Western Tigers qualify for semi-finals at Easter tournament
Western Tigers qualified for the semi-finals of Cricket Fiji's Easter tournament with a tight win over Friends United at Albert Park on Sunday.
With the winner of the match claiming the last semi final place, the Tigers recorded an eleven-run win despite the hard hitting innings of Don Nash almost getting Friends the win.
The Tigers batted first and compiled an impressive score of 134 before being dismissed in their final over.
Wes Jackson (30) played a patient knock to anchor the innings while Iliken Bula (28) and Gaurang Patel (24) provided some of the fireworks with their hitting.
Patel's consecutive sixes and slashing boundaries in his short but effective innings helped lift the run rate as the Tigers looked to accelerate their scoring.
Some late wickets to Don Nash (4-35) helped keep the total to less than the Tigers would have hoped for at the 15 over mark but it was still a score that would make Friends have to bat well to win the game.
Realising the need for solid contributions from their top order, Friends United got off to the worst possible start crashing to 8-2 in the third over.
However experienced campaigners Don Nash and Darryl Fordham then steadied the ship and set about chasing the target.
Fordham (19) was forced to retire with cramps ? he eventually returned after the loss of the fifth wicket ? while Nash began to hit out against some varied Tigers bowling.
His innings of 65 included four sixes and six fours as he put his team within striking distance of the win.
It took something special to dismiss him in the form of a spectacular diving catch in the outfield that saw the ball clutched in the fielder's hands just centimeters from the ground.
When Nash departed, the score was 118-8 and with him departed the hopes of Friends United. In the end, it finished on 123-9 from its twenty overs leaving them just short of victory.
Youngster Vararau Tauyesa bowled well at the death for Tigers to claim 4-23 from his four overs while Inoke Kunau took 3-20 to help his team record their vital victory.
The match result means that the Tigers finished second in its pool and will now play Suva Warriors in the semi final on Monday morning.
In the second semi final, Suva Crusaders will play Moce in a game that will be hard fought and competitive. The Lau Islanders are desperate to make the final while the Crusaders are full of national reps, making for a high quality game.
The winners of the two semi finals will play in the final at Albert Park on Monday.
