26/07/2026
๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ: ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฑ ๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ โ ๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข-๐
๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ
Phoenix produce stunning performance to defeat champions and cup holders and reach final! ๐ฅ
๐๐ก๐จ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฑ ๐๐๐/๐ (๐๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ) ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ (๐๐.๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ)
In their biggest game of the season to date, Bradford Phoenix produced an outstanding all-round performance to comprehensively beat defending champions Apperley Bridge by 82 runs at Rawdon Meadows and book their place in the Sir James Roberts Cup Final.
Apperley Bridge won the toss and elected to field โ a decision they would quickly come to regret as Phoenix's batters took full advantage of a good surface.
Phoenix posted an imposing 276/5 from 40 overs โ their highest total of the season โ built around a brilliant unbeaten 75 from Hasan Shabir and valuable contributions from the entire top order.
Openers Rafaqat Ali (43 off 41, 7 fours, 1 six) and Waseem Usman (30 off 27, 4 fours, 1 six) got Phoenix off to a flying start with a 69-run opening stand. Atzaz Kazmi (33 off 50) and Syed Abubakar (18 off 14) kept the momentum going before Hasan took centre stage.
Hasan Shabir (75* off 64, 6 fours, 3 sixes) played a masterful innings, combining elegant stroke-play with intelligent rotation of the strike. He shared a crucial 63-run partnership with Zareen Shan, who was fluent in scoring 35 off 28 (2 fours, 1 six), and an unbeaten 69-run stand with Majid Ali (29 off 16, 2 fours, 2 sixes)*, who provided a blistering finish to propel Phoenix to a formidable total.
In reply, Apperley Bridge's chase never quite got going. After the early loss of both openers inside the first five overs, the Bridge innings showed brief signs of recovery. Mohammad Mustafa Shirzad (13) played some good shots before he holed out to long-on with Majid Ali taking a sharp catch to make it 42/3 inside the powerplay.
A patient 45-run stand between Muhammad Qasim (17) and Muhammad Saeed (51 off 55) then steadied the ship for the holders, but it was brought to an end by a brilliant piece of fielding from Majid Ali, who ran out Qasim with a direct hit from within the circle. At 87/4, Apperley Bridge were relying on their talismanic batsman Saeed to guide the chase.
Saeed looked in good touch, building a 40-run partnership with Mohammed Abid (28) to keep Bridge in the contest. But Jonaid Khan struck after the drinks break, dismissing Saeed โ Bridge's hopes effectively vanishing with their key man's wicket. Jonaid struck again the very next ball, trapping Nizam Shah for a first-ball duck, leaving Bridge reeling at 127/6.
Syed Abubakar (5/44 from 8.4 overs) then returned to clean up the tail, wrapping up the innings with his fifth wicket as Apperley Bridge were bowled out for 194 in 29.4 overs. The seasoned Asim Khan (2/48 from 10 overs) had earlier provided control and discipline with the new ball, while Jonaid (2/36) finished with two crucial wickets.
A late cameo from Shoaib Aseel (31* off 11) added some respectability, but the result was never in doubt once the wickets began to tumble.
๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ข๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก: ๐
- Hasan Shabir โ A brilliant unbeaten 75* off 64 to anchor the innings and propel Phoenix to a match-winning total.
๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ: ๐๏ธ
- Syed Abubakar โ 5/44 with the ball, breaking the back of the Apperley Bridge chase
- Rafaqat Ali โ 43 off 41, providing a solid foundation at the top
- Majid Ali โ 29* off 16, providing a blistering finish with the bat and an outstanding piece of fielding to runout a top-order batter
Scorecard: https://bmsscl.play-cricket.com/website/results/7727010
๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง:
An outstanding all-round performance which sees Phoenix reach their second Sir James Roberts Cup final in three years! They will face Omars CC in the final at Bankfoot on Sunday 23 August 2026.
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