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Tripathi knock goes unrewarded as Clifton edge home

6/ 5/2008

TWO teams with wholesale changes in personnel from last season clashed at Ladyhouse on Saturday, writes Mike Floyd

Clifton, chasing Milnrow’s total of 198, edged home with two wickets and five overs to spare.

The hosts were well served by debutants Vishal Tripathi and number three Nadeem Ahmed who both posted half centuries. Lancashire second team player Tripathi stroked an elegant 58 from 78 balls in an opening stand of 62 with professional Karl Brown.

Ahmed, who has recently moved into the area, after playing in the Birmingham League last season, was more circumspect in the early stages of his innings. But when he got into his stride he played several superb strokes and looked a promising capture for the Ladyhouse outfit.

Ahmed also looks a useful bowler and bagged two for 12 in his six overs. Had he not suffered a bout of cramp, which prevented him from bowling further, the outcome of the match might have been different.

Clifton, for their part, seem to have found a gem in Adil Nisar.  The Pakistani professional, who joined them from Bolton League side Tonge in the closed season, rarely looked troubled apart from surviving a confident leg-before appeal when he was on three.

When he was out for 85, ironically leg before wicket, he looked somewhat surprised by the decision, as did the majority of the crowd and bowler Nigel Doyle. His departure left the stage clear for number eight Qaiser Malik to be the hero as he launched a sizzling off-drive to the boundary to seal the win. His 24 runs came from 32 balls and included three fours.

Milnrow got off to a solid start, but Brown, who scored 12 from 49 balls, struggled to find his timing and showed his frustration with an uncharacteristic heave to leg. He missed and was bowled by Malik.

Tripathi and Ahmed added 22 runs before the former played on to South African overseas amateur Sunny Letshela.

Ahmed was watchful, but at the other end Steven Hall (5), Paul Keenan (9) and James Hazell (4) were soon back in the pavilion and at 118 for five Milnrow were struggling.

Former Norden man David Bebb helped Ahmed push the score towards the 150-mark before Bebb (3) was bowled by Andy Hough.

Dean Lord then gave Ahmed excellent support and the pair added 30 runs before Ahmed was brilliantly run out by Letshela for 51.

Lord (17) and Ben Brooks (10) edged the hosts closer to the 200-mark, but both perished in pursuit of quick runs; Lord leg before to Letshela and Brooks well caught by the South African off Nisar’s bowling. Frazer was bowled by Nisar off the last ball of the innings.

Milnrow made early inroads into the visitors’ batting line-up, Ahmed trapping Chris Lord (2) leg before and enticing an edge from Aqeel Mukthar (0) which was snapped up by Tripathi in the slips.

Nisar and Letshela set about repairing the damage, adding 57 runs before Letshela shouldered arms to Lord and was bowled neck and crop.

Lord produced another corker to shatter Dave Garner’s stumps and Milnrow’s hopes were raised.

Ahmed looked untroubled as he, Josh Cunliffe (12) and Jethan Yathahugoda (13) steered their side towards the 150-mark.

Brown returned to the attack to dismiss Cunliffe leg before, and with the score on 167 Ahmed was out.

Yathahugoda fell to a magnificent one-handed catch by Lord at backward square leg and Clifton captain Dave Wild became Brown’s third victim. With eight wickets down Clifton still needed 32 runs to win, it was all to play for.

Malik held his nerve as he edged, nudged and nurdled his way towards the winning post, while Hough was content to play second fiddle and just stay put.

From the last ball of the 45th over Malik applied the coup de grace to bring an enthralling match to a close.