La Manga battled gamely against Madrid United but their narrow win proved to no avail, missing out on a Dream11 European Cricket Series Alicante last four spot on net run rate.
La Manga battled gamely against Madrid United but their narrow win proved to no avail, missing out on a Dream11 European Cricket Series Alicante last four spot on net run rate.
La Manga went into their final group stage game with their qualification hopes hanging by a thread, knowing only a convincing victory would provide any meaningful hope of a semi-final spot.
Batting first, Ravi Panchal was adjudged leg before in the first over for a duck to fellow Spanish international Tauqeer Hussain. Man-mountain Stuart Simkins deposited a few more white balls into the duck pond for 25 off 14, while Ollie Jarvis (pictured) impressed with 32 off 15. A limping Joel Brook battled gamely for a run a ball 20 but, on the face of it, La Manga’s total of 102 did look a little short of par. Abdul Hafeez Niazi and Qadar Nawaz took the other wickets to fall as Madrid never let La Manga get away from them, despite ringing the changes repeatedly in the bowling slots.
Wanting to apply some scoreboard pressure of their own to stay in contention, Connor Wood finally came to the party in the Dream11 European Cricket Series with 2-8, while Ollie Jarvis was on the money with an equally miserly 1-10 off 2 overs.
Abdul Hafeez Niazi, dropped second ball, amassed 39 off 16 but ultimately, Madrid’s cause wasn’t helped by Haroon Muhammad’s unhurried five off 16 balls. With little riding on the game for them, after some lusty late blows from Tauqeer Hussain, Madrid eased to 94 and La Manga had secured a precious eight run victory. However, with the calculators at the ready, in their quest to reach the knockout stages, La Manga ultimately lost out on net run rate to the Pinatar Pirates who finish fourth.
