Hong Kong Women's Cricket Team win all 5 of their group matches enroute to ACC semi-final
Hong Kong Cricket Association sent out a strong Women's Cricket Team to participate in the ACC Women's Twenty20 Championship 2009 from 3rd July to 11th July 2009 in Malaysia.
Hong Kong Cricket Association
09-Jul-2009
Hong Kong Cricket Association sent out a strong Women's Cricket Team to participate in the ACC Women's Twenty20 Championship 2009 from 3rd July to 11th July 2009 in Malaysia.
Twelve teams will take part in the tournament, the first time Twenty20 has been played by women in the ACC area. Women's cricket has shown tremendous growth in the past three years and it exciting to see such a diverse range of countries meeting to take part. The twelve teams taking part are: Hong Kong, Malaysia, U.A.E., China, Kuwait, Oman, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Qatar, Bhutan and Iran. The teams are divided into two groups t play round robin before the semi-final then the final on 11th July 2009.
The Hong Kong Team includes a number of experienced players, and making her debut is left handed Alvina Tam. The team is Neisha Pratt (Captain), Keenu Gill (Vice Captain), Connie Wong, Godiva Li, Alvina Tam, Emma Phillips, Angela Kwan, Ishitaa Gidwani, Smita Chhetri, Bess Hepworth, Chan Sau Ha, Betty Chan, Yasmin Daswani and Mariko Hill.
Day 1 (HK v UAE)
The first match that Hong Kong played with was UAE. Hong Kong got off to a very positive start and put in a convincing performance in knocking off the runs in the 7th over for the lose of only 1 wicket. Openers Neisha Pratt and Keenu Gill ran positively between the wickets and put the loose ball away. Keenu Gill finished 16 not out with Chan Sau Ha 9 not out. Opener Neisha Pratt earlier made 19. Hong Kong won by 9 wickets and the Player of the Match was Godiva Li.
The first match that Hong Kong played with was UAE. Hong Kong got off to a very positive start and put in a convincing performance in knocking off the runs in the 7th over for the lose of only 1 wicket. Openers Neisha Pratt and Keenu Gill ran positively between the wickets and put the loose ball away. Keenu Gill finished 16 not out with Chan Sau Ha 9 not out. Opener Neisha Pratt earlier made 19. Hong Kong won by 9 wickets and the Player of the Match was Godiva Li.
Day 2 (HK v China)
In the warm up match, Hong Kong has been played with China and defeated her. In the show-piece match of Day 2 tournament, Hong Kong defeated China again by 10 wickets. Neisha Pratt and Keenu Gill put on 76 undefeated, the biggest partnership of the tournament so far. Hong Kong get closer to a semi-final spot. The Player of the Match was Keenu Gill.
In the warm up match, Hong Kong has been played with China and defeated her. In the show-piece match of Day 2 tournament, Hong Kong defeated China again by 10 wickets. Neisha Pratt and Keenu Gill put on 76 undefeated, the biggest partnership of the tournament so far. Hong Kong get closer to a semi-final spot. The Player of the Match was Keenu Gill.
Day 3 (HK v Kuwait)
Kuwait got off to a positive start with the opening bats throwing their bats at the opening Hong Kong bowlers. The first change bowlers for Hong Kong slowed the pace and the Kuwait batters quickly fell behind the required run rate. The captain from Kuwait made 20 but there were not other sizeable contributions. Bowling for Hong Kong Chan Sau Ha and Ishitaa Gidwani both picked up 3 runs each and Kuwait finished with 64/9 from 20 overs, a 104 run win for Hong Kong. Player of the match was Captain Neisha Pratt.
Kuwait got off to a positive start with the opening bats throwing their bats at the opening Hong Kong bowlers. The first change bowlers for Hong Kong slowed the pace and the Kuwait batters quickly fell behind the required run rate. The captain from Kuwait made 20 but there were not other sizeable contributions. Bowling for Hong Kong Chan Sau Ha and Ishitaa Gidwani both picked up 3 runs each and Kuwait finished with 64/9 from 20 overs, a 104 run win for Hong Kong. Player of the match was Captain Neisha Pratt.
Day 4 (HK v Oman)
Oman opened positively and threw their bat at the Hong Kong opening bowlers. First change bowlers Chan Sau Ha and Ishitaa Gidwani bowled beautifully and tightened things up with the Oman team never regaining any momentum. Chan Sa Ha finished her 4 overs with 1 run and 1 wicket and Ishitaa Gidwani picked up 2 wickets for only 1 run from her 4 overs. Connie Wong came back to finish the Oman team, her final figures were 4 for 8 from 2.4 overs and she picked up the Player of the Match award.
Oman opened positively and threw their bat at the Hong Kong opening bowlers. First change bowlers Chan Sau Ha and Ishitaa Gidwani bowled beautifully and tightened things up with the Oman team never regaining any momentum. Chan Sa Ha finished her 4 overs with 1 run and 1 wicket and Ishitaa Gidwani picked up 2 wickets for only 1 run from her 4 overs. Connie Wong came back to finish the Oman team, her final figures were 4 for 8 from 2.4 overs and she picked up the Player of the Match award.
Day 5 (HK v Malaysia)
This match was so important to Malaysia because they will not play in the semi-final if they lose to Hong Kong. Hong Kong again got off to a positive start with openers Keenu Gill and Neisha Pratt running positively between the wickets and putting the local side under pressure. The opening partnership put on over a hundred runs and with Connie Wong coming in continued to punish the loose ball and finished in 160runs with only one wicket. This ensured Malaysia was going to be chasing a huge total. The first Malaysian wickets fell early and their middle order tried to keep the momentum going but with such a huge total and Betty Chan and Ishtiaa Gidwani bowling tightly the task proved to be too large. They were finally bowled out for 68. Neisha Pratt picked up her 2nd Player of the Match award in the tournament.
This match was so important to Malaysia because they will not play in the semi-final if they lose to Hong Kong. Hong Kong again got off to a positive start with openers Keenu Gill and Neisha Pratt running positively between the wickets and putting the local side under pressure. The opening partnership put on over a hundred runs and with Connie Wong coming in continued to punish the loose ball and finished in 160runs with only one wicket. This ensured Malaysia was going to be chasing a huge total. The first Malaysian wickets fell early and their middle order tried to keep the momentum going but with such a huge total and Betty Chan and Ishtiaa Gidwani bowling tightly the task proved to be too large. They were finally bowled out for 68. Neisha Pratt picked up her 2nd Player of the Match award in the tournament.
Hong Kong women team will play in the semi-final with Nepal on 10 July 2009. The final will be on 11 July 2009.
| Group A - Team | P | W | L | Points |
| Thailand | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| Nepal | 5 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Singapore | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Bhutan | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Iran | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Qatar | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Group B - Team | P | W | L | Points |
| Hong Hong | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| China | 5 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Malaysia | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| UAE | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Oman | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Kuwait | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |