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UAE overcome Kenya

Naveed takes four wickets; Amjad Ali shines too

UAE batsman Amjad Ali played a solid knock. — AFP file

Dubai — The UAE powered by an inspired bowling spell of 4 for 36 by seamer Mohammed Naveed, outplayed Kenya by five wickets in the fifth match of the ICC World Cricket League Championships (ICC WCLC – 50 overs a side) at the neutral venue in Southampton on Thursday. Chasing a modest 172 for victory, the UAE were placed at 173-5 in 41.4 overs in their chase after Kenya in the first visit to the crease were dismissed for 171 in 40.5 overs.

Amjad Ali (49 from 88 balls) who opened the UAE essay was unlucky to miss out on a deserving half century and keeper batsman Swapnil Patil (38 from 66) gave the UAE chase solidity. Later Mohammad Shahzad (27 n.o. off 35 balls) and Amjad Javed’s quick 26-delivery 28 made sure the UAE got the maximum number of points before going on to the sixth match of the championship on Saturday.

Aqib Javed, UAE national team coach, said: “There was 250 plus on a surface like this and we did well to restrict Kenya to 171 from 40.5 overs. In our chase we could have done it more comfortably and the unbroken stand between Shahzad and Javed cemented our superiority after Ali and Patil dug in. We are the more experienced side and now go to Saturday’s game confident of more points.”

The UAE sent Kenya in after winning the toss at the Rose Bowl and soon had their opponents in all sorts of trouble. A well organised and worked out 62 from 70 balls by Nehemiah Odhiambo who came in at five down, kept the Kenyan innings looking good as along as he was around. When he came in, the scoreboard read a poor 70-5 but along with Collins Obuya (36 from 47) was able to carry out a small repair job.

Keeping 22-year-old right arm medium fast Naved quiet was by itself a big job apart from having to keep the scoreboard moving for the east Africans. Right arm medium fast Manula Guruge too was difficult to put away to the ropes but Odhiambo kept his cool to go for more for the quick singles and the twos after a good early start to his innings.

Right-hander Obuya gave Odhiambo early company with a watchful 36 from 47 deliveries while the next man in Nelson Odhiambo cut in with a 37-ball stay for his 24. Barring these batters, there was little the Kenyans did at the crease against the good line and length of the UAE attack. Kenya opener Narendra Patel (13) and skipper Rakeb Patel (10) were the only other players to reach double figures.

The sides, both placed in Group B of ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015 in Ireland and Scotland (July 9-26), play their second ICC WCLC 50-overs-a-side match on Saturday at the same venue.

ICC WCLC is a 50-over competition played between leading Associate and Affiliate members.

moni@khaleejtimes.com