CRICKET SIXES 2004 (6-7 November 2004)

A rampant England team defended their title at the US$260,000 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes this afternoon, crushing Sri Lanka by five wickets in the Cup final at the Kowloon Cricket Club.

Batting first under the late afternoon sun on Hong Kong's Kowloon peninsula, Sri Lanka got off to a slow start and were never in position to set the kind of large total demanded in Sixes cricket, particularly with the introduction of eight-ball overs for the final. Indeed, it set the tone for an innings total of just 61/4 after a sterling bowling performance from the 2003 champions.

The match represented a welcome change in form for the Sri Lankans in Hong Kong and was the first time they had reached the Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes final since 1993, when they also played England.

That match featured marquee names such as Graham Gooch, Phil DeFreitas, Sanath Jayasuriya and Arjuna Ranatunga and saw the 'home' side, with Hong Kong then still under colonial rule, victorious by three wickets in a high-scoring match. This game proved a very different affair, though - perhaps a classic case of Sri Lanka playing their final one game too early.

They had earlier denied the English the chance of a final showdown with their traditional Hong Kong rivals, defeating Pakistan - a team England had played in three of the four previous Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes deciders - in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates learned some of the harsh realities of top-level international cricket after their stunning day one efforts. Having cruised into the Cup phase of the competition after first-day victories over India and South Africa, the Emirates were dealt a 60-run loss in their final pool match against Pakistan, before England eased past them to reach the
Cup final.

Consigned to the Cup grouping's third-place play-off against four-time champions Pakistan, the Emirates endured a similar plight to their morning pool game against the same team. The Pakistanis raced to a total of 104/2 and, despite a gallant batting effort, the underdogs were unable to overhaul that total and ended 15 runs short.

However, it was still a great weekend for the Gulf nation group and they will be well satisfied with their fourth place - and a tidy prize money cheque for US$30,000. It continued a successful 2004 for the side, who will play in the semi-finals of the ICC Intercontinental Cup later this month and the final of the Asian Cricket Council Fast Track Countries Tournament early next
year.

In the Plate competition, Hong Kong made up for a horrible run in 2003, in which they went winless, to claim the Plate division for the second time in three years.

Hong Kong had further good news with the announcement that local favourite Hussain had won the Ben Hollioake Trophy as the player of the tournament. Highlighted by his Plate final effort and another solid innings in the semi-final against India, the victory was a popular one.

South Africa, meanwhile, earned some measure of redemption for a disappointing weekend when William Hantam hit a four from the last ball of the match to lead his team to third place over a disappointing India in the Plate competition play-off.

Final Results
Cup Team Prize (US$)
1 England 80,000
2 Sri Lanka 50,000
3 Pakistan 35,000
4 UAE 30,000

Plate Team US$
1 Hong Kong 25,000
2 Kenya 20,000
3 South Africa 10,000
4 India 10,000

Player of the Final: Kabir Ali (ENG)
Player of the Tournament: Butt Hussain (HKG)

Further details are available at the Hong Kong Cricket Association website at www.hkca.cricket.org