HBS does not qualify for finals week BET2BALL European Cricket League
Published at 12 March, 2022After VOC, HBS also failed to qualify for the finals week of the BET2BALL European Cricket League. HBS started well with a number of wins. After that, the Hagenaars lost no less than five games in a row.
Against the Jersey Farmers 46 runs from 17 balls by Tobias Visee gave HBS the ideal platform to put down a monster score. However, that turned out a bit differently because left-armer Joel Richardson took three wickets in the fourth over. HBS 61/3 and it was thanks to captain Ferdi Vink (21* off 13) that HBS came to 104.
Jersey had a good start (50/1 after 4.1), but lost wickets at crucial moments. Excellent overs from left-armers Manjinder Singh and Benno Boddendijk (both 1-17) and the left-arm spin of Julian de Meij (1-16) ensured that Jersey Farmers were seven runs short in the end.
Against GEK Corfu, Visee again showed his class with 58 off 25 balls (5x6, 5x4). In reply, the Greeks managed 100/7 thanks to Aristides Karvelas (48). Julian de Meij (2-6!), Ferdi Vink and Manjinder Singh each took two wickets.
Against Malo from Portugal, HBS was sent in again. Tobias Visee continued what he had started on Monday. He was dismissed in the seventh over in the covers for a brilliant 81 off 24 balls including nine (!) sixes. Walbrugh now took over the role of Visee, opening his shoulders with 40 off 24. Amir Zaib took a hat-trick in the final, but from the start, it was clear that Malo would not surpass The Hague's monster score of 142/5. For the Portuguese, Conrad Greenshields (44) became the top scorer out of a total of 96/9. Leftarmers De Meij and Manjinder Singh were excellent again with 3-10 (!) and 2-7. Four catches for Stephan Vink.
The game against Pak I Care was 'the big one' as both teams were still unbeaten. The Spaniards went batting after winning the toss. Muhammad Ihsan stole the show with a wonderful 64 off 17 balls. It was 102/3 in the seventh over, in which five sixes were struck. HBS took some wickets, but the Spaniards amassed 142/7. Either way, a big target. Left-armer Kamran was seriously quick and uprooted Visee's leg stump in the first over. HBS did not have enough depth in the batting line-up to absorb this loss.
On March 9, the last match in the group stage followed, against Punjab Lions Nicosia. The inhabitants of this capital of Cyprus, once sung by the famous Dutch ‘Singer without a Name’, came to 100/9 with Tejwinder Singh (39 off 14 balls) as top scorer. Left-armer Manjinder Singh took 3-7 in his two overs. HBS' answer started shakily with Visee (11) who seemed to have lost his timing and Walbrugh who was dropped on 7. The fact that the strike rate of the HBS players barely exceeded 100 was also credit to the Nicosia bowlers. Ferdi Vink made good use of the fact that Anwar bowled right arm round. After 16 runs from three balls, the bowler himself realised that might not be the best option. A beautiful inswinger consequently uprooted the HBS captain's leg stump. HBS only managed 79/9 and recorded its second defeat.
Thanks to a better NRR, HBS finished second in the group stage. In the play-offs, the Hagenaars started against the number 1, Pak I Care Badalona. Left-armer Kamran was again difficult to play on the lively pitch, but it was his partner Muhammad Babar (2-7) who trapped Visee LBW in the second over. A great final over from Walbrugh (46* out of 27) meant a defendable 92/4.
In the fourth over, the dangerous Babar (11 out of 9) was caught at long on. In the fifth, Visee made a bizarre stumping. Kamran missed an outswinger from Ferdi Vink; Visee dutifully took off the bails. But Kamran appeared to have both feet in the air at the very moment of the stumping. However, Muhammad Ihsan (29 out of 19) continued with extraordinary power hitting.
Much to the surprise of the commentators, not Manjinder Singh, but legspinner Adal Ahmed bowled the ninth. The tenth did not have to be bowled; Pak I Care won. Stephan Vink 2-17.
The penultimate opportunity for HBS to reach the final week came against Punjab Lions Nicosia. Once again HBS opted to bat first. Despite a good score by the young Navjit Singh (41 from 15), HBS again did not get 100: 89/8. The Cypriots easily surpassed the Hague score (Stephan Vink 2-16) and that meant four losses in a row for the Hagenaars.
The 'eliminator' was against the Jersey Famers who were previously beaten by HBS. However, HBS had anything but a good start. Visee was trapped in front facing left-armer Joel Richardson (2-5 in 2!). Manjinder Singh was caught directly at long off. Navjit Singh (14) escaped a convincing LBW shout but did not capitalise: HBS 33/3/6 and virtually hopeless. However, Walbrugh (47*) and De Mey accelerated fantastically to 95 runs after ten overs.
Asa Tribe opened the batting for the Jersey Farmers with a convincing 46 off 22. With two overs to go, a run a ball would have brought the Farmers home. HBS still had chances, but on the very last ball the HBS total was surpassed. Matchwinner Sumerauer had survived a simple chance at the beginning of his innings.
HBS captain Ferdi Vink: "Unfortunately we didn't make it. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful tournament and a fantastic week. ECN has really created something really great and I would advise the KNCB to use their expertise in organizing large-scale events."
