A brilliant bowling performance from the Czechs! They were very poor in the first two overs, gave away a lot of wides and allowed the Greek openers to settle. Sudesh provided the first two breakthroughs in the same over by doing entirely the opposite: showing control and keeping it on the stumps. Sinan was a bit unlucky with that LBW call but Bogdanos missed it completely.
That kicked off the worst phase of Greece's innings. Georgios and Amarpreet Singh knocked around a few singles here and there but didn't have the confidence to take on the bowlers, cleaning off all the momentum they had. Sengupta and Ashokan kept bowling outside the off-stump and took the sting out of the chase.
Georgios wicket brought Arslan to the crease who swung the game in his team's way suddenly. He took on those wide deliveries and raced to 25 (10) before his calculated risk against Sudesh's second over didn't come off and saw him losing his stumps. He left them in a comfortable position but no other Greek batter had the skill to finish the match off.
There were 20 extras in that innings (the second-highest run-scorer for Greece) which calls for a big re-look for both teams.
10
overs
95/5score
2
0
2
4
1
1
runs
Amarpreet Singh*
12(13)
Alexis Souvlakis
11(7)
Mohammad Riaz
0/17
9.6 Riaz Afridi to Amarpreet Singh, CZECH REPUBLIC PULL OFF A FINE WIN! Short over off-stump. Cut late and down to third man off the back foot for a single only to finish the match.
Ah what an anti-climax! Brilliant from Afridi, a certain Shaheen will be proud
9.5 Riaz Afridi to Alexis Souvlakis, GOOD BALL! Full and fast on leg-stump. Alexis tried to get bat on ball but all he got was an inside edge. The keeper missed and gave away a single.
11 off 2! A six and a four will tie it. Bouncer incoming?
9.4 Riaz Afridi to Alexis Souvlakis, FOUR RUNS! Good length ball on off-stump taken on the full by stepping out. Alexis then drives it past the left of mid-off to pick up a boundary!
15 needed off 3... Greece need a miracle
9.3 Riaz Afridi to Alexis Souvlakis, full toss on leg-stump. Inside edged down to fine-leg off the attempted on-drive for a couple more runs.
What a ball! 17 off 4!
9.2 Riaz Afridi to Alexis Souvlakis, full down the leg-side, following the batter. Alexis tries to drill it out but fails to put bat on ball. No run.
17 off 5!
9.1 Riaz Afridi to Alexis Souvlakis, full and in the block hole. Drilled down to long-on from deep in the crease for a couple of runs.
Riaz Afridi [1-0-7-0] comes back into the attack. And all fielders are behind the wicketkeeper!
19 needed off six! Excellent ninth over from the beast. He kept his team in the game here and would want to see them win.
9
overs
85/5score
1
W
1wd
1
1
1
0
runs
Amarpreet Singh*
11(12)
Alexis Souvlakis
2(2)
Sudesh Wickremansinghe
3/16
8.6 Sudesh Wickramasekara to Amarpreet Singh, full outside off-stump. Amarpreet goes for the big shot through the line but misses. Dot ball.
8.5 Sudesh Wickramasekara to Alexis Souvlakis, full around middle-stump. Knocked down to long-on from the crease for a single.
8.4 Sudesh Wickramasekara to Amarpreet Singh, PUT DOWN! Short and accurate on middle-stump. Amarpreet walks down the wicket and tries to pull but gets a top edge. The keeper runs back and tries to get hold of it with the right glove but fails to do so! One run.
8.3 Sudesh Wickramasekara to Alexis Souvlakis, full around off-stump. Knocked back on to the leg with the attempted drive for a single only.