MUSCAT: Dromedary Cricket Cub walked away with the coveted Camel Trophy after overcoming Zeeshan Siddiqui’s spirited rearguard challenge to beat Oman Cricket (OC) Chairman’s XI by 14 runs in an annual T20 exhibition match at OC Turf1 in Amerat on Thursday.
The festival game provided all the fun, thrill and competitive cricket it promised as some of the game’s celebrated veterans in Oman locked horns for a combat at Amerat’s picturesque green ground. The playing conditions required the batter to retire as soon as they reached a personal score of 30
Opting to bat first, Dromedary looked set for a big total when it reached 113 for 2 in 15 overs. The last five overs promised some fireworks but Chairman’s XI fought back hard, restricting it to 138 for 8 in 20 overs.
Piers Brown was the leading scorer with a fluent 31 off 20 followed by an equally impressive 30 off 22 by Nikhil Sampat. Mark Bainbridge (24 off 14) and Guy Guy 22 off 34) were the other notable scorers.
Former Oman captain Hemal Mehta was the pick of Chairman’s XI, taking 3 for 18 in his four-over spell. Zeeshan Siddiqui and Maqbool Moosa bowled well too, taking two wickets each.
Led by Pankaj Khimji, OC Chairman’s XI started the chase as the defending champions of the Camel Trophy. Former Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis came out to open the innings along with Ramesh Khimji. However, cricket fans who came to watch Mendis’s magical cuts and drives he had amply displayed in the previous encounter last year, were disappointed as he was run out for 1.
Struggling to find its feet at 45 for 8, Chairman’s XI fought back again as former Oman star Zeeshan Siddiqui launched a counter attack striking a 26-ball 47 not out before running out of partners at 121 all out in 19 overs. Sandesh Dhuri (18 off 27) was the only other batter to reach a double figure score.
Evert Laubscher, Kieran Brown and Abhishek Shekhwat all claimed two wickets each.
Holding the Camel Trophy in his hands, the Dromedary captain lauded the Oman Cricket’s hospitality and wonderful facilities at Oman Cricket Academy that is also a training hub for dozens of young cricketers learning the ropes.
Brief scores: Dromedary Cricket Club 135 for 8 in 20 overs (Piers Brown 31 – 6x4, Nikhil Sampat 30 – 3x4, 1x6, Mark Bainbridge 24 – 3x4, 1x6, Guy Guy 22 – 2x4. Hemal Mehta 3-18, Zeeshan Siddiqui 2-11, Maqbool Moosa 2-11) beat OC Chairman’s XI 121 all out in 19 overs (Zeeshan Siddiqui 46 not out – 5x4, 1x6, Sandesh Dhuri 18 – 1x6. Evert Laubscher 2-10, Kieran Brown 2-15, Abhishek Shekhawat 2-18) by 14 runs.
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