Haider's heroics save Hong Kong's blushes

A half-century and three wickets by Afzaal Haider saved Hong Kong's blushes on the opening day of their 3-day Fast Track Countries Tournament match against Singapore.

Hong Kong Cricket Association

07-Oct-2005

A half-century and three wickets by Afzaal Haider saved Hong Kong's blushes on the opening day of their 3-day Fast Track Countries Tournament match against Singapore. Hong Kong skipper, Tim Smart may have been regetting his decision to bat first after winning the toss at the Kallang ground when he found his team in the precarious position of 5-18 in the 12th over. Damage was done by Singapore's opening bowlers Pramodh Raja and Chaminda Ruwan who both picked up a brace of wickets in the early exchanges.

Hong Kong's middle-order batsmen offered a little more resistance but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. A promising partnership between Tabarak Dar and Haider was broken with the score on 99 when Dar, on 36, was trapped LBW to give Ruwan his fourth wicket. Khuram Shazhad, making his debut for Hong Kong, joined Haider and together the two added another 51 runs to the Hong Kong score. Haider was eventually dismissed for 66 from 124 balls whilst Shazhad was last man out for only 7 runs but his occupation at the crease for 101 balls allowed the total to progress to 159. Ruwan was the best of the Singaporean bowlers, claiming 4-38 from 14 overs.

Haider gave Hong Kong some early joy as he claimed the top three Singapore batsmen, but a half-century from Chaminda Ruwan and an unbroken partnership between Christopher Janick (21) and Buddhika Mendis (23) lifted Singapore to 107-3 at the close of play.