Just as Michael Clarke was starting to blast away ... the rains came down
Kowloon Cantons and Woodworm Warriors score wins on second day of Hong Kong T20 Blitz
Michael Clarke provided a glimpse of his sparkling skills and 15-year-old Sandeep Lamichhane took two wickets as rain forced a no result in the day’s last match at the DTC Mobile Hong Kong T20 Blitz at Mission Road on Saturday.
It was great to take two wickets and it came at the right time when the team needed it. We won the match so it was a nice start for us
Former Australian skipper Clarke was just getting into his stride in his cricketing comeback, lazily smashing three fours in his 15 for Kowloon Cantons – to the delight of the 1,000-odd crowd – before their match against Woodworm Warriors was stopped because of the weather.
Ryan Campbell had blasted his way to 30, with two sixes and four fours in their total of 49 but the teams ended up sharing the points.
Clarke had earlier scored six against Hung Hom JD Jaguars, in a match the Cantons won by two runs on Duckworth/Lewis with Kowloon’s Nepali youngster Lamichhane taking two for 27 from his two overs.
The only match that wasn’t interrupted by rain was the opener between the Warriors and GII Lantau Galaxy Riders, which the Warriors won by nine wickets.
Lamichhane, who starred for Nepal as they reached the quarter-finals of the U-19 World Cup in January, is looking forward to more success tomorrow if the weather allows it.
“It was a fantastic day, there was a good crowd and everyone enjoyed it and I also enjoyed it,” he said. “It was great to take two wickets and it came at the right time when the team needed it. We won the match so it was a nice start for us.
“It’s amazing to get a chance to play with legends like Michael Clarke and the other players also helped me a lot.”
In the overall competition, Cantons and Warriors have three points each, with the Jaguars third on two points and Galaxy Riders yet to score.
The top two teams play in the final with the winners of Hung Hom’s match against Warriors in the first game on Sunday securing one of the places.
Cantons take on Lantau in the second match.
On Saturday, Warriors got their campaign off to a confident start when they chased down Galaxy Riders’ 102 all out in 9.3 overs.
Moner Dar hit 46 off 25 balls for Lantau but they were bundled out in 17.2 overs with Nadeem Ahmed taking four for 13 off his four overs for the day’s best haul wicket-wise while Hong Kong captain Tanwir Afzal also had superb figures of three for nine from his four overs, including one maiden.
Warriors’ Australian recruit Michael Hill then blasted 66 off 28 balls with five sixes and Michael Swart hit 21 not out in reply.
Their only loss was opener Jamie Atkinson, who fell for 11.
Tanwir and fellow opening bowler, the towering Adil Mehmood, were give a rough time by Clarke and Campbell in the teams’ second match but he was confident of his team reaching the final.
“We started out very well and had a comfortable win and I believe it’s possible to reach the final, as long as there is no more rain,” he said.
“I’m very happy to take three wickets. I feel a responsibility as a senior player and the leading bowler to perform well.
“It’s been a big effort from the Hong Kong Cricket Association to put on this tournament and it’s good that the crowd can see some good performances from the local players.”
In the second match of the day, Campbell hit 58 as Kowloon Cantons put up 162 for seven wickets in the only innings so far of the tournament to go to 20 overs.
Janguars opener Nizakat Khan hit 27 in their reply and fellow Hong Kong player Chris Carter contributed 40, with one six and six fours, as they went after the score with confidence.
But bad weather forced the match to end after 12.2 overs of the innings and Cantons scraped through on the D/L method.
