Ansari the hero as Al Jabeen win Ramadan Cup

Sport360 staff 06:59 27/07/2014
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  • Champions: Al Jabeen Heroes enjoy their spoils after beating Interface in an exciting final of the Ramadan Cup at Fairground Oval.

    Sultan Ansari was the hero for Al Jabeen Heroes after a brilliant all-round performance helped his side beat Team Interface Transworld and claim the top honours in the second edition of the Interface Ramadan Cup 30-over tournament.

    In a pulsating final at Fairground Oval of the Dubai Men’s College, Al Jabeen Heroes won by a narrow margin of five runs.

    Coming in to bat at No8, Ansari scored quick 55 runs in just 51 balls with four boundaries and two sixes, and Praveen Yadav, who top-scored with a 63, helped Al Jabeen post a challenging total of 200 for nine in their 30 overs.

    He then returned to mesmerise his opponents with the ball to fin­ish with fantastic figures of 5-33 as Interface were bowled out for 195 in 28.3 overs. Ansari deservedly won the Man of the Match award for his heroic performance.

    Apart from the bragging rights, the win was worth a whopping win­ners cheque of Dh30,000 for Al Jabeen Heroes, who also had the tournament’s Best Batsman and Best Bowler in their side.

    Yaqoob Masih’s 213 runs was the most in the tournament, while Imran Munir was the Best Bowler with 12 wickets. Ahmed Shoukat, of Brooks CC, was declared the Man of the Tournament with 177 runs and five wickets.

    A total of Dh52,000, the high­est for any Ramadan tournament so far in the UAE, was on offer for the tournament. Interface, the run­ners-up, won Dh20,000.

    Al Jabeen won the toss and decid­ed to bat, but they lost opener Amit Verma early. Masih and Yadav then compiled 40 runs for the second wicket, but Jagrit Anand brought it to an end when he trapped the hard-hitting Masih for 33 off 13 balls (4×4, 2×6).

    Thereafter, Al Jabeen lost wick­ets regularly and they were sudden­ly six down for 88. Which was when Ansari joined Praveen and forged a crucial 75-run partnership.

    Praveen departed for 63 off 70 balls (3×4, 2×6). But Ansari contin­ued to torment the Interface bowl­ers slamming 55 (4×4, 2×6) as Al Jabeen reached a respectable 200-9.

    Interface lost Hiten Dalal early in their chase, but Pradeep Malik and Nitish Rana kept them in the fray with a 39-run partnership when Ni­tish was sent packing.

    Bilal Irshad joined Mallik and put together a mammoth 151-run part­nership to take their side to within striking distance of victory.

    But the moment Mallik (54) was sent back by Imran Munir, the floodgates were opened by Ansari as he picked up five quick wickets.

    Bilal’s heroic knock of 72 in 40 balls (6×4, 5×6) was in vain.

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