The SCCG played their 11th game in the ACA T20 2023 Division 2 Competition against Bangladesh Cricket Club Austria (BCCA) on 12.08.2023, at Ballpark Graz. Despite some players being unavailable due to the long weekend in Austria, the team rallied together and is greatful to Ashok Ambig, a dedicated SCCG player who was on a break, who stepped in to fill the void. Check out the thrilling promo video for the game posted on SCCGCricket’s YouTube channel. Don’t forget to show your support by giving it a thumbs up and hitting that subscribe button!
On this beautiful sunny morning, the SCCG made a confident decision to bat first, capitalizing on the perfect batting conditions. The opening duo of Jimmy and Vikram displayed remarkable positivity from the very beginning, punishing every loose delivery with elegant boundaries. Although Vikram unfortunately got caught behind for 13 runs off just 9 balls in the third over, Jimmy continued his incredible innings, showcasing his usual flair and skill. At number 3, Amit fell victim to some unfortunate luck, being caught by the talented BCCA captain, Zayed, after struggling to rotate the strike. However, Suhell, the next batsman in line, formed a brilliant partnership with Jimmy, both displaying fantastic camaraderie and adding valuable runs to the SCCG score, reclaiming the run rate to exceed expectations. Following Suhell’s departure, Fayaz entered the crease but unfortunately was caught leg before on his very fist delivery. Though his stay was brief, Ghani, the next batsman, displayed immense resilience, batting till the end, skillfully rotating the strike with Jimmy, who remained in remarkable touch throughout. Despite some hiccups along the way, the SCCG managed to post a formidable total of 160/9 by the end of their innings. Jimmy, emerged as the top scorer for SCCG with an impressive knock of 54 runs off 46 balls, closely followed by Ghani with a quickfire 24 off just 16 balls, and Suhell making a valuable contribution of 21 runs off only 12 deliveries. Overall, despite the initial setback, the SCCG showcased their determination and skill, setting themselves up for a thrilling contest.
The SCCG strike bowling duo of Shirzad and Shinwari displayed their prowess in a fantastic start to the second innings. With an unwavering determination, they unleashed a fiery spell, causing trouble for the batters of BCCA. Despite a few initial runs, primarily from overpitched and short deliveries, the BCCA batters Hamid and Zayed began to make a dent. However, Shirzad executed a well-thought-out plan and successfully dismissed the menacing Hamid, as Jimmy expertly caught the ball at deep long on. The introduction of Jimmy after the power play proved to be a stroke of genius. With his spin, he swiftly sent Sharif and Rakib back to the pavilion, preventing them from causing any significant damage. Following in Jimmy’s footsteps, Ghani exhibited his exceptional skills, delivering a beautiful inswinging yorker to remove the BCCA captain from the crease. He further removed BCCA batter Anik the very next delivery, with a brilliant catch from Shahedullah Shirzad – we were fortunate that there is a video clip of this sensational catch.
Even though the opposition appeared to be on track in their chase, the combined efforts of Jimmy, Ghani, and Suhell effectively stemmed the flow of runs, showcasing their exceptional bowling abilities. As the match approached its thrilling conclusion, Shinwari made a triumphant return to the attack, displaying impeccable precision by bowling a maiden wicket over. The rest of the batting order crumbled under the mounting pressure to increase the run rate, allowing SCCG to dismiss BCCA for 142 runs with four balls to spare. The SCCG had won this contest by 18 runs.
This victory serves as a turning point for SCCG, following a disheartening defeat to FCCC and a subsequent match against SNASY2 abandoned due to rain. Morales raised by their recent success, the team is excited to carry this momentum into their remaining two games of the season, confident in their ability to continue their winning streak.
The SCCG will play SLCV on the 27th August at the Cricket Club Velden 91 ground at Latschach. This game will be streamed live on the SCCG youtube channel SCCGCricket. More updates to follow!
The SCCG will #PLAYGREEN with an agenda to bring in sustainability to Cricket games in the Austrian and Slovenian regions this year, you should too! #PLAYGREEN, Be Sustainable.
SCCG®: Play Green, Play for our Future 