European Cricket Network live broadcasts four T10 matches on Day 1 of the 2021 FanCode ECS Malta on Monday 14 June.
Royal Strikers are the only new team in Group A with the rest boasting previous ECS experience. Rebranded this season, RST competed in their debut season of Malta domestic cricket as Paola Boys CC last term. Royal Strikers are inexperienced, but have already shown bags of potential playing some entertaining cricket. The explosive T10 format may suit their style of cricket.
Atlas UTC Knights finished top of the standings during the group stages of the 2020 European Cricket Series Malta, the only unbeaten side with seven wins. However, Knights came unstuck in the all-important game, losing the crunch Final to Marsa and will be looking to go one better this time around.
Southern Crusaders secured second spot in the group stages with six wins, but fell at the semi-final hurdle to Marsa who timed their run to absolute perfection. After only four wins in the group stages in ten games, Marsa marched to victory following two strong knockout showings at crunchtime.
American University of Malta CC enjoyed a promising debut season in Maltese cricket in 2020. AUM won only one game on debut, but did come out on the wrong side of a few close finishes and will be looking to improve in 2021 from that initial learning experience.
Group A
AUKAtlas UTC Knights (0-0, NRR+0.000)
AUMAmerican University of Malta (0-0, NRR+0.000)
MARMarsa (0-0, NRR+0.000)
RSTRoyal Strikers (0-0, NRR+0.000)
SOCSouthern Crusaders (0-0, NRR+0.000)
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MATCH 1 (ECS21.436)
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MALTA (AUM) v ROYAL STRIKERS (RST)
0700 GMT | 0900 CET | 1230 IST
MATCH 2 (ECS21.437)
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MALTA (AUM) v ROYAL STRIKERS (RST)
0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST
AUM Last Five Matches: W L L L NR (Avg Score For 88, Avg Score Against 101)
RST Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MALTA (AUM)
Captain: Jit Patel
Wicketkeeper: Darshit Patankar
Projected Top Four: Amandeep Ralhan, Saneesh Kumar, Darshit Patankar, Zoheb Malek
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shubh Patel, Jit Patel
Spin Options: Tarak Shah, Zoheb Malek
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MALTA Key Players:
Zoheb Malek impressed with 201 runs at the last edition, scoring nearly three times as many runs as any of his teammates. He also picked up four wickets.
Shubh Patel, the 25-year old fast bowler was leading wicket taker for AUM last season picking up eight wickets from seven matches.
Jit Patel, captain, bowling all-rounder, the left-handed medium pacer brings variety to the AUM bowling line-up, he picked up four wickets last season and racked up 55 runs from four innings.
Saneesh Kumar, a young, talented opening batsman, has the capability to turn things around after an average last season, scoring 48 runs from six innings.
ROYAL STRIKERS (RST)
Captain: Savio Thomas
Wicketkeeper: Sanish Mani
Projected Top Four: Sebin Thomas, Kushlesh Koppaka, Livin Varghese, Febin Poulose
Projected Opening Bowlers: Rubin James, Jaison Jerome
Spin Options: Sebin Thomas, Jithin Joy, Clinto Paul
ROYAL STRIKERS Key Players:
Livin Varghese, RHB, top scorer for Royal Strikers in 2020 summer league in Malta, will also bowl some medium pacers in the middle overs.
Febin Poulose, hitman of Royal Strikers, can hit big sixes with ease. The right hand batsman will add a lot of value in the RST middle order with his power hitting.
Rubin James, right arm fast bowler, a new ball specialist who will open the bowling for RST. He will be hoping to provide early breakthroughs.
Sebin Thomas is a powerful hitter of the ball, loves taking on the new ball bowlers and will be key in providing brisk starts for his team.
Royal Strikers make their ECS debut against American University of Malta who did not enjoy a good previous season finishing at the bottom of the standings with just a solitary win. AUM have put in the hard yards this time around and will be aiming for at least qualification for the knockout stages. Royal Strikers have shown potential in the Malta summer league, playing some entertaining cricket and this would appear to be a good opportunity to clinch their first ever ECS victory in this tough group.
Match Prediction: American University of Malta (AUM) and Royal Strikers (RST) to share the spoils with a win apiece.
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MATCH 3 (ECS21.438)
SOUTHERN CRUSADERS (SOC) v ATLAS UTC KNIGHTS (AUK)
1100 GMT | 1300 CET | 1630 IST
MATCH 4 (ECS21.439)
SOUTHERN CRUSADERS (SOC) v ATLAS UTC KNIGHTS (AUK)
1330 GMT | 1530 CET | 1900 IST
SOC Last Five Matches: L L W W L (Avg Score For 114, Avg Score Against 126)
AUK Last Five Matches: W NR NR W L (Avg Score For 98, Avg Score Against 97)
SOUTHERN CRUSADERS (SOC)
Captain: Michael Goonetilleke
Wicketkeeper: Gopal Thakur
Projected Top Four: Ryan Bastiansz, Michael Goonetilleke, Zeeshan Yousaf, Gopal Thakur
Projected Opening Bowlers: Muhammad Bilal, Zeeshan Yousaf
Spin Options: Jojo Thomas, Ryan Bastiansz, Azwan Kamaleen, Eranga Jayawardhana, Aneel Shahid
SOUTHERN CRUSADERS Key Players:
Zeeshan Yousaf, all-rounder, big hitting opener, moves the ball both ways, picked up eight wickets leading the wicket taking charts and piled up 150 runs in the previous edition, is a good outfielder too.
Gopal Thakur, go-to-man with the bat for SOC in ECS Malta 2020, leading run-scorer racking up 199 runs with a best of 54.
Ryan Bastiansz, scores quickly, is good off the back foot, mustered 175 runs including 15 towering sixes in the previous edition.
Jojo Thomas, right arm finger spinner, joint leading wicket taker scalping eight wickets with a best of 2-9 in December 2020.
ATLAS UTC KNIGHTS (AUK)
Captain: Sujesh Appu
Wicketkeeper: Ajay John
Projected Top Four: Samuel Stanislaus, Basil George, Ciril Mathew, Al Ameen Abdul,
Projected Opening Bowlers: Sujesh Appu, Justin Shaju
Spin Options: Samuel Stanislaus
ATLAS UTC KNIGHTS Key Players:
Basil George, powerhouse of AUK, has the ability to smash all around the park, hammered 196 runs at a strike rate of 192 in December 2020.
Samuel Stanislaus, Knights Mr Dependable, leading run-scorer in the previous edition with 339 runs to his name, hammered 26 HUGE maximos, considered the best Knights fielder.
Justin Shaju, one to watch with the ball, can swing the ball around at a decent pace, picked up seven wickets in the previous edition with best figures of 3-24.
Bose Paul, big hitting all-rounder, didn't get to bat much previously but finished as leading wicket taker for AUK with nine scalps from 10 matches.
Runners-up in the previous edition, Atlas UTC Knights will face off against Southern Crusaders in a double header to start off their campaign. The two sides finished top of the group standings in December 2020, but it was AUK who had the wood over SOC beating them twice. And while these two teams could be rusty, they wouldn't leave any stone unturned in this fierce rivalry.
Last time they met: AUK 112 def SOC 92 (1 Dec 2020)
Match Prediction: These two matches will be closely contested, but Atlas UTC Knights (AUK) are fancied to emerge victorious on both occasions.