Hong Kong no match for Canada

Hong Kong's young team of amateurs proved no match for the professionals of Canada in a round three group clash at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012 played in Dubai today. The loss leaves Hong Kong with plenty to do in their remaining matches if they are to challenge for a top three finish in their group and a spot in the second phase of the competition.

The match was played on the ICC Global Cricket Academy Number 1 ground and Hong Kong skipper called correctly at the toss for the first time in this tournament and, buoyed by yesterday's excellent run chase against Bermuda, elected to bat. Conditions were again fine and warm with an intermittent wind blowing across the ground.

Hong Kong's hopes of an upset victory over one of the pre-tournament favourites were short-lived as the previous day's run-scorers, Irfan Ahmed and Jamie Atkinson were both dismissed within the first two overs. Irfan fell second ball as he charged fast bowler Henry Osinde but only managed to bloop a catch to mid-on. Atkinson then fell to Junaid Siddiqui as he tried to loft the spinner over mid-off but only succeeded in dragging it to long-on where the catch was comfortably taken by Manny Aulakh. Siddiqui compounded Hong Kong's miserable start when he had Courtney Kruger caught behind by keeper Rustam Bhatti off the first ball of his next over and then tempted Nizakat Khan to hole out to mid-off off the fifth ball. Hong Kong's innings was in tatters at 4-17 after 4 overs.

Kinchit Shah and Babar Hayat combined for a 16-run partnership that lifted the total to 33 before Kinchit was bowled by Canadian skipper Rizwan Cheema. Cheema picked up a second wicket when Moner Ahmed edged a wide ball to Bhatti. Babar was next to fall when he hit a catch to Hiral Patel at extra-cover. Babar had scored 36 runs out of a team total of 7-59. Seven became eight two balls later as Waqas Barkat chopped the ball on to his stumps.

That was the last Hong Kong wicket to fall as Roy Lamsam (13*) and Max Tucker (4*) lifted the total to an unimpressive 81-8 off their allotted 20 overs.

For Canada, Junaid Siddiqui picked up 3-17 off his four overs while Rizwan Cheema and Manny Aulakh picked up two wickets each.

The Canadian openers Hiral Patel and Ruvindu Ganasekera found few terrors in the GCA wicket and they milked the Hong Kong bowlers for runs in the powerplay overs. Moner Ahmed made the first breakthrough for Hong Kong when he bowled Gunasekera for 14 but by this stage the Canadians were already nearly halfway to their target by the end of the sixth over. Patel continued to score with ease, mixing good running with the occasional boundary, however his run-a-ball innings of 40 came to end when he was caught by Max Tucker off the bowling of Irfan Ahmed with the finish line within sight. Nitish Kumar (22*) and Rizwan Cheema (9*) were left to bring Canada home with no further loss at the end of the 14th Over.

Scorecard: Hong Kong v. Canada

Junaid Siddiqui was named Man of the Match.