JEDDAH, 4 July 2003 — Traco surprised Mahmood Saeed with a 3- wicket win in a thriller whereas Saudia Milk comfortably beat SGB Baroom by 115 runs in the 9th week of the Fuchs League sponsored by Fuchs Petroleum and organized by JCL.
Mahmood Saeed put on 112 runs for the 1st wicket with both Maqbool and Irfan scoring at will. The fifty was up in the 6th over and the hundred in the 13 over. Maqbool after playing superbly for his 68 of 55 balls with 11 fours was dismissed with the total at 112 runs. Thereafter Irfan found another aggressive partner in Kashif. Irfan himself continued his attacking tactics en route to a brilliant 106 runs in 82 balls with 12 fours, falling at 241.
Both Irfan and Kashif put on 123 runs for the 2nd wicket. Kashif started with singles and twos but soon got into stride and launched an assault with 7 powerful hits to the fence and a towering six before perishing for a superb 84 runs of 54 balls. Mahmood Saeed ended at 297 for 4 in 35 overs. Azeem took 2 for 44. In reply, Traco had the worst of starts as they slumped to 5 for 2 but then Iftekhar and Mohsin counterattacked. Iftekhar was the more aggressive as he hit 3 sixes and 7 fours in his 63 off 38 balls. Mohsin pounded fours after fours to all parts of the ground in a masterly knock even though wickets fell at regular intervals. With Iftekhar he put on 155 runs for the 3rd wicket.
From 160 for 2 Traco slumped to 223 for 7 before Mohsin found a suitable ally in Shakeel. The two put on 75 runs for the unfinished 8th wicket to enable Traco reach their target of 298 for 7 in 31.2 overs. Mohsin remained unbeaten with a superb 134 runs of 80 balls with 16 fours, 2 sixes and a 5 whereas Shakeel remained unbeaten with 30 runs. Saudia Milk lost Syed Amer early but Owais Ahmed batted with responsibility. He found an able partner in Zulfiqar and the two built a solid foundation.
Owais put on 135 runs partnership with Zulfiqar for the 2nd wicket and was dismissed for 78 runs inclusive of 6 fours and 2 sixes. Zulfiqar’s patient knock of 90 was studded with 5 fours.
The lower order lent him valuable support – Imran (28), Irfan (29), Shaker (24 n.o.) and Amir (24 n.o.) ensured Saudia Milk reached 315 for 6 in 35 overs. Waseeq took 4 for 56. In reply, SGB Baroom lost an early wicket, but Rashid Butt (86) and Shoaib (41) batted sensibly to put on 93 runs for the 2nd wicket. Rashid had 7 fours and a six in his 86 but once he and Shoaib departed, the rest of the batsmen caved in to some good bowling by Khalid and Amir who picked up 2 wickets apiece and SGB Baroom were bundled out for 208 runs.
