DAY 6: HEARTBREAK FOR THAILAND AS SAUDI ARABIA WIN BY ONE WICKET
DAY 5: SAUDI ARABIA MAINTAIN THEIR ADVANTAGE OVER QATAR, KUWAIT MOVE INTO THIRD PLACE
April 28, 2017
QATAR SHOCK SAUDI ARABIA TO CLAIM PLACE IN ICC WORLD CRICKET LEAGUE FOR FIRST TIME
May 1, 2017
Saudi Arabia beat Thailand by one wicket as last man Hammad Saeed who had his right hand bandaged and seemed unable to hold the bat properly hit a superb straight six to win the match. Thailand had looked certain victors when Hammad had only arrived back from hospital where he had five stitches in his hand with eight wickets down, but he was able to add 40 priceless runs for the last wicket with Omar Imtiaz who hit three sixes in an over to keep Saudi Arabia in with a chance.
Iqbal Sikander, ICC Development Officer and Saudi Arabia mentor, was full of praise for Thailand. ‘Credit goes to Thailand who well so well and showed determination and application. They proved they are a team on the up.’
He was critical of his team who had almost ruined all the hard work put into the tournament. ‘All our plans had gone down the drain. There was irresponsible batting from the senior players but 19-year old Omar proved that staying at the wicket will games. Hats off to Omar and Hammad, they have made their country proud.’ Saudi Arabia remain on top of the table with 10 points, ahead of Qatar on eight points and Kuwait are in third place after beating Bhutan by 75 runs at Gymkhana with Bahrain in fourth after they defeated China by nine wickets at Prem. Both teams are on six points with three wins apiece.
Saudi Arabia won the toss at Royals and asked Thailand to bat first in a 45-over match nd the home side started confidently against the new ball. Leg-spinner Imran Arif came on to bowl the fifth over but it was medium pacer Ibrarul Haq who took the first wicket as he changed ends and bowled Sarbjot Singh for 4.
Thailand were well placed on 38 for one after 10 overs with Shafiqul Haq playing an enterprising innings which ended on 26 from 31 balls as he was caught trying to hit the leg-spinner over mid-off. Saudi Arabia's strength is their spin attack and the variety of options this gives them, so off-spinner Mohammad Afzal came on to bowl against left-hander Daniel Jacobs and got him out stumped for a duck as Thailand slipped to 41 for three. Weerachai Maneerat came in at number three and began his innings slowly as he seemed content to occupy the crease but he suddenly hit a six over the short mid-wicket boundary and gained the confidence to play his shots.
Weerachai completed a composed fifty for Thailand as he used his feet well against the spinners and hit the ball cleanly when they dropped short. Saudi Arabia were forced to bring back Ibrarul Haq and he peppered him with the short ball but he confidently pulled one to mid-wicket for four to bring up his fifty from 84 balls with four fours and three sixes. Thailand were 117 for three after 30 overs and Saudi Arabia were under pressure for the first time in the tournament.
Weerachai Maneerat was the fourth wicket to fall as he was caught and bowled for 53 by Imran Arif to end a partnership of 79. Naveed Pathan hit a six over long on but fell soon afterwards attempting to repeat the shot and Thailand’s innings ended in rather disappointing fashion as they were bowled out for 166 in 43.5 overs as Hammad Saeed took the last six wickets as his left-arm spin became almost unplayable. This was all the more remarkable for the fact that he had cut his right hand in the field and had to bowl with it bandaged. He even took a one-handed caught and bowled and was heading to the hospital for stitches after he had finished his lunch.
Wicket-keeper Inayat Saeed took a brilliant stumping to dismiss Ryan Raina for 34 as the last five wickets fell for just nine runs. Thailand have made the highest score recorded against Saudi Arabia in the tournament so we could still have an interesting afternoon ahead of us,
Saudi Arabia made a good start to their innings as they chased 167 in 45 overs to make it five wins out of five and to confirm their place at the top of the table ahead of Qatar. They were 28 for no wicket after five overs and Inayat Saeed had already hit two sixes. Saudi Arabia's openers were looking to maintain their advantage in net run-rate over Qatar. As Iqbal Sikander said 'We are guarding against having a bad day against Qatar on Monday. We are covering all the bases and focusing on one match at a time.'
