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Scotland and UAE sit in the best positions to claim the two final ICC Cricket World Cup places that will be decided upon tomorrow at the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in New Zealand.
Scotland and UAE sit in the best positions to claim the two final ICC Cricket World Cup places that will be decided upon tomorrow at the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in New Zealand. The side that loses the final on Saturday will join Ireland in Group B at next year’s Cricket World Cup.
Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) both recorded back-to-back victories to remain at the top of the Super Six table of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier New Zealand 2014 (CWCQ) in Christchurch on Tuesday.

In the other Super Six match played, Hong Kong defeated Namibia, while, in play-off matches, Netherlands defeated Canada to seal seventh position and Nepal defeated Uganda to claim ninth place.

In a match live-streamed on the official ICC website, www.icc-cricket.com, Scotland skipper Preston Mommsen smashed a quick-fire 94 to lead his side to a 52-runs victory over Papua New Guinea (PNG) at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln.

The side wasted no time after electing to bat, with opener Matthew Cross (49) laying the foundations for a big innings. Man of the match Mommsen struck 10 fours in his knock of 94, and was ably supported by Freddie Coleman (48). Willie Gavera got the breakthrough in the 40th over, dismissing Mommsen and then Rob Taylor (0) to be on a hat trick and finish with figures of two for 54, one of four bowlers to claim two wickets as Scotland posted 288 for nine from its 50 overs.

Vani Morea (57) and Assad Vala (33) kept PNG in the run chase, but when skipper Chris Amini (7) was dismissed in the 34th over, it sparked a batting collapse, losing three wickets for 30 runs to see the PNG run chase fall away. A rear-guard counter-attack was launched by lower middle order batsman Mahuru Dai, who clubbed 50 from 29 balls, clearing the boundary five times and striking two sixes. Gavera was the last wicket to fall and PNG was all out for 236 in 45.1 overs.

Mommsen was thrilled with his side’s strong all-round showing. “It was a good day, it started when we won the toss on a good wicket. And we got the runs on the board, which proved too many for them. We held our nerve with the ball which is a good sign for us moving forward.”

“I’m very happy with unit as a whole, with the bat we’re getting the runs and were able to put pressure with the ball because we’re getting the runs,” he said.

The UAE also recorded its second win in the Super Six stage, defeating Kenya by 13 runs with three balls to spare at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.

Kenya would have been pleased with its decision to send the UAE in to bat, with medium pacer Nehemiah Odhiambo claiming both openers within the first five overs. Skipper Khurram Khan again led the way with the bat, scoring 85 runs, and he was ably supported by Swapnil Patil (36) and lower order batsman Amjad Javed, who scored 63 from 31 balls, including five fours and three sixes.

In response, opener Irfan Karim (39), Collins Obuya (41) and Maurice Ouma (42) all contributed with the bat, however, the side was always just below the required run rate, and Kenya was all out for 233 with three balls to spare. Man of the match Amjad Javed added two wickets to his 63, while Mohammad Naveed claimed three for 40.

Man of the Match Amjad Javed said the back-to-back victories filled his side with confidence. “With this win the moral is boosted in the camp and we have one more game against Namibia and we think we can do it, we think we can play in the Cricket World Cup.”

UAE coach and former Pakistan fast bowler Aqib Javed was delighted with his side’s performance. “I am really happy because our first aim was to get to the top four, and next is to go all the way to the Cricket World Cup.”

Aqib continued: “When I joined the UAE many people asked me what my goal was for the UAE so I said that I want the UAE to play three world cups. The first one was Under 19 which we have qualified for, then T20 and now one more to go.”

In the third Super Six match of the day, a 155-run partnership between Mark Chapman (82) and Nizakat Khan (85) has seen Hong Kong defeat Namibia by 76 runs at Rangiora Oval, Christchurch.

After electing to bat, Hong Kong set a cracking pace, despite losing early wickets to be unsteady at 37 for three inside seven overs. Chapman and Khan crafted their 155-run fourth-wicket partnership over 33.4 overs, with middle-order batsmen Babar Hayat (24 from 16) and Tanwir Afzal (21 from 10) making rapid-fire contributions.

Louis Klazinga claimed two wickets in the final over to finish with figures of four for 65 as Hong Kong finished on 283 for nine.

A half-century from Craig Williams (59) anchored the Namibia reply, but the side lost wickets regularly. Christi Viljoen added 40 runs to his two wickets, but the side was all out for 207 in 43.3 overs.

Hong Kong captain Jamie Atikinson was pleased with what he described as a very good performance. “To recover from 30-odd for three was just fantastic. Mark Chapman and Nizakat Khan really recovered it for us. And the boys did well to restrict Namibia to 207 on a fairly good batting wicket.”

“I can’t remember the last time we beat Namibia in a 50 over game, and to play that well will lift the boys for the last game,” he said.

Looking ahead to the final match on Thursday, he said: “Hong Kong has never qualified for the 50-over Cricket World Cup, and if we could do it in the same year as the World Twenty20, it would be fantastic. The lads will be driving hard for that on Thursday.”

Scores in brief:
At Rangiora Oval, Christchurch, South Island
Hong Kong 283 for nine, 50 overs (Nizakat Khan 85, Mark Chapman 82; Louis Klazinga 4-65, JJ Smit 2-49)
Namibia 207 all out, 43.3 overs (Craig Williams 59, Christi Viljoen 40; Haseeb Amjad 4-33, Tanwir Afzal 3-41)
Result: Hong Kong won by 76 runs
Man of the Match: Nizakat Khan (Hong Kong)

At Hagley Oval, Christchurch, South Island
UAE 246 for eight, 50 overs (Khurram Khan 85, Amjad Javed 63, Swapnil Patil 36; Nehemiah Odhiambo 4-54)
Kenya 233 all out, 49.3 overs (Maurice Ouma 42, Collins Obuya 41, Irfan Karim 39; Mohammad Naveed 3-40, Amjad Javed 2-29)
Result: UAE won by 13 runs
Man of the Match: Amjad Javed (UAE)

At Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln, South Island
Scotland 288 for nine, 50 overs (Preston Mommsen 94, Matthew Cross 49, Freddie Coleman 48; Raymond Haoda 2-48, Mahuru Dai 2-52)
PNG 236 all out, 45.1 overs (Vani Morea 57, Mahuru Dai 50, Assad Vala 33; Rob Taylor 3-45, Majid Haq 3-52)
Result: Scotland won by 52 runs
Man of the Match: Preston Mommsen (Scotland)

Super Six Points Table

Rank Team Matches Won Lost Tied N/R Net RR Points
1 UAE 4 3 1 0 0 0.7416 6

2 Scotland 4 3 1 0 0 0.6124 6

3 Hong Kong 4 2 2 0 0 0.3123 4

4 PNG 4 2 2 0 0 -0.2525 4

5 Kenya 4 1 3 0 0 -0.23 2

6 Namibia 4 1 3 0 0 -1.1125 2

Schedule for play-off matches and Super Six stage (matches start at 1030 local time, except for matches at Bay Oval 2, which start at 1100 local time)

Thursday 30 January
UAE v Namibia, Rangiora Oval, Christchurch, South Island
Scotland v Kenya, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, South Island (ODI)
PNG v Hong Kong, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln, South Island

Saturday 1 February
Final, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln, South Island


ICC
Khurram Khan and the UAE could seal a 2015 World Cup place tomorrow © ICC
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