DAY 8 -SAUDI ARABIA AND BAHRAIN REACH ACC CHALLENGER CUP FINAL AND QUALIFY FOR PREMIER CUP

It was Semi-finals day in the ACC.Men’s Challenger Cup in Bangkok. Saudi Arabia were playing Bhutan at TCG while Bahrain were facing Thailand at AIT. It was the two teams who had won the two groups that triumphed today as Saudi Arabia beat Bhutan by nine wickets and Bahrain overcame Thailand by 78 runs.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will now contest the final at TCG on Sunday and they will both take part in the ACC Premier Cup in Nepal in the next stage of qualifying for the Asia Cup.

Saudi Arabia were the first team through to the final as they bowled out Bhutan for just 62. Bhutan bravely decided to bat first but the move has not paid off as Ishtiaq Ahmad has again taken wickets with the new ball.  He dismissed Manoj Adhikari and Jigme Singye both without scoring.

Atif Ur Raman got Thinley Jamtsho but Ishtiaq then bowled Gakul Ghalley for just 1 and took his fourth wicket as he again bowled Namgang Chejay for 6. Atif claimed his second wicket but Bhutan were 21 for 7 after 10 overs as Ranjung Dorji was run out.

Suprit Pradhan reached 24 from 29 balls as he hit 4 fours but Bhutan’s innings came to an end on 62 in 22.2 overs. Zainul Abidin took two wickets before Abdul Waheed took the final wicket with Tenzin Wangchuk left unbeaten on 14. The damage had been done by Ishtiaq Ahmed with figures of 4 for 7 in 5 overs.

Saudi Arabia were the first team through to the final of the Challenger Cup. They beat Bhutan by nine wickets as they reached their target of 63 in 12.3 overs as Waqar Ul Hassan was unbeaten on 41 from 41:balls with 6 fours and a six.

Thailand were facing unbeaten Bahrain at AIT and elected to field on winning the toss. Vichanath Singh and replaced Naveed Pathan in the Thailand team. Jandre Coetzee took the new ball and gained some late swing to dismiss Junaid Aziz lbw without scoring. Shahbaz Badar is a dangerous batsman and he was dropped at first slip off the bowling of Chanchai Pengkumta.

Ahmer Bin Nasir came in at number three and he hit an early boundary but Coetzee struck again as Nasir edged to first slip and Narawit Nuntarach held on. Bahrain were 22 for 2 in the fifth over.

Jandre Coetzee was having the impact that his adopted country would have hoped for. Shahbaz Badar came down the wicket and tried to hit over the top and skied it to Daniel Jacobs at mid-off. Bahrain were 24 for 3 in 7 overs.

Bahrain reached 32 for 3 after 10 overs with Jandre Coetzee taking 3 for 9 in 5 overs with 2 maidens. Sohail Ahmed was joined by Haider Ali and Nopphon Senamontree was on to bowl after taking 5 for 13 against Indonesia.

With Robert Raina bowling alongside Senamontree Thailand were keeping the pressure on Bahrain who were 45 for 3 after 16 overs at drinks.

Catches were dropped off the first two balls after drinks as both batsmen gave chances against Senamontree. Bahrain’s fifty was up and the batsmen were beginning to find their feet when Haider Ali fell lbw to Raina for 13. Bahrain were 69 for 4 from 20 overs.

The match is evenly balanced after 25 overs with Bahrain on 82 for 4 but Chaloemwong Chatpaisan conceded 10 from his first over and he has been replaced by Daniel Jacobs with his leg-spin.

Bahrain’s 100 came up from the last ball of the 28th over and they had reached 105 for 4 after 30 overs. Sohail Ahmed has done a good job to repair Bahrain’s innings and he hit his first six as he just cleared long on.

Thailand were desperate for a wicket so back has come Jandre Coetzee and he has taken his fourth wicket as he dismissed Yasser Nazeer caught and bowled for 22 to end a partnership of 49. Bahrain were five wickets down for 118.

Coetzee is proving a secret weapon for Thàiland as he claimed the run out of Sataiyah Veerapathiran so Bahrain are six down.

