JEDDAH: The first division cricket league got off to a flying start last Friday when Pak Ahmadabad-XI and debutants Panda Cricket Club scoring comfortable wins over Pure Foods and new entrants Saad Group respectively.
The other teams taking part in this season’s 20-over tourney, sponsored by Kanoo Group of Companies and organized by the Jeddah Cricket Association are: Natco Saudi Arabia, Zinda Tilismath, Old Students, Rawi, Brothers-XI and Kanoo.
In the first week matches, Pak Ahmadabad-XI routed Pure Foods by ten wickets while Panda Cricket Club won against the Saad Group by 6 wickets.
At JCA ground No.1, Saad Group won the toss and elected to bat scoring 129 for 8 in the allotted overs. Opener Sajid (22), Ghulam Mustafa (23) and Umar Hayat (21) gave some respectability to the total. The lower order crumbled to the accurate bowling of Panda. Afzal took three wickets and Afroz two.
In reply, Panda opener Shoaib hit an unbeaten 46 runs and Sameer scored an aggressive 40. Panda reached their target of 130 for the loss of four wickets. Ghulam Mustafa bagged two wickets for Saad.
At JCA ground No.2, Pure Foods batting first scored 136 for 4. Opener Sajjad Butt top-scored with an unbeaten 69 runs.
Younus Khan took 2 for 39 and Rauf 2 for 13 for Pak Ahmadabad-XI. In reply the Pak Ahmadabad-XI reached their target 140 without losing any wicket. Syed Ashraf Shah scored an unbeaten 68 runs while his partner Abdul Rauf made 55.
