06/06/2019
Match results and updates of our season 2019.
05.05.2019
Vienna Gladiators vs Lords Cricket Club
Well we couldn’t get a game due to heavy rainfall throughout the week.
11.05.2019
Vienna Gladiators vs Austria Cricket Club Wien
It was a bad toss to loose since it rained heavily for the past 2-3 days. As usual the captain of our opponent chose to bowl first. The openers couldn’t give us the start that we wanted hence we lost both our openers cheaply. Since then nobody could resurrect. With some good eye catching shots from Chowdhury Waqas we were restricted to 96/10. We believed we could get some early wickets but that wasn’t on the cards and gave away cheap runs. They chased down the target with 14 over with loss of two wickets that was picked up by Khurram.
Brief scores
VGCC 96/10 20 overs (Ch Waqas 32, Abbas 12, Khurram 11)
ACCW 97/2 14 overs (R Shigiwals 63, R Ahamed 18) (Khurram 2/7 off 2 overs )
18.05.2019
Vienna Gladiators vs Five Continents Cricket Club
Since we didn’t have our regular captain Waqas Bhatti it was Azhar Mehmood the captain from last season had to lead the team. Gladiators won the toss and without any sort of hesitation decided to bat first. A slight change in the opening batters where Ch Shabir was partnered by Farabi. With no time we reached the 50 mark within the 4 over. The openers gave us a flying start with Farabi scoring his first fifty of the season for Gladiators with the help of 6 huge 6‘s off just 19 balls. Eventually the partnership was broken but the runs kept on flowing with some big mighty blows from our Bangladeshi tiger where he was well supported by Khurram scoring much needed 27.
As we were expecting a hundred from Farabi he was being bowled by their captain scoring a fine 80 off 42 balls. After the departure of our tiger it was Adal, Wasim and Azhar who got us over the 150 mark and eventually the score was held at 158/7. Thanks mainly to Adal‘s good running between the wicket with the stand in captain.
We had the confidence in our bowling attack and we believed we would restrict them to modest total since we knew our opponent was all out for 27 in the past weekend. We were always dependent on our go to bowler Taquir Asif to give us the opening breakthrough in which he never disappointed. Taquir‘s new partner in crime Ikhaq Ghumman took 2 wickets in one over where he bowled some brilliant left arm cutters. The opponent were 3 down for just 20 runs. We knew we had to keep the pressure in order to win the game. Captain Azhar decided to bring himself on where he pocketed his first wicket of the match. As we went deep into the game we bought on some offspin from our new recruit Khurram where he has given away 16 runs off his two overs. Since the partnership was growing captain Azhar kept the pressure with his bowling giving away just the 8 runs off his allocated 3 overs. As we were running out of options it was Farabi who was brought up into the attack and sending back both the set batsman where he wrapped up their backbone of their batting. The responsibility was left upon Taquir Asif to get the final wicket where he was spot on and restricting our opponent to 105 off 16 overs. Signing off to a great win by us and a round off applause from the team were given to our Tiger from Bangladesh.
Brief score
VGCC 158/7 20 overs (Farabi 80, Khurram 27, Adal 14)
FCCC 105/10 16.1 overs ( Farabi 23/4 off 4 overs, Ikhlaq 31/3 off 3 overs, Tauqir 17/2 off 3.1 overs)
02.06.2019
Vienna Gladiators vs Pak Riders CC
One of the much anticipated game for us in which we had to wait for a month since the season began. With Waqas Bhatti the captain of Gladiators being available for the game the team was fully pumped up and ready to take on the opposition. The temperature was almost nearing 30 degrees we knew we had to win the toss and bat first and our captain obliged to that.
We had to change a bit in our top order since ach Shabir wasn’t available it was his brother Ch Waqas was given the responsibility to open with our Bangla tiger. We believed in playing aggressive brand of Cricket in which the openers supported well. The half centurion from the last game scoring 18 off 10 got out playing by a rash shot giving a dolly to long on. It was Khrram who walked in at one down playing just one ball got out in a mix up with Ch Waqas. A great throw from the keeper hitting the wicket at bowlers end sent back Khurram. Scores being stuck at 32/2 Captain Waqas Bh walked in hoping to have a big partnership. A controversial decision from umpire sent Ch Waqas back to hut with immense pressure being created around the batsman Masoomi walked in. Captain from the other was just staring at the batsman where they gave away their wickets. The field restriction was lifted after 6 overs with our scores being 46/4. A small partnership between Waqas Bh and Abbas taking the our score towards the 70 mark and giving us the belief that we could score big. But we kept on giving the wickets. Our Debutant Naveed Hossain walked in and played a crucial role with the captain taking the score above the hundred mark. Since it was Ramadan Waqas Bh was fasting in which he needed support. But Alas! We couldn’t provided the support but who cares when you have captain marvelous, playing the anchor role of the match where he hit 2 massive 6‘s of their opponent captain he was restricted to 38 off 34. It was the time for our tail to come in and score. The partners in crime Tauqir and Ikhlaq got the last crucial 15 runs which played a great hand into our final score of 131 in our allocated overs.
We knew if we bowled well there was a chance to win the game. The captain had handled the ball to Taquir partnering with Ikhlaq. Keeping the pressure high in the first over eventually bought us the wicket of their star opener by Ikhlaq in which Tauqir good catch. Seeing Ikhlaq picking up wickets at the other end Taquir couldn’t resist but sent the other opening back to the pavilion. With some great bowling from the openers it was time to continue the pressure. Azhar at one end bowling some peach of a delivery where he has just given away just the 3 run picking up a wicket off his 3 overs while Farabi with his magic deliveries bought the downfall of the Pak Riders. Getting their captain runout cheaply was a huge positive with their scores being stuck at 33/7. Farabi and Azhar had picked up 4 wickets between them with just giving away 19 runs in their respective allocated overs. It was just a matter of time to clean up our opposition tail where Taquir responded and send them home with a modest total of 65/10. In captain Waqas Bh we believed. Thanks to each and every member of our team.
We would like to dedicate this win against Pak Riders to Mr. Asim Shehzad our mentor and guardian.
Brief score
VGCC 131/10 20 overs (Waqas bh 38, Farabi 18, Naveed 13)
Pak Riders 65/10 14.3 overs (Farabi 15/3 off 4 overs, Taquir 20/3 off 3.3 overs, Azhar 3/1 off 3 overs.
