Forfarshire to Final Week European Cricket T10 League after beating VOC
Published at 12 March, 2024Not VOC but the Scottish Forfarshire will measure themselves against the six other group winners in the Final Week (18-22 March). The nail-biter on the Cartama Oval was only decided on the penultimate ball.
Forfarshire got off to a fortunate start when a poor delivery from Cameron down leg was touched by François Fourie and disappeared into the hands of keeper Callum Garden. Tim de Kok was simply dropped and so was his partner Recordon (20). Under the lights – it was an evening game – timing the ball seemed a tough ask. De Kok (53 off 35) was dismissed and 111/4 (Schoonheim 27*) was the reasonable but certainly not spectacular result for VOC.
Forfarshire didn't get off to a flying start. Thanks to smart bowling, the Win Predictor showed 50/50 for a long time. It promised to be a tight game, especially when Cameron (25) was caught at long on. Callum Garden, however, turned the odds around with three consecutive sixes. In the eighth over, a beamer was bowled. As the free hit also went for six, that was thirteen runs off one delivery. That turned out to be the final blow for the Rotterdammers. Garden (58 off 25) was caught, but despite a brilliant final over by Ramdas Upadhyaya, captain Hogarth brought the Scots home who will now face the other six group winners in the Final Week on March 18.
Rehberge defeated
Earlier in the day, VOC had to beat Rehberge to have any chance of participating in the Final Week. Tim de Kok caught a skier from Yasser before he could become really dangerous. A fantastic flick for six from Chaudhry was immediately followed by his wicket, a catch from Jamil at extra cover. The 15-year-old (!) Aaditt Jain bowled fantastically and finished his two overs 4-22. 25/3 was a mediocre score, but Mujadady (43 off eleven balls) gave the Germans hope for a good result as there were 137 runs in the books. Jelte Schoonheim took 1-10 in two overs.
François Fourie (48 off 22) was immediately 'on song' with a number of boundaries, but did put his partner Tim de Kok on the barbecue (run out for 2). Pete Recordon was dropped at 0 and at 1 and Jelte Schoonheim at 0 and 8. By missing these sitters, there wasn’t any pressure on the Rotterdammers.
Still, eighty runs off 32 balls seemed a lot to ask. Lefthander Recordon, however, found his timing. Thanks to 27 runs in the seventh over, three consecutive sixes in the ninth over and Recordon's 70 not out off 24 balls, VOC took control of the match in the final over (142/2). The fielding and especially catching of VOC was much better than that of the Germans.
