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Scotland Beat Hong Kong in Second T20 International

Hong Kong Win Braidwood Cup 2016

Scotland soundly beat Hong Kong in the second T20 international, and final fixture of the Braidwood Cup, on the back some tight bowling and Kyle Coetzer man of the match performance – Coetzer scored 70 off 40 balls which included six 6s.

Earlier, Hong Kong, who won the toss and decided to bowl first, dismissed Scotland opener George Munsey with the third ball of the match. His opening partner Coetzer however picked up regular boundaries to get Scotland back on track. He found support from Matthew Cross who scored four straight boundaries off Hong Kong skipper Tanwir Afzal. Cross scored 27 in the innings, second highest score for Scotland.

Haseeb Amjad and Nadeem Ahmed each took three wickets for Hong Kong and Scotland finished the innings at 161/9.

Hong Kong’s response did not begin well as Jamie Atkinson was caught off the first ball. The situation did not improve for the home side as they found themselves 8/4 after three overs.

Captain Tanwir Afzal restored some hopes for Hong Kong after he belted 30 runs in one over which included four 6s. He finished with 56 runs off 22 balls. Aizaz Khan also gave Hong Kong a late push with 20. But it was too little too late as Hong Kong ended the match 124 all out.

Bradley Wheal was the best bowler of the match with 3/20 off four overs. Richie Berrington also took 3 wickets for Scotland.

With Hong Kong’s victory in the shortened game yesterday, they split the Twenty20 series. Hong Kong won the only ODI and clinched the first ever Braidwood Cup series 2-1.

T20 Hong Kong v Scotland – 30 January, 2016

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An enthusiastic crowd saw Hong Kong beat Scotland in the first ever officially recognised T20 International to take place in Hong Kong.
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T20: Hong Kong Beat Scotland by Nine Wickets

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Hong Kong beat Scotland by nine wickets in a shortened inaugural Twenty20 International match at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground.

Babar Hayat took the Man of the Match honours, scoring 26 not out in the 10 overs a side match. “I just went in and had a look at a few balls. I targeted their off-spinner. If it was in my range, I just went for it.”

The game was delayed due to a wet ground but when play started, Hong Kong won the toss and decided to field first – and took the first wicket just five balls into the match. A great start to the first ever ICC recognised T20 international to take place in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to keep the powerful Scottish batting order in check. George Munsey was the highest scorer for Scotland with 17 runs, Calum MacLeod scored 16 before he was run out. Scotland finished the 10 overs with 66/7.

Haseeb Amjad led the Hong Kong bowlers with 1/8 off his two overs. Nadeem Ahmed followed closely with 1/9.

Opening batsman Jamie Atkinson hit a four off the first ball of Hong Kong’s innings and some attacking batting brought him a tally of 20 runs off seven balls before he was caught in the third over. His opening partner Anshuman Rath scored 20 not out. It was number three batsman Babar Hayat who took the spotlight with 26 runs off 14 balls. A big six in the seventh over sealing Hong Kong’s victory.

Safyaan Sharif took the only wicket for Scotland for 15 runs.

The second T20 international between Hong Kong and Scotland will start tomorrow at 1pm.

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Women’s Premier League Cricket

The first ever fixture of the Women’s Premier League will be played as a curtain raiser to Hong Kong’s Twenty20 International clash against Scotland at Tin Kwong Road Recreational Ground on Sunday 31 January, 2016.

The “Sail” squad will take on the “Bauhinia” squad, with the first ball being bowled at 8:15am, in a match that aims at providing a “best vs the best” competition to minimise the gap between club and international representative cricket.

With the lure of playing in major global tournaments and gaining support from Hong Kong Sports Institute, 2016 is an important year for women’s cricket in Hong Kong. The premier league tournament will give national selectors an opportunity to observe how the players perform under pressure.

After spending time with Melbourne Renegades as an Associate Rookie in the Women’s Big Bash League, “Bauhinia” captain Mariko Hill is back in Hong Kong and ready to bring her experience to the team.

“Mariko Hill will no doubt open the bowling and bat in the top four. Her pace is as quick as anyone’s in associate women’s cricket. It will be great to see if she can develop her bowling at an end of an innings also.” said Director of Cricket and Women’s Head Coach Charlie Burke.

“Her WBBL experience will help the squad by understanding how important preparation is and also showing that there are a lot of opportunities now opening up in women’s cricket outside of Hong Kong.”

The Women’s Premier League will be a three-match series and form the main selection guide for the Hong Kong squad over the coming 12 months.

“I think we might get a few surprises with some other players stepping up and keen to take on extra responsibilities within the team,” said Burke.

The second fixture will be played on the 7th of February at 1pm. The third game will be scheduled shortly.

Women’s Premier League
Date: 8:15am, 31 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreational Ground
Tickets: Free

Hong Kong Beat Scotland by 109 Runs in First ODI

Hong Kong have marked their first official One Day International on home soil with a comprehensive 109-run win in their World Cricket League Championship match against Scotland.

Sent into bat under grey skies at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, the home side posted 259 thanks to a record 170-run partnership between Anshuman Rath and Nizikat Khan.

In response, captain Tanwir Afzal led from the front with 3-21 from 10 overs to help dismiss Scotland for just 150.

But it was the partnership of Rath and Nizikat, a record in one-day internationals for Hong Kong, that proved most crucial after Hong Kong had wobbled early at 3-55.

Rath was largely the steady hand, scoring his 97 from 136 balls, while Nizikat was more brutal striking at better than a run a ball for most of his innings.

