Danube Lions are focussed on more success after retaining title

Denzil Pinto 18:33 06/09/2014
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  • Champions: Danube Lions beat Ibsons in the final.

    Danube Lions captain Khalid Usman wants the team to build on their Al Hamad 'A' Division Trophy success when the new domestic season begins next month.

    On Friday, Lions defeated Ibsons by 10 runs in a thrilling encounter at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, to retain their title in a repeat of last year's final.

    Half-centuries from Kamran Ghullam (60), Asad Shafique (66) and Thirandu Mendis (57) helped Lions post 232. And with Ibsons looking in control of chasing the target with Faisal Athar hitting 47, Zahoor Khan's four-wicket haul took the game away from the eventual runners-up.

    Usman said: "It's an awesome feeling and the boys worked really hard and this is one of the biggest achievements for Danube cricket. 

    "We have been working really hard for the new season and we now want to take this confidence forward in the next season and win more titles."

    Only four Lions batsmen reached double figures, but Usman was always confident that his team had enough quality in the bowling department.

    Usman said: "I always believed we had a chance of winning the match despite the total. We kept calm and continued to work hard even when we weren't getting the wickets. Luckily, our hard work paid off and our bowlers responded very well especially Zahoor Khan. Our fielding was another positive for us."

    For Ibsons captain Baber Malik, the defeat was hard to take with their last five wickets falling for 32 runs.

    "We just couldn't handle the pressure," said Malik, who scored 19.

    "It's the second time we were in a promising position in a final. We repeated the same mistake as last year. We just couldn't recover and that was the biggest difference. Danube played well in the match but hopefully next year we can do it."

    Having been put into bat, Lions were in trouble losing two wickets with only 24 runs on the scorecard. Firstly, Abdi Ali (5) was lbw following a delivery by Zohaib Akhter, who  trapped Andri Berenger for just two runs.

    However, Lions managed to pile on the runs thanks to a third-wicket partnership of 58 by Ghullam and Shafique.

    At a time when the Lions were in control, Ibsons clawed their way back into contention with Fayaz Ahmed cleanly bowling Ghullam. But Ibsons failed to take advantage and despite their bowling variations, Mendis steadied Lions innings, adding a vital 96-run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Shafique was sent to the pavillion by UAE's Kamran Shahzad.

    With 15 overs remaining, instead of piling on the extra runs, Lions lost quick wickets. At 187-5, Lions put on an extra 31 runs, before a batting collapse that saw only 14 runs scored as: Akhter, Fayaz Ahmed, Misbah Khan and Irfan Sajid grabbed two wickets each.

    In reply, Ibsons recovered from Rameez Raja's (13) early dismissal, but Ghullam removed Baber Malik and opener Faizan Asif (20) with the batting team 81-3.

    The Ibsons batsmen continued to pile on the runs but two run-outs (Shehzad Malik and Waseem Baig, both 33), cost Ibsons dear as Khan dismissed dangerman Athar, before ripping through the tail-end to seal victory.

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