Cyprus v Finland at Corfu – European Championship Division Two Twenty20 (Group B) – Match Update
Despite valiant efforts from Cyprus’ Dineja Agathocleous and Muhammad Mohsin, the team was unable to get the better of Finland, and eventually succumbed to a narrow 8-run defeat in their Group B match at the Marina Ground on September 4, during the ongoing
European Championship Division Two Twenty20 being hosted by the Greek island of Corfu.
Cyprus won the toss and elected to field first, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Michael-Edward-Leyssen-Shaw-c75868 (39) and Karimullah Malekzaei (5) opening the innings for Finland. Their opening stand yielded 22 runs, after which Malekzaei was trapped, lbw, by Nimal Durayalage (4-0-14-2).
His successor Jonathan Scamans was also unable to apply himself at the crease, dismissed by Durayalage after a meagre contribution of 8 runs. However, Ekhpelwak Kuchey (17) emerged as the most able partner for Shaw, and the two batsmen joined forces for
a 3rd-wicket 30-run stand which got the team up to 62.
Kuchey became Agathocleous’ (4-0-23-4) first victim of the day, caught out by Niroshan Pelawattha, and from there onwards, the batsmen registered mediocre performances. Tatu Vehvilainen (2) and skipper Amrik Bhatia (1) failed to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adrian-Roger-Kirshaw-Pierson-c42135 it out at the crease,
and both were disposed of by Agathocleous, who was also responsible for sending Shaw back to the pavilion.
Roholah Sadiqui (12*) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bilal-Khan-c48088 (7) attempted to get the innings back on track, but the latter was disposed of by Pelawattha, and his dismissal triggered a batting order collapse, with Muhammad Mohsin (3-0-27-2) claiming two wickets in quick succession
- Tariq Sarfraz (0) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Obaidullah-c80124 Sadiqui (0).
The efforts of Roholah Sadiqui and Madhu Bhandari (16*), who set up an unbeaten 24-run 10th-wicket stand, enabled Finland to post a final total of 128 by the end of 20 overs, at the expense of 9 wickets.
The 129-run target did not pose too daunting a chase, but Cyprus found themselves unequal to the challenge despite a fluent half-century from Mohsin.
Agathocleous (4) and Syed Hussain (39) opened the innings for their side, but the former was unable to contribute much, eventually sent packing by Tariq http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stuart-Clark-c2591 (4-0-11-1) after consuming 21 deliveries for his paltry 4-run contribution.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohsin-c77587 (65* off 55) for a 96-run stand, which came to an end with the dismissal of the former, via run out. Mohsin then went on to team up with Gurbhej Singh (5*), but their efforts came to naught as Cyprus found themselves cut
off by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Finland-c2898 at 120 by the end of 20 overs.
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