JEDDAH – Crown Steel will cross swords with Friends XI in the final after beating IDBG and AOT, respectively, in the SCC Premier semifinals, sponsored by Saudi Cricket Centre and managed by WPCA here.
Crown Steel got the better of IDBG. Crown Steel piled up 184 for 8. Anwaar Chandi hit 67 in 31 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes as he added 70 with Humayun (8) after early setbacks. Crown Steel then slumped to 107 for 6, losing 4 wickets for 11 runs. Faiq Habeeb smashed 47. He added 68 with Javed Iqbal (20) to get to some respectability. Irfan Shah grabbed 3-39, Farooq Mohammed 2-30, while Waheed, Usman Gulab and Khalid Iqbal picked up a scalp each.
IDBG managed 179 for 9 in 16.4 overs. Rahat Ali Choudhry hit 29 as he added 65 with Irfan Shah (78 in 39 balls). IDBG then lost 4 wickets in a space of 24 runs to be in trouble at 90 for 5. Mohammed Farooq hammered an almost match-winning 47 in 22 balls. Once Farooq was sent packing, it was all over for the bankers. Shoaib Ali took 3-31, one wicket each was bagged by Anwaar Chandi and Usman.
Friends XI beat AOT by 4 wickets. AOT posted 143 for 8. Faisal Mehmood compiled 28, Aqeel 37, Naeem Shah 21 and Nasir 14. Umair scalped 2-31, while a scalp each went to Zeeshan, Wajahat, Imran Yusuf (Gullu) and Amjad Jutt.
Friends reached 145 for 6 in 87 balls. Waqar stroked 22, Amir 16, Waqar 22 and Anis Malik (40). Friends had a few hiccups in the middle, but reached home safely. Waqas claimed 2-17, Ali Raza 2-30, while Moiz and Rameez bagged a wicket each.
SCC Afternoon semifinals
Al-Safri XI had the last laugh against Nestle Milo, while Lothers thrashed Fuchs Alhamrani to qualify for their first final.
Al-Safri trounced Nestle Milo by 4 runs. Al-Safri racked up 184-5. Muneeb Anwar smashed 53, as he added 88 with Rehan (35). Hasanat Ahmed was run out for 22. Aftab Malik then blasted 5 sixes and 3 fours to compile 50 in 22 balls to get to impressive 184-5. Bilal Malik took 3-30 and Ehsan Noni one.
Nestle Milo could manage only 180-6. Imran Sarwar batted well to hammer an unbeaten 106 in 56 balls with 2 sixes and 12. He added 67 with Bilal Malik (10) to get closer to the target after they were in trouble at 101-5. Hussain Bhatti scored 17 and Osama Amjad 15.
Nestle Milo, requiring 17 runs in the last over, could manage only 12. Rizwan took 2-15, Manjeet Kumar 2-28, while Waseeq and Aftab Malik took a wicket each.
Lothers thrashed Fuchs Alhamrani by 25 runs. Lothers plundered 189-7. Khurram Azeez hammered 53 as he first added 53 with Yasir (7) and then 54 with Badushah (68 in 34 balls). Shamsuddin (16) and Shibu(22) were the other contributors. Khoban Ayaan took 2-15, Irfan Anjum 2-32, while a wicket each was bagged by Shahid, Saqib and Ahsan.
Fuchs Alhamrani, in reply, was bowled out for 164. Zeeshan scored 67. He added 42 with Nazaish (8) and then 55 with Imran (21). Fuchs required 86 in 52 balls with 7 wickets in hand. But only Saqib (22) managed to score some runs. Badushah grabbed 3-35, Shibu 2-23 and Salah 2-28.
