The second day would dictate the team’s position in their division and who would be competing in the Semi-finals and Finals. PCC needed to beat the Southerners, not an easy task, to get in the semis and they nearly did.
Bernie won the toss and put the Southerners into bat whereupon Jainish bowled to Andy Purser and Nathan Kincaid. Both batsmen took Jainish and Habby to task with 36 off 2 overs and then Bernie steadied proceedings with a tidy 8 and had Nathan caught for 22 of the last ball, but not before Colin stood-up to the wicket and promptly leached an unnecessary 4 byes. Andy retired on 32 as Andy Emery got blasted for 24 and The Southerners finished on 108 for 0.
Luke opened with Colin and immediately set about Nathan with two sixes and 20 off the over. Colin fell for a Duck, caught by Andy for 1 off Jacob Daniels which brought on Jainish against Wally Walters. Wally had wobblyitis of the right arm and the Jainish-Luke combo swung the willow. 50 for 1 off 3 overs and a slim chance of a win. 23 were needed of Nadeem Yousef’s last over and as Luke had retired on 31, it was up to Bernie and Jainish. Three wides from Nedeem and 7 more from Jainish were not enough. PCC concluded on 80 for 1 and a loss by 6 runs.
PCC’s two losses placed them 5th in the division and in the play-off for 5th/6th place against the Pakistan CC Falcons. Bernie won the toss again and chose to field. He bowled a tidy over for 8 followed by Jainish with 7. Habby’s first ball induced Darshana Kodituwakku to chance Gary’s arm – a fatal mistake and he was run out for 7. Sadar Ismail smashed Habby for 10 from 2 balls and was then trapped LBW and PCC were on a roll. Waseem Khan had been quiet and then got bowled by Gary for 7. Luke’s final over was a little loose and the score ended at 60 for 3 with Iqbal Afridi 17 not out. Not a winning score and PCC were in with a chance.
Luke and Colin opened against Ahmed Arshad who went for 12 and Waseem for 13. A sound start. Runs keep flowing from Luke’s bat and 40 for 0 by 3 overs. Colin was trapped LBW by Iqbal for 8 and Jainish marked it 47 off 4. 14 needed to win and Darshan bowled the last over. A wide, good fielding and a run refusal from Bernie left the scores tied, but PCC won by virtue of losing fewer wickets.
PCC’s man of the tournament was Luke Stokes with 86 not out from 41 balls faced in 4 innings.
The Cup Final was won by Chiang Mai All Stars, defeating The Southerners by 5 wickets and the Shield Cup was won by the Shrewsbury Sloggers defeating Lanna by 9 runs.
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