Arshad Ali gets the show on the road

Nepal 23 for 3 (Ali Asad 3-5) trail UAE 293 for 9 dec (Arshad Ali 143, Khuram Khan 75, Das 5-61) by 270 runs
Scorecard

United Arab Emirates held the whip hand at the end of the first day of their Asia group match against Nepal in the inaugural ICC Intercontinental Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

UAE batted first and scored 293 for 9, before a three-wicket burst from Ali Asad reduced Nepal to 23 for 3 at the close. The day belonged to Arshad Ali, whose classy 143 formed the basis of UAE's innings - he faced 216 balls and struck 16 fours and two towering sixes.

Nepal's decision to put UAE in paid immediate dividends when Asim Saeed lost his off stump to the second ball of the innings from Mehboob Alam (0 for 1) , and when Binod Das bowled Abdullah Hanif for 12, UAE were struggling on 27 for 2.

But Arshad then began to cut loose, dominating a third-wicket stand of 73 with Naeemuddin Aslam (15) and adding 133 for the fourth with Khuram Khan. Khuram matched Arshad blow for blow, smacking 75 off 78 balls as the Nepalese bowlers' lack of experience was all too evident.

In the post-tea session, however, Nepal fought back, taking six wickets for 60 runs. Binod was the pick of the bowlers with 5 for 61, as UAE declared to give their bowlers a little over an hour in the evening. It proved a sound tactic as Asad blasted through Nepal's top order. Only Paresh Lohani stood firm with a 55-ball 6, but Nepal's fragility against quick bowling doesn't bode well for tomorrow.