PCC Select XI Sets 260 Against Pakistan Shaheens

HOVE: In the third and final one-day match against Pakistan Shaheens, the Professional County Club (PCC) Select XI managed to score a total of 260, aided significantly by a half-century from Ollie Sykes. The match took place on Sunday at the 1st Central County Ground.

After being put in to bat, PCC XI faced an early setback when opener Will Smeed was dismissed for just eight runs off 14 deliveries by Ubaid Shah, making the score 11-1 in 3.2 overs.

Skipper Luc Benkenstein tried to stabilize the innings but was caught by Musa Khan for 14 runs from 19 balls.

In the following over, Ubaid struck again, dismissing Hamza Shaikh on the last ball of the powerplay for 13 off 9 balls, reducing the score to 53-3 after 10 overs.

Tom Lawes and Ollie Sykes then formed a vital 86-run partnership to rebuild the innings.

Lawes was dismissed for 49 off 52 balls by Mir Hamza, narrowly missing his half-century, with the score then at 139-4 in 22.4 overs.

Sykes achieved a well-played fifty but was out for 64 off 56 balls, adding pressure to the lower order as the team reached 169-5.

Rocky Flintoff contributed 13 runs before being run out by Mubasir Khan, followed by Musa Khan’s dismissal of Dan Douthwaite for seven, leaving the hosts at 184-7.

Wicketkeeper Thomas Rew and Calvin Harrison then contributed a 66-run stand for the eighth wicket.

This partnership helped PCC surpass 200 runs and approach a defendable total. However, Saud Shakeel broke the partnership by dismissing Harrison for 34 off 27 balls.

In the subsequent over, Ubaid Shah took his third wicket by bowling Rew for 44, placing PCC at 256-9 in 44.2 overs. The innings concluded at 260 in 46.4 overs after Scott Currie was run out by Muhammad Suleman for three.

Ubaid Shah stood out for Pakistan Shaheens, achieving figures of 4/41 in 9.4 overs. Musa Khan took 2 wickets, while Mir Hamza and captain Saud Shakeel each claimed one wicket.