Sohail Ahmed reached his fifty from 89 balls and he has held the innings together. Imran Javed hit a six but he was bowled next ball by Vichanath Singh as Bahrain slipped to 136 for 7.

Bahrain’s total stood on 152 for 7 in 40 overs as Senamontree bowled his 10 overs for 35 and Chanchai Pengkumta was back as Thailand tried to bring the innings to an end.

Jandre Coetzee was back for his third spell but neither opening bowler could make the breakthrough as Bahrain were looking to bat out the overs. Sohail Ahmed and left-hander Abdul Malik were looking comfortable when Sohail was caught at long on for 64 from 115 balls off the bowling of Robert Raina. Bahrain were 165 for 8 off 45 overs.

Suddenly Thailand are back in the contest as Abdul Malik was run out by Raina for 17. Robert Raina has turned this match and now Akshay Yadav has hit the stumps for another run out. Bahrain were bowled out for 169 in 45.5 overs.

The last three wickets fell for 3 runs and Thailand needed 170 runs for a place in the final and to reach the Premier Cup in Nepal. Jandre Coetzee was the hero for Thailand with 4 for 18 in 8 overs

Thailand would have been pleased with their effort in the field and knew they could make 170 if they could bat for 50 overs but Daniel Jacobs was bowled by Ali Dawood for nought  in the first over.

Chaloemwong Chatpaitam was caught at first slip off Veerapathiran also without scoring so Thailand had lost two wickets for one run.

Captain Akshay Yadav came to the crease in the second over but he did not last long as he edged Ali Dawood to slip as the was third out for 1 with the score on 9.

Thailand were beginning to find their feet as they reached 27 for 3 after 10 overs. Opener Sorawat Desungnoen is still at the crease with 7 from 27 balls but Robert Raina has hit two fours.

Ten runs came off an over bowled by left-arm seamer Imran Javed with both batsmen hitting boundaries. Two left-arm spinners were bowling in tandem and Raina was stumped off a free hit so survived.

Thailand were recovering well with Robert Raina straight driving Zeeshan Abbas for four to bring up the fifty. By the end of 15 overs Thailand were 54 for 3.

Raina was dropped at mid on by Imran Javed but he swung again at Abdul Malik and was bowled for 28. Thailand were 57 for 4.

Sorawat Desungnoen was fifth out for 16 at the same total and Narawit Nuntarach hit Zeeshan Abbas’s next ball tamely to cover. Chanchai Pengkumta saved a possible hat-trick but Thailand were now in trouble.

Jandre Coetzee hit two boundaries but Chanchai Pengkumta was caught at slip off Abdul Majid. Thailand were 67 for 7.

 

A reverse sweep for four from Coetzee brings the runs required down to below100. Wicket-keeper Phiriyaphong Suanchuai was batting at number nine and he hit a boundary to long-on off Ali Dawood. But Zeeshan Abbas took his third  wicket as Suanchuai was bowled and Thailand lost their eighth wicket on 79.

Jandre Coetzee had not given up hope as he hit a four and then smashed a straight six only to become Zeeshan’s fourth wicket when he had made 26.

Last wicket pair Nopphon Senamontree and Vichanath Singh are at the crease and they were facing Bahrain’s two left-arm spinners and it was Abdul Malik who took his third wicket to end the innings on 91 in 26.4 overs. Bahrain had  won by 78 runs.

Zeeshan Abbas had figures of 4 for 33 and Abdul Majid took 3 for 16.  Jandre Coetzee had tried his best by adding 26 runs to figures of 4 for 18 but Bahrain would now meet Saudi Arabia in the Challenger Cup final and both would qualify for the Premier Cup in Nepal.

With four wins out of four Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were clearly the best two teams in the tournament. Jandre Coetzee had given Thailand hope with an inspired opening spell but it was not to be once man of the match Sohail. Ahmed had guided his team to a total of 169. Thailand had managed the run-rate they had required but had not batted out the required number of overs

Bahrain will face Saudi Arabia in Sunday’s final and both teams will be looking to be the first winners of the ACC Men’s Challenger Cup,

CLICK HERE FOR MATCH CENTRE