Thirteen-year-old Chan Sau Har grabs hat-trick as Hong Kong women beat China by 117 runs

13 year-old Chan Sau Har who went on to record a hat-trick. © HKCA

Thirteen-year-old Chan Sau Har recorded a hat-trick as Hong Kong's women team geared up for next week's ACC Women's Tournament by beating China women by 117 runs at the Kowloon Cricket Club, Hong Kong yesterday (Wednesday).

The left-arm finger spinner notched up the rare feat from the first three deliveries of her fourth over as the Chinese women, chasing 159 for victory in a rain-curtailed match, were bowled out for 41 from 23.3 overs

Chan Sau finished with outstanding figures of 5-2-4-3 and her scalps included Bian Yuan, Wu Pei Su and Luo Wen Hong as China slumped from 31-5 to 31-8 to be eventually bowled out 10 runs later.

One of Hong Kong's best future prospects, Chan Sau Har made her debut at the age of 12 years and 293 days against Pakistan in the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Karachi last year. She won the 2006-07 Hong Kong Young Female Cricketer of the Year.

Hong Kong captain Neisha Pratt square-cuts on her way to an unbeaten 98 © HKCA

Besides Chan Sau, Ishitaa Gidwani took 2-13, and Kaori Iida and Betty Chan bagged one wicket each.

Earlier, Hong Kong's 158-3 in 25.3 overs revolved around captain Neisha Pratt who hit an excellent unbeaten 98. Pratt (34), clobbered eight fours and four sixes in her quickfire 81-ball knock.

Keenu Gill (19) and Kylie Knott (17) were the other main scorers while extras contributed 22.

For China, Mei Chun Hua, Hu Ting Ting and Wu Pei Yu took one wicket each.

This was the second cricket match between the two teams. In the historic first-ever game played in Shenzhen on 24 June, Hong Kong completed a 10-wicket victory.

It was the last practice match between the two teams ahead of the inaugural Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Women's Tournament to be played in Johor Baru, Malaysia from 11-18 July.

Hong Kong is in Group A along with Malaysia, Thailand and Nepal while Group B is made up of China, UAE, Bangladesh and Singapore.

China's Sun Meng Yao is bowled by Ishitaa Gidwani (not in the picture) as Hong Kong wicketkeeper Emma Emma Phillips looks on © HKCA

The increased profile and role for women's cricket in the region is all part of the ACC's five-year strategic development plan and has seen it release special funds to the non-Test playing teams for preparatory purposes.

The idea behind the drive is to synchronise women's cricket in the region among developing ICC Members and, at the same time, provide the players with match action which, it is hoped, will speed up their understanding of the game and their skill levels.

Women's cricket came under the auspices of the ICC and ACC in 2005 when the ICC merged with the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC). Before the merger, the IWCC had 15 members and since integration the women's game has grown fast and there were now 42 members with formal girls' and/or women's teams playing in structured cricket competitions.

A further 23 do not have competition teams yet but do have girls in junior development initiatives. That makes 65 of ICC's 101 members with some women's cricket and it is growing all the time.

Further details of the ACC Women's Tournament can be found at www.asiancricket.org