At one stage Hong Kong had reached 3-225 with seven overs to go but some tight Scottish bowling skittled the lower order. The final seven wickets fell for just 34 runs. Ali Evans was the pick of the bowlers for Scotland with 4-41.

But 259 looked a far more intimidating total after Tanwir removed Scotland’s key duo Kyle Coetzer (6) and Matthew Machan (0) in consecutive balls. Spinner Nadeem Ahmed cleaned up the lower order, taking 4-26 off his 8.1 overs. Callum McLeod played a lone hand for the Scots, making 58 off 78 balls.

Man of the Match Anshuman Rath applauded his batting partner Nizikat for helping him reach his highest ODI score. “To be honest, a lot of credit goes to Kat, I was sort of getting edgy as I faced quite a lot of balls but he kept me grounded,” Rath said. “I think the win is a big, big confidence boost that not only we beat them, but beat them in a fairly convincing manner.”

The second ODI is on Thursday with two more Twenty20 matches scheduled for the weekend.

ICC World Cricket League Championship: Hong Kong v Scotland
Date: 9:30am, 26, 28 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: Free
More info: One Day International, 50 overs a side

T20 International: Hong Kong v Scotland
Date: 1pm, 30-31 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: Free

Braidwood Cup Series – Hong Kong v Scotland Day 2 Abandoned

A disappointing sight as the covers remained on and the second day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture between Hong Kong and Scotland at the Mission Road ground in Mong Kok was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.

Match officials made a number of inspections of the field throughout the day, but despite the best efforts of the ground staff, no play was possible.

Braidwood Cup Series – Match Schedule

ICC Intercontinental Cup: Hong Kong v Scotland
Date: 9:30am, 21-24 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: Free
More info: First class cricket, 4 day game

T20 International: Hong Kong v Scotland
Date: 1pm, 30-31 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: Free

Braidwood Cup Series – Hong Kong v Scotland Day 1 Abandoned

The first day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture between Hong Kong and Scotland at the Mission Road ground in Mong Kok was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield.

Match officials made a number of inspections of the field throughout the day, but despite the best efforts of the ground staff, no play was possible.

Braidwood Cup Series – Match Schedule

ICC Intercontinental Cup: Hong Kong v Scotland
Date: 9:30am, 21-24 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: Free
More info: First class cricket, 4 day game

T20 International: Hong Kong v Scotland
Date: 1pm, 30-31 January, 2016
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: Free

Match Report: Fincher Shield, 9th-10th January 2016

Fincher Shield – 9th-10th January 2016

The bi-annual two-day fixture between Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) and Hong Kong Cricket Club (HKCC), for the Fincher Shield, was played at KCC over the weekend of the 9-10 January 2016.

KCC KARP won the toss and elected to bowl first in partly cloudy conditions on a wicket showing a distinctly green tinge. Adil Mehmood struck early to dismiss both HKCC openers with just 14 runs on the board. A third wicket partnership of 69 between Scott McKechnie and Nizakat Khan lifted the score to 83 before McKechnie fell to a catch in the slips from the bowling of Roy Lamsam for 39. Raag Kapur fell cheaply but then skipper Courtney Kruger joined Khan to add another 67 runs for the fifth wicket. Nizakat eventually fell for 55 and Kruger followed with 62 as HKCC were dismissed for 233 in 67.1 overs. Mehmood was the pick of the KCC bowlers with 5/50 from 16.1 overs, while Imran Arif picked up 3/54 from 17.

KCC’s first innings reply got off to a poor start and they were soon reduced to 4/32 as Tim Cutler, Miles Richardson and Anshuman Rath each claimed a wicket for HKCC. Jamie Atkinson and Waqas Barkat settled the home team’s nerves with an accomplished fifth wicket stand and they finished the first day’s play without further loss on 4/56.

The Atkinson/Waqas Barkat partnership added a further 107 runs on the second day before both batsmen fell in quick succession off the bowling of Rath. Barkat (54) was first to fall with the score at 163 and Atkinson followed five runs later for 66. The remaining batsmen could only add another 30 runs as KCC was dismissed for 198 – a first innings deficit of 35 runs. Anshuman Rath was the pick of the HKCC bowlers with 3/15 from seven overs while Simon Cook, Miles Richardson and Tim Cutler claimed two wickets apiece.

The KCC bowlers dominated the second innings as Imran Arif and Adil Mehmood grabbed three wickets each in an explosive opening burst that left HKCC reeling on 6/33. Mehmood’s fourth wicket was claimed shortly after, giving him nine for the match, as HKCC slumped to 7/45. Nizakat Khan (10) and Miles Richardson (30) shared a 29-run eighth wicket partnership but they were the only two HKCC batsmen to reach double-figures in a poor effort that saw them dismissed for 84 in just 23.4 overs. Mehmood finished with figures of 4/36 from eight overs while Arif grabbed 3/27 from 10. Najeeb Amar also grabbed a brace for KCC.

Set a target of 120 for victory, KCC lost Ninad Shah early but some sensible batting steadied the innings before a double strike by Anshuman Rath and a further wicket by Simon Cook saw them reduced to 4/45. Cook’s second wicket had KCC teetering at 5/59 but an unbeaten sixth wicket stand between Jamie Atkinson (22*) and Ryan Campbell (40*) saw them home in 19.4 overs. For HKCC, Anshuman Rath picked up 3/44 while Simon Cook claimed 2/36.

Man of the Match honours went to KCC’s Adil Mehmood who claimed match figures of 9/86 from 24.1 overs including five maidens.
At KCC: HKCC 233 from 67.1 overs & 84 from 23.4 overs lost to KCC KARP 198 from 53.5 overs & 5/120 from 19.1 overs by five wickets.