News flash - Papua New Guinea beat Cayman Islands by six wickets

Papua New Guinea beat the Cayman Islands by 6 wickets

Cayman Islands 121 all out (37.0 overs)

Papua New Guinea 122-4 (20.5 overs)

 

Uganda, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong get off to winning starts

ICC Media Release

24 January 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uganda was the star performer on the opening day of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3 after a dramatic 14-run win over Afghanistan.

But Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong also showed that it will be in contention at this tournament with impressive victories over Cayman Islands and Argentina respectively.

Ugandan coach Ebrahim Mohamed was delighted with his side’s performance after it managed to hold off a determined Afghanistan side, who recovered from a terrible start to get within touching distance of victory.

“I am very, very happy that we got a victory on the opening day and it will be tough challenging in the rest of the week,” said Ebrahim.

“I am sure we will only get better and better as the week goes on.”

Uganda, after winning the toss, made a solid start to its innings, with Arthur Kyobe (50) and Roger Mukasa (38) putting on a steady stand of 65 for the opening wicket.

Afghanistan showed good discipline in the field to cope with a powerful and attacking batting line-up, with Frank Nsubuga in particularly destructive mood with an excellent 62, including three sixes.

The pick of the Afghan bowlers was Samiullah Shenwari (3-32), although the usually reliable Hamid Hassan and Mohammad Nabi on the receiving end of some brutal hitting, including 17 off one Nabi over.

Afghanistan got off to a terrible start in reply with dreadful shot selections and some excellent Ugandan bowling, most notably from Man of the Match Kenneth Kamyuka (5-36) seeing it reduced to 23-5 and then 53-6.

But a brilliant 121-run partnership from Rais Ahmadzai (78) and Samiullah Shenwari (52), who combined some excellent hitting with some good placement, putting it within touching distance of a famous victory, until the fall of some late wickets left it 14 runs short of the target.

“We started off well and had a difficult middle period where we gave them too many easy singles which started to build the pressure on us. The more dot balls we bowled the more pressure there was on us at the end,” added the Ugandan coach.

“I am very sad for myself as I thought we were going to win this match at one stage,” said Rais Ahmadzai.

“But we have not lost the tournament and I believe that we can still recover.”

Five wickets for Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Rarua Dikana helped inspire his team to an excellent six-wicket win over Cayman Islands.

And PNG coach Martin Gleeson was pleased by the performance of his side and the manner in which it achieved its victory.

“It was not as easy a win as the scoreboard suggests. It may have looked easy but we had to work pretty hard in getting our wickets and to get ourselves back in the game,” said Gleeson.

“We wanted to get off to a good start and for our skipper to lead the way in the bowling was excellent.”

Cayman Islands, who were inserted into bat after losing the toss, had made a steady start, with Ainsley Hall (30) and Ramon Sealy (17) adding 43 for the opening wicket before Willie Gavera took the opening wicket.

Even at 81-2, the Cayman Islands were on track for a decent total, but the bowling of Dikana (5-14) sparked a dramatic collapse, leaving Pearson Best’s side with a disappointing total of 121 all out.

In reply, Papua New Guinea never looked like chasing a small target would worry the side, with a brilliant 51-ball innings from Vani Vagi Morea (64) the key to an opening stand of 97, as it reached its target with 29.1 overs to spare.

“We are here to play the best cricket we can and Vani plays an attractive style of cricket. I also have to point out that the running between the wickets was outstanding and that gave us a brilliant start,” added Gleeson.

An excellent wicket-keeping display from James Atkinson was the foundation of Hong Kong’s 7-wicket triumph over Argentina.

Atkinson claimed six dismissals as Argentina was dismissed for 107 all out, with Nadeem Ahmed taking three-wickets in an excellent all-round team bowling display.

And Hong Kong reached its target with relative ease with Zain Abbas (34 not out) playing a vital innings, although Argentina did have hope when it reduced the opposition to 30-2.

“It was really important to get off to a good start in this tournament,” said Atkinson, who won the Man of the Match Award.

“It is pleasing to get six dismissals, but it is more important that we got the wickets and recorded a victory.”

In Sunday’s fixtures, Afghanistan face Hong Kong in a repeat of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 4 Final, Uganda play Cayman Islands and Argentina face Papua New Guinea.