ABU DHABI 16 October 2019: Seven warm-up games prior to the T20 World Cup qualifiers took place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Monday, which saw the UAE beat Scotland in one.
Among 14 team competing in the qualifiers, which will start Friday, only six teams will qualify to the World Cup in Australia next year.
UAE, 157/5 (20 overs), beat Scotland, 120/9 (20 overs), by 37 runs, at the Dubai International Stadium. Rameez Shahzad (43 off 28 balls) and Ashfaq Ahmed (38 off 25) top scored in a competitive Emirati total of 157/5 in which Scottish spinner Tom Sole picked up three wickets, said Wam and Emerging Cricket.com.
Scotland’s reply got off to a horror start with Sultan Ahmed picking up both Scottish captain Kyle Coetzer and the big-hitting George Munsey in the second over of the chase to leave the visitors 3-2 off 11 balls. Two more wickets fell with the score yet to pass 26 before Richie Berrington (34), Michael Leask (32) and Craig Wallace (26) lent the Scots total a modicum of respectability, but they never really looked in contention as the UAE cruised to a 37-run victory.
Ireland’s have won against the Netherlands at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, scoring 156 for 8 wickets in their 20 overs, then bowling out the Dutch side for 126, for a 30 run victory.
Hong Kong, 132/6 (19.5 overs), have beaten Namibia, 131/8 (20.0 overs), by 4 wickets, at the ICC Academy 1, Dubai.
Canada-Singapore match, two teams tipped as dark horses, ended up in Canada’s win by six wickets; Canada, 165/4 (18 overs), and Singapore 164/5 (20 overs).
In a largely one-sided game by Jersey, the European team won 131/3 (12.2 overs) against Kenya 127/6 (20 overs) by seven wickets at Zayed Cricket Stadium, while Bermuda 171/5 (20 overs) and 118 all out (19.5 overs) have beaten Nigeria by 53 runs at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi.
Arabian Gulf team Oman, 98/6 (17.2 overs), triumphed against Papua New Guinea, 97 all out (17.5 overs), at the ICC Academy 1 in Dubai by four wickets.
Ireland beats Netherlands
Ireland’s cricketers got off to a good start yesterday in a warm-up match against The Netherlands at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, ahead of the T20 ICC World Cup Qualifiers that begins on Friday. Ireland scored 156 for 8 wickets in their 20 overs, then bowling out the Dutch side for 126, for a 30 run victory.
After losing the toss and being sent in to bat first, Ireland lost star opener Paul Stirling early for 5. Three further wickets fell in the next six overs and Ireland were precariously sitting at 55-4 in the 8th over, in desperate need of counter-attacking innings. Up stepped captain Gary Wilson who struck 44 from 32 balls, including 5 fours and a six. He was ably supported by Harry Tector (21 from 20 balls) and Mark Adair (24 from 13 balls, including 2 sixes).
The Irish batters battled hard to build a competitive total against a determined Dutch attack, and ended up posting 156-8 from their 20 overs, with G. Wilson scoring 44 and Dutch bowler T. van der Gugten taking 2 wickets for 20 runs.
In response, the Dutch openers led by Tobias Visee started well, hitting 37 from the first 29 balls, but the wicket of Max O’Dowd (6) – a stumping by keeper Wilson from Gareth Delany, started a top-order collapse. Three wickets fell for six runs over the next 15 balls, and the Netherlands found themselves at 43-4 and a required run-rate heading towards 10 runs an over. The damage was mainly done by paceman Craig Young who claimed two wickets in the space of three balls. Young went on to finish with commendable figures of 3-21 from his 4 overs.
As the required run rate grew, further wickets tumbled – Mark Adair putting the icing on the Irish cake by claiming three wickets in the last five balls of the innings to finish with 3-28, and the Netherlands were bowled out for 126.
The Irish team plays its second warm-up game against Scotland today, 15th October, at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Ireland is in Group B for the T20 World Cup Qualifier, competing against the UAE, Oman, Jersey, Hong Kong, Canada and Nigeria. Their first game in the Qualifier is against Hong Kong, also at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, on Friday 18th October.