The Saudis will know that winning today with overs to spare would help their cause and their preparation has been thorough as they look to win a place in ICC World Cricket League Division Five. They were 58 for no wicket after 10 overs with Aamir Waheed hitting two sixes off Noppon Senamontree to complement Inayat Saeed's three sixes.
Thailand were still in the match as both openers have fell lbw to off-spinner Ryan Raina. They had done a good job for Saudi Arabia by sharing an opening stand of 72 before Inayat Saeed was out for 42 from 42 balls and Abdul Waheed out for 28 from 47. Saudi Arabia were 92 for two from 20 overs.
He was critical of his team who had almost ruined all the hard work put into the tournament. ‘All our plans had gone down the drain. There was irresponsible batting from the senior players but 19-year old Omar proved that staying at the wicket will games. Hats off to Omar and Hammad, they have made their country proud.’ Saudi Arabia remain on top of the table with 10 points, ahead of Qatar on eight points and Kuwait are in third place after beating Bhutan by 75 runs at Gymkhana with Bahrain in fourth after they defeated China by nine wickets at Prem. Both teams are on six points with three wins apiece.
Saudi Arabia won the toss at Royals and asked Thailand to bat first in a 45-over match nd the home side started confidently against the new ball. Leg-spinner Imran Arif came on to bowl the fifth over but it was medium pacer Ibrarul Haq who took the first wicket as he changed ends and bowled Sarbjot Singh for 4.
Thailand were well placed on 38 for one after 10 overs with Shafiqul Haq playing an enterprising innings which ended on 26 from 31 balls as he was caught trying to hit the leg-spinner over mid-off. Saudi Arabia's strength is their spin attack and the variety of options this gives them, so off-spinner Mohammad Afzal came on to bowl against left-hander Daniel Jacobs and got him out stumped for a duck as Thailand slipped to 41 for three. Weerachai Maneerat came in at number three and began his innings slowly as he seemed content to occupy the crease but he suddenly hit a six over the short mid-wicket boundary and gained the confidence to play his shots.
Weerachai completed a composed fifty for Thailand as he used his feet well against the spinners and hit the ball cleanly when they dropped short. Saudi Arabia were forced to bring back Ibrarul Haq and he peppered him with the short ball but he confidently pulled one to mid-wicket for four to bring up his fifty from 84 balls with four fours and three sixes. Thailand were 117 for three after 30 overs and Saudi Arabia were under pressure for the first time in the tournament.
Weerachai Maneerat was the fourth wicket to fall as he was caught and bowled for 53 by Imran Arif to end a partnership of 79. Naveed Pathan hit a six over long on but fell soon afterwards attempting to repeat the shot and Thailand’s innings ended in rather disappointing fashion as they were bowled out for 166 in 43.5 overs as Hammad Saeed took the last six wickets as his left-arm spin became almost unplayable. This was all the more remarkable for the fact that he had cut his right hand in the field and had to bowl with it bandaged. He even took a one-handed caught and bowled and was heading to the hospital for stitches after he had finished his lunch.
Wicket-keeper Inayat Saeed took a brilliant stumping to dismiss Ryan Raina for 34 as the last five wickets fell for just nine runs. Thailand have made the highest score recorded against Saudi Arabia in the tournament so we could still have an interesting afternoon ahead of us,
Saudi Arabia made a good start to their innings as they chased 167 in 45 overs to make it five wins out of five and to confirm their place at the top of the table ahead of Qatar. They were 28 for no wicket after five overs and Inayat Saeed had already hit two sixes. Saudi Arabia's openers were looking to maintain their advantage in net run-rate over Qatar. As Iqbal Sikander said 'We are guarding against having a bad day against Qatar on Monday. We are covering all the bases and focusing on one match at a time.'
The Saudis will know that winning today with overs to spare would help their cause and their preparation has been thorough as they look to win a place in ICC World Cricket League Division Five. They were 58 for no wicket after 10 overs with Aamir Waheed hitting two sixes off Noppon Senamontree to complement Inayat Saeed's three sixes.
