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In a rain-affected match which saw Myanmar’s target of 110 adjusted to 81, China’s bowlers fought hard after a near two-hour delay. Bouncing back from their defeat to Iran yesterday China beat Myanmar by 46 runs at the Penang Sports Club.

Aung in full stride

Rang Jinyu

China were unnecessarily scrambling for runs and after running three off a delivery in the 11th over, Chen Hang was too slow for the fourth and China were 45 for 5 after 11 overs. Not attempting to play many shots, China’s strategy was apparent – play all 40 overs. After the game China’s Coach Monjurul Islam said, “That was the plan. If they stayed 40 overs, they’d win.”

Burly wicket-keeper/batsman Tian Haiyang brought in some attacking skill. Haiyang lifted the ball over the 30-yard circle on a few occasions getting in singles and doubles. The partnership with Rang Jinyu grew and by the end of the 23rd over, they had picked themselves up to 73 for 6 and the game was swinging China’s way.

Haiyang flicks one off his pads

It was soon a test of patience for both teams as the runs and wickets dried up. It was the reason why Jinyu came down the track in the 28th and heaved – he connected but it went high into the air and leg-break bowler Aung Ko did well to hold onto it. Haiyang’s innings came to an end in the 34th over when he was plumb lbw off the bowling of slow-left armer Zin Hlaing. Not lasting long after that, China finished at 110.

Myanmar lost two early wickets but in the ninth over at 23 for 2, the heavens opened up. It gave both teams time to re-discuss their strategy. Then off 24 overs Myanmar required 81 to win.

Song Yangyang delivers

A brilliant bowling spell by Song Yangyang and his three wickets in the opening overs after the delay lifted his team and at this point China knew they had Myanmar down for the count. The pressure piled on the batsmen, wickets then fell much too often (Myanmar’s last eight wickets falling for five runs), and medium-pacer Rang Jinyu (3-9) picked off the tail-enders with ease.

“They just had to put the ball in front of the wicket – and they did. It was a good performance by both my batsmen and bowlers,” added Islam. China next face Oman at Universiti Sains Malaysia on July 16th. Oman beat Iran today by 82 runs.

China v Myanmar at Penang Sports Club

CHINA WON BY 46 RUNS (D/L METHOD)

China won the toss and chose to bat

China: 110 all out off 36.5 overs

Myanmar: 34 all out off 19.3 overs (R. Jingyu 3-9, S. Yangyang 3-4)

Man of the Match: Rang Jinyu (China)

Source: Asian Cricket Council

Afghanistan sealed a comfortable win against Maldives in the first game of the ACC U-16 Challenge Cup at the Penang Sports Club. Opening bowler Qayoum Zazai and off-break bowler Shamsurhman Karokhil took four wickets each to help Afghanistan to a nine-wicket win.

Maldives struggled throughout their innings against both the pace and spin attack, not being able to connect much with the ball. It was Afghanistan’s extras (20) that was the top score for Maldives. Spin bowlers Karokhil and Ahmadzai (1-0) were deadly accurate with their deliveries not allowing the Maldivian batsmen any room for error.

“We had taken the boys for a 20-day camp in Islamabad in Pakistan. They have done very well today but there is more to improve. For their first international game as a team, I think they did quite well.

“Our team bowled quite well and I am sure the team will learn from this experience,” said Afghanistan coach Assadullah Khan.

Afghanistan next play Bhutan at the Universiti Sains Malaysia day after tomorrow.

Afghanistan v Maldives at Penang Sports Club

AFGHANISTAN WON BY NINE WICKETS

Maldives won the toss and chose to bat

Maldives: 38 all out off 13.4 overs (Q. Zazai 4-13, S. Karokhil 4-4)

Afghanistan: 39 for 1 off 9.4 overs

Man of the Match: Shamsurhman Karokhil (Afghanistan)

In a cloudy and dizzling weather this morning, with a doubt of heavy rain fall could pour, Rigsum faced BTCL at Jigmethang. Match was delayed by half an hour and it was still dizzling during the toss. Toss won by Rigsum and opted to bat first. Due to the heavy rain fall last night, the wicket became so favourable to batsmen that Rigsum’s opernes Kencho (63) and Manoj (34) added 90 runs partnership while manoj was trapped leg before wicket (LBW) of Phuntsho’s bowl. BTCL pace bowlers really struggled to break this partnership while both batsmen were looking so comfortable in the crease to face pacers without any trouble. Rigsum lost their first wicket in 14 overs.

