Over the weekend, Marsa took on the last touring team for the year – Queen’s Park CC.

On Saturday, the tourists elected to bat first. After a shaky start, Mahmood Khan and Ayaz Hussain both made 37 runs before getting bowled and caught respectively.

Jay Macleod played a gem of an innings and made 53 runs before he was run out. Amran Nawaz chipped in with 14 as Queen’s Park totalled 195 runs from their 40 overs.

For Marsa, Andy Naudi was the main wicket-taker with three while Sarfraz Ali took two.

The locals had a stuttering start in their reply before steadying the ship with Mark G. Sacco hitting 16 runs, Javed Shah 40, Dave Borg 21, Joy Ghoseroy 20, Ronnie Sacco 13 and Andy Naudi 15.

The game came down to the last over with the in-form Tim Wheeler on 37 runs and the home side needing four more to win the match.

A wide was bowled and the Marsa batsman went for a run. Unfortunately for Wheeler, he was run out.

His was the last wicket to fall and the locals lost the match.

For the visitors, Imran Khan and Abid Hussain both took two wickets each.

Marsa batted first on Sunday.

A superb innings from Frank Spiteri, making 83 runs including nine 4s and a 6, should have encouraged his fellow batsmen towards a high score.

However, only Chris Naudi (16), Andy Naudi (15) and Bikram Arora (30) were able to make it into double figures as the home side scored 173 runs.

Queen’s Park had a better start than the day before with Abid Hussain (15), Zan Riasat (33) and Amran Nawaz (22) leading the visitors’ reply.

Four wickets then fell for less than 20 runs as Marsa fought back bravely. But in came Tajub Hussain (33) and Towhhead Hussein (19) to guide Queen’s Park to victory with three-and-a-half overs to spare.

Queen’s Park went 2-0 up in the series with one other game, a 20-over scheduled for this afternoon if playing conditions are optimal.

On Saturday, Malta Select XI take on a Combined XI at Marsa.