The four sides with unbeaten records in the Midnight League are all set to put them on the line this weekend in week three of the tournament at the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City.
Dubai Lions, with two victories so far, came up against the much-fancied Danube last night and the table-topping BPG Group 24 hours later as the race for places in the finals intensifies. The BPG Group’s weekend action – after two wins out of two in the past fortnight – is completed against Radio 4, who recorded a win in their only encounter so far, last week against the Night Hawks.
And Radio 4 will also play tomorrow night in a re-arranged fixture against Danube, who sat out last week’s round of matches after recording a crushing win in round one.
The fact the top sides are going head-to-head means that by the end of the weekend the table in the eight-team event should really be starting to take shape.
The top side at the end of the group stage will progress straight to the Grand Final on June 21 while the sides that finish second and third will play-off the previous evening for the right to join them.
Dubai Lions recorded back-to-back wins last weekend to put down their marker. First they bowled and fielded superbly to beat the Expats despite totaling only 35 in their 12 overs, eventually winning by 23 runs.
Then, in a match rearranged to Monday night, the Lions roared to victory over Hormann as their batsmen found form by scoring 82, the highest total of the tournament so far, before restricting their opponents to minus one. A side loses five runs for every wicket it loses in this version of the indoor game.
BPG Group retained their unbeaten record last weekend, winning a thriller against the Night Hawks, scoring the single they required from the final ball after wobbling in the last quarter of their innings.
Chasing 57, BPG required seven from the final 18 balls but the loss of two quick wickets took the game right to the wire before they sneaked home.
Hormann won last weekend’s other encounter, their total of 81 proving far too much for the Expats, resulting in a 37-run win.
It means the Expats are still searching for their first success after three losses, and this weekend they go up against a Hormann side smarting after that loss to the Dubai Lions.
The other weekend fixtures see the Expats face Oxford Marine and Danube on successive nights, with Oxford Marine’s record reading a win and a loss so far. The Night Hawks’ clash with Hormann completes the schedule.
A total of seven matches will be played over the weekend, with three each on Thursday and Friday nights and another one on Saturday.
Play starts at 8pm and admission is free with matches scheduled to go on until 12.45am on Thursday and Friday nights.
ICC Academy head coach Mudassar Nazar, the former Pakistan all-rounder, said: “What we have seen so far is some superb, high-class indoor cricket. “All the sides have been totally committed and the all-round cricket on display, especially the fielding, has been breathtaking.
“With five runs lost every time a wicket falls, it means no side is ever out of a contest and that, in turn, means every ball counts.
“With the four unbeaten sides – Danube, BPG Group, Radio 4 and the Dubai Lions – all going head-to-head this weekend, the quality of cricket is bound to be high again.”
ICC Academy General Manager David Jenkins added: “The first two weeks of the Midnight League have been superb and we are looking forward to more of the same this weekend.
“This is the first of three indoor tournaments at the ICC Academy this summer and if what we have seen so far is any sort of indicator, we are in for a superb indoor season as part of Dubai Sports City’s summer of sport.
“With the large indoor area, the venue is able to stage a game that is as close as you are likely to get to being outside, with the added comforts of air-conditioning and superb lighting."
