14 August 2006

UAE Captain Arshad Ali

UAE SHOWS THE GULF

Brunei v UAE at Kinrara Oval

UAE WON BY 367 RUNS

That the UAE won was no surprise. That they should win by such a large margin was somewhat remarkable.

But as defending champions, going for a hat-trick of wins, the UAE are in no mood to take any match lightly. They have come to Malaysia to win and Brunei were the unfortunate victims of their prowess first up.

Arshad Ali had no hesitation in choosing to bat first on winning the toss as he wanted to give himself and his team a chance to get used to the surface on which they expect to play the Final on the 26th. He himself made a slow start but fellow opener Muhammad Iqbal raced to 50 in 30 deliveries and then accelerated even further in reaching his century off just 53 deliveries. He gave a couple of chances along the way, but his fall in the 18th over for 114 to a catch in the deep (seventeen 4s and four 6s), with the score on 166 opened the floodgates.

UAE Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe

Arshad Ali had been batting conservatively up to then, content to give his young partner his head but from this point on. Even with the fielders scattered, the ball flew to all parts and even with the fours (24) and sixes (4) that Arshad hit, he was just as content to rotate the strike and look to keep his partners in the game. Saqib Ali supported his captain with 68 off 61 deliveries in a partnership of 152.

But there was no way that Arshad Ali was going to get out. Not on this form, not against this opposition. A century was passed and then a double, after three hours of batting. UAE coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said, “It was a disciplined effort and notwithstanding the level of the opponents I was very impressed.”

The fast bowlers saved themselves for more challenging encounters ahead and with the UAE’s spinners, Khurram Khan and Mohammad Tauqir coming good on what remained a good batting wicket after lunch, Brunei could only make 92.

Another practice session for the UAE

Bahrain v UAE at Kinrara, August 14th 2006
Toss: UAE
UAE WON BY 367 RUNS
Brunei: 92 all out in 40.1 overs
UAE: 459 for 3 off 50 overs
(A. Ali 213*, M. Iqbal 114, S. Ali 66)
Man of the Match: Arshad Ali (UAE)

UAE: 2 points, Brunei 0 points