Saudi Arabia pulled off a significant victory against strongly-fancied home side Singapore on the opening day of the Asian Cricket Council Elite League, winning by three wickets at the Indian Association Ground. Batting first Singapore were unable to post a substantial score on what was a good batting track and from 90 for 2 in the 21st over, collapsed to 149 all out. Saudi Arabia’s spinners Faheem Afrad, Mohammad Afzal and Mohammad Nadeem did the damage taking 7 wickets for just 79 runs in 27 overs. Singapore promised much initially with Andre de Lange (45 off 71, three 4s and one 6) and Chaminda Ruwan (39 off 56, four 4s) going well but no other batsmen could push on against the nagging Saudi Arabian attack.

In return, Saudi Arabia were in some trouble initially at 27 for 3 in the 11th over of their innings but a 102-run partnership between Man of the Match Shahbaz Rasheed and captain Afzal took the game away from Singapore who didn’t help their cause by dropping six catches during the day. A late flurry of wickets brought Singapore somewhat back into the game but Saudi Arabia won with more than five overs to spare. Singapore’s woes were further compounded with a fractured finger for skipper Saad Khan.

In the day’s two other matches Kuwait played out a similar game against Bahrain at the Singapore Cricket Club, and Maldives beat Bhutan in a rain-affected run-chase. Bahrain fell away from 72 for 2 to 147 all out, with pace-bowler Saad Khalid taking 5 for 26. In reply, Kuwait themselves lost wickets steadily but were always ahead of the required run-rate with captain Hisham Mirza the lynchpin of the innings with 47 off 67 (five 4s and two 6s). Kuwait won by four wickets with more than 18 overs to spare.

Like the match at Indian Association, the game between Bhutan and Maldives at the Kallang was also reduced in duration because of a late start because of morning rain and Maldives did well to bowl out Bhutan for 109 in the full 47 overs available. Off-spinner Mihusan Hamid took 3 for 15. In reply Maldives were cruising towards victory at 53 for 1 before a rain-shower forced the players off 30 minutes and set Maldives a revised target of 101 in 39 overs. Runs came at a clip but Bhutan’s bowlers were also taking wickets before Maldives won by three wickets after 27 overs.

ACC Elite League 2014: Day 1

Singapore v Saudi Arabia at IA
SAUDI ARABIA WON BY THREE WICKETS
Match reduced to 46 overs
Saudi Arabia won the toss and elected to field
Singapore: 149 all out off 42.4 overs (A.de Lange 45, C.Ruwan 39; M.Nadeem 3-19)
Saudi Arabia: 150 for 7 off 40.5 overs (S.Rasheed 66, M.Afzal 41; A.Mahboob 3-29)
Man of the Match: Shahbaz Rasheed (Saudi Arabia)
Scorecard

Bhutan v Maldives at Kallang
MALDIVES WON BY THREE WICKETS (D/L Method)
Bhutan won the toss and chose to bat
Bhutan: 109 all out off 47 overs (M.Hamid 3-15)
Maldives: 101 for 7 off 27 overs (A.Hassan 36)
Man of the Match: Mihusan Hamid (Maldives)
Scorecard

Bahrain v Kuwait at SCC
KUWAIT WON BY FOUR WICKETS
Kuwait won the toss and elected to field
Bahrain: 147 all out off 39.4 overs (A.Butt 35; S.Khalid 5-26)
Kuwait: 148 for 6 off 31.2 overs (H.Mirza 47)
Man of the Match: Saad Khalid (Kuwait)
Scorecard

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