Faisalabad Wolves win 20:20 Club Championship
by AFP
DateLine: 18th September 2005
Naved Latif played a captain's innings to guide the Faisalabad Wolves to victory in the inaugural International Twenty20 Club Championship at Leicester.
The Pakistan star kept a cool nerve in the Wolves' run chase and finished the game off in style with a six over long on as they overcame the Chilaw Marians with eleven balls to spare in the final.
Latif hit two sixes in his unbeaten 45 made off 33 deliveries and defied a fightback led by Nimesh Perara, who took three wickets.
The Wolves had appeared to be coasting to their victory target of 133 as they reached 96-2 with little trouble, Mohammad Hafeez stroking six fours in his 31 while Asif Hussain supported him well.
But it was when Perara dismissed Hussain, Ijaz Ahmed and Mohammad Salman in quick succession that the Wolves' nerves began to jangle.
Bowlers had maintained a tight stranglehold on the strokemakers as the Chilaw Marians posted a modest total of 132.
The flamboyant Sri Lankan batsmen struggled to break the shackles with only Nimesh Perara scoring freely in his innings of 37 off 33 deliveries to help his side pass three figures.
That had looked an unlikely prospect as the Marians lost early wickets, but Perara shared a stand of 36 with Hasantha Fernando.
Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was the pick of the Faisalabad bowlers with 2-25 and he dismissed Perara and Fernando in quick succession.
(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)
