SHARJAH: Alex Hales and Sam Curran powered the Desert Vipers to a commanding eight-wicket victory over the Sharjah Warriorz at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Their stunning 128-run partnership off just 65 balls turned a modest chase of 152 into a one-sided affair, with Hales smashing a 36-ball half-century and Curran following with a blistering 33-ball 50. The pair enabled Vipers to win in just 14.5 overs and inch closer to the play-offs.

Earlier, David Payne set the tone for the Vipers with two wickets in a sharp spell. UAE’s Khuzaima Tanveer then ripped through the middle and lower order with an excellent four-wicket haul while Jason Roy made a spirited contribution for the Warriorz with 55 runs in 38 balls. 

Defending 151, early breakthroughs were crucial for the Warriorz, and Adam Milne delivered by removing Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence within the first four overs, giving his side the ideal start. 

However, Hales and Curran seized control of the chase. Initially cautious, Hales shifted gears spectacularly, launching three consecutive sixes off Muhammad Jawadullah in the 13th over to bring up a 36-ball half-century. Hales finished the innings with seven fours and five sixes. 

Curran soon followed suit, unleashing a flurry of boundaries. He hammered Adam Zampa for a six and two fours in the 14th over, while Tim Southee’s 15th over went for 19 runs, sealing the deal for the Vipers. Curran reached his 33-ball 50 on the back of two sixes and five fours as the Vipers comfortably chased down the target in just 14.5 overs.

In the first innings, David Payne gave the Vipers an early advantage, exploiting the new ball to remove Johnson Charles and the in-form Avishka Fernando within the first five overs. The early breakthroughs left the Warriorz searching for stability. 

Skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Jason Roy responded with intent as the pair found the gaps consistently, building a 50-run partnership in just 33 balls with Roy looking in excellent touch, contributing 24 runs off just 13 deliveries. 

Kohler-Cadmore, batting at a measured pace, shifted gears with a towering six off Wanindu Hasaranga. However, the leg-spinner struck back in the same over, dismissing the batter for 42 runs off 36 balls. At the halfway mark, the Warriorz were 75/3. 

Roy continued to lead the charge and brought up his half-century in just 35 balls. His dismissal in the 17th over, courtesy of Mohammed Amir, derailed the death overs. 

Meanwhile, Tanveer dismantled the middle and lower order with a decisive spell. He accounted for Tim Seifert, Rohan Mustafa, Luke Wood, and Tim Southee, finishing with figures of four wickets for 22 runs. 

Ashton Agar chipped in with a crucial late cameo. Remaining unbeaten on 15 runs, including two sixes, pushing the total to 151/8 in 20 overs.  

Player of the Match Tanveer said: “Whenever I play cricket, I truly enjoy it without feeling any pressure. The captain gave me a clear plan to hit the deck hard, and I simply executed it, which led to taking wickets. Overall, I’m really enjoying my time out there.” 

Sharjah Warriorz captain Tim Southee said: “We got ourselves into a good position but lost too many wickets in the back half. We’ve shown glimpses of quality but haven’t been able to string enough together. With four games left, the equation is pretty simple. It was tough in the first few overs, and we needed to take regular wickets. On a positive note, it was great to see Jason Roy back in form.” 

Brief scores 

Desert Vipers beat Sharjah Warriorz by eight wickets 

Sharjah Warriorz 151/8 in 20 overs (Jason Roy 55, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 42, Tim Seifert 16, Khuzaima Tanveer 4 for 22, David Payne 2 for 33) 

Desert Vipers 152/2 in 14.5 overs (Alex Hales 77 not out, Sam Curran 54 not out, Adam Milne 2 for 17) 

Player of the Match: Khuzaima Tanveer

SAN DIEGO: Harris English held off hard-charging Sam Stevens to win the Farmers Insurance Open by one shot Saturday, securing his fifth career PGA Tour victory with a 1-over 73 in challenging weather at Torrey Pines.

English finished his first tour win since 2021 at 8-under 280. Stevens began the day six shots off the lead, but surged into contention with a 4-under 68 for the best final round in this edition of a tournament with a tradition of furious final-day rallies.

His impressive number didn’t rattle the 35-year-old English, who made two early bogeys in a round that began in strong wind. English steadied his game and calmly finished with 12 consecutive pars.

English was businesslike to the end: He put his tee shot on the 18th into the rough, but got back into the fairway before putting his 115-yard approach shot squarely on the green. He two-putted for the victory, rolling his 25-footer to 7 inches for a tap-in and a subdued celebration.

Andrew Novak was third at 6 under, missing out on his first tour victory with a disappointing 74 after briefly taking the lead.

Sungjae Im and Kris Ventura tied for fourth at 5 -under.

English hadn’t won since surviving an eight-hole playoff with Kramer Hickok at the Travelers Championships in 2021, although he still had nine top-10 finishes in the previous two seasons after missing five months in early 2022 while recovering from hip surgery. English already had a strong history at Torrey Pines, where he lost a four-way playoff to Jason Day in 2015 and then finished third at the US Open in 2021.

English surged into the lead Friday with three straight birdies to close his third-round 66, capitalizing on the mildest day of weather to make his move at the gorgeous coastal course.

The wind that forced an 86-minute delay in the second round Thursday returned in intermittent force early Saturday on the oceanside holes, but calmed somewhat in the afternoon. Lanto Griffin wore a wooly white beanie with a pompom on top, while many fans broke out winter jackets that don’t normally get much use in San Diego.

Novak and English, who live on the same island in coastal Georgia, played together in the final group — and while English overcame his early hiccups, Novak was up and down.

Novak opened with two bogeys, but then surged into the lead with three straight birdies. He rolled in an astonishing 54-foot putt on the fifth, reading the drop from the green’s top tier perfectly. Novak put both hands to his head in disbelief.

But Novak made three bogeys and a birdie around the turn, while English began his string of pars, repeatedly getting up and down with minimal fuss.

Stevens finished his round several groups before Novak and English, keeping pressure on the leaders. Novak couldn’t apply his own pressure to English, making no birdies on the back nine.

Stevens turned pro in 2018 and joined the tour in 2023. The Oklahoma State product matched his best previous result in his runner-up finish to Corey Connors at the Valero Texas Open in April 2023.

He charged up the leaderboard at Torrey Pines despite the wind, making four birdies on the front nine. Stevens even saved par on the 18th after putting his second shot in the water while trying to reach the green in two.

World No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama finished at 1 over. He’ll be back in San Diego in three weeks to defend his title at the Genesis Invitational, which has been moved from Riviera to Torrey Pines.

Ludvig Aberg, who led after each of the first two rounds, finished at 3 over after battling through illness in his final two rounds.