Saturday 20 / April / 2024
Muscat: Aamir Kaleem came with a fine all-round display to help Oman survive a scare against Guernsey and clinch a berth in the final of the ongoing ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 5 competition in Jersey on Friday.
The thrilling two-wicket victory, their fifth success in a row, also ensured the Sultanate squad earned promotion to the WCL Division 4 competition, which will now take place in the United States later this year.
For the first time in the competition, unbeaten Oman side seemed to have met their match as chasing a rather easy target of 141 for eight set by Guernsey, Duleep Mendis-coached side simply caved in at the beginning of their innings.
With four wickets down for just 13 runs and hosts Jesery, the other contenders for a place in the final and one of the two qualifying places for Division 4, racing to a 10-wicket victory over Nigeria, Oman placed themselves in all sorts of danger.
But Aamir Kaleem (35) and captain Ajay Lalcheta (24) took Oman closer to the victory before Swapnil Khadye (33 not out) completed the formalities in the company of Rajesh Ranpura and Sufyan Mehmood as Oman scored 142 for eight in 36.2 overs.
Chasing an achievable score of 145 for eight, Oman made a disastrous start losing four wickets with 13 runs on the board which soon read 39 for five with Oliver Newey doing the major damage.
The medium pacer removed hard-hitting opener Zeeshan Maqsood (4) and one-drop Vaibhav Wategaonkar (0). And after Andrew Hutchinson sent back Jatinder Singh (0), Newey struck again to remove Khawar Ali (4).
But Aamir Kaleem, in the company of Noorul Riaz, steadied the ship. After playing out a few overs, including a maiden over from Hutchinson, Aamir Kaleem settled the nerves with three boundaries off the ninth over bowled by Newey.
However, when Newey claimed his fourth scalp in the 11th over, removing Noorul Riaz (11), half the Sultanate’s team were back in the pavilion.
Aamir Kaleem and captain Ajay Lalcheta kept the things under control. Mixing caution with aggression they took the team closer to the victory. But the departure of the duo, both dismissed by Max Ellis, in quick succession again swung the match in Guernsey's favour.
However, Swapnil Khadye ensured there were no more hiccups as he steered Oman to victory with valuable contributions from Rajesh Ranpura and Sufyan Mehmood.
Earlier, Guernsey tried to take a cautious route in the hope of putting up a big score. but all they could manage in first five overs was 13 runs. Soon they were jolted by Rajesh Ranpura who removed Guernsey opener GH Smith.
From then on Guernsey crawled to 40 for one in 18 overs. But they were further jolted when Oman claimed four wickets in space of seven runs. It was Sufyan Mehmood who sparked the collapse by removing one drop batsman Oliver Newey (11).
Then an alert Jatinder Singh ran out Tom Kimber before left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem struck twice in two overs accounting for Mathew Stokes (3) and David Hooper (4), both trapped lbw.
Guernsey never really recovered from that shock though Oliver Nightingale (24) and Jason Martin (33) tried to rebuilt the innings.
Martin in particular took the fight to Oman smashing two fours and two sixes. He was the last to be dismissed, bowled by Munis Ansari, as Guernsey ended their innings at 141 for eight in 50 overs.
Unbeaten Oman finished their league engagements with 10 points and take on hosts Jersey (8 points) in Saturday's final. Guernsey earned six points from five outings.
SCOREBOARD
GUERNSEY
GH Smit c Riaz b Ranpura 13
TCR Kimber run out 16
OE Newey c Khadye b Sufyan Mehmood 11
MWR Stokes lbw Aamir Kaleem 3
DR Hooper lbw Aamir Kaleem 4
LB Ferbrache c Ranpura b Zeeshan Maqsood 10
OB Nightingale c Jatinder Singh b M Ansari 24
JC Martin b M. Ansari 33
J. Butler not out 8
A. Hutchinson not out 7
Extras (b-2, lb-7, nb-3) 12
Total (8 wkts; 50 overs) 141
Did not bat: MLA Ellis
Fall of wickets 1-13, 2-40, 3-41, 4-46, 5-47, 6-79, 7-123, 8-132.
Bowling: Ajay Lalcheta 10-2-25-0; Rajesh Ranpura 7-4-12-1; Munis Ansari 8-0-34-2; Sufyan Mehmood 7-1-18-1 (nb-2); Aamir Kaleem 10-3-2-2; Zeeshan Maqsood 8-2-31-1 (nb-1).
OMAN
Zeeshan Maqsood c Ferbrache b Newey 4
Khawar Ali c Martin b Newey 4
V. Wategaonkar lbw Newey 0
Jatinder Singh c Martin b Hutchinson 0
Noorul Riaz c Hooper b Newey 11
Aamir Kaleem c Kimber b Ellis 35
Ajay Lalcheta c Stokes b Ellis 24
Swapnil Khadye not out 33
Rajesh Ranpura c Martin b Hutchinson 12
Sufyan Mehmood not out 2
Extras (b-2, lb-1, w-13, nb-1) 17
Total (8 wkts, 36.2 overs) 142
Did not bat: M. Ansari
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-10, 3-13, 4-13, 5-39, 6-92, 7-94, 8-132.
Bowling: O. Newey 6-0-27-4 (w-3); A. Hutchinson 9-1-25-2 (w-2); DR Hooper 8-2-25-0 (w-3); J. Butler 3-0-12-0 (w-2); M. Ellis 9.2-1-35-2 (w-1); GH Smit 1-0-15-0 (w-1).
