JEDDAH: Pak Green will cross swords with unbeaten Ace Travels in the final for the Ace Travels Cup Premier Division Cricket League

In the semifinals, Ace Travels outclassed Natco by 10 wickets while Pak Green got the better of ARM by 35 runs in Jeddah Cricket Association-organized cricket league.

All the matches played in the sixth week of the afternoon session ended in thrillers. Peeran Warriors edged Peeran XI by 12 runs, CAD beat Saudi German Hospital by 10 runs while Jeddah Shaheen beat Old Students by 13 runs.

Meanwhile, Reel & Rom have decided to extend their sponsorship to JCA for the second successive year.

In the first semifinal, which turned out to be a one-sided affair, Natco took the wicket first and put up a total of 178 for 9 from the allotted overs.

Opening batsman Faisal (27) and Ali (22) gave their team a sober start. However, after their exit, wickets fell at regular intervals. Mustafa (17), Nazim (32) and Aijaz (29 not out) propped the rear while 25 runs came in the form of extras.

Left arm fast bowler Iftekhar took 2 for 26, all-rounder Abdul Wahid had taken 2 for 28 while leg spinner Maqsood got 3 for 27.

Ace Travel and Tours reached their target 181 off just 9 overs without losing any wicket.

The Ace Travels opening pair of Abdul Wahid (65) and Shahzad Ahmed (104 off 30 balls; 4x12, 6x8) raced to 181 as they hammered the Natco bowlers to all parts of the field.

In the second semis, Pak Green batted first and put up a decent 203 runs. Opening batsman Shaan Malik Manzoor went for 11 but his partner Amer Wahla who is in good form with the bat this season made a scintillating knock of 95 runs.

Other batsmen who showed form with the bat were, left-handed Asim Ashfaq (51), Jahangir (17) and Rizwan (13). Atta Ur Rahman took 3 for 40, Sami Khan had 3 for 46, and Mansoor got 2 for 46.

ARM in reply could muster only 168 for 8. Rashid Khursheed (17), Tabraiz 27, skipper Nazeer Najamuddin (14) failed to impress. Middle order Arshad fought a lone battle for ARM and made a gallant 71 runs off 32 balls. None of the other ARM batsmen reached the double figures. Imran took 3 for 35, Noman 2 for 27 and Shaan Malik Manzoor 2 for 36.

Brief scores:

Peeran Warriors 155 for 8: (Sikander Raja 42, Waqas 27, Asrar 19; Zaheer & Summan 2 for 25, Waseem 2 for 15) beat Peeran XI 143: (Shafique 18, Zahid 28, Saqib 30, Summan 30; Waqas 3 for 26, Zulfikhar 2 for 18, Manzoor 2 for 30) by 12 runs .

ICAD 168 for 5: (Waqar 28, Mohsin 20, Shakeel 30, Munawwar 45, Jinto 19; Irfan 1 for 30, Ali 1 for 38, Amir 1 for 32, Ahsan 1 for 28, Huzaifa 1 for 23) beat Saudi German Hospital 158 for 4: (Asad 60, Hasnain 47; Shakeel 2 for 30, Nadeem 1 for 33, Waqas 1 for 33) by 10 runs.

Jeddah Shaheen 181 for 6: (Nazim 19, Karam 45, Asif 30 not out; Umar 2 for 27, Qadir 2 for 24) beat Old Students 168 for 9: (Imran Butt 30, Omar 25, Abdul Qadir 45, Asif 24; Nazim 4 for 36, Amer 3 for 38) by 13 runs.