Dubai: UAE left-arm pacer Manjula Guruge produced a deadly six-wicket spell, but his superb effort went in vain as his team lost by 38 runs to a Western Australia XI in the first match of their tour of Australia yesterday.
The UAE are taking part in the International Cricket Council (ICC) High Performance Programme (HPP) for the four qualifiers for next year’s World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand.
Opening the bowling at the historic Waca ground in Perth, Guruge dismissed both Western Australia openers — captain William Bosisto and Marcus Harris. Guruge caught and bowled Harris for four and then claimed Bosisto in identical fashion for three.
He went on to take four more wickets to help restrict Western Australia to 245 for nine from their 50 overs. Guruge returned figures of six for 30 runs from his ten overs.
Speaking to Gulf News from Perth, Guruge said: “When I started to bowl, the pitch was a bit slow owing to its wetness. This helped me to concentrate and bowl on a good length and I gained good swing too. This is my first six-wicket haul and I enjoyed it. I am really happy to have produced such a spell at this ground.”
Wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft defied the impressive Guruge and added 56 runs for the third wicket with Australian Test player Ashton Agar, who hit the highest score by a Test No. 11 of 98 on his debut against England in Nottingham last year.
UAE vice captain Mohammad Tauqir removed Agar for 24, but 21-year-old Bancroft, who will play for the Perth Scorchers in the Champions League T20 from Saturday, went on to crack 119 off 127 balls with ten boundaries and three sixes.
UAE lost openers Andri Berenger for 12 and Amjad Ali for two, but skipper Khurram Khan and Saqib Ali put on 53 for the third wicket. Medium pacer Matt Dixon ended the partnership by dismissing Amjad for 19.
Nine runs later, Khurram followed as medium pacer Andrew Tye dismissed him for 40 from 52 balls, including six boundaries.
Swapnil Patil and Shaiman Anwar steered UAE past the 100 mark and put on 47 for the fifth wicket before Patil was trapped leg before by Zimbabwe-born pacer Hilton Cartwright for 18.
After Anwar fell for 41 off 42 balls with two boundaries and two sixes, No. 8 batsman Mohammad Naveed took up the challenge and cracked 41 off 30 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.
David Moody upset UAE’s hopes by taking two wickets in the 47th over as he returned figures of three for 33.
UAE will meet Western Australia again on Sunday.