JEDDAH, 14 June 2003 — Jeddah Cricket League XI had a reason to be proud when they received the inter-city rolling trophy from chief guest Samir S. Maddah, an engineer and deputy director general at King Abdul Aziz International Airport here yesterday. They had got back the trophy from Eastern Province Cricket Association, last year’s winners. In the day’s thrilling encounter, JCL beat holders EPCA by 52 runs at the JCL complex.
The guest of honor, Arab News Editor in Chief Khaled A. Al-Maeena gave away prizes to the winners of two ‘warm up’ matched played on Thursday — JCL President XI vs EPCA and JCL Executive Committee vs EPCA Executive Committee.
JCL teams won both matches. Receiving the prizes included captain Wajahat and other members of the winning teams.
Maddah congratulated the winners and said he was “very glad” to see the match that had the participation of EPCA, as he had lived and worked in the Eastern Province for 10 years. “I wish other provinces take part in the tournament. I wish (JCL President) Shahid Amin makes further efforts to get around all cricket playing cities and provinces, and organize matches at different locations and thus bring all of them together.”
Al-Maeena said he was happy to see an all-round interest in cricket. He referred to Shahid Amin’s remarks of Maddah being cooperative and allowing matches to be played at the JCL grounds. “We can’t be playing cricket without Samir Maddah’s cooperation. He has made available the cricket grounds here,” he said. “We at Arab News encourage sports and sponsor tournaments every year, including cricket, tennis and squash,” he said and offered his congratulations to the winners.
Shahid Amin said he was overjoyed to get back the trophy for the JCL since it was with them for seven years. “This is the reward for our yearlong hard work,” he said and asked his boys to continue to work hard in a bid to retain the trophy next year. “The JCL with 13 grounds is the world’s biggest cricket complex,” Shahid Amin remarked.
EPCA General Secretary Syed Iqbal Talib thanked JCL for making excellent arrangements. “Umpiring was fair and the better team won the match,” he said and had a word of praise for Shahid Amin for organizing the inter-city tournament for the 20th year in succession.
The inter-city match was marked by a century by “manof- the-match” Muhammad Niaz, who scored 108 runs off 71 balls and took two wickets conceding 33 runs, for JCL.
Niaz and Owais put on a solid opening partnership of 176 runs, but when the partnership was broken, they lost two quick wickets.
Other scorers for JCL were Owais 63 off 47 balls, Rashid Butt 47 and Anis Malik 32. For EPCA Talal Iqbal took three wickets for 51 runs and Aijaz Saeed and Muhammad Ishaq a wicket each conceding 60 and 47 runs, respectively.
EPCA scorers included Abdul Wahid 56, Ishaq 52 and Amjad Butt 26. For JCL, Wajahat took 3 for 56, Amjad 2 for 42, Niaz 2 for 33 and Azeem 1 for 29.
Earlier, on Thursday night, JCL hosted a reception for the visiting EPCA teams and a prize distribution ceremony for the cricket league sponsored by Al Rabie Pulz at La Sani restaurant.
Shahid Amin said the Central Cricket Board had been revived and Karachi Cricket Association would be the first overseas team to play in the Kingdom in October. “We’ve plans to promote cricket at both national and school levels. We’ll organize inter-school matches in every province in various categories — Under-13, 15, 17 and 19. Best schools will feature in inter-city tournaments.”
According to him, there are 102 cricket teams in the Kingdom and 90 of them registered with CCB. Shahid Amin referred to the support and cooperation of Sheikh Zainal Alireza and Khaled A. Al- Maeena in promoting cricket in the Kingdom through their active role in JCL since 1976.
Present were EPCA President Syed Aftab Ahmed, Syed Zahid Ali of Madinah Cricket Association, and Abdul Jabbar Hussain of Yanbu Cricket League. Syed Aftab Ahmed in his address made a plea to involve Saudis into playing cricket.
“We expats are here today and gone tomorrow, but we can leave behind cricket for Saudis to follow,” he said and referred to the pioneering role of JCL led by Shahid Amin.
