By Andrew Atkinson

LaMangaTorre CC faced Alfas 1st team in a League fixture – on the back of two T20 defeats against Pinatar – at La Manga Golf Resort.

Alfas, league favourites, were put into bat first, with LaMangaTorre  CC getting a breakthrough in the first over.

James maintained good form with the ball – clean bowling W. Ashraf. T. Rumi kept runs tight and set James up nicely, to claim his second wicket.

Jarvis claimed a wicket off his first ball; K. Perman playing a defensive shot into the hands of P. Harvey at short cover. (35/3:11 overs).

Jarvis struck when clean bowling P. Pennick. (40/4:13 overs). The twentieth over saw C. Rumi take A. Brown’s wicket (20) playing a cut shot to R. Rumi at point.

Walker, in at seven, assisted A. Wajid, taking Alfas past the 100 mark. LaMangaTorre CC struck – A. Wajid out – falling three short of 50, with C. Rumi clean bowling him. 121/6:30 overs.

Rumi bowled two of his overs for six runs an over taking the wicket of D. Walker for a well-earned 22. C. Rumi, at mid-off, made a long dive to take a catch. 134/7.

Jarvis claimed the wickets of B. Ali and B. Marriner, both bowled. J. Ahmed knocked valuable boundaries.

Rumi bowled the final over, which proved costly, Ahmed pushing eight runs. C. Wood threw to T. Rumi at the non-strikers end, dislodging the bails. 174 all out.

Alfas put valuable runs on the board with A. Brown, D. Walker 22, J. Ahmed 36*. And A. Wajid 47.

LaMangaTorre CC’s O. Jarvis returned figures of 4/40. H. James 2/13. C. Rumi 2/30. C. Wood 29 off 8 overs. T. Rumi 1/36.

In the second innings Alfas saw K. Perman come into the attack.  C. Rumi top edged into the air, that lead to keeper I. Byrne taking his second catch.

Skipper K. Wood in at eight needing 131 runs to win from 25 overs. Wood’s poor form continued, when J. Ahmed bowled at middle and leg, caught on his pad, onto the stumps. 99/7.

Wood knocked 19, in a 60 run partnership. O. Jarvis closed in on his first 50 for the club – smashing the ball high. 125/9.+

Rumi and H. James in, saw Rumi cash in on a boundary, with a flick off the pads. James getting a thin edge to I. Byrne. All out:129.

“After a brilliant start with the ball and fielding, once again the batting fell apart,” rued LaMangaTorre  CC’s Kieran Wood.

Alfas 1st 18 points. LaMangaTorre CC 7 points.