SCCG®: Play Green, Play for our Future

#sccgcricket #ACAT20League #wewillbebackontop

On 23/08/2020, the SCCG played its fourth match of the ACA T20 Division 2 league against the Salzburg Löwen CV (SLCV) at Ballpark Graz under a cloudy sky. It looked like rain could have threatened play but eventually the sky cleared out and the weather was just great for a cricket match. The SCCG lost the match by 19 runs, making it the first ever loss for the team in the ACA T20 League. The SLCV jumped two places and bumped SCCG to the fourth position in ACA Div 2 league table- the SCCG with 14 points in 4 games.

The SLCV won the toss on saturday and elected to bat first. The openers Zalmai and Asif gave a relatively breezy start for the SLCV with run rate of well over 6 rpo. Both batsmen showed positive intent to score runs. Once both the openers were out, the run rate dropped considerably, with only noteworthy innings from the no.6 and no.8 batsmen Abdulhag and Keramat. This was possible due to really efficient bowling by the SCCG bowlers – especially Jimmy with 4 wickets and adil, raman and waqas with a wicket each. At the end of the allotted 20 overs, the SLCV posted a decent total of 108/7.

What seemed to be an easy chase unfortunately became disastrous for the SCCG. With 109 runs as a target in 20 overs, the SCCG lost its first wicket in the second ball of the innings – the ever consistent Jimmy was caught behind off a delivery from Raoof Khan. However, the no. 2 and no. 3 batsmen Vikram and Raman still managed to give the SCCG a concrete start with a partnership of 40 runs in just 21 balls. However, the batting middle order crumbled to the pressure created by the slow run rate in the middle overs due to some really good spells from the SLCV captain Zalmai and Yousuf. With the lack of boundaries, regular strike rotation, and wickets falling in almost every over, at 16 overs, the SCCG had been cornered with 22 runs needed off 24 balls with just one wicket remaining. Finally, in the end, the SCCG could manage to score 89 runs and lost all its wickets in 16.2 overs.

Congratulations and applause for this effort by the SLCV. Hope still lives and an honest goal to win the next three matches for the SCCG. The SCCG will play the VCC at the Seebarn cricket ground this sunday at 12:30 pm.

Again, special mention to the SCCG supporters (Seema and Deepika) who showed up at the venue and relentlessly supported the team at every turn of the match!