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Oman unbeaten in WCL 3 with Uganda thumping

Denmark beat Kenya for first win in the competition to avoid the wooden spoon

Peter Della Penna

Peter Della Penna

A blistering opening spell from Bilal Khan was followed by a hat-trick and five-for by Fayyaz Butt as Oman wiped out Uganda for 59 in a 10-wicket mauling.
Victory that came on the country's 48th National Day meant Oman became the first team to finish undefeated in a World Cricket League tournament using the single group round-robin format since Jersey's run in WCL Division Five held at Malaysia in 2014.
Uganda's woeful display didn't even last until lunch. Captain Roger Mukasa's forgettable tournament ended three balls into the day when he was trapped lbw by Bilal. Kaleemullah had Arnold Otwani caught behind before a pair of full and straight balls from Bilal knocked out Hamu Kayondo and Ronak Patel to leave Uganda 9 for 4 in the fifth over.
Bilal then had Dinesh Nakrani retire hurt after being hit on the left forearm attempting to hook a bouncer. Riazat Ali Shah replaced him and continued a dogged 27-run stand that lasted nearly 17 overs before he was caught at slip off Fayyaz to start another procession. Nakrani came back, but was caught behind four overs later to become Fayyaz's second victim.
The former Pakistan Under-19 medium pacer made it two in three balls when he claimed Bilal Hassan with a slogged skier to cover early in the 28th over. A full ball then cleaned up Frank Nsubuga first ball before Charles Waiswa was yorked to complete his hat-trick.
Fayyaz nearly made it four in four and five in six balls when last man Henry Ssenyondo edged his first ball that cleared a packed slips cordon. But Bilal cleaned up Ssenyondo with a yorker three balls into the 29th over to finish with 4 for 12.
Jatinder Singh and Twinkal Bhandari went about knocking off the small target methodically. Bhandari made an unbeaten 22 off 50 balls while Jatinder stroked 36 not out off 54 balls, including the winning boundary over mid-on. Former Oman Under-19 star Jatinder ended as their leading scorer at Division Three with 225 runs at 56.25.
Denmark avoided the wooden spoon by smashing Kenya by nine wickets for their first win in the competition. This was brought about courtesy of a 196-run stand between captain Hamid Shah and Freddie Klokker.
Kenya's fielding, woeful right through the tournament, cost them again in the final game. Hamid was dropped on a return chance by Narendra Patel on 61, and he made them pay. After his century came up thanks to an overthrow, the winning runs were scored moments later via five wides down the leg side by Nehemiah Odhiambo to end the 217 chase. Klokker ended 80 not out.
Alex Obanda's 59 gave Kenya a solid start after they were sent in. They were decently placed at 116 for 2 in th 27th over before the implosion. Saif Ahmad, on a hat-trick at one point, finished with 4 for 37 with only a dogged half-century from Irfan Karim preventing an even hastier end to Kenya's resistance.
Denmark had raced through their overs which meant they had to bat out 22 minutes before lunch and made it to 20 for 0 in eight overs. Their only blemish came in the first over after play resumed as Taranjit Bharaj was out caught behind for 9 off Lucas Oluoch. From there Hamid and Klokker took firm command of the chase, clinching victory with 27 balls to spare.

Peter Della Penna is ESPNcricinfo's USA correspondent @PeterDellaPenna