ALKHOBAR, 27 December 2002 — In the first week of the EPCA League sponsored by Al-Ghamdi Trading Establishment. ADPCO crushed DHL by 160 runs and began the season with a big bang. ADPCO won the toss and elected to bat first. Both the openers went back to pavilion at the end of the 10th over when the score was just 45 runs. At this crucial stage of the match Gopi joined Sohrab and they put on 272 runs in an unbroken partnership for the 3rd wicket and took the score to 317 runs at the end of their allotted 40 overs setting the winning foundation. Sohrab scored an un beaten 141 runs which was studded with twelve boundaries and two magnificent sixes.
Gopi also scored 104 runs with the help of eight sharp boundaries. In reply to ADPCO’s big score DHL collapsed under pressure and were all out for 157 runs in just the 26th over. Santosh with 37 runs was the top scorer. Shaji 26 runs and Mathew 20 runs were the other scorers. Sohrab took two wickets for 35 runs. Suresh and Prabhakar also bowled well and claimed two wickets each.
In another match AGE Jr. beat Hyderabad Blues by 4 wickets. Hyderabad Blues batted first and scored 156 runs. Manzoor Ali scored 31 runs, Hameed contributed with a breezy 34 and Tanveer scored fine 29 runs. Waqas Mahmood bowled well and took 3 wickets for 32 runs. Muhammad and Adil also bowled well and claimed two wickets each. In reply AGE reached the target in the 25th over but in the process they lost 6 wickets. Nadeem the young fast bowler of Hyderabad Blues bowled very well and took 4 wickets for 16 runs.
Mohsin laid the solid foundation with some fine batting but after scoring 23 runs he lost his wicket. Shahnawaz also batted very sensibly and scored a match winning 27 runs.
In another match, Deccan Blues beat Bassem International by 122 runs. Deccan Blues batted first and piled up 309 runs in their allotted 40 overs. Openers Nazir and Minhaj both batted superbly and put on 114 runs partnership for the first wicket. Young promising Rayees khan joined Minhaj and took the score to 204 runs when Minhaj lost his wicket after scoring 95 runs which included 8 boundaries and a big six. Wickets started falling in quick intervals but Rayees took the total to 267 runs when he lost his wicket after scoring 74 runs. Aamer bowled well and took 4 wickets for 71 runs.
In reply, Bassem were all out for 187 runs. Haziq scored 59 runs. Saif score an un beaten 26 runs, Ibrahim 23 and Aamer scored 20 runs. Khursheed, Minhaj, Omer and Ehtisham bowled well and all claimed two wickets each.
In a very close contest SVM beat Khalifa Al-Gosaibi by 2 wickets. Khalifa Al-Gosaibi batted first and scored 171 runs. Captain Amin Saifullah scored 68 runs and young Hidayat a half century. David and Faisal bowled well and got two wickets eac. SVM reached the target in the 37th over thanks to David Raj who showed his class keep cool under tremendous pressure with wickets falling in quick intervals at the other end. He scored a match winning un beaten 31 runs and took his team to an important win. Naeem scored 27 runs and Mahboob and Ishaque scored 23 runs each. Ahmed and Eijaz bowled well and took two wickets each.
Pakistani School beat Saudi Ready Mix by 4 wickets. S.R. Mix 224 Kiyani (67) and Khalid (37) Said bowled well and took 3 wickets. Pakistani School 225 for 6 Muqeem batted very well and scored 77 runs, Mobashri scored 45 runs and Yasir contributed 35 runs. Wahid bowled well and got 3 wickets.
In another match Somasco Youngsters beat Nawab XI by 3 wickets. Nawab XI 150 Faisal 29 runs was the top scorer and Sajjad scored 22 runs. Wasi bowled well and took 3 wicket while Jafar got 2 wickets. Somasco Youngsters 154 for 7 Rafiq (30) runs Wasee (25) runs and Javed scored 24 runs. (Syed Iqbal Talib)
