Mamma Mia! CricX 2-0 over Italy including dramatic last ball finish!

Three Bridges Cricket Club in Sussex played hosts for 2 T20s between CricX and Italy yesterday in preparation for the latters ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers in Scotland this month (20-28 July).

The Premier club were treated to 727 runs, 39 sixes, and 29 wickets across the 2 games, including a quite remarkable final-ball finish in the second game.

All the details, including scorecards of both games can be seen below.

Game One

CricX won by 65-runs

CricX 208-6 (20)

Italy 143 all out (19.3)

Some monster hitting from Will O’Donnell (64 from 39), Raminda Wijesoriya (73 from 42), Shehan Fernando (27 from 15), and Thorn Parkes (32 from 10) helped CricX plunder 208 runs in the opening match.

Gareth Berg (Northants) was the pick of the Italian bowlers, taking 1-25 from his 4 overs, with Harry Manenti also bagging a couple (2-47).

In reply, regular wickets throughout kept the Italian’s innings in check. Namibian international Nicol Loftie-Eaton starred with 4-28 (4), and also wickets from George O’Connor (3-18 from 2.3), Yannick Leonard (1-22 from 4), and Imesh Udayanga (1-23 from 3).

A handful of the Italian batters got starts, including twenties from Justin Mosca (27 from 18), Marcus Campopiano (27 from 19), and Berg (22 from 20), but CricX prevailed in the day’s opener by 65 runs.

Scorecard

Game Two

CricX won by 2 wickets.

Italy 187-5 (20)

CricX 189-8 (20)

Despite a Thando Ntini wicket first ball, the Italian batters got off to a flyer. When Ben Manenti was dismissed for 57 (from 28 balls) first ball of the 9th over, Italy were flying at 80-2. Campopiano with a run-a-ball 26 was next to go, before a tremendous 37-ball 67 not out from AJ Mosca helped Italy post 187 in 20.

Some fire from Ntini (1-39), and economical spells from spinners Leonard (1-21), Wijesooriya (1-12), and Udayanga (2-30) managed to keep the score below 200.

CricX were reeling in reply and after 7.4 overs were 49-4. However, a remarkable 103-run partnership in quick-time between Keon Harding (West Indies), and O’Donnell (Auckland) gave the chasing side a sniff. The latter’s dismissal for a 33-ball 47 (at 17.1 overs) put the Italians back in control.

The overseas stars needed 36 from 17 balls. Harding would take charge, pushing his side to the brink. After boshing half-a-dozen sixes, the former Test quick was finally out for 77 from only 38 balls, leaving 18 runs from 8 balls required.

Wickets from the final ball of the penultimate over, then one from the first ball of the last would make the equation the same as a certain World Cup final – 16 required from 5 balls. Enter Ntini, who would join first innings hero Wijesooriya sitting at the non-strikers without having faced a ball. The South African would smack a 4, then hit 2, and 1 to bring the Sri Lankan on strike.

The equation – 9 from 2 balls. First of those would go sailing into the trees for a massive 6, leaving 3 from the final ball, or 2 for a Super Over. Now buzzing with excitement, the crowd would watch Ifield’s pro smack a full ball down the group for 4, sparking scenes of jubilation from the CricX crew. A quite remarkable chase (final 2 balls in the video below).

For the Italian side, Stefano di Bartolomeo impressed with the ball taking 4-38 (4) and two wickets apiece for the Manenti brothers, Harry (2-33), and South Australian spinner Ben (2-24). But, CricX came out victors by 2 wickets, in what was a wonderful game of cricket.

Scorecard