2) and captain Jason ŒCheeseyı Manson restricted Amdocs to an all out total of 134.

In reply Saracens steadily made inroads into the required run rate but at the halfway stage had only reached 51 but for the loss of only one wicket. Jason Manson  (48no) then joined opener Greg Munday (42) and pushed Saracens to the brink but Amdocs fought back gamely and it wasnıt until the first ball of the last over that Saracens scored the winning run to come out victors by 6 wickets.

 

CYPRUS v SARACENS

In the first of three games against touring sides this October Cyprus took on a side of experience and youth from North London. Usually the UK touring sides bring a side of one or two stars supported by a solid caste. The Saracens fell into the mould with a  very effective opening bowling pair swinging the ball away. Anil and Bhatti opened for Cyprus but fell to the curse of Cyprus openers,both out with only ten runs between them. Sawar was now batting with Kashif, until Kashif saw his wickets sprayed by J Manson for 10. Some stability was needed and fortunately for Cyprus Sawar and Niroshan managed to reconstruct the innings with a partnership worth over 50 runs.

 

    

 

Both built steadilly without any grand gestures. Saracens replaced their medium pace with spin which contained the batting to 3 an over. Niroshan (19) was eventually stumped off spinner Young but not before the pair had built a platform from which the middle order might launch an attack in the last ten overs. Sawar started to open up supported by Mike K at the other end, but an injury forced him to retire, top scoring with 76.

 

 

Joined by Gill, Mike went after the bowling only to lop a catch to covers. Gill scored a quick 17 but despite best intentions no one managed to get on top of the Saracens bowling. The innings finished on 158-6. It had been a tough ride and Cyprus had worked hard for a defendable score.

 

 

Saracens openers Ayre and Archer started brightly only for Archer (6) to be caught by Kashif in a sharp slip catch off Mike Ks bowling. No 3 Manson J went for 4 caught behind off Niroshan. Although his partners had not contributed many runs, both partnerships had been worth 30 runs, with Ayre (43) doing most of the scoring.

 

 

 When he was bowled by Kashif , it looked like the back of the Saracens batting was broken. Munday G batted nobly with the middle and lower order but noone was able to break out of the net that the Cyprus bowlers were pulling tight.

 

 

A late flourish from G.Bigby, scoring the only six of the Saracens innings , left his team on 123 -8 after 40 overs..

 

Cyprus batting.

Anil 6, Bhatti 3, Sawar 76 (retired), Kashif 10, Niroshan 19, Mike K 6, Gill 17, Dilshan 4 no, Nalaga 1no, Vishnu and George P dnb.

Saracens bowling

Morgan R 8-22-1, Morgan J 8-35-2, Manson C 8-33-0, Bigby M 8-19-2, Young A 8-43-1.

Saracens batting

Ayre  43, Archer 6, J Manson 4, G.Munday 16, Dunn J 4, A Bigby  2, Barlow 11, Morgan 9, Manson C 5, A Young 2no, M Bigby 7 no.

Cyprus bowling

Mike K 8-15-1, George P 5-21-2, Niroshan 8-23-1, Kashif 6-18-3, Vishnu 5-8-0, Gill 4-7-0, Dilshan 1-5-0, Bhatti 3-14-2.

  

 

SARACENS V WSBA

Saracens played their last match of their tour against a WSBA side at Happy Valley. The 20 over match was played in a fine spirit. WSBA batted first and recorded a score of 104, everyone contributing to the score.

Weakened by the early return of their New Zealand players, Saracens lost wickets at too regular intervals finding themselves 76 all out off 18 overs. Nevertheless Saracens seemed happy with their tour and go home a llittle sunnier than when they arrived.

 

 

 

 

ASHFORD

 

v AMDOCS

Ashford opened their account in Cyprus with a game against Amdocs, employees of the Limmasol based computer software company, lying sixth in the league at the end of this season.

