Madd Hatters’ bagpipes defy the Cyprus Weather

In the Cyprus Cricket 40-over competition, presented by HurryCurry, two matches were played, with Telugu11 claiming a comprehensive victory over their sister side, Limassol Telugu, to earn the bragging rights. Batting first, Telugu11 posted a formidable 236, built around a crucial 115-run partnership between captain Subbareddy Alavala, who top-scored with 59, and Ramanji, who contributed 43. Limassol Telugu also helped their opponents’ cause, conceding a generous 61 extras. In reply, Limassol Telugu struggled from the outset and were eventually bowled out for just 58 in 26 overs. Sunday’s encounter between Nicosia Tigers and Limassol Warriors, however, proved to be a far more bizarre affair. Limassol Warriors’ bowlers, backed by an energetic and vocal fielding unit that constantly applied pressure to the batsmen, ripped through the Nicosia Tigers batting line-up, dismissing them for a paltry 78 in just 18.2 overs. At the innings break, Limassol Warriors would have been confident of wrapping up the chase quickly and spending the afternoon celebrating their impressive morning’s work. But what followed became the talking point of the day. Led by a sensational five-wicket haul from Sabbir Alam, Nicosia Tigers produced a remarkable turnaround. Their bowlers made the most of the outstanding opening spells from Karan Singh, who returned figures of 3/4 from six overs, and Tahmidur Rahman, who claimed 1/2 from three overs. Their tight, accurate and relentless bowling left Limassol Warriors completely shell-shocked as they collapsed to just 27 all out in 17.4 overs. What had looked like a comfortable victory at the halfway stage had instead turned into one of the most extraordinary collapses of the competition. A forfeit by Amdocs against Nicosia Capitals meant that only one match was played in the Hurry Curry-sponsored Autumn T10 Competition. Telugu11 secured a comprehensive 53-run victory, powered by a rapid 46 from Sankar Mekala as they posted a total of 103 runs. Despite the loss, Nicosia Capitals remain at the top of the group table, albeit with a negative net run rate. They will be hoping that net run rate calculations do not come into play at the end of the group stage and ultimately stand in the way of their progression to the knockout stage. In a crucial Women’s Autumn T10 Competition encounter between Nicosia and Paphos at the Happy Valley ground, Nicosia captain Ayesha Bandara led from the front with a vital unbeaten knock of 24, guiding her team to a 17-run victory over Paphos and securing their place in the final. The final round of league matches and knockout games is scheduled for October 18. Nicosia and Limassol are set to meet in the final, while Paphos will face Larnaca in the third-place playoff. On Sunday, the six-a-side Big Bash softball tournament in Nicosia, featuring 10 teams, provided plenty of excitement and action. Following a series of closely contested games, the Larnaca team emerged victorious, claiming the title after an impressive win over the Paphos side in the final. The event marked the third softball/modified cricket tournament held over the past eight days, with a different team emerging victorious in each of the three events. Over the weekend, Cyprus hosted the Mad Hatters for a three-game series, one that turned out to be truly memorable for the visitors. The tour reached a dramatic climax on Sunday when Will Fry struck the winning runs off the last ball, securing a hard-fought victory for the Mad Hatters. The win meant the Mad Hatters finished their tour on a high – not only conquering their opponents on the field on the final day, but also claiming a vital victory over the unpredictable Cypriot weather, which had threatened to disrupt the tour. Thankfully, some covert Mad Hatters’ sun dancing, accompanied by soulful bagpipes melodies from a devoted aficionado, worked its magic! A dramatic last-ball win, sunshine and bagpipes – the perfect finale to a memorable tour