The title race in Denmark’s Elite Division is shaping into a fascinating three-way contest as KB moved level with leaders Skanderborg by virtue of a seven-wicket victory over Albertslund on Sunday.
With Svanholm just two points behind and a game in hand, the key deciders are likely to be Skanderborg’s encounter with Svanholm on 5 September and the latter’s match against KB on 11 September, while fourth-placed Ishøj could feature in the role of spoilers when they are at home to KB on 5 September.
KB quickly seized the initiative after putting Albertslund in to bat, Mark Hocking and Bashir Shah picking up two wickets apiece and Basit Javed one to reduce the home side to 45 for five.
Imran Sahi led a partial recovery with 30 not out, but Keith Dabengwa demolished the tail to finish with four for 10, and Albertslund were all out for 92.
KB needed only 20.3 overs to complete their win, Saad Ahmad making 37 and Anique Uddin finishing with 21 not out.
Bogliasco into the last sixteen despite Milan United victory
As the Italian 50-over competition nears the end of the group stage Milan United beat leaders Bergamo by six wickets in Group B, but were denied a place in the knock-out phase by Bogliasco’s 7-wicket victory over winless Cantù.
United’s Milanese neighbours Kingsgrove did make it through from Group A, beating Torino by 10 wickets in their final game, but it’s not yet clear whether they will be joined by Albano or Fresh Tropical.
Unbeaten Kings XI and Janjua Brescia, who beat Bergamo United, qualify from Group C, while Group D remains too close to call after Bologna beat Brescia by six wickets and Royal Parma defeated Cricket Stars by eight wickets.
Jinnah and Padova had already qualified from Group E, as had Lucca and Pianoro from Group G and Capannelle and Asian Latina from Group G, while in Group H Royal Roma, with 347 for seven, beat Kent Lanka by 131 runs and joined unbeaten Roma in the last 16.
Prague march on in Czechia
Leaders Prague CC secured another crucial victory at Vinoř on Saturday with a five-wicket win against Vinohrady in the Czech Republic’s Pro40 Division 1.
Ali Hassan Sittar took three for 9 as Vinohrady were dismissed for 103, and then Sudesh Wickramasekara’s unbeaten, 36-ball 65 secured the victory in just 17.3 overs.
Prague Spartans pushed Bohemians all the way at the same venue the following day before losing by 5 runs.
Zahid Mahmood top-scored for the Bohemians with 32 out of their total of 182, five Spartans bowlers taking two wickets each, and 52 from wicketkeeper Sahil Grover seemed to put the Spartans on course for victory.
But he was one of four victims for Saurabh Kakaria as his side slid to 149 for nine, and it took a fighting 35 from Sagar Reddy to bring them back into the game; he was last out, caught by Kakaria off the bowling of Sazib Bhuiyan, and the Bohemians had pulled off a thrilling win.
Vienna Afghan take claim for semi-finals
A successful double weekend in the T20 championship in Austria greatly improved Afghan Vienna’s chances of reaching the play-offs, as they beat United Nations CC by nine wickets at Seebarn on Sunday and followed it up with a 36-run victory over Austria Wien in a match reduced to 15 overs a side on the same ground the following day.
Ishak Safi claimed five for 12 and Zain Safi three for 20 as the UN were bowled out for 104, and Sadiq Muhammad’s 36-ball 63 not out ensured that the Afghans needed only 11 overs to complete their win.
Sadiq and Razmal Shigiwais each made 28 as the Afghan side posted 113 for seven against Austria, who could only manage 77 for nine in reply.
Afghan Steiermark kept themselves in the hunt with a 39-run victory over Salzburg Löwen at Latschach on Sunday: Habib Ahmadzai made 59 and Zazai Zamir 52 in a total of 191 for eight, and Sajad Mohamand took four for 32 as, despite Yousuf Ahmadzai’s 48 not out, the Lions were dismissed for 152.
There were wins, too, for Salzburg over Sub-Continental and for Vienna over Lord’s.
League phase ends in Oslo
Two victories for City A catapulted them into top place in Group A in Norway ahead of Sinsen A, with Star just missing out on a place in the quarter-finals.
49 from skipper Ehtsham Ul Haq took City to 143 for seven against United on Saturday, Waqar Hassan’s three for 21 helping to restrict the opposition to 121 for eight, and Ehtsham was again in form on Sunday, hitting 78 as City posted 174 for four against Interlions. Interlions could only manage 130 for nine in reply.
Sinsen A had already beaten Interlions by 44 runs on Saturday to clinch second place in the group, Mansoor Ahmed taking four for 21 as Interlions finished with 126 for eight in reply to Sinsen’s 176 for six.
Sentrum S A finished well clear in Group B, but the second quarter-final spot went down to net run rate as Klemetsrud edged out Oslo A despite losing to them by 3 wickets on Saturday; even a six-wicket victory over Falken A on Sunday in which Sheraz Khalid claimed three for 27 and Nouman Butt three for 28 as, despite Aniq Malik’s 56, Falken A were dismissed for 139, Oslo reaching their target in 15.4 overs was insufficient to close the run-rate gap.
In Group C MASK A beat Vestli C by eight wickets to finish the group programme unbeaten, with Vestli B second on the table to join them in the semi-finals, while MASK B topped Group D ahead of Nittedal.
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