Match 1: Malo CC vs Friendship CC

The first match of the day, featuring Malo CC against Friendship CC at the Santarém Cricket Ground. Malo CC won the toss and opted to bat first. Their innings was driven by a brilliant knock from Amir Zaib, who scored 66 off 42 balls, including three boundaries and four sixes. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Malo CC managed to post a competitive total of 159/9 in their 20 overs. Contributions from lower-order batsmen, including Syed Maisam Ali's unbeaten 17, helped in reaching this total. Friendship CC's bowlers, led by A Imran who took 3 wickets for 28 runs, put up a good fight but were let down by their fielding, conceding 23 extras.

In response, Friendship CC struggled to build any significant partnerships. Muhammad Usama's exceptional bowling performance, taking 4 wickets for just 15 runs, dismantled their batting lineup. Amir Zaib also contributed with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 26 runs. Md Ashraful Mamun Rupu top-scored with 20 off 15 balls, but it wasn't enough as Friendship CC were bowled out for 109 in 16.4 overs, giving Malo CC a comfortable 50-run victory.

Match 2: Miranda Dragons CC vs Porto Wanderers CC

The second match of the day, with Miranda Dragons CC taking on Porto Wanderers CC. Porto Wanderers won the toss and elected to field. Miranda Dragons posted a solid total of 157/7 in their 20 overs, thanks to a superb innings from Satinder Singh, who scored 73 off 51 balls. Falek Zeb contributed a crucial 28 off 24 balls in the lower order. The standout bowler for Porto Wanderers was Umar Gill, who took 6 wickets for just 16 runs, a phenomenal performance that kept Miranda Dragons from posting an even higher total.

In reply, Porto Wanderers struggled against a disciplined bowling attack. Despite a fighting 69 off 50 balls from Tejpreet Singh, they fell short, managing 145/6 in their 20 overs. Satinder Singh and Khamal Ishwar bowled tight spells, taking crucial wickets at regular intervals. Miranda Dragons CC won by 12 runs, securing a hard-fought victory.

Match 3: Oeiras CC vs Fighters CC(BGA)

The third match, featuring Oeiras CC against Fighters CC(BGA). Fighters CC(BGA) won the toss and decided to field. Oeiras CC put up a formidable total of 186/7 in their 20 overs, driven by an explosive innings from Brendan Badehorst, who scored 70 off 34 balls, and a solid knock from captain Conrad Greenshields, who remained unbeaten on 61 off 31 balls. Despite some resistance from Fighters CC(BGA)'s bowlers, particularly Parminderjeet Singh who took 2 wickets for 25 runs, the batting onslaught was relentless.

Fighters CC(BGA) began their chase with some promise but faltered as they lost wickets at crucial moments. Parminderjeet Singh’s quickfire 69 off 26 balls was the highlight of their innings, but it wasn't enough to chase down the target. Oeiras CC’s bowlers, led by Brendan Badehorst and Rahul Kumar, ensured regular breakthroughs. Fighters CC(BGA) ended their innings at 168/7, falling short by 18 runs.

Match 4: Coimbra Knights CC vs Porto Wanderers CC

The fourth match, saw Coimbra Knights CC taking on Porto Wanderers CC. Coimbra Knights opted to bat first after winning the toss. They struggled to build momentum and managed to post a total of 116/7 in their 20 overs. Panda Waddup was the top scorer with an unbeaten 43 off 40 balls. Porto Wanderers' bowlers, especially Tejpreet Singh with figures of 2 for 11, kept the batsmen in check.

Porto Wanderers CC chased down the target with ease, reaching 119/4 in 14 overs. Anthony Chambers led the chase with a well-paced 31 off 24 balls, supported by Tejpreet Singh who scored 27 off 27 balls. Coimbra Knights' bowlers failed to make significant inroads, and Porto Wanderers won comfortably by 6 wickets.

Match 5: GAMBLERS SC-A vs Gorkha XI

The final match of the day, featuring GAMBLERS SC-A against Gorkha XI. GAMBLERS SC-A won the toss and chose to bat first. Despite a promising start with Kuldeep Gholiya scoring 32 off 17 balls, the innings quickly fell apart. Gorkha XI's bowlers, led by Deep Harian who took 4 wickets for 18 runs, bowled out GAMBLERS SC-A for just 107 in 16.5 overs.

In response, Gorkha XI chased down the target comfortably, reaching 108/3 in just 12.4 overs. Suman Ghimire top-scored with 44 off 32 balls, while Manjit Singh contributed 41 off 25 balls. Despite losing a couple of early wickets, Gorkha XI secured a convincing 7-wicket victory.

Conclusion

The day's matches showcased a blend of dominant batting performances and disciplined bowling displays. Malo CC and Oeiras CC displayed their batting prowess, while Miranda Dragons and Porto Wanderers exhibited resilience and strategic acumen. Gorkha XI's comprehensive victory rounded off an exciting day of cricket in the LIGA BGA DIV 1 2024, setting the stage for more thrilling encounters in the tournament.