Amdocs batted first laying a solid foundation for their innings with a 64 run partnership between Anil (32) and Amit (24).  Both skittled out  in consecutive overs, followed two overs later by no 4 Savrabh (5),  No 5 Puneed took on the responsibility of stabilizing the innings , first with Anway,(10) then with Ashish who hit a fast 18 without needing to resort to the effort of running between the wickets, and then forming a destructive partnership with Rebay (37), before he was caught off Jackman in the penultimate over of the innings, for 35. Amdocs have accumulated a very defendable total of 188, leaving Ashford a steep hill to climb.

Ashford started disastrously loosing both openers J.Cousens (9) and Ford (1) for only 12 runs. Twelve runs later the third wicket of J. White (11) had fallen and then Swain (0) shortly afterwards. Jackman was battling at his end, as P.Cousen (2) came and went, before C. White was able to offer some support to Jackmans resistance. When Jackman (25)was caught of Riaz, C.White was left to battle on alone as the tail rolled over, leaving White just two short of his half century when he was caught off Ashish, bringing to an end the Ashford innings. 127 all out a comfortable win for Amdocs. Riaz 4 for 18 from his six overs and Shishir, 3 for 16 from his 5, were the destroyers.

 

v ARDEN TAVENERS

Arden played the other side touring the island Ashford, as the midweek fixture. This was a neat bit of lateral thinking by the touring organiser Barry Allison, as mid week fixtures are all but impossible to arrange with certainty. In the event Arden traveled to a comfortable victory.

 

v CYPRUS

The Cyprus national team took on Ashford CC, touring fron the UK. for the third of their four matches this month. The Cyprus team is testing new players and trying new batting and bowling combinations during these games so results were expected to be sacrificed to experimentation. Nevertheless the teams form has been consistent , without showing the vulnerabilities of the past. We seem to be moving ahead with purpose.

Mohammad and Bhatti took to the crease to open for Cyprus. The opening partnership has been a problem for the national team. Too often a low scoring opening partnership has lead either to a collapse of the middle order as they attempt to make up the deficit, or a debilitating slow run rate as the remaining batsmen try to conserve their wickets.

So the start was very importand and this time the openers managed to make a fist of it. Batting through to the tenth over in a partnership of 32. Mohammad (15) was out to a soft delivery from S.Cousins, caught in two minds, lobbing the ball up to gully, and the next over Bhatti too was caught off Jackmans bowling. Sawar and Niroshan were propelled into the centre simultaneously, needing to reestablish the innings. Niroshan (8) fell after 8 overs and it was left to Sampath Arthanayake to continue to build the innings with Sawar.

 

 

The two managed a fifty partnership, against tight spinbowling from teenagers S.Cousens at one end and medium pace for his 6ft 4ins brother L.Cousens at the other, before Sampath was caught and bowled  by White off a mistimed drive that just went straight up and down. With just 9 overs left and the score standing at 96, a little bit of urgency needed to be injected in the batting. Kashif (8) obliged hitting a six in his first over, but fell to Beresen cuaght just short of the long off boundary as he tried to replay the shot.. In the ensuing scurry for runs Sawar (31)  ran himself out . Mike K(22) Mike Kyriacou played his usual cameo, first probing the bowling and then  accelerating  before he was caught of Knill, leaving Nalaga and Quamar to take as much as possible from the last two overs, Quamar managing the only other six of the innings. After their 35 overs the Cyprus xi were 153 for 7. This proved to be a defendable total against the Saracens  touring side last week, and so Cyprus took to the field with a quiet confidence.

Asford on the other hand knew they had the firepower, and so were quietly counting the overs before they overtook the score. But things did not go well from the start. Openers Swain and S Cousens were out by the fourth over to Mike K and Kashifs bowling and no 3 Ford bowled two overs later by a effort ball from Kashif. Frost looked dangerous for a while, resisting for 6 overs before he was caught off a quite stunning catch by David Bailey ay mid off from Niroshans bowling.

