Scotland dominate; UAE fight back

Kenya must win to reach the final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup after Scotland dominated the second day at Abu Dhabi, while Canada held back UAE's first innings at Sharjah to be the more likley side to progress further

Wisden Cricinfo staff

18-Nov-2004

Canada 337 for 6 dec and 132 for 5 (Zahid Shah 4-40) lead United Arab Emirates 254 for 8 dec (Syed Maqsood 100*, Arshad Ali 57, Bhatti 3-44, Dhaniram 3-48) by 215 runs
Scorecard

Syed Maqsood acknowledges the applause after reaching his century © Emirates

United Arab Emirates having fought back tenaciously on the second day of three against Canada at Sharjah. They declared 83 runs behind and took five wickets before the close, by which time Canada had extended their lead to 215.

Syed Maqsood led the charge towards Canada's 336 after reaching his hundred in just over three hours with 15 fours and a six. He monopolised the scoring to the extent that only 41 were contributed by others while he was at the crease. Mohammad Tauqir declared as soon as Syed got to three figures. Earlier, Arshad Ali had laid the foundations of the innings, plodding his way to a half-century before falling to the slow left-arm of the former Guyana player Sunil Dhaniram. Before the close, Zahid Shah, who has played domestic cricket in Pakistan, claimed four wickets as Canada subsided to 132 for 5.

But in the event of a draw, Canada are the likeliest to reach the final. UAE would progress if Canada were dismissed for less than 275 and they reached at least 125, and lost no wickets.

Scotland 300 for 5 dec and 242 for 5 (Smith 87*, Coetzer 58*, Watson 56,) lead Kenya 95 (Hoffman 5-5) by 447 runs
Scorecard

Scotland dominated the second day at Abu Dhabi to all but eliminate Kenya from the tournament. After bowling Kenya out for 95, they decided against enforcing the follow-on despite a lead of 205, and racked up a lead of 447 by the close, with three batsmen making half-centuries.

Kenya had no real answer to the wily medium-pace of the Queensland-born Peter Hoffman, who returned the remarkable figures of 5.4-4-5-5. Kenya lost their last six wickets for 21, and now have to force an improbable win on the last day to reach the final.

Lameck Onyango provided some cheer for the Kenyans when he removed Douglas Lockhart with the first ball of Scotland's second innings, and at one point they were 41 for 4, but Ryan Watson and Colin Smith, the wicketkeeper, consolidated with a hundred partnership before Watson was bowled by Rageb Aga, the Kenyan captain, for 56. Kyle Coetzer made a fluent fifty while Smith closed in on his hundred: both remained undefeated at the close.