ICC World Cup Qualifiers warm-up matches, 2018 round up – Day 2

Windies were saved the blushes in their second warm-up game against the United Arab Emirates at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. It was the spin and pace combination of Nikita Miller and Kemar Roach which proved to be too hot for their opposition. Now the proper tournament will commence on March 4 during which the teams will eye a World Cup berth which will be held in England next year.

After opting to bowl first, UAE bowlers first struck in the seventh over Mohammad Naveed scalped Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis in the same over. Then came a brief period when Shimron Hetmyer and Marlon Samuels rebuilt the innings by adding 30 runs for the third wicket. However, Imran Haider, the leg-spinner, wreaked havoc after that as Windies collapsed spectacularly from being 81/4 to 115 all-out in the 34th over.

Haider returned with the magical figures of 4/16 in his 8 overs as he picked the wickets of Samuels, Shai Hope, Rovman Powell and Carlos Brathwaite. He was well supported by the skipper Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza and Naveed as they picked a couple each. The team from Carribean nation had already their opening warm-up game to Afghanistan and the things were not looking good in this game as well.

But then came a fiery spell from Kemar Roach who just grabbed the top three wickets in his opening spell. However, the final nail in the coffin came for the UAE when the spinners came on to bowl. Nikita Miller bamboozled the batsmen completely as the runs were difficult to come by. Even Ashley Nurse bowled well with him in tandem as they shared 7 wickets between them. It was Miller who picked five wickets and conceded only 20 runs in his 10-over spell. His partner Nurse ended with 2/21 in his five overs.

UAE were humbled by 32 runs as they were skittled out for a paltry total of 83 runs in 29 overs. Windies have something to cheer now going into the tournament but they would be worried with the form of their batsmen. The likes of Gayle, Lewis, Samuels and Hope have to step up to the plate if they have to compete against some of the gifted sides in the tournament.

Brief scores

Windies beat UAE by 32 runs

Windies 115 all out, 33.4 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 20, Chris Gayle 16, Marlon Samuels 15, Evin Lewis 10; Imran Haider 4-16; Rohan Mustafa 2-10, Mohammad Naveed 2-27, Ahmed Raza 2-14)
UAE 83 all out, 29 overs (Nikita Miller 5-20, Kemar Roach 3-15, Ashley Nurse 2-21)

A brief overview of other games on Day 2

Ireland beat Scotland by two wickets, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Scotland 239 all out, 49.3 overs (Michael Leask 91, George Munsey 77, Calum MacLeod 29; Boyd Rankin 5-38, Tim Murtagh 3-42, Barry McCarthy 2-54)
Ireland 248-8, 50 overs (Andrew McBrine 79, George Dockrell 47 not out, Niall O’Brien 35; Gary Wilson 21; Chris Sole 2-53, Stuart Whittingham 2-26, Ali Evans 2-64)

Zimbabwe beat PNG by five wickets, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo

PNG 195 all out, 49.4 overs (Vani Morea 58, Assadollah Vala 30, Jason Kila 19; Sikandar Raza 2-20, Tendai Chisoro 2-22, Blessing Muzarabani 2-22)
Zimbabwe 196-5, 40.3 overs (Hamilton Masakadza 54, Brendan Taylor 52 retired out, Solomon Mire 36)

Netherlands v Afghanistan, Old Hararians – match abandoned due to rain (target revised to 202 in 45 overs)

Afghanistan 216-9, 49.5 overs (Rashid Khan 63, Sharafuddin Ashraf 42, Mohammad Nabi 32, Dawlat Zadran 18; Shane Snater 4-46, Roelof van der Merwe 2-23)
The Netherlands 86-1, 17.3 overs (Wesley Barresi 38, Maxwell O’Dowd 38 not out)

Hong Kong v Nepal, Kwekwe Sports Club – match abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield