JEDDAH — The Ace Travel JCA Premier Division League 2012-13 began here recently with 10 teams competing for top honors. The championship will be conducted on a round-robin format with top four teams making the knockout semifinals. This is the fifth year that Ace Travel and Tours is sponsoring the league. Ashfaque Aleem (General Manager) and Mohammed Ali Jarrar (Regional Director, Western Province) thanked JCA for giving them the opportunity to participate in all cricketing events of JCA and assured JCA of their continuous support during the sponsorship signing ceremony. JCA officials also extended their thanks and appreciation to Ace Travel for its continued support. In the first week matches, Tamar beat Kanoo by 7 wickets and Ace Travel and Tours came up trumps against Natco by 7 wickets. Tamer thrashed Kanoo, thanks to a superb unbeaten century by Khalid Butt, who rattled the Kanoo bowlers by scoring 116 runs off only 50 balls with 13 fours and 8 sixes. Kanoo began on a positive note by scoring 221 for 5. Tabrez and Athar provided a reasonable start of 35 runs before Athar was dismissed. Tabrez went on to score 50 (2x4, 2x6) before Najam came in and stole the show by hitting a stylish 76 off 38 balls (10x4, 2x6). Waseem of Tamer claimed 2 wickets for 29, while Rafiq and Ashfaque claimed a wicket each. In reply, Tamer scored an easy win as Khalid Butt single-handedly took the match away from Kanoo with his match-winning knock. He lifted Kanoo easily to 224 for 3. He was well-supported by Ashfaq, who hit 44 off 25 balls (7x4), and Wasim 20 not out. Ace Travel and Tours inflicted a 7-wicket defeat over Natco which tallied 173 for 5 after batting first. Humayun was the top scorer with 69 runs off 45 balls (6x4), while the other batsmen had no clue to the sharp bowling of Ashfaq, who claimed 3 for 27. Ishtiaq, Saeed and Wasiullah claimed a wicket each. In reply, Ace Travel romped home with 174 for 3 and 5 overs in hand. Wajid 79 (36 balls, 8x4, 6x6) and Saeed Bam 31 not out (3x4, 1x6) were among the runs.
