Club News

Imran Kazmi brilliant diving catches and Imran Raja crashing century guided Halton Stars to a victory and clinching a Play off spot.

Oakville/Burlington, Ontario August 23, 2009

Imran Raja continued his fine form with his second hundred of the season, as Halton Stars set United Hunters a testing 219 to win. HSCC won the toss and elected to bat, Ali shah and Imran Kazmi opened the inning and patiently playing the swinging fast bowling on a cloudy morning, taking single and doubles and provided opening wicket partnership of 41 runs when Ali tried to play a square cut to a raising delivery and top edged the ball to keeper’s glove. Ali scored 21 runs that included 2 sixes. Ghufran Ali joined Imran, while Ghufran was settling down; Imran was taking single and doubles. When score reached 60 Imran got caught for 22 runs.

Imran Raja stepped in at unusual 2^nd down but continued to show his fine form. Started slowly and as the sun started to shine on the cloudy morning so does Imran Raja started to show his strides and hitting sixes and boundaries on regular intervals. When score reached 121, Ghufran got LBW, he scored 22 runs. Imran Raja realizing that once again Halton Stars middle order is clasping, he took control of the game and taking strike from both end and showed why he is a classy batsman and help Halton Stars reach a respectable total of 218 for 9 wickets in 50 overs. Imran played a solid inning and scored an excellent 124 runs that includes season high 7 sixes and 5 fours.

United Hunter started the inning on a positive note as the opening pair smashing the ball all over the field but Nadeem Mahmood took care of breaking the partnership as his sharp throw from the point that converted into a run out by Ali Shah. Haroon Muhammad followed Nadeem with another run out. But the turning point in this Halton Star's 36 runs victory was the two brilliant diving, one-handed catches by Imran Kazmi that broke the backbone of United Hunters. First catch he took at the deep point diving to his left to hold one handed catch then the 2^nd at deep long on, running 10 yards, then diving to hold a breath taking catch brilliantly and brought home Halton Stars victory. United Hunters were all out for 182 runs.

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