United lift Pom cricket title

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By TRAVERTZ MABONE

STOP and Shop United finally lifted their game to take the premiership of the 2009-10 Port Moresby cricket grand final after successfully defeating BNG Poreporena in a thrilling showdown.
Both teams met for their fourth consecutive time last Saturday with Poreporena opting to take the crease in the first innings with determination of maintaining their three-year long premiership success.
Poreporena’s captain John Ovia led the way with the runs smashing a massive 42 not out and followed behind was his second in command Kapena Arua with 17, Nou Arua 16 and Ronny Kivung with 12.
Poreporena posted a total of 134 after all were dismissed at the 40th over, thanks to United’s most deadly weapon and PNG U19 representative Timothy Mou, who crumpled Poreporena’s batting lineup taking four vital wickets while teammate Boe Gabe took another two.
Coming in to bat in the second innings, United were determined to end their three-year drought against Poreporena.
Despite losing early wickets that looked to give Poreporena the assurance of an easy win, the game was not over, “until the fat lady sings,” so to say.
And she sure did to the delight of those die-hard United fans once the colourful all-rounder, Kohu Dai, lined up at the crease.
Coming in after the fourth drop, Kohu anchored the team with his steady hand and brought United back on track with the run rate.
After seeing teammates fall, his only hope to find solace relied on a partnership with the lanky tail-ender, Mou, to bring United’s dream to reality with just 16 more runs to win.
The partnership went all the way until Mou belted a high ball that found him caught out right in extra cover.
However this brought Dai to the striker’s end, where he happily put the ball away to secure United’s victory at 8/135, winning the premiership title by two wickets in just 33.4 overs.
Dai scored a total of 44 runs that took his team to victory and with his outstanding performance was named player of the match.
In the A reserve grand final, Coasters defeated Badili Hardware STC by five wickets claiming the premiership title with 5/126 overtaking STC’s 124-run target.