Rod Lyall 15/09/24
Exciting as the semi-final between Punjab-Ghausia and VRA Amsterdam a fortnight ago had been, it was surpassed by Saturday’s grand final between the same two teams, which not only went into the final over but which produced a stunning one-wicket victory for the Rotterdammers.
That had seemed very unlikely for much of the afternoon, as Punjab battled their way towards their challenging target of 271, well behind the required run-rate and losing wickets at inconvenient moments.
So it was, perhaps, unsurprising that when, with two deliveries to spare, Khurram Shahzad despatched Clayton Floyd over cover for the winning six, a substantial crowd of cheering Punjab supporters should have raced onto the field to salute their heroes.
What were deeply disappointing, however, were the scenes which followed, as VRA players were harassed and jostled before they could leave the ground.
Whatever the on-field background may have been and whoever might have initiated it, it was decidedly ugly, and it should have no place on a cricket field. The clubs and the KNCB need to make that clear, in both word and action, and they need to do so promptly.
An apology on the Punjab website and on social media would be a start, but after appropriate reflection there should also be tangible consequences from such unpleasant and unjustifiable scenes.
The cricket which preceded them, though, had certainly lived up to expectations.
Winning the toss, VRA began promisingly, Shirase Rasool immediately going onto the offensive and hitting Shahzad out of the attack with a succession of sixes.
Sulaiman Tariq, though, was as steady as ever at the other end, and he duly removed both openers, both caught by Saqib Zulfiqar, while Sajjad Kamal disposed of the dangerous Vikram Singh, who provided Saqib with yet another catch.
And when Johan Smal fell to Burhan Niaz in the next over VRA were suddenly 83 for four, and Punjab were threatening to take charge.
They were held up by a 97-run partnership between Elijah Eales and Shariz Ahmad, put on in 19 and a half overs, which brought their side back into the game, and after Eales was caught behind off Sikander Zulfiqar for a 61-ball 56, Shariz continued to the end, adding 61 for the eighth wicket in an unbroken stand with Luke Scully (25 not out) and finishing with 82 not out.
It was, potentially, a match-winning innings, since it set Punjab to make their highest total of the season if they were to chase successfully.
Then Ben Fletcher struck twice, dismissing first Jonathan Vandiar, brilliantly caught by Sharad Hake at short fine leg, and then his fellow-opener Shoaib Minhas by the time 21 runs were on the board, and, more worryingly for Punjab, only 23 came from the initial powerplay.
Hake replaced Eales in the attack, but after he had bowled five economical overs VRA literally suffered a damaging blow when Hake, fielding at point, was struck on the knee by a powerful cut from Musa Ahmad, and was forced to leave the field.
Almost immediately Mohsin Riaz, who had added 50 in company with Musa, fell to Hake’s successor in the attack, Vikram Singh, and although Musa and Saqib Zulfiqar were able to put on a further 83 for the fourth wicket, Punjab continued to fall behind the required rate.
With twenty overs left they needed more than seven an over, and when Saqib was caught by Smal of Shariz, departing for 39, the match was delicately poised.
Musa, who had anchored the innings since the third over, followed soon afterwards, caught behind by Scully off Shariz for 71, but Sikander Zulfiqar and Niaz contributed another half-century stand, this one coming at slightly better than a run a ball.
Even so, when Sikander was run out for 41 Punjab still required 47 from 42 deliveries, and that had become 19 from 15 when Niaz holed out to Prince at long off as he tried to hit Singh for six and departed for a vital 39.
Singh completed his over with another wicket, Fawad Shinwari magnificently caught by a diving Scully behind the stumps, and Punjab needed 11 from the last two overs.
Just four singles came from Eales’s penultimate over, so Floyd bowled the last with seven still required.
He yorked a flailing Kamal with his second ball, and so last man Tariq came to the crease with seven still needed and four deliveries to be bowled.
The next was a leg-side wide which escaped Scully’s gloves and allowed the batters to run, crucially giving Shahzad the strike.
He was content to push the next into the covers, but then he opened his shoulders to loft the ball over cover, and Punjab were champions for the second time.
TKcricket 