 

 

This was the start of another golden patch for Niroshan who took 4 wickets for 4 runs  from his four overs while Sampath Arthanayake bowled his three overs at the other end without conceding a run. By the break in the 17 over Ashford were all but on the bus. A resilient rearguard action from Genty Knott who batted for 15 overs for his 5 runs, kept the flame alive.

 

 

By over 24 the game was up, with Genty Knott undefeated but Ashford all out for 58.

 

Cyprus batting. Mohammad 15, Bhatti 11, Sawar 31, Niroshan 4, Sampath Arthanayake 19, Kashif 8, Mike K 22, Nalaga 5, Quamar 7,. Vishnu, Bailey dnb.

Ashford bowling.  Berressen 7-20-1, J.Knill 5-19-1, Jackman 5-2-1, S.Cousens 7-13-1, L Cousens 5-28-1, J. White 7-26-1.

Ashford batting Swain 2, S Cousens 8, Ford 1, Frost 18, Genty Nott 5 no, Berressem 0, Pryke 0, White 0, L Cousens 4, Knill 6, Jackman 10.

Cyprus bowling. Mike Kyriacou 5-23-1, Kashif 5-5-1, Sampath Arthanayake 3-0-0, Niroshan 4-4-4, David Bailey 3-14-2, Vishnu 3-10-1, Nalaga 1-2-0.

 

 

 

ARDEN TAVERNERS

 

(Barry Allison writes) 

On paper Arden Taverners looked to be a formidable side, led by Luke Parker who has played at first class level with Warwickshire and Oxford University. Several other players although now in the senior ranks have also played at Minor Counties level notably Jon Hartley, a powerful left hand batsman.

 

V WSBA/MOUFFLONS

In their first match Arden took on a mixed WSBA and Moufflons team at Happy Valley 1. Batting first on a fine sunny day the visitors got off to what they thought was an excellent start. Luke Parker (72) and Jon Hartley (57) pummelled the home attack and it was only late in the innings that slow right arm spinner Han made headroads into the batting with a creditable 5 for 43. Nevertheless Srden completed their 40 overs with a total of 184-8.

In reply the home side got off to a slow start and at one stage were 30-3 at the halfway stage they had reached 89-7 and the writing appeared to be the wall for the hosts.But after the drinks break the game took a dramatic swing when Rubel (65no) and Alam Gir (30no) took the game by the scruff of the neck and hammered the visitors attack all over the field. Even the late introduction of Luke Parker failed to stop the run rout as the duo hit everything they could. At the start of the last over 13 runs were required and the odds were on the visitors but Rubel had other ideas and hit Parker for a six and two fours off the first three balls to seal an improbable winn. Chris Wickson(2-20) and John Day(2-20) proved to be the best of the visiting bowlers.

Luke Parker presented Rubel with the man of the match award.

 

v ISLAND xi

On the second day Arden took on the Best of Island XI led by Dileepa. The home side nearly got off to the perfect start but dropped Parker off the first ball when he hit a fierce shot through gully. However his luck was shortlived when on the fourth ball he played an identical shot and was well caught.

 

Wickets then fell at regular intervals and only Jon Hartley (20) and Chris Wickens (12) reached double figures. Extras contributed the most in an all out total of just 96.

 

 

Faced with a small target the Best of Island XI set about their task with a typical flurry Sampath smashed 44 in his own way hitting the ball hard and high. He was supported by Danuka (23) and the target was reached in the 18th over. Grahame Wild  took two wickets both stumpings as the Island XI strolled home.

The man of the match award, donated by the Island XI, was won by Kapila who  bowled six overs taking two for 14 and took two catches.

 

v ASHFORD

Arden played the other side touring the island Ashford, as the midweek fixture. This was a neat bit of lateral thinking by the touring organiser Barry Allison, as mid week fixtures are all but impossible to arrange with certainty. In the event Arden travelled home to a comfortable victory.

