Quaid e Azam Premier Cricket League Cricket League, Asian cricket, Sunday Cricket League, Best Asian cricket league
After four agonising months delay due to covid-19, the season got of to a brilliant start and the competition got exciting with all to play for even after 4 weeks of fixtures and some decent weather for cricket. It was to good to last and the forecasted isolated rain certainly dampen the hopes of some of the clubs fighting for promotion into the Premier Section.
Both the Crescent and Star Section are now down to their final two fixtures before the play offs and a decider for Championship on the 20th September 2020 at Park Avenue, however Khan CC have already claimed their play off place as they remain unbeaten in five straight matches maintain their 100% record and only dropping 2 point in the entire short session. The top of the Crescent Section match between Khan and Kings XI at Garforth CC missed the down pours experience on the west side of the county. Whilst just down the road the other crucial match at Altoff CC between Punjab and Heaton Park was rained off after just 11 overs. In the Premier Section only one game was completed which was played at East Keswick CC, the home side Central Leeds hosted Karmand. Seems all the matches played north and east side of Leeds missed the heavy down pours as all the fixtures had a result.
The only game to be completed in the Premier section resulted in Karmand leap from the bottom half of the table to the top section of the table as they claimed a win over Central Leeds, Central Leeds batted first and set a target of 148 for the loss of 9 wickets with an unbeaten innings with the bat from Irfan Rashid (40). Karmand responded to Central Leeds target with the loss of just three wickets and claiming maximum bowling points. The two half centurions Rashid Ayub (52) and Imran Patel (50) pulled their club into third place.
In the Crescent section three of the four games ended up with a result, Khan were away at Kings XI who were in third place at the start of the weekend fixtures. Khan batted first and were restricted to 150 before being bowled out, the outstanding bowling from Mahir Ali (6 for 16) secured maximum bowling points as they restricted Kings XI to just 85 runs and increased the points gap to 28 needing just another 13 points from the last two fixtures to secure a place in the play off. Khans record in this short season makes them as one of the favourites to secure a place for promotion to what is deemed as one if not the best standard of cricket played in a Sunday Asian cricket league in the country.
The second match to complete in the Crescent Section was played at Greenfield CC between Mylahore Tabs B and Yorkshire Lions, Mylahore Tabs B batted first and were all bowled out for just 121. Ali Asif’s outstanding innings of 77 gave the home club a respectable total to defend, but Yorkshire Lions performance has been outstanding in the past 2 weeks and are now on top form as they demonstrated once again by beating the home side by 7 wickets in just 24 overs. An unbeaten innings from Parth Naik (80no) secured another win for his club and moved Yorkshire Lions out of the bottom of the table to mid table.
The third completed fixture in the Crescent Section was played at Shadwell CC between the home side Kings XI Lahore and Northcliffe. Another win for Kings XI Lahore has taken them into second place now in a chance for the play off’s as the only game to be rained off in the Crescent Section between Rising Star and Indus Bradford may cost Rising Star their chance of a promotion. Kings XI Lahore batted first and scored the highest total of 172 for 9 in today’s matches, Adnan Sayed is having a excellent season as he scored 67 to help his club secure another win. Kings XI Lahore bowled Northcliffe out for 130. An all round performance from Adnan Sayed this time with the ball as he ended up with 4 for 20. Without doubt the man of the match would have to go to Adnan Syed as he put his club in with a chance to play in the Premier Section.
Two out of the three games in the Star Section both had delayed starts but the rain interrupted both games. Punjab hosted Heaton Park at Altofs CC, Punjab were put into bat and were 47 for 3 after 11 overs when rain came down and it became impossible to complete the minimum overs. The game between Mylahore Tabs A and Subhan were in a similar situation and the rain frustrated the players, after the 20th over Mylahore Tabs A had consolidated thier innings and were 63 for 3 with both batters gaining confidence against the swing and pace bowling of Subhan, on three occasion the players went onto the ground to restart the match in a space of 30 minutes and on all occasion it started to rain, eventually the game was called of as we lost all over and it wasn’t possible to complete the minimum overs.
