Series: France Quad-Series May 2022
Venue: Dreux Sport Cricket Club Ground
Format: T20I
Toss: Austria
Result: Austria by 35 runs

Austria Spoils the Party for Spain

A historic day for Cricket Espana as their team played their debut T20 International at Dreux but Austria did the celebrating with a solid 35 run victory in the first match both teams played in the France Quadrangular 2022.

Gandhali Bapat won the toss for Austria and chose to bat. For Spain there were nerves evident with both the bowlers and the fielders. A plethora of no-balls (10) and wides (33) was backed up by some ordinary fielding which again, we’ll put down to nerves.

For their part, Austria didn’t really take full advantage with a very slow start by the openers. It wasn’t until vice-captain Jo-An Stiglitz (29) arrived to the crease that there was any urgency and it was largely courtesy of the generous extras by Spain that helped Austria post a competitive total of 127/7. Best with the ball for Spain was Rabia Iqbal (3-25).

Two deliveries into the Spain innings and they lost their first wicket Uswa Syed, bowled by Valentina Avdylaj (2-16). It is Valentina’s calling card, bowling at the stumps. She took the first, and the last, Zenab Iqbal, LBW as Spain were dismissed for 92 in the 19th over.

There were positives with the batting, both the captain (26) and Amy Brown-Carrera (12) reaching double figures. Both have good techniques so there will be more runs from those two in the future.

Star with the ball, her first five wicket haul, Mahadewa Pathirannehelage (5-16) which earned her Player of the Match.

Scores:

Austria 127/7 (Jo-An Stiglitz 29, Rabia Iqbal 3-25) 20 overs
Spain 92 (Elspeth Fowler 26, Amy Brown-Carrera 12, Mahadewa Pathirannehelage 5-16, Valentina Avdylaj 2-16) 18.5 overs

Player of the Match: Mahadewa Pathirannehelage