Tirtha first down batsman who added 17 runs in 55 balls stayed with Kencho for 6 overs and the kencho went run-out in a Tirtha’s first run. Kencho could have scored century today but getting to face only one ball in an over while Tirtha defending other 5 balls, lost kencho’s momentum. In 109 runs on the board Rigsum lost 3 quick wickets. Thinley faced only four balls was bowled and after the depart of Thinley, team captain Sonam Tobgay arrived but immediately send back to pavillion on his first ball by Phuntsho Wangdi with dashing sharp turn spin, pitched on outisde leg went to hit off stump. It was almost a game over for Rigsum but three lower down the order batsmen added 52 runs to make the target of 182 runs on the board in 41.4 overs. Rigsum’s eight wickets came from BTCL spinners. Phuntsho and Tobgay took 3 wickets each and Tandin with 2 wickets.

In the second inning, BTCL lost unstoppable 3 wickets in a row with zero runs on the board. With 3 wickets for zero runs on the board, pressure went to inform batsmen Thinley and Phuntsho to take the whole burden. Rigsum with attacking field set up, Thinley and Phunstho showed a excellent character of being a thinking cricketer. Phuntsho added 44 runs in 43 balls and Thinley with 46 runs in 40 balls in 15 overs. After the first drink break, it was disaster BTCL when they lose wicket of Thinley got run-out in Tenzin’s throw. And then Puntsho got bowled of Sonam’s bowl.



BTCL just needed another 70 runs to win but lost of two inform batsmen made them lose the game. Jige lower order batsman added 13 runs before they were allout for 137 runs. BTCL will still play semi against the winner from the match Vibes versus Youth XI which will held on coming week (TBC). Bikash Gurung was awarded man of the match for 5 for 40 runs.

Rigsum won the toss and opted to bat first

Rigsum scored 182 runs all-out in 41.4 overs

BTCL scored 137 runs all-out in 24.1 overs

Rigsum CC won by 45 runs

Man of the Match: Bikash Gurung (5 wickets for 40 runs in 9overs)

Umpires: Sampat & Dorji

Scorers: Deki & Dechen

Referee: DS Gurung

Vibes produced a performance of immense spirit and character as they secured their second victory over Druk Trowa with eight wickets win at Jigmethang yesterday. It was again Thinley Jamtso’s scoring 40 runs not-out in 16 balls to finish off the match in 5.4 overs. Druk Trowa won the toss and decided to bat first. Vibes bowlers once again shuttered the Druk Torwa’s batsmen like they did it in their last match against Youth XI. Druk Trowa played only 22.3 overs and scored total of 79 runs on the board. Lachumi who made double digits figure of 37 run while rest went out for 1, 2 and duck. Koshi took the first wicket, but Thinley bowling from other end took 6 wickets for 35 runs in 10 overs to place Druk Trowa in dilemma.

Vibes batsman Kumar played his first match yesterday. Kumar’s recent performances against Afghanistan in ACC Trophy, when he knocked 42 runs has been the intimidate for every Bhutanese bowler to really plan and think to take his wicket. But Kumar botched to show yerterday, when he was bowled by Lachumi in fourth ball of first over. Thinley again brings Vibes to a confortable eight wickets win by adding 40 runs not-out with his blistering shots all over boundary. Druk Torwa succeed in taking 2 wickets of vibes. Thinley has also marked himself as a new contender for Player of the tournament award. Man of the match was awarded to Thinley for 6 wicket and 40 runs not-out.

Druk Trowa won the toss elected to bat first

Druk Torwa scored 79 runs all-out in 22.3 overs

Vibes CC scored 80 runs for 2 in 5.4 overs

Man of the match: Thinley Jamtsho

Umpires: Dorji & Chencho

Scorers: Deki & Santosh

Match referee: DS Gurung

It can't bring back the World Twenty20 trophy, but Pakistan extracted some sort of revenge on Australia in their first meeting since the semi-final in St Lucia. Again, a vigorous Umar Akmal half-century set up Pakistan's innings but this time their bowlers, led by Mohammad Aamer, did enough to strangle Australia's run-rate and deny Michael Clarke's men, who couldn't chase down 168.

In May, it took something special from Michael Hussey to drive Australia into the decider against England, as he monstered the 18 needed off the last over, bowled by Saeed Ajmal. This time, Ajmal fittingly collected the final wicket and was mobbed by his team-mates as Australia fell to a 23-run defeat, their first loss to Pakistan in any format in their past 13 meetings.

Umar set up the victory with the fastest Twenty20 international half-century by a Pakistan player, a 21-ball effort that brought the thousands of Pakistan fans at Edgbaston to their feet. Their 167 for 8 looked competitive but gettable, and when David Warner scythed five boundaries from Shoaib Akhtar's first five balls, Australia appeared to be in charge.

