TRNC loses grip on Creditwest trophy

The much awaited top of the league clash between the TRNC Cricket Club and Nicosia appropriately had a delayed start with both sides wanting a minute’s silence for 2 high profile cricket deaths in the previous few days. Heads were bowed for both Australian international batsman Phillip Hughes and the less well known Israeli umpire Hillel Oscar who was also hit by a ball.

A minute’s silence in memory of Phillip Hughes before the TRNC v Nicosia cricket match — A minute’s silence in memory of Phillip Hughes and Hillel Oscar before the TRNC v Nicosia cricket match

Nicosia were exclusively UN personnel and they brought a strong side with players from all the great cricketing nations; Australia, South Africa, West Indies, India, Sri Lanka and Britain. They won the toss and surprisingly decided to bat first. Being used to perfect military pitches and knowing the light later in the day could be an issue, their decision would have made sense, except in the TRNC where games are played on bumpy football pitches covered with an artificial plastic matting which they had helped to lay only moments before. Another time, they wouldn’t make the same mistake of not realising the surface takes time to settle, to give it acceptable bounce and reliability.

Nicosia were soon 5 down for 51, but then came the fight back. Mostert 21 and impressively Randall 47, plus contributions from the tail, adding up to a defendable total of 155 all out. The North’s only highlights were bowlers Rehmat Khattak 3 for 13 and Wajid Khan with 3 for 22 and Tad Haigh’s faultless performance behind the stumps conceding no byes.

The TRNC’s reply never really got going with the best knocks being Wajid Khan 17 and Shahzad Khan 16. The home side always kept in touch with the 5.2 runs/over required in their allotted 30 overs, but wickets kept falling. As home captain Danish Afridi observed afterwards, his team’s lack of any decent partnerships or serious individual scores meant they limped to 95 all out in only 20 overs. The visitors shared the wickets around with 5 bowlers being rewarded with scalps. Marius enjoying taking 3 for 14 together with being the match’s 2^nd highest run maker, made him the pick of the players.

A very disappointed TRNC Manager Nigel Holman said, the visitor’s 60 run win has given them a 30 point Creditwest North Cyprus League lead and left the home side facing a must win game in the return fixture. He further explained, the home side’s dismal performance only gave them 5 bowling and 2 batting bonus points and if the TRNC is to win their first ever trophy they must not only beat Nicosia but restrict them to less than 7 points, he admitted, although the team were confident, in reality a daunting task.

The TRNC’s Cricket club’s next fixture is at Pia Bella Stadium, Girne 7^th December at 12noon against the Nicosia CC and the game will be 25 overs/side .

Nicosia

Mark Polglase b.Wajid Khan 2

Andy Cole b. Janwali Khan 2

Salaka Lokumarge b. Wajid Khan 10

Ywal Williams c. Wajid Khan b. Rehmat Khattak 3

Gareth Brearley b. Rehmat Khattak 5

Marius Mostert b.Rehmat Khattak 21

Bob Randall c. Sajjad Kamal b. Shahzad Khan 47

Dan Brown b. Janiwali Khan 12

Arun Ravat b. Wajid Khan 9

Mike Neale Run Out 0

David Fahrenholz Not Out 0