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That brings to an end our coverage of this contest but there are still three games to be played in the day in the ECS Switzerland 2023. Do head over here to follow our coverage of the clash between Winterthur and Cossonay right here on Sportskeeda while keeping yourselves updated with all the other cricketing news from around the globe on this very platform. Until next time, this is the duo of Maanas Upadhyay and Sooryanarayanan Sesha bidding adieu. Thank you so much for tuning in. Take care and see you around soon. Ciao!
Match Summary: Olten CC beat Zurich Lions by 6 wickets and qualify for the final of ECS Switzerland 2023.
Diyon Johnson 34* (11) | Ali Usman 1/10 (2) Nicholas Salonen 29 (23) | Saravanakumar Subramani 1/17 (1)
A brutal display of batting. A decimation of the highest order. You can run out of suitable adjectives that can do justice to this run chase from Olten CC, who have secured pole position on the points table at the end of their final round-robin clash, sealing a spot in the final with ease as a result.
Chasing 105, they got off to a rip-roaring start courtesy Roshanth Karunamoorthy blazing away in the opening over. He departed very quickly too but with Raihan Stanikzai clobbering it himself, there was just no stopping Olten from razing down this target. Most certainly not after 49 runs were racked up in the first couple of overs, sapping the wind out of the Zurich Lions' sails.
Both Raihan and Muralitharan Gnanasekaram departed in quick succession but the narrative was clear - just keep swinging hard. Pratheeparaj Varothayan and Diyon Johnson duly obliged with the latter striking the ball as hard as anyone possibly can. The result was a mere formality despite everything that the bowlers tried for the Lions and Olten wrapped things up with a mammoth 22 deliveries to spare!
As a result, they don't have to go through the rigors of playing the Qualifier and will partake in the summit clash directly instead. Geneva have been pipped to second position as a result and will now have to play an extra game in order to secure their berth in the final themselves. As for the Lions, they just couldn't roar in the tournament and a sorry campaign has come to a disappointing end. Lots of learnings for them before the next season though.
Yet again, it's a gigantic six that brings the curtains down on a contest. You can argue this was a no-contest too - that was some display of dominance from Olten CC as they soar to the top of the table and secure a direct berth in the final of ECS Switzerland 2023!
6.2 Kanishk Shah to Diyon Johnson, SIX! BANG! Johnson seals the deal and Olten CC will finish at the top of the table! Charges down the track, waits for the slower length delivery to arrive and absolutely muscles it over the mid-wicket region for a huge maximum to finish the game!
6.1 Kanishk Shah to Diyon Johnson, FOUR! SHOT! Short and outside off, Johnson rocks onto the back-foot and thumps it through the covers for a boundary!
Kanishk Shah [1.0-0-28-1] is back into the attack
This chase will enter a seventh over as it turns out. Just a question of when and not if though as it has been pretty much throughout this chase. Olten CC require 7 runs to win off 24 deliveries at 1.75 RPO.
6
overs
98/4score
0
W
1
2
0
1
runs
Diyon Johnson*
24(9)
Shahid Abdul Waridu
1(1)
Nicholas Salonen
1/25
5.6 Nicolas Salonen to Diyon Johnson, full and on the middle stump line, Johnson pushes it out towards point for a single.
5.5 Nicolas Salonen to Diyon Johnson, short and on the middle stump line, Johnson gets onto his toes and looks to slap it downtown but chops it down back onto the track.
5.4 Nicolas Salonen to Diyon Johnson, length ball outside off, Diyon gets onto the front foot and drives it through the point region for a couple of runs.
5.3 Nicholas Salonen to Shahid Waridu, a low full toss on the middle stump line, Waridu clips it into the mid-wicket region for a quick single.
Shahid Waridu, RHB, comes to the crease
Too little, too late. But Salonen will take that after what was a forgettable first over early on.
5.2 Nicholas Salonen to Pratheeparaj Varothayan, OUT! BOWLED! Length ball on the fourth stump line nipping in, Varothayan has a big swipe across the line but is beaten by the pace on it. The ball clips the top of off stump and Nicolas snares a wicket!
Pratheeparaj Varothayan b Nicholas Salonen 16 (8b, 0x4, 2x6)
5.1 Nicholas Salonen to Pratheeparaj Varothayan, nails the yorker on the body which is just about dug out by Varothayan.
Nicholas Salonen [1.0-0-21-0] is back into the attack.
It has been a misery for the Zurich Lions. The good thing is they will be put out of it very soon. We were wondering if they had enough on the board and well, it turns out they were a mile short. Olten CC require 11 runs to win off 30 deliveries at 2.20 RPO.
5
overs
94/3score
6
6
6
1
2
1
runs
Pratheeparaj Ratnarajah Varothayan*
16(6)
Diyon Johnson
21(6)
Snehil Joshi
1/28
4.6 Snehil Joshi to Pratheeparaj Varothayan, length ball on the fourth stump line, Varothayan chips it down to long on for a single.