MUSCAT : Turf 1 of the Oman Cricket Academy played host to a thrilling encounter between OCT Al Hail ‘A’ and OCT Al Amerat in the All-Omani Tournament on April 8, 2022.
Electing to bat first in their first game of the competition, OCT Al Hail ‘A’ were bowled out for 112 in 19.2 overs. Opener Faris Said Al Zadjali top-scored for his side with a 22-ball 25. Waleed Rahim Al Balushi, Nadhir Ghulam and Abdul Ghani Al Balushi were the others with notable contributions.
Anaya Allah and Khalid Moosa Al Balushi were OCT Al Amerat’s top performers with the ball and combined to pick up 7 wickets. Sulaiman Haider Al Balushi and Nasser Haider Al Balushi claimed the remaining ones.
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In response, OCT Al Amerat lost both their openers early, but Ateel Yousuf Al Balushi and Sulaiman Haider Al Balushi steadied the innings with a 32-run partnership. Their dismissals in back-to-back deliveries of the 10th over very nearly proved terminal to their side’s hopes of progressing in the tournament.
However, Rafeeq Mohammed Siyad Al Balushi and Said Haider Al Balushi played mature knocks to keep the contest alive. Their scoring rate was slow, but the pair hung in the middle at a time when any further wickets would have served to derail the run chase completely.
With 9 runs needed off the final over, the first five balls produced 6 but Said Haider turned match-winner in the final delivery, depositing it in the stands to hand OCT Al Amerat a 5- wicket victory. Rafeeq and Said finished on individual scores of 32 and 22 respectively.
Waleed Rahim Al Balushi was the only bowler for OCT Al Hail ‘A’ with more than 1 scalp to his name.
On the other ground, OCT Ruwi clinched a much more comfortable victory against OCT Al Mabela. They came out on top by a 71-run margin.
Electing to bat first, OCT Ruwi posted a first innings total of 188/2 – the highest in the tournament till date. That score was powered by the highest individual tally of the tournament – Mohammed Al Balushi’s unbeaten 67-ball 91.
Alongside Shuaib Ismail Al Balushi, who made 56 runs himself in the match-defining 115- run partnership, Mohammed took the game away from OCT Al Mabela in brutal fashion. Nabeel Mohd Boota and Asif Al Balushi accounted for the two wickets that fell over the course of the first innings.
In response, OCT Al Mabela folded for 117 with 2 balls to spare. Opener Zafarullah Al Balushi led the scoring with 34 runs, with Abdullah Al Balushi, Shareef Al Balushi and Asif Al Balushi chipping in with scores of 19, 12 and 12 respectively.
OCT Ruwi were dominant with the ball too, and their star in the second phase of play was undoubtedly Zubair Ali Akabr Al Balushi. He picked up 5 wickets in his 3.4 overs to go with a 23-run first innings cameo. Khalid Pir Baksh Al Balushi, Shuaib Ismail Al Balushi, Wasim Ismail Mohamed Al Balushi and Imran Al Balushi claimed the remaining ones.
BRIEF SCORES:
OCT Al Hail ‘A’ 112/10 in 19.2 overs (Faris Said Al Zadjali 25(22) 2 x 4 ; Anaya Allah 22/4 Khalid Moosa Al Balushi 14/3) lost to OCT Al Amerat 116/5 in 20 overs (Rafeeq Mohammed Siyad Al Balushi 32(36) 2 x 4 ; Waleed Rahim Al Balushi 14/2) by 5 wickets
OCT Ruwi 188/2 in 20 overs (Mohammed Al Balushi 91(67) 3 x 4, 4 x 6 Shuaib Ismail Al Balushi 56(37) 8 x 4 ; Nabeel Mohd Boota 28/1) beat OCT Al Mabela 117/10 in 19.4 overs (Zafarullah Al Balushi 34(29) 2 x 4, 2 x 6 ; Zubair Ali Akabr Al Balushi 19/5) by 71 runs