But once the field went back, and Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul came on, the runs dried up. Gul delivered yorker after yorker, and Afridi altered his pace and angle to keep Warner and David Hussey guessing during their 52-run stand. Hussey had 34 from 28 balls when he skied Afridi to mid-on, and Warner followed in the next over.

Warner's 41 from 31 was more restrained than his usual Twenty20 efforts, with the attack on Akhtar his only period of dominance. Ajmal, the unlucky man asked to bowl the final over in St Lucia, deceived Warner with a ball that went straight on, beat the bat and crashed into the stumps. That brought Michael Hussey to the crease, but there were no heroics this time.

The Australians needed some top-order support for Warner; instead, Michael Clarke's dismal Twenty20 batting record continued. He was caught for 5, trying to force Abdul Razzaq through cover and it is now eight innings since he has scored better than a run a ball in a Twenty20 for his country.

Aamer (3 for 27) began the strong bowling effort by trapping Shane Watson lbw in the first over of the chase, before he returned to snare the key wickets of Cameron White and Steven Smith. With every wicket the Pakistan fans roared and blasted on their air horns, just as they had during Umar's batting blitz.

The highlight of his 64 was a pair of sixes straight down the ground off Smith, but his ability to the find the gaps and invent ways of scoring was remarkable. It takes a brave man to paddle sweep a Dirk Nannes full toss off middle stump, but Umar made it look like the most logical selection of stroke and ran the ball to the fine-leg boundary.

He departed in the 19th over, bowled by Shaun Tait, but by then he'd done enough. Umar was the star, but he had good support from Shoaib Malik in a 51-run stand that included 20 off one over, as Malik launched a stinging attack on David Hussey's offspin.

Malik was out in unusual fashion when he edged a slow bouncer behind off Nannes and the batsmen took a cheeky single, only for replays to show that Tim Paine had completed the catch diving forward. Pakistan looked like they might not even bat out their overs after they stumbled to 47 for 4 in the eighth over.

Umar's recovery won Pakistan the game, and earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. There was no world trophy on offer, but the win will give Pakistan confidence ahead of their long tour of England. And a confident Pakistan is a dangerous Pakistan.

Source: Cricinfo

Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo

The President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board AHM Mustafa Kamal FCA MP has been appointed the ACC's 21st President. Mr. Kamal takes over from Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt, who had held the post since 2008. The appointment took place at the ACC's AGM in Singapore.

"I consider this as a great honour for Bangladesh. I wish to thank everyone for their support and seek cooperation from all ACC Member nations so that we can take Asian cricket to new heights," said Mr. Kamal. Mr. Kamal will hold the post for the next two years as Bangladesh's nominee.

Mr. Binaya Raj Pandey who is the President of the Cricket Association of Nepal was appointed the new Vice-President of the ACC.

Source: Asian Cricket Council

Vibes whitewashed the BEC united by comprehensive eight wicket win to mark the first win of the tournament. BEC united opted to bat first after winning the toss but the decision proved expensive as the Vibes bowler took wicket in the regular interval. 

Thinley with 3 wickets

BEC united somehow manage to put 91 runs on the board playing only 14.1 overs. Disastrous start from the top order batsmen of BEC united only saw 11 runs contribution from the top four batsmen. Later Baganath quick fire of 45 runs from 17 balls gave some hope for the batting side but he felt victim to left arm bowler Sampath who bowled him out and took 4 wickets and gave 5 runs in just two overs. 

He was the pick of the bowlers followed by Thinley Jamtsho and Khosi with 3 wickets respectively. The tail-enders batsmen could only manage to contribute 10 runs and 22 runs coming from extra.With 91 runs on the board BEC united needed to take early wicket to put pressure on the Vibes batting line up but Thinley Jamtsho started his inning with thundering style as he smacked boundary 4 of the first ball.

Thinley with 48 runs from 33 balls

Thinley went on to make 48 runs but he couldn’t convert it to his first half century as he was bowled out by Baganath in 8th over but by the time Thinley had already  placed his team on the comfortable zone. Sampath contributed valuable 19 with three boundaries and one six to see vibes first victory. 

Vibes in action

Vibes took 11 overs to finish off the match. Thinley Jamtsho was judged as man of match for his sizzling performance. Tomorrow the two favorite teams to enter the semi-final, Bhutan Telecom will face inform Youth 11. 

Match Summary
BEC United won the toss and elected to Bat first
BEC United scored 91 runs all-out in 14.1 overs
Vibes CC scored 93 runs in 10.3 overs
Vibes CC won the match by 8 wickets
Man of the match: Thinley Jamtsho for 48 runs & 3 wickets

Match Officials:
Umpires: Chencho & Dorji
Scorers: Deki and Dechen
Match Referee: DS Gurung