UAE defeats Argentina, Oman stuns Namibia

Punishing centuries by Arshad and Amjad help UAE win third match on the trot as Oman stuns Namibia

Arshad Ali and Amjad Javed hammered centuries of contrasting styles to bat United Arab Emirates to a comfortable 304-run victory over Argentina in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in Windhoek, Namibia on Tuesday.

Ali belted 16 boundaries and two sixes in his 153-ball 139 while Javed struck a swashbuckling 109 off 63 balls with nine fours and seven sixes to help the UAE to an imposing 412-4.

Argentina, who decided to field after winning the toss, was bowled out for 108 in 43.3 overs with Ali picking up 3-8.

For the third successive time, Ali, a former UAE captain, was named man of the match while the UAE was assured of a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in 2009 in UAE after three wins on a trot. The UAE still has to play hosts Namibia and Oman but its three victories from as many games means it will finish in top four of the six-team contest.

The semi-finalists of ICC WCL Division 2 will join Ireland, Scotland, Kenya, Bermuda, Canada and the Netherlands in the 2009 event in the UAE. The bottom two teams will be relegated to World Cricket League Division 3 but will have a second chance to qualify for the 2009 qualifier when they play in the ICC World Cricket League Division 3.

The UAE batsmen were in a punishing mood and ruthlessly destroyed the young and inexperienced Argentinean bowling attack. After Mohammad Iqbal (78 from 64 balls with 11 fours and three sixes) and Ali put on 141 runs for the opening wicket, Ali and Javed feature in a 172-run second wicket partnership from 19 overs.

After the departure of Javed in 44.4 overs, UAE ran amok and added 99 runs in the last 5.2 overs with captain Saqib Ali alone contributing an unbeaten 41 from nine balls with four sixes and four fours, including 34 in the last over.

Paceman Gary Savage was Argentina’s pick of the bowlers with 3-68. Savage has now taken eight wickets in the tournament but his team is on the verge of relegation after remaining winless from three matches.

At the Centre of Cricket Development, Oman, the only Affiliate team in the field, stunned pre-tournament favourites Namibia by two wickets.

Vaibhav Wategaonkar stroked a match-winning century to take Oman past the victory target of 272 to keep its unbeaten record intact while Namibia suffered its first defeat in three matches.

Wategaonkar’s unconquered 114 from 122 balls sparkled 13 fours and two sixes. Opener Hemin Desai followed up his 2-84 in Namibia’s 271-6 with a quick-fire 82 from 35 balls with five fours and nine sixes.

Man of the match Wategaonkar and Desai ruined could have been an excellent day for Gerrie Snyman who first scored a masterly unbeaten 158 and then finished as the most economical Namibia’s bowler with 2-39.

Snyman, who scored 60 not out and 98 in the previous two matches, struck 13 boundaries and seven sixes in his 158-ball innings.

At the United Ground, Denmark recorded its first victory of the competition when it defeated Uganda by 21 runs. Denmark successfully defended its score of 234-5 by restricting Uganda for 213-9 with Bobby Chawla grabbing 4-38 and along with it the man of the match award.

Scores in brief:

At Wanderers Cricket Ground, the UAE beat Argentina by 304 runs
UAE: 412-4 in 50 overs (Arshad Ali 139, Amjad Javed 109, Mohammad Iqbal 78, Saqib Ali 41 not out, Gary Savage 3-68)
Argentina: 108 in 43.3 overs (Arshad Ali 3-8, Shadeep Silva 2-13, Muhammad Aman 2-22

At Centre for Cricket Development, Oman beat Namibia by two wickets Namibia: 271-6 in 50 overs (Gerrie Snyman 158 not out, Deon Kotze 49, Hemin Desai 2-84)
Oman: 277-8 in 46.4 overs (Vaibhav Wategaonkar 114 not out, Hemin Desai 82, Bjorn Kotze 3-25, Gerrie Snyman 2-39)

At United Ground, Denmark beat Uganda by 21 runsDenmark: 234-5 in 50 overs (Frederik Klokker 65, Carsten Pedersen 63, Lars Andersen 46 not out, Davis Arinaitwe 3-69)
Uganda: 213-9 (Frank Nsubuga 43, Nand Patel 38, Ronald Semanda 32, Bobby Chawla 4-38)

Wednesday’s matches:
UAE v Namibia at the Wanderers, Oman v Denmark at the United Ground; Uganda v Argentina at Centre for Cricket Development

Points Table (after Tuesday’s matches)

|
Teams |
Played |
Won |
Lost | | --- | --- | --- | --- |

|
UAE |
3 |
3 |
0 |

|
Oman |
3 |
3 |
0 |

|
Namibia |
3 |
2 |
1 |

|
Denmark |
3 |
1 |
2 |

|
Uganda |
3 |
0 |
3 |

|
Argentina |
3 |
0 |
3 |