Durham Occasionals won by 5 wickets

An overcast morning at RAFC Stadium was the greeting for the two teams that arrived at Hungarian cricket's only current cricket venue in the capital city. Durham had succumbed to a narrow loss to another Hungary select team in Dunabogdány the previous day, but the omens were already looking better for them when captain Will Hutchinson won the toss and elected to bowl.

Thus it was that openers Dominic Ward and Robin Sperling strode into bat focused on getting a good, solid start and posting a competitive total. Alas, at 13-2 and with both back in the stands having been caught it was certainly not turning out to be the start Hungary had wished for. Gordon Kennedy came in at three and started aggressively but despite a well-despatched six and a four he too didn't stick around too long, again caught by one of the well-drilled Durham field.

The next partnership was made up of Budapest Tigers duo Kiran Kumar and Vasu Reddy but again Durham's bowlers put the pressure on and broke it before they could truly get set. Thankfully Hungary's mid-order were able to belatedly steady the innings and were indebted to Lucky Singh's typically stylish 18 before he unfortunately stepped on his wicket and an admittedly streaky score of 38 from captain Matt Watson-Broughton to get the team back on track. Preminder Singh played several nice strokes when he came in at number ten but crucially Hungary's wickets had fallen at regular intervals throughout; it proved to be too brief an innings overall and left the team defending a vulnerable score of 142 from a possible 40 overs.

Nevertheless Hungary's opening bowlers Sumar Manuel and Vasu Reddy began hunting the Durham batsmen with vigour and purpose and had Watson-Broughton held on to a high catch in the slips in Manuel's very first over the team could have had the perfect start. That chance went begging but those two bowlers soon reduced Durham to 30-3 after nine overs.

At that point the eventual match-winner suddenly emerged. John Clive came to Durham's rescue and, aided by two or three worthy partners, was able to build a patient and skilful knock of 75 not out to carry his team home inside 30 overs, despite the admirable efforts of Ward, Kennedy and Lucky Singh in particular in the Hungary attack. Bringing strike bowlers Reddy and Manuel back to bowl out their allotted overs in succession from one end with Lucky Singh coming in from the other after the drinks interval was the only sensible course of action if Hungary wanted to bowl Durham out, but although Reddy picked up his third and fourth wickets of the match Clive was immovable; he carried on striking the ball beautifully regardless and ultimately proved the difference between the two sides.

Man of the match: John Clive
Man of the Hungarian team: Vasu Reddy