UCC win a thriller to open Intervarsity campaign
An amazing fightback from UCC culminated in a penultimate ball win for last year’s finalists in what was an exhilarating opening to this year’s Indoor Championships. Requiring 105 runs to defeat a spirited UU Coleraine side, the Leesider’s looked in trouble when they slumped to 61-4 after 6.4 overs however some big-hitting from Kaleem Ahmad turned the tables and handed UCC victory.
It was certainly not plain sailing for the Cork side. The absence of Irish international Junaid Amin was keenly felt in a wayward bowling display which allowed UU Coleraine to rack up 104 runs in their allotted overs. An excellent fielding display was all that kept UCC in the game with two run outs coming at a crucial stage in the first innings.
From there it was over to the batsmen and the early losses of Denny David, Shahrukh Nawaz and Ian Coleman meant that the side from the North were well in the ascendancy. Despite the loss of early wickets, Qassim Butt and Kaleem Ahmad threw caution to the wind and despite losing the former with the score on 84, Ahmad continued to assault the boundaries of the terrific indoor facility at Jordanstown, culminating in a score of 30* from just 17 deliveries and handing UCC a one wicket win.
