United Arab Emirates progress into ACC final at expense of Malaysia

The United Arab Emirates have qualified for next year's Asia Cup and Friday's final of the Asian Cricket Council trophy, following their six-wicket win over Malaysia in the ACC Trophy semi-final in Sharjah today (Wednesday).

The result was marred by a controversial run-out decision by umpire, SK Bansal of India, when the UAE's reply to Malaysia's total of 201 all-out was poised at a delicate stage.

Bansal gave Man-of-the-Match, Naseer Siddiqui not out when television replays indicated he was about a metre out of his ground. Bansal did not refer the decision to the third umpire, AV Jayasundera.

Navaratnam said it the decision was vital to the outcome: "It cost us the game," he claimed.

At that point, the UAE were 63-3 and struggling against an accurate Malaysian attack. Naseer would go on to an unbeaten half-century in a controlled innings which was partly responsible for guiding the UAE out of difficulty when 48-3.

The UAE had been in trouble earlier in its innings after opener, Asim Saeed, was bowled by the third ball of the first over to an inswinger from Malaysian captain, Suresh Navaratnam which pitched outside off-stump.

Navaratnam did more damage in the 10th over, underarming a ball from mid-off to run out the UAE's Danish Jabbar (12) to leave the UAE at 32-2.

Malik played a confident innings, scoring 54 of his team's 85 runs when he was the fourth man out, spooning the ball to Arul Suppiah at point to give Rohan Selvaratnam his first wicket. Malik's 50 came from 66 balls. UAE captain, Saaed-Al-Saffer, was the third man dismissed on 48, lbw to Suppiah, not playing a shot.

Malik's departure brought the UAE's two batsmen with first-class experience, Nasir, and Kashif Khan together. Despite the relatively small total, they faced a challenge with the required run-rate reaching 5.3 an over.

The former Lahore players at first progressed cautiously, and then began to dominate what had been a tidy Malaysian attack. Nasir was fortunate on occasions, with the ball falling into gaps from misdirected shots. The second 50 of their partnership came in just 48 balls.

Malaysia seemed likely to set the UAE a sizeable target after electing to bat first, following a 103 run stand between openers, Shankar Retinam, and Rakesh Madhavan.

Both Shankar and Madhavan played sensibly, taking advantage of dropped catches and 'interesting' field placings. When Retinam was out to a regulation caught and bowled from off-spinner, Mohammad Tauqeer, the run-rate was around four per over, a rate Navaratnam later said was inadequate.

"The hundred (partnership) was good but we knew that one of them (the openers) should have got on with it. And the thing was they (the top order) took too many balls to get off the mark."

The out-of-form Mathew William continued his poor form, caught pulling a ball to Nasir on the mid wicket boundary off medium pacer Miraj Khaliq.

When Madhavan was bowled by Khaliq, for 54 (82 balls), a middle order collapse began, with four wickets falling for 18 runs.

Rohan Selvaratnam and Arul Suppiah combined for a 33 run partnership, before Selvaratnam was caught in the covers off Tauqeer to leave Malaysia at 193-7. The off-spinner fought back to take two wickets in his second spell, after conceding five runs an over in his first.

Any chance of a competitive total evaporated with all-rounders, Arul Suppiah and Muniandy out in quick succession. Malaysia were all-out for 201 in 49.1 overs.

The UAE skipper, Saeed-Al-Saffar, said he was confident of beating Hong Kong in the final: "We beat a better team today," he remarked.