Hawks win Katich Cup

The Hawks made no mistake at their 3rd attempt at wrapping up the series as they saved their best for last with a convincing display on Saturday in Zagreb to beat the Falcons by 48 runs and with it winning the inaugural Katich Cup.

Hawks captain Vivek Sharma won an important toss and elected to bat first. Daniel George and Adrian Beckett opened up and apart from one run-out managed to keep their wickets in tact whilst going at near a run a ball in their 4 overs to finish up with 23.

Next in for the Hawks were Jasen Butković and Krešo Kekez. Another steady partnership was kept in check by a couple of run-outs by the Falcons, as the pair could only manage 14 off their 4 overs, taking the total to 37.

The partnership that swung the game well into the Hawks favour was the next one when captain Sharma and Vedran Žanko came to the crease. Zanko, playing low risk shots scored runs at will and with Sharma kept the score board ticking over nicely. The pair with one over left decided to tee off, Sharma cracking two sixes as the pair took 22 off thier final over and put on a huge 45 in their 4 overs.

With the total on 82 the Falcons needed wickets. The Hawks last pair of Split import Ivan 'Paški' Pazanin (pictured) and Robert Mihaljević made sure that didn't happen. With 'The Wall' Rahul Dravid retiring from cricket earlier in the week there maybe a man who can take on the nickname as Mihaljević was rock solid in defence. Pazanin at the other end was the aggressor and played a good little cameo as the pair took the Hawks total to a formidable 102.

Pero Bošnjak and Paul Mušin opened up for the Falcons. With the pressure of needing over a run a ball, the pair could get not get going and with a couple of run-outs and good fielding from the Hawks they were restricted to only 4 from their overs.

Next in for the Falcons were Ibad Faruqui and Craig Sinovich. The partnership was a carbon copy of the previous one as the Hawks bowled tight lines with fielders backing the bowlers up. The pair put on 11 in their 4 overs.

Needing over 10 runs an over, The UK connection of Tom Paske and Richard Probst came to the wicket. Glimpses of the run-rate lifting with good agressive cricket shots was short lived as wickets cost the pair dearly. 4 dismissals saw the pair put on 8 runs in their partnership.

Last in for the Falcons were Paul Mušin and another import from Split, Nikola Davidović. With the game well and truley out of reach the pair only had pride to play for. Some big hitting, including 3 sixes saw the pair put on 31, leaving them 48-runs short.

A well deserved victory for the Hawks who outplayed the Falcons in every facet on the day and they become the first winners of the Katich Cup.

Final standings for Player of the Series:

1. Paul Mušin / Vivek Sharma 127
2, Jasen Butković 120
3. Adrian Beckett 94
4. Daniel George 69
5. Tom Paske 56