Cricket: Oman begin WCL Division 3 campaign with win over U.S.

Sports Tuesday 23/May/2017 21:07 PM
By: Times News Service
Cricket: Oman begin WCL Division 3 campaign with win over U.S.

Muscat: Aaqib Ilyas played a key role as Oman began their campaign with a well-deserved four-wicket victory over the United States of America (U.S.) in the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 3 competition in Uganda on Tuesday.
According to information received here, Oman captain Sultan Ahmed won the toss and elected to field first in a rain-hit match that was reduced to 43 overs.
The Sultanate squad did well to restrict the U.S. team to 180 for seven in 43 overs before achieving their target in 39.4 overs, scoring 184 for the loss of six wickets.
For the U.S. team, Ibrahim Khaleel with 48 runs was the top scorer while Sagar Patel and Alex Amsterdam contributed 36 and 25 runs respectively.
Though Khawar Ali with three for 27 was the highest wicket-taker, what restricted the U.S. team was the variety of Oman, who used as many as eight bowlers during the innings.
Pace bowlers Bilal Khan, Munis Ansari and Mohammed Nadeem and left-arm spinner Ajay Lalcheta equally shared the other four American wickets to fall.
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Shaky start
Oman made a shaky start to their chase losing Khawar Ali (5) with just 14 runs on the board. Then his fellow opening batsman Ajay Lalcheta (7) departed in the eight over with total reading 41.
In walked young Aaqib Ilyas and took the fight to the opposition scoring a flurry of boundaries. Then in the company of equally aggressive Zeeshan Maqsood put Oman on the path of victory.
While Aaqib smashed two sixes and eight fours in his 36-ball 55, Zeeshan hit two sixes and three fours in his 70-ball 46.
The latter’s fall at 141 for five in the 32nd over created a bit of concern for Oman but Mohammed Nadeem (30) and unbeaten Amir Ali (16) and Naseem Khushi (15) ensured the team emerged the winner with two valuable points.
Aaqib was rewarded for his effort with the man of the match award.
Oman will take on Canada on Wednesday.
Top two teams from the May 23-30 competition will be promoted to the Division 2.
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SCOREBOARD
U.S.
S.R. Taylor lbw M. Nadeem 13
S.P. Patel c Sultan Ahmed b Lalcheta 36
I. Khaleel c Naseem Khushi b Khawar Ali 48
A. Amsterdam c Aqib Ilyas b Khawar Ali 25
T.P. Allen c Sultan Ahmed b Bilal Khan 0
M.K. Patel c&b Khawar Ali 13
C. Alexander c Sultan Ahmed b Munis Ansari 16
T.K. Patel (not out) 11
E.H. Hutchinson (not out) 1
Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-12) 17
Total (7 wkts, 43 overs) 180
Did not bat: N.P. Kenjige, Ali Khan
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-85, 3-137, 4-137, 5-137, 6-160, 7-177,
Bowling: Bilal Khan 8-2-37-1 (w-2); M. Ansari 7-0-37-1 (w-3); Mohammad Nadeem 6-0-20-1 (w-1); A. Lalcheta 6-1-23-1 (w-2); Zeeshan Maqsood 2-0-14-0; Khawar Ali 9-1-27-3; N. Dhamba 2-0-5-0; Aaqib Ilyas 3-0-12-0.
OMAN
Khawar Ali c Taylor b Allen 5
Ajay Lalcheta b Taylor 7
Aaqib Ilyas c Amsterdam b Taylor 55
Zeeshan Maqsood c Ali Khan b Kenjige 46
Sultan Ahmed lbw T.K. Patel 2
Mohammad Nadeem c Khaleel b Ali Khan 30
Amir Ali (not out) 16
Naseem Khushi (not out) 15
Extras (b-1, lb-3, w-4) 8
Total (6 wkts; 39.4 overs) 184
Did not bat: Bilal Khan, Munis Ansari, Nestor Dhamba
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-41, 3-84, 4-87, 5-141, 6-160.
Bowling: Ali Khan 6-0-25-1 (w-3); T.P. Allen 3-0-19-1; E.H. Hutchinson 1-0-12-0; N.P. Kenjige 9-0-38-1; S.R. Taylor 9-3-26-2; T.K. Patel 9-1-43-1; C.C. Alexander 2.4-0-17-0.