A whirlwind half-century from Bermuda international Okera Bascome helped Coventry & North Warwickshire CC pull off a thrilling two-wicket victory over Marston Green in a high-scoring Premier Division clash at Bickenhill Recreation Ground.
Having won the toss and elected to bat first, the hosts built their innings around a sparkling century from Faizan Khan. Khan anchored Marston Green’s efforts with an authoritative 110, setting a formidable platform before the visitors fought back with the ball.
Lee Golding proved the chief destroyer for Coventry & North Warwickshire, stemming the flow of runs with a disciplined and penetrative spell to claim 4 for 55 from his 10 overs as the home side were dismissed for 279 in the final over.
Facing a demanding chase, Coventry launched a bold counter-attack spearheaded by Bascome. The Bermudian wicketkeeper-batsman tore into the Marston Green attack, striking an explosive 60 from just 30 deliveries. Bludgeoning 12 boundaries and clearing the rope once, Bascome’s rapid half-century provided crucial early momentum and turned the required run rate on its head.
Despite Usman Ahmed’s probing spell of 3 for 45 for Marston Green keeping the contest on a knife-edge, Sameer Vohra delivered a composed, match-winning hand.
Vohra held the chase together under mounting pressure down the stretch, finishing unbeaten on 69 to guide Coventry & North Warwickshire over the line at 281 for 8 with two wickets and precious overs to spare in an exhilarating league encounter.
Marston Green CC Inning
..06 (12) Amaad Khan b Lee Golding
..10 (17) Roheel Masrat c Akshaykumar Patel b Lee Golding
..01 (04) Usman Khan LBW Lee Golding
110 (110) Faizan Khan c Viraj Sorathia b Sameer Vohra
..26 (59) Usman Ahmed c Lee Golding b George Neal
..40 (43) Ghlab Shah c Vikram Sodhi b George Neal
..34 (25) Gohar Nisar LBW Lee Golding
..14 (06) Shahzeb Raja c Vikram Sodhi b Arif Sangar
..02 (04) Ahmed Khan Not Out
..01 (04) Raja Khan b Sameer Vohra
..04 (03) Mehtab Khan b Sameer Vohra
..31 Extras (4b-17lb-10w)
279 Total All Out after 47.5 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1-13 (Amaad Khan); 2-19 (Usman Khan); 3-20 (Masrat); 4-129 (Ahmed); 5-201 (Shah); 6-243 (Nisar ); 7-259 (Faizan Khan); 8-270 (Raja); 9-271 (Raja Khan); 10-279 (Mehtab Khan);
Coventry & North Warwickshire CC Bowlers
9.5-0-46-3 Sameer Vohra
10.-0-55-4 Lee Golding
7.0-0-31-1 Arif Sangar
7.0-0-48-0 Akshaykumar Patel
10-1-50-2 George Neal
4.0-0-28-0 Toby Palmer
Coventry & North Warwickshire CC Inning
.60 (30) Okera Bascome b Ahmed Khan
..25 (41) Viraj Sorathia c Roheel Masrat b Raja Khan
..27 (30) Sunair Siddique Khan c Roheel Masrat b Usman Ahmed
..01 (05) Vikram Sodhi c Raja Khan b Roheel Masrat
..29 (34) Akshaykumar Patel LBW Usman Ahmed
..11 (24) Noman Ahmed st Mehtab Khan b Usman Ahmed
..30 (38) George Neal bGohar Nisar
..69 (43) Sameer Vohra Not Out
..00 (04) Arif Sangar st Faizan Khan b Mehtab Khan
..15 (16) Toby Palmer Not Out
..14 Extras (2lb-11w-1nb)
281 Total for 8 wickets after 44 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1-79 (Bascome); 2-105 (Sorathia); 3-108 (Sodhi (Sunair); 4-146 (Khan); 5-157 (Patel); 6-167(Ahmed); 7-216 (Neal); 8-218 (Sangar (Sameer);
Marston Green CC Bowlers
7.0-0-55-1 Gohar Nisar
7.0-0-55-0 Shahzeb Raja
6.3-0-33-1 Ahmed Khan
6.3-0-34-1 Roheel Masrat
4.0-0-32-1 Raja Khan
10.-0-45-3 Usman Ahmed
3.0-0-25-1 Mehtab Khan
|
