CYPRUS
V BELGIUM
The
second game of Cyprus European adventure was played at the tree lined ground of
Mechelen north of Antwerp.
Belgium
won the toss put them in top bat. There was rain in the air and Belgium was
hopeful of turning Cyprus over for a low score, overtaking that total before
the rains would come. But the best laid plans
Opener
Sampath T was this time joined by Nalaga, with Sampath hitting out while Nalaga
fending off the strike, a strategy that worked well until Nalaga (6) was out
caught at mid off from his first aggressive shot. The score was on 30, and just
five runs later Sampath joined Nalaga caught playing the same shot to the same
fielder.
The
number 3 Sanjeewa was now joined by Lions teammate Sampath Athanayake and
slowly the two build a steadying partnership, each adding to the others self
belief as the partnership advanced. Unfazed by the fast opening bowling attack
Sanjeewa and Sampath pushed forward, negating any movement off the pitch,
watching and waiting. Every ball slightly off line was punished with a boundary
as the Belgians grew to the realization that this was not going to be the
easy match they had anticipated.
The
partnership had added 50 runs, both batsman taking equal share of the scoring
when in the 17th over Sampath mistimed a drive into the well-rehearsed
hands of the mid-off S.Khan. The score was 81, and now joined by Niroshan,
Sanjeewa had to take the responsibility of keeping the innings on track.
Without
playing a false shot Sanjeewa steered good balls for singles and punished
anything wide or short. The introduction of tight fast leg spin from Javed
Iqbal made run getting all the more risky, but Sanjeewa supported by Niroshan
at the other end held his concentration. A second partnership was building
which was to define the Cyprus innings. Sanjeewa began to to open his shoulders
and boundaries flowed more freely. He passed 50, then celebrated his century
without ever looking troubled by a very good Belgian attack. In the 38th
over with the score on 203 Niroshan was run out from a direct hit from the
cover fieldsman. He had scored 32, Sanjeewa 102 and the partnership had put
on 123 runs. Sanjeewa fell to Syeds bowling, scoring 11 fours and 4 sixes
in his innings of 102.
With
13 overs left to play the tail tried without success to extend the innings to
the fifty overs, as wickets fell at too regular intervals. Rain intervened in
the 42nd over to take both teams back to the clubhouse with the score on 224
for 8. The rain delay was long enough for Cyprus not to b at again and the
Belgian innings to be reduced to 40 overs with a revised target of 213. To win
Belgium would have to score at 5.3 runs an over.
This
was not a daunting total for the Belgian side, playing on a ground well known
to their players and where high scores have been regularly recorded.
After
a cautious start opening pair Shah and Muhammad began to hit out and boundaries
followed. Muhammad was particularly dangerous with sixes rebounding off the
cloth sightscreen. Niroshan broke the spell, bowling Muhammad on 47. Belgium
was 70 off 13 and well up with the required run rate. No 1 Shah was just starting
to build a second partnership with no 3 \N.Khan when he was yorked by Sanjeewa.
No 4 bat J.Iquball seemed in no hurry, perhaps confident he could strike off
the runs in the later overs, and inexorably the required run rate began to
rise until it reached 8 an over. Frustrated Shah looked to take a quick single
and found himself stranded in the middle of the pitch after a flat throw from
Muhammad allowed keeper Danuka to remove the bails.
Sanjeewa now bowled out, Sampath A took responsibility to restrict runs from that same end. To take him on the batmen had to risk their wicket as 3 found out to their cost, the big wicket of Iqbal (52) caught by Nalaga at square leg, S.Butt (1) caught by Anil, and Ghulan bowled as he tried to advance down the pitch. Now the rate had advanced to above 9, with six wickets down and the score on 180 with four overs left. The end was inevitable as Belgium took risks to get the runs and lost their wickets, The dangerous Mali (24) dangerous going for a six caught by \Sampath at long on off Niroshan, Khan (7) caught by Anil off Sampath A and Syed (2) run out. It was left to the youngest player in the team, Chris Markides to take a blistering catch diving to his right at short mid off to take the last wicket of Ali (0) off Mike K.
Belgium
were all out for 188 after 38 overs fifteen short of the total.
This
had been a game of unbearable tension, calculators rattling, as Belgium encroached
on Cyprus total. Cyprus won thanks to a remarkable innings from Sanjeewa,
two good partnerships with Sampath A and Niroshan, and for the team, encouraging
and raising each other to field like tigers.
