The cricket community got lost in wonders as powerhouse Police CC crumbled to defeat against fancied old rivals Mid-West after an all-out squeeze at the Prince of Wales Oval on Saturday.
Collectively, the seaside oval has witnessed 11 competitive encounters. Of these, the Officers have had no idea why the hapless woes recur in steady sequence.
Most Confusing was how Mid-West could boot them all out for 74 runs in 17, having been squeezed to keep the target at 75.
The Westerners, whose aggression knows no bounds, found the boundaries to expedite the chase in funfair fashion. They went for the 75 in an intermittent neck-break speed for five in 14. Five wickets sustained, the Officers succumbed to the Westerners in clean victory, conceding 8 extras in addition to their unfancied batting crisis.
Mid-West’s Alhassan Turay pulled impressive 26 for 8 balls, hitting three 4s and two 6s for 325.00 strike rate.
Colleague George Edward Ngegba went for 23, smacking three 4s at 91.67 strike rate to win Man of the Match for the fourth time in a row.
Edward Marah from Police batted for 20 off 15 balls, slamming two 6s to reach 133.33.
Four wins out of four matches, Mid-West have only reached the oval to propel their lead to distinguishing heights. At the summit of the log, they have 8 points for 4.244 net run rate.
Police sit fifth with 2 points in three games.
Next, freshmen Special Line are here for business. On Saturday, they tamed Wanderers for 68 runs after setting a punishing target of 128 for seven wickets in 20 overs.
For the chase, Wanderers could only score 78 all out in 15.2, thanks to a disciplined fielding from the hardcore Liners whose Raymond Coker dashed for 28 off 19 balls, striking four 4s and two 6s to win Man of the Match.
Wanderers Sylvanus Kanneh went for 26 off 24, delivering three 4s at a strike rate of 108.33.
Ready for the title, the hardcore Liners continued to display uncommon go-getting spirits as they faced Asian Lions for a 7-wicket win on Sunday, posting 121 for the loss of three in 16.1 overs.
Experienced Lansana Lamin came in from the middle order to manage the Asians’ loss. Batting, he struck 64 off 40, impressively hitting eight 4s and four 6s at a strike rate of 160.00. What a clinical plough for the boundaries! But the Lions are still kissing the bottom of table with no points.
Special Line’s Raymond Coker, who has won Man of the Match three out of three, batted for 45 off 45. If the Liners had not opted for a tight fielding, the Lions would have had their day.
Special Line are second on the table with 6 points in three games played.
To end the weekend, Gujarat took on Copper Safe for a 15-run win after posting 134 all in 19.3 overs to sit third on the log with 4 points in three games played.