Hosts make it two easy wins out of two
CYPRUS are top of the European Division Four table after a second successive victory in Happy Valley.
The hosts hammered Slovenia by 232 runs to follow up their opening day win against Switzerland.
Kapila Wickramathanthrigie, who took six wickets on Tuesday, starred with the bat yesterday, hitting 176 not out as Cyprus amassed 360 for four in their 50 overs. Slovenia, just as they did yesterday when on the receiving end against Luxembourg, made no attempt to go for the runs; they were bowled out just 128 in the 47th over.
Wickramathanthrigie and Anil Nair, the century maker on the opening day, put on 107 for the first wicket in only 20 overs before Nair was out for 44. Partnerships of 50 for the second wicket with Manjula Kandage and 77 for the fourth with Syed Hussain (30 off 28 balls) maintained the momentum and Dineja Agathocleous then matched his partner run for run with an unbeaten 51 off 35 balls as Cyprus scored 102 off the last 10 overs.
Kapila hit 22 boundaries in his innings of great concentration, facing a total of 134 balls
Slovenia lost three wickets for 33 in the first 10 overs and then ground to a halt, scoring only six off the next five overs. A fifth wicket stand of 50 between Tim Crawford and Damir Alidzanovic, who scored nine, held up the hosts but three wickets then fell for just seven runs to hurry the game along.
Udumulle Sirithunga, who ended the stand, and Wickramathanthrigie each finished with three wickets to ensure the Slovenians did not bat out their full quota of overs although Crawford would not be moved. He batted for the duration, hitting four fours in his marathon innings of 52 not out.
Cyprus face the other unbeaten team today, Austria, and the winners of the game will put themselves in pole position to lift the trophy on Sunday night.