Emirates squeeze in to final

BY : A STAFF REPORTER.
In a heavy weight bout, Skipper Khurram Khan played the match winning role as Fly Emirates squeezed past formidable Consolidated Shipping Services by the skin of their teeth with just three balls to spare and the second last pair seeing them through to the coveted finals of the Emirates Cup under the auspices of the Dubai Cricket Council.

Consolidated Shipping won the toss and batted first with openers Shashikanth (17) and Omer Khan (18) putting on 21 runs as Murali Sockalingam first picked up Shashikanth and followed it up with the wicket of Omer Khan with the total at 42.

Asghar Ali and skipper Syed Maqsood who have been the mainstay for their team on many occasions then played sedate cricket to put on 78 runs for the third wicket. Asghar top scored with a composed 54 off 57 balls, studded with 4 fours and a six before being consumed by Peter Rodrigues.

Sameer Nayak and Kashif did not stay for long as Emirates skipper Khurram Khan and Sandesh Desai bagged two wickets each to have Consolidated in a spot of bother at 171 for 6 in 43 overs.

However Naseem took the attack to the bowlers and slammed a quick-fire 31 off 30 balls in which he hit two boundaries and an equal number of sixes to see them post 228 runs in their 50 overs.

In reply, Fly Emirates openers Arshad Ali and Amjad Javed did a commendable job by putting on 51 runs for the first wicket until Amjad was caught brilliantly by Rizwan at point off Naeemullah for a well made 31 runs.

Arshad was the next to be caught by Maqsood off a tentative drive at short cover off Rizwan Latif. Kashif Khan then hung in with Arshad to take the score to 122 before being adjudged LBW for a dour knock of 30 runs.

Khurram then took on the onus of not only building the innings but ensuring that he stayed till the end as the latter Emirates batting faltered with wickets falling at regular intervals with Sameer Nayak picking up two vital wickets.

At 181 for 6 with the departure of Fahad Usman, the game was alive for both the teams as 48 runs were needed in 10 overs with four wickets in hand.

Left arm spinner Sameer Nayak continued to torment Emirates with a tight and accurate spell to prise out Murali while Naeemullah picked up Sandesh to take the game to the wire.

However, a lofted clout by Gaurav saw them scamper past the victory target with three balls to spare with Khurram at the other end finishing on a priceless unbeaten knock of 57 runs in 77 balls.

Fly Emirates will now meet Air India who have qualified for the finals in the match to be played on next Friday at the Emirates/DCC 2 grass ground.

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Sunday, April 18, 2004.
source : © UAEcricket.com.