South Africa finally broke their Hong Kong hoodoo, beating the hosts for the first time this weekend in the final of the 2009 Hong Kong Cricket Sixes to claim their third title since 1995 in the most dramatic fashion.
A six off the last ball by Farhaad Behardien gave South Africa a two-wicket win over a Hong Kong side that had beaten them in each of their previous two meetings in this year’s competition.
“What a way for a final to finish!” said successful South African captain David Jacobs. “Throughout the tournament we’ve worked hard and I’m proud of the boys, we’re a proud nation.
“We were confident but it’s a final and as a professional cricketer you know finals are difficult and we saw that again today. But we managed to scrape through. We played them in the first game and got smashed and then we played them earlier today and they did us again. “I think it’s a great thing for Hong Kong even though they didn’t win.
“They probably deserved to win because they were probably the best side but in finals it doesn’t always work out but I think they were probably the best side in the tournament. It’s so unpredictable this form of the game. It’s only five overs and I said to the guys: ‘Surely we can’t lose three times to the same team!’
“It worked out, they’re a good side and I’m happy for them but also sad for them for not making it today.”
Hong Kong – whose earlier wins had come in the group phases of the competition – set the South Africans a target of 98 runs to win and, after scoring 21 runs off the first over, South Africa were in command.
But a fine over from Tanwir Afzal saw three wickets fall in quick succession to throw the outcome back into doubt. The South Africans went on the attack with the bat again but a wicket for Mark Wright in the final over left the game finely balanced. South Africa scored seven runs off the next four balls to leave Behardien needing to hit a six off the final ball and the 26-year-old responded in dramatic fashion, thumping Wright’s delivery well over the boundary.
“I remember just thinking about how the atmosphere was unbelievable and I was soaking up the atmosphere, with everyone cheering for Hong Kong ,” said Behardien. “I knew I had to hit a six and I was fortunate enough that it came off today.
“In this form of cricket you have to try to hit the ball as hard as you can and try and get sixes. That’s about it, really. I think the team chasing always has a better chance of winning.
“Our captain got it right this time on the toss. We were able to chase and we put them under pressure with a few early wickets and we’re very happy with the win.”
Despite seeing his side lose their first game of the tournament, Hong Kong captain Najeeb Amar was proud of the performance of his players.
“It’s disappointing,” he said. “We lost the toss and I like to win the toss and chase. “It was a huge decision for us, but we have shown the world how close we were in this competition.
“I’m really happy with how the boys played and I believe I’m the luckiest and happiest captain in the world. We have some great players who did well and I’m really proud.
“I’ve no words to thank my team mates because they’ve done a great job playing against all these Test playing nations.”
There was a small consolation for the Hong Kong team as Irfan Ahmad won the Ben Hollioake Trophy, awarded to the tournament’s leading player. “It was great to play in this competition,” said Irfan. “We did well and I’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while. Almost everything went well.
“I want to go into the Indian Premier League and this was a good chance for me to show what I can do if I’m given a bigger opportunity. “This tournament has been very good for Hong Kong and I think our team did very well.”
