KEENU MAKES AN IMPRESSION
Hong Kong's captain Keenu Gill shone with a tremendous all-round display, leading her team to victory over UAE by eight wickets in the opening match of the ACC U-19 Women's Championship at the Prem Oval.
The standard throughout the match was considerably – and consistently – higher than that shown by the two countries' senior teams last July in the inaugural ACC Women's Tournament.
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| Player of the Match Keenu Gill |
Hong Kong's girls play the most cricket in Asia, competing as they do almost every weekend during their season. UAE though, were the first Gulf nation to play women's cricket and they have been preparing hard for this tournament under their coach, former Indian international Suman Sharma.
A wicket of even more bounce and pace than usual at the Prem Oval gave the bowlers of both teams plenty of opportunities to impress. Godiva Li, Hong's fastest bowler, collapsed halfway through her third over with what looks to be a torn hamstring but her replacement Mariko Hill bowled with verve and inswing and looks quite a prospect. With all the bowlers they have, Hong Kong may not even need Godiva in the remainder of the tournament. Slow left-armer Chan Sau Har kept plenty of pressure on the UAE batters with Mariko, and strangled the UAE.
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Natasha Cherriath, UAE's top scorer with 29 |
Natasha Cherriath batted very well for her 29 but wickets fell around her. From 46-1, UAE went to 51 for 8, Keenu Gill ripping through the batters with her pace and pinpoint accuracy. UAE were all out for 60 in the 29th over.
UAE struck early, Samiya Saleem bowling Manpreet Kaur in the second over. Chan Sau Har fell five overs later but that just brought Keenu Gill to the crease. Strong off front- and back-foot she was never remotely troubled during her 22–ball innings. One half-chance to mid-off on 13, if taken, would have made the game very interesting.
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| Hong Kong's Keenu Gill takes on the UAE |
"I was very impressed with the way the team responded after Godiva went off so early, there were two difficult starts for us when we batted and bowled but we came back well and it's been a very good start by us," said Hong Kong's manager Angela Kwan. They already look like the team to beat.
Hong Kong v UAE, Prem Oval
HONG KONG WON BY EIGHT WICKETS
Hong Kong won the toss and elected to field
UAE: 60 all out of 22.3 overs (N. Cherriath 29; K. Gill 5-3)
Hong Kong: 61 for 2 (K. Gill 28*)
Player of the Match: Keenu Gill (Hong Kong)
Scorecard
Filed December 13 2008
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