ICC Europe/CricketEurope

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Host nations Hellas put yesterday’s close shave behind them as they moved into top gear against Estonia at Ropa Valley. Invited to bat, the Hellenes rampaged their way to a tournament-record 301 for 6, a total which proved 219 too many for their Baltic rivals.

Star of the show was Mehmood Ahmed, whose composed 93 (11 fours, 2 sixes) was the cornerstone of the innings. Hussein Imran supported him well with a fluent 48, while the hard-hitting Iordanis Kontarinis smashed seven boundaries and a brace of maximums in a rapid 58. Kalle Vilslapuu picked up three wickets for Estonia, but at no little cost (104).

With the ball, Stamatious Giorgas would claim the admirable figures of 3 for 9, but it was Spiros Goustis who ensured that the Estonians would never get close: in a devastating new-ball spell, Goustis swung the ball late and picked up each of the Estonian top four.

Returning to polish off the tail, he finished with 5 for 26 (thus moving onto eight wickets for the week so far) with the Estonian innings closing on 82.

On the bottom pitch at the picturesque Ropa ground, Turkey gave the Czech Republic a run for their money, but – in the end – fell 21 runs short of a maiden victory in senior championship cricket.

Chasing 151, the Turks had hewn their way to 91 for 4, Muhammad Aasim (35 off 91 balls) to the fore, but with the required run rate touching six an over from a long way out their lower order was left with simply too much to do.

Admittedly, several lusty blows from Mohammad Razak and Syed Ahmad would give hope, but it was too little and too late. Arif Javed and Manish Sahijwani both claimed three-for as bails flew late in the day.

Earlier, Scot Page’s 41 had been the rock upon which the Czechs built their innings of 150 and it also featured the shot of the day: a magnificent six driven high, hard and handsome over extra cover. Imran Sharif took 4 for 39 for the Turks.

Meanwhile, at the Marina ground, Sweden registered their first win of the tournament as they cruised to a nine-wickets victory over Bulgaria. Having won the toss, the Bulgarians were dismissed for 88, only captain Saif-ur Rehman (28) and Parkash Mishra (17) making it into double figures.

All of the Swedish bowlers returned fine analyses, but Adnan Raza’s were the pick, running through the tail to claim 3 for 2. The Swedes didn’t take long to chase their target down, with Piyal Rahman crunching, unbeaten 54 earning him the man-of-the-match award.