 

v CYPRUS

 

 

The last game of the touring season saw the Cyprus national team play against Arden Taverners from Warwickshire. This is a team well known to Richard Cox of Warwickshire CC, who has coached the Cyprus team on occasion, and so it was no surprise, knowing that he was holidaying in Cyprus, that he came by to watch the game.

Once again Cyprus batted first. Old demons revisited as a top order collapse left the team five wickets down by the twelfth over with only 22 runs scored. Quamar (0) caught behind off the bowling of the Warwickshire county player Luke Parker, Bhatti (4) and Amit (5) bowled by Parker, and Niroshan (5) lbw Kerby, bowling from the other end, followed soon after by Nalaga (4) from a skyer caught by the infant of the side Lewis, after watching the ball hover in the air for an interminable amount of time amid an anxious silence from the rest of his team.

 

 

It came down to the two heavyweights in the Cyprus side, Han and Robel, to save the day. The two seemed unfazed by the bowling attack which had undone their teammates, and attacked from the outset, ramping up the run rate from just under two to over 5 an over.

 

   

After 19 overs, when Robel (25) was caught off Wilkinsons bowling, the score had moved on to a more respectable 58.

Han managed to push on, helped for a while by Muhammad (9) for 7 overs, who overplayed his hand to be bowled by Kerby, and then by Mike Kyriacou (11) for another 7 over eventually bowled by Wild, to reach his fifty taking the score on to 125 before he too was bowled by Wild on 52.

The lower order batsmen had to contend with the return of the Parker managed to drag the score up to 137 before Vishnu (7) bowled by Woodward left David Bailey at the crease on 3.

 

 

In these four warm up games the Cyprus team has managed to reach 135+ scores. The pace has sometimes been slow and steady, or like this game a couple of batsmen have managed to retrieve what should have been a lost position, but the painful reminders of past batting collapses seems, for the moment at least, to be receding.

Arden suffered at setback as their opener Dean Brookes (1) fell in the third over bowled by Mike Kyriacou. No 3 John Day (2) fared no better caught off Niroshan in the next over. The Ashford game seemed to be replaying itself and the bowlers were steaming in with a little more purpose hoping for a batting collapse. But it didnıt happen.

 

  

 

Opener Jon Hartley formed a tentative partnership with Ken Lunn (9) before he was caught off Vishnu in over 13. This brought Luke Palmer to the crease. Both teams knew that his innings would determine the outcome of the match. Opener Jon Hartley (17) fell two overs later,,bowled by Robel, but it was already obvious that all his partner had to was return the strike, for Luke Palmer to ratchet up the Arden score. Graham Wilde fell in over 31  caught of leg spinner Muhammad scoring seen in a partnership of 64 which had built up over 15 overs . But the next wicket was Palmers, 3 overs later, caught and bowled by leg spinner Han. With 6 overs and 21 runs needed the game was wide open again. John Mathews was run out a couple of balls later and no 8 and 10 were at the crease with only the 10 year old Lewis to come. But the two kept their composure, Martin Woodward (4 no) hitting the winning run from the first ball of the last over, with partner John Kerby (15 no) having done the real damage taking a six and a four from the two previous overs.Arden 138 for 9.

 

 

Cyprus batting. Quamar 0, Bhatti 4, Amit 5, Niroshan 5, Nalaga 4, Han 52, Robel 25, Muhammad 9, Mike Kyriacou 11, Vishnu 7, David Bailey 3 no.

Arden bowling. J.Kerby 8-15-2, Luke Palmer 8-18-3, G Wild 7-26-2, M Woodward 5.1-24-2, R Wickson 3-16-1, Mike Perkins 7-31-0.

Arden batting. J Hartley 17, D Brookes 1, J Day 2, K Lunn 9, L Palmer 57, R Wickson 1, G Wild 7, M Woodward 4 no, J Mathews 1, J Kerby 15 no, Lewis dnb.

Cyprus bowling. M Kyriacou 8-26-1, Niroshan 8-25-1, Robel 8-15-1, Vishnu 6-21-2, Han 7-25-1, Mohammad 2.1-5-1.