Match 8 – Hong Kong Cricket Club vs Kowloon Cricket Club
Sunday 22nd September 2019 – Hong Kong Cricket Club – 1:30 PM start

Two of Hong Kong's biggest club rivalries are set to take place this weekend, with Diasqua Little Sai Wan Cricket Club taking on Pakistan Association Cricket Club at Tin Kwong Road, while the Hong Kong Cricket Club plays the Kowloon Cricket Club at HKCC!

Kowloon Cricket Club have started off this season on a impressive note, with two comprehensive wins on home soil. However, this Sunday sees them travel to HKCC, where they will face last season's champions on their home turf. HKCC will be determined to bounce back strong from their loss to PACC last weekend, and picking up a win here will set them back on track to winning the championship.

But in order to do that, HKCC will also need some results to go their way. Not only must they win this Sunday, but they will also then require that either (or both) DLSW DLIT or KCC beat PACC in the coming weeks. As for KCC, their future is in their own hands. Win this game, and their match against PACC on the 29th will be, at worse, a winner-takes-all final. At best, it could be inconsequential.

But before we get to the 29th, both sides must get through this Sunday first. KCC have arguably the most well balanced side in the competition - a top order of Nizakat Khan, Aizaz Khan and Jamie Atkinson lay the platform for a talented middle order, and a bowling attack -lead by Aizaz- filled with veterans and plenty of variation. All the senior players have put in solid performances, while the core bowling attack (seamers Jay Davidson and Ateeq Iqbal, spinners Waqas Barkat and Dan Pascoe) being excellent in both games so far. There are unlikely to be any changes in the lineup that beat DLSW DLIT last weekend, although HK U19 batsman Adit Gorawara has been drafted into the squad, and so could potentially feature in the XI.

As for HKCC, it will be interesting to see what changes, if any, will be made after the loss to PACC. Kinchit Shah - with scores of 15 and 8 - has yet to make a real impact with the bat thus far, and will look to make an impression against his former club. No HKCC batsman has scored a fifty yet, and scores of 128 and 153 might be slightly underwhelming. However, Luke Jones has shown glimpses of form, while Benjamin Zanol has also looked good in his two scores of 20. Add in Ninad's cameo of 33, and Ryan Buckley's two late-innings knocks, and there are plenty of positive batting performances for the club. With the ball, it's been a similar story - plenty of good performances, but no real stand out efforts - Isaac Poole topping the wicket-taking charts with 3 wickets from 2 games. Kinchit and Tanveer Ahmed have been economical, and HKCC will look to them for another 8 tight overs this Sunday.

This game will be live streamed, so be sure to tune in to our Facebook and YouTube pages! Live scores will also be available on Cricinfo and CricHQ, with regular score updates being provided of the game down at Mission Road. So be sure to tune in to the action and show your support!

- Nitesh Hemlani