Thailand were still in the match as both openers have fell lbw to off-spinner Ryan Raina. They had done a good job for Saudi Arabia by sharing an opening stand of 72 before Inayat Saeed was out for 42 from 42 balls and Abdul Waheed out for 28 from 47. Saudi Arabia were 92 for two from 20 overs.
It looks like Saudi Arabia were content to make sure of victory rather than worry about net run-rate as they were playing Thailand's spinners with care. Hasnat Ahmed was the third wicket to fall as he was lbw to Noppon Senamontree for 10 off 34 balls as Saudi Arabia were 102 for tree from 25 overs. They still needed 65 from 20 overs to win.
Thailand were not making it easy for Saudi Arabia as they claimed a fourth wicket as Mohammad Afzal was caught at cover off Noppon Senamontree and two balls later the match was suddenly in the balance as captain Shoaib Ali was caught by Komron Senamontree at long on as his brother took his third wicket to leave Saudi Arabia on a precarious 111 for five.
Incredible scenes at Royals as Daniel Jacobs took two wickets in two balls with his leg-spin to leave Saudi Arabia in real trouble on 114 for seven after 30 overs. Imran Arif pulled a long hop to mid-wicket but Ibrarul Haq was bowled by a perfectly pitched leg-break. Thailand now had favourites Saudi Arabia on the ropes with 53 runs still needed and only three wickets left.
Thailand were on the verge of a remarkable victory over Saudi Arabia who had looked on course to win the tournament after winning their first four matches. Daniel Jacobs had claimed his third wicket as Saudi Arabia are 119 for eight as Nadeem Javed was caught at slip. To add to the drama Hammad Saeed has just returned from the hospital and needed to be padded up before the next wicket fell as he was next man in.
Thailand were then just one wicket away from a victory over Saudi Arabia which would transform the tournament and give Thailand a morale boosting victory over a team regarded as the best in the competition. Shahbaz Rasheed was run out for 15 as he tried to take a desperate single to keep the strike to leave Saudi Arabia on 131 for nine with 36 runs still needed with 8 overs left. Hammad Saeed came out to bat with this right hand still in a bandage. Cometh the hour cometh the man.... Hammad managed to guide a pair of singles to third man but it was painful even to watch as he played out an over from Jacobs taking his hand off the bat after almost every ball. He then survived five balls from Komron Senamontree but there seemed little possibility of him scoring many runs. Saudi Arabia needed 28 from four overs but Omar Imtiaz clubbed two sixes over mid-wicket off Jacobs to show the match was by no means over.
It was three sixes in the over from Jacobs for number 66 Omar Imtiaz to keep Saudi Arabia in with a chance of victory with 10 to win. Hammad Saeed would then be able to play out another over and leave it to his partner but he was able to take another single to third man. Nine needed from two overs with Hammad facing Naveed Pathan's medium pace.
Singles to Hammad and Omar but only two runs off the over. 160 for nine with seven needed from the last over. 17-year-old Komron Senamontree to bowl with Omar on strike and he hit the first ball through mid-wicket for four and gets another single off the third ball. Unbelievably Hammad Saeed then hit the next ball for a straight six to bring his side victory by one wicket with two balls to spare. Going through the pain barrier in truly heroic fashion.
What a win for Saudi Arabia when defeat looked almost certain. Despair for Thailand but they had pushed a strong team to the absolute limit to show they have the potential to succeed at this level. A momentous day for both teams in different ways. Saudi Arabia now face Qatar in the last round of matches with the title almost secure, Thailand will have another chance of a notable victory over Kuwait.
Kuwait and Bahrain seem to be in a battle for third place in the competition and it was Bahrain who took the advantage early in the day as they easily beat China by nine wickets as they bowled them out for 65 with Gamini Perera taking 4 for 7 with his leg-breaks at Prem, Bahrain raced to victory as they made 66 for one in just six overs to gain their third victory in five matches.
Kuwait responded well in their match against Bhutan at Gymkhana which was reduced to 24 overs aside after starting at 2.15 pm. Kuwait made 179 for nine as Zaheer Ali top scored with 69 from 39 balls and they won by 74 runs as they restricted Bhutan to 104 for nine with Abdullah Ghulam taking five for 18. Kuwait also gained their third win in five matches and third place in the table may well go down to net run rate after the final round of matches.
