The United Arab Emirates defeated Hong Kong by 19 runs despite a heroic innings played by Hong Kong batsman Mark Chapman. Both teams appeared in the ICC Cricket League Division Two, List ‘A’ match, played at ICC Global Academy, Dubai on 11 April, 2011.
Earlier the UAE won the toss and utilised the opportunity of batting first. They put together 227 runs in 50 overs for the loss of nine wickets. The first wicket was lost at 22 runs, as they consolidated the innings with little partnerships and put a fighting total on board. Amjad Ali was the main scorer with 69 runs as Saqib Aliplayed a solid knock in the middle and contributed 68 runs.
Hong Kong bowler Najeeb Amar was the highest wicket taker with four, Irfan Ahmed took two wickets asNizakat Khan, Aizaz Khan and Mark Chapman claimed a wicket each.
Hong Kong made a disastrous start as they lost their first wicket at the score of just two runs. UAE pacer Shadeep Silva was unplayable in his initial spell and ripped through the first three batsmen when the score board reflected just 39 runs.
Chapman took charge at one end but felt helpless as no other batsman was ready to give him support at the other end. The batsmen were on a slide, as the fifth wicket sunk with a total of 52 runs in 16.6 overs whenIrfan Ahmed joined at the crease. Both put their heads down, steadied the ship and posted 100 runs on board in 28 overs to get past the fifty runs partnership in the next over.
Chapman was playing a magnificent knock and registered his fifty in 64 balls assisted with a six and 4 fours. Irfan was solid as rock at the other end by giving admirable support to his partner and punished the loose balls as well. The pair had a hefty partnership of 96 runs before Irfan went back to the pavilion and the sixth wicket fell with the total of 148 runs as he shared an important 36 runs.
Captain Najeeb Amar was the next batsman in and tried to cement one end as the runs were flowing from the bat of Chapman, but was unlucky to be run out on a well constructed innings of 81 runs off 89 balls with 2 sixes and 7 fours. The seventh wicket was dismantled at the total of 172 runs in 38.6 overs. Najeeb did not last long and with the addition of just six runs in the total, he was bowled at 15 runs.
The ninth wicket partnership between Aizaz and Nadeem Ahmed produced 25 runs as the wicket was lost at 203 runs. The last pair of Nadeem and Adil Mahmood strived hard but fell short of 19 runs as Nadeem was the last batsman to go back at 208 runs.
Silva was the most successful bowler of the UAE, who grabbed four wickets, Arshad Ali claimed two wickets asMohammad Tauqir and Saqib shared a wicket each.
The UAE won another close encounter by 19 runs, as they previously beat Namibia by one wicket on 8 April.
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