UAE spinners inflict big defeat on Namibia

UAE's spinners combined for figures of 8 for 62 to send Namibia packing for 89, after asking them to bat in their WCL Championship game in Windhoek. Defending a meagre total, Namibia managed to snuff out four UAE batsmen with 53 on the board, but that was about it as they slipped to a six-wicket loss and the bottom of the table.

Louis van der Westhuizen (41) and Craig Williams (22) put on 46 for the third wicket to take Namibia to 68 for 2, after Mohammad Naveed (2 for 13) had struck twice with the new ball. But offspinner Rohan Mustafa (2 for 17) dismissed Westhuizen in the 17th over, and legspinner Imran Haider (3 for 27) dismissed Williams in the 18th, to trigger the beginning of the end for Namibia. Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza complemented his fellow spinners with 3 for 18 as Namibia lost eight wickets for 21 in under 12 overs.

UAE took their time in running down the target, losing four wickets inside 20 overs. Of the top four, only Chirag Suri (26) went past 20. Left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz picked up two wickets in an economical spell, including that of Suri in the 20th over. But the fifth-wicket pair of Adnan Mufti (21*) and Rameez Shahzad (20*) saw them home, putting on an unbroken 39 off 34 balls.