Emirates ground Air India for Trophy

BY : A CORRESPONDENT.
Fly Emirates made it two titles in a row as they grounded Air India to win by 7 wickets, with medium-pacers Aurangzeb and Saby Fernandes dazzling for them in a one sided finals of the Emirates Cup tournament conducted by the Dubai cricket Council and sponsored by Emirates Airlines.

Nothing went right for Air India as they lost the toss and were promptly put into bat on a fresh grassy track which had some juice in it for the pacers. Aurangzeb struck in the very first over as he had pinch hitter Piyush Maloo back in the pavilion caught by Sandesh Desai at short midwicket.

Aurangzeb then followed it up with the wicket of Akbar Rana who was out in similar style, driving uppishly to Arshad Ali at short cover and then had Bakhtiyar Palekar caught at deep point who willingly fell into his trap having twice played uppish square-cuts.

Air India just could not recover from Aurangzeb’s triple-strike as he bowled an inspired spell to be the chief -destroyer as batsman after batsman committed hara-kiri driving at the ball which was stopping and coming slow off the wicket.

A.M. Adnan was the only batsman who stood amongst the ruins playing patient and determined cricket until he too committed the same gaffe to be caught by Aurangzeb off the bowling off another medium-pacer Saby fernandes for 21 runs.

Saby continued where Aurangzeb left and picked up Ejaz Arai and Abbas Ali Khan in exactly the same manner to be caught by wicket-keeper Gaurav, fishing outside the off stump.

Left arm spinner Khurram Khan was not to be left out of the action as he bowled a nagging line and spun the ball viciously to have Mohammed Hyder and Sailesh Kalia which left Air India precariously placed at 76 for 8 wickets in 29 overs and in danger of being bowled out for less than a hundred.

However Air India skipper Mohamed Lokhandwala carried on doggedly with tail-enders Paresh Motwani (15) and Syed Khurshid who struck 19 runs in 9 balls, but both could not control their aggressive instincts as Air India was eventually bowled out for 125 runs in 42.1 overs.

Aurangzeb was the pick of the Emirates bowling, bagging 4 wickets for 30 runs. Saby Fernandes was not far behind with 3 wickets for 16 runs and Khurram Khan with 2 for 17 wrapped up the Air India batting between them.

In reply, Fly Emirates lost Amjad Javed in the second over as Syed Khurshid had him brilliantly caught by wicket-keeper Abbas Khan of a rising delivery with the total on 4.

Skipper Peter Rodrigues dug in and kept opener Arshad Ali company to prevent any further mishaps until Arshad Ali was bowled by Akbar Rana on 87 as he tried playing the sweep shot to balls on the wicket too often. Arshad played a good knock scoring a run a ball 36 runs with the help of 4 boundaries.

Fahad Usman follwed soon after with the score on 111 runs as he spooned a sweep shot which ricocheted off his forehead to wicket-keeper Abbas.

Peter and Khurram however completed the formalities, racing past the minimal target in 27 overs by a hefty 7-wicket margin.

Aurangzeb was nominated the man of the match for his superb spell which broke the back of the Air India batting and for taking two lovely catches.

Click Here for Brief Scorecard.

Saturday, April 24, 2004.
source : © UAEcricket.com.