18 August 2006
MALDIVES SUFFER RAINY DAY HEARTBREAK
Maldives v Singapore at Club Aman
MATCH ABANDONED - NO RESULT
Maldives captain Moosa Kaleem’s face was as black as the thunderclouds
that glowered above his head as they deposited 2 centimetres of rain
on the Club Aman wicket during the lunch interval. Every drop that
fell was taking Kaleem’s team further and further away from
quarter-final qualification.
There is still a chance for the Maldives to qualify – Bahrain
have to beat Oman, Maldives have to beat Bahrain in the remaining
two group matches – but they truly felt they had a chance to
beat Singapore today and put themselves in the driving seat.
They’d done everything right in bowling them out for 148,
Kaleem rotating his bowlers, never allowing the batsmen to settle
into any kind of rhythm and setting just the right kind of snaffling
field to Singapore’s strokeplayers. Kaleem himself bowled 9
overs for just 13 runs, picking up two wickets but he was most proud
of his medium-pacer Abdullah Shahid who bowled to Singapore’s
hard-hitting middle-order Chaminda Ruwan, Munish Arora, Buddika Mendis
and never took a caning. But they all bowled well, backed up by some
excellent catching and fielding.
Getting Singapore out for 148 after the hammering they’d given
Bahrain (256) and Oman (202) was a terrific effort. But as soon as
the Maldives openers put their pads on, it started to drizzle and
the rain just got heavier and heavier. By the time it stopped there
were puddles were on the outfield and the game was called off just
before 4.30.
GROUP B
Maldives v Singapore at Club Aman
MATCH ABANDONED - NO RESULT
Singapore: 148 all out in 43.4 overs (G. Meyer 37, B. Mendis 36,
A. Shahid 3-28)
Points: Maldives 1, Singapore 1
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