Last place ICC Intercontinental Cup final still up for grabs

With two games remaining in Group A of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2006, just who will play Canada in the final remains to be seen.

Scotland is in the driving seat and an outright victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Sharjah next month will see the 2005 champions through to its second final in three years.

But this competition has had a habit of springing some surprises in its short history and if Craig Wright's team does not collect all 20 points from that game, defending champions Ireland could well book its place in the final.

Should Scotland stumble and Ireland beat the UAE, then it will join Canada in the final to be played in the first half of next year.

And despite losing to Namibia in Windhoek last week, the UAE can still get through if it beat both Scotland and Ireland at home early next year.

The UAE will have to regroup, however, after what was a disappointing defeat away to the Namibians. Dismissed for just 96 in the first innings, the UAE then had to watch its opponents compile 428 in reply. Louis Burger (120) and Tobias Verwey (114) were on top form for the home side.

Then Louis Klazinga ran through the UAE for a second time as it made just 183 and did not make Namibia bat again in the match. The performance of number seven batsman Kashif Khan was a bright spot for the Emirates and he sped to 95 off just 67 balls (10 fours, six sixes). But Klazinga had the last laugh, getting Kashif out caught by Gerrie Snyman just five short of what would have been his maiden first-class century.

Klazinga ended the match with outstanding figures of 16-7-32-8, having taken 3-12 in the first innings and 5-20 in the second.

Meanwhile, in the other ICC Intercontinental Cup match of the week, the Netherlands got the better of Canada in Pretoria, South Africa, but still only managed to finish second in Group B.

Two good wins earlier in the tournament were enough for Canada to have been safely atop the group by the time it faced off against the Dutch.

And maybe there was a bit of complacency as Canada went out to bat in the first innings, as it fell for just 103 with Ryan ten Doeschate taking 6-20 for the Netherlands.

The Netherlands made 409 in reply with ten Doeschate breaking several records on the way to a mammoth 259 runs. It is the highest individual score in the three-year history of the event and means that he has now scored a record total of 739 runs in this competition at an average of 184.75. He is also leading the Dutch ICC Intercontinental Cup bowling averages this year with 14 wickets at an average of 20.92.

After the disappointment of the first innings, Canada made amends second time around by making 485 and setting the Netherlands a tricky target of 179 to win. Qaiser Ali top scored with 174 and he was ably assisted by Umar Bhatti (83 not out) and Don Maxwell (72).

It set up an interesting fourth innings but the Dutchmen showed they were up to the challenge. Tom de Grooth did most of the damage with 82 while Bas Zuiderent chipped in with 42 and ten Doeschate came in towards the end with an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls to see the side to a seven-wicket victory with a day to spare.

Recent results:

At Windhoek, Namibia: UAE 96 (Ali Asad 24; L Klazinga 3-12, G Snyman 2-13, L Burger 2-20) and 183 (Kashif Khan 95; L Klazinga 5-20) Namibia 428 (L Burger 120, T Verwey 114, G Snyman 66; Waseem Bari 5-130)
Namibia (20 points) beat UAE (0 points) by an innings and 149 runs

At Sinovich (Pretoria), South Africa: Canada 103 (Qaiser Ali 34; R ten Doeschate 6-20, Muhammed Kashif 4-39) and 485 (Qaiser Ali 174, D Maxwell 72, U Bhatti 83*; D van Bunge 4-163) Netherlands 409 (R ten Doeschate 259, P Borren 49; S Dhaniram 3-58) and 181 for 3 (T de Grooth 82, B Zuiderent 42)
Netherlands (20 points) beat Canada (0 points) by seven wickets

Group B Match 6 of 6 P WO WI D LI LO T Points Canada 3 2 - - - 1 - 40 Netherlands 3 1 1 - 1 - - 26 Kenya 3 - - 1 1 1 - 9 Bermuda 3 - 1 1 - 1 - 9

Remaining fixtures:
11-14 January, United Arab Emirates v Scotland, Sharjah
10-13 January, United Arab Emirates v Ireland, Abu Dhabi
Final, to be confirmed

For full scorecards, match reports and more information on the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2006, click here.