Saudi Arabia: First Com Lifts 'JF-Mitsubishi Elevators Cup' Trophy in Thrilling Match
 
By: P.A.Hameed Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Saudi Arabia (NR)
 
Saudi Arabia, Feb 21: Recently, the JF - Mitsubishi Elevators Cup - 2008 was organised by the Jam'iyyatul Falah (JF) Riyadh Unit a social, educational and humanitarian association in Riyadh here. The tournament was held at Al Sulai Cricket Arena which began on 11th January and continued till 15th February 2008. In all twenty-four teams took part in the play-offs, with the matches being held every Friday during the said period.
 
Mitsubishi Electric Saudi Ltd, Falcon Express Lines Inc., Saudi Biga for Telecom & Electric Co., Basem Int'l Shipping & Logistic Co., Expeditors Int'l Cargo Ltd, Stop Coffee Shop, Aujan Industries Co. were the main and co-sponsors for the tournament respectively along-with several other individual backers all contributed to make the event a grand success.
 

The teams that qualified for the final round were Bankal Sports Club (Indian Team) and First Com (Sri Lankan Team). The final play-off was held in the morning of 15th Feb. 2008. The toss was won by First Com, who elected to bat first. First Com reached the finals of the tournament and eventually clinched the trophy by playing an excellent inning, scoring 162 runs for the loss of 6 wickets out of the allotted 16 overs.
 

All-rounder Sivantha of First Com, played a superb inning by scoring 78 runs in just 46 balls and was also successful in grabbing 3 wickets of the opposition Bankal team. The 3rd wicket partnership between Sivantha and Dhanushkar resulted in 70 runs off 45 balls only. Later in the tourney, Bankal, chasing a target of 163 runs lost their wickets at regular intervals. First Com wisely didn't allow any batsman to settle down and Bankal ended up scoring a meagre 111 runs with its batsmen all out in 11.5 overs.  The fantastic performance given by the players indeed proved to be an eyeful and thoroughly enthralled the cricket loving fans and viewers in the stadium. The 'Man of the Match' for the final was awarded to Sivantha of First Com.  The umpires officiating in the middle at the tourney were Bhaskar and Harry.
 
Other eminent personalities who came as chief guests to witness the match were Musthaque, marketing manager of Mitsubishi Electric Saudi Ltd, Somasiri, attaché administration at the Sri Lankan Embassy, Jayasheelan, general secretary, India Forum, Qureshi, regional manager of Budget Rent-a-Car, Krishnakumar, regional sales manager, Mazola, Abdul Rahman Mahdali, assistant general manager of Inter Continental Hotel and Ramesh Shetty, marketing manager, OTE, Riyadh. All of them graced the function with their presence and added color to the event.
 

Brief history of Jam'iyyatul Falah (JF):
 
Education, social and humanitarian services are the keystones on which JF is based upon strongly. In addition to this, it has always tried to infuse a spirit of sportsmanship in members as also inspire young men to take up constructive activities which in-turn will benefit society as a whole. As part of its varied programs, every year JF conducts cricket tournaments, get-together and other activities keeping its position always on a high. The community services and programs both in the gulf countries and back in its home-town, initiated and conducted by JF Riyadh Unit has been on the rise since past two years. "The tournament was a grand success with the cooperation and support of a lot of the people, who helped in many ways and the executive members of JF. We are very thankful to all of them for their active patronage and benefaction for the noble cause which JF took up step-by-step," informed the President Khasim Ahmed and Nazeer Ahmed.