The UAE Under-19 suffered their second consecutive defeat in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Sunday, when they lost to New Zealand by 112 runs.
The hosts had earlier lost by a massive margin of 213 runs to England in their opening match, and Saturday’s loss at Sharjah Cricket Stadium virtually ensures that they will not advance beyond the group stages.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. They made 281-5 in their 50 overs with Man of the Match Robbie O’Donnell top-scoring with an unbeaten 107.
In reply, the UAE were bowled out for 169 in the last over. But it wasn’t a complete capitulation as the UAE had the young Black Caps under pressure for the better part of their innings.
They managed to remove the top three Kiwi batsmen with just 50 runs on the board. And after 25 overs, they had conceded just 96 runs.
From that stage onwards, the UAE lost their grip on the match as Robbie O’Donnell (107 not out, 120b, 6×4, 4×6) and Shawn Hicks (70, 83b 2×4, 2×6) added 145 runs for the fourth wicket.
On Hicks’ departure, Leo Carter (48, 43b, 4×4, 2×6) joined O’Donnell and added 86 runs for the fifth wicket, before he was out of the last ball of the innings.
In reply, the UAE kept losing wickets at regular intervals, quite a few of them to sharp catches. Opener Shivank Vijayakumar was held by Ken McClure running back in gully off Jack Hunter, while Shorye Chopra was next to go when his exquisite hook was plucked on the long-leg boundary by the tall Brett Randell after he had to balance himself inches from the line.
Chirag Suri was the lone bright spot for the UAE, playing several imperious hooks and pulls and never looking in any kind of trouble during his chanceless innings of 57 (77b, 6×4). He was finally dismissed in the 47th over.
The UAE now play their last Group D match against Sri Lanka at the same venue on Tuesday, while New Zealand will have to beat England at Dubai International Stadium on the same day to have any chance of advancing to the knock out stage.
