Malaysia wins on opening day of Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6

Malaysia, Guernsey and Fiji all scored victories on the opening day of Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 6 (WCL Div. 6) in Kuala Lumpur today (Saturday).

Adverse weather conditions saw one of the three games shortened and the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method applied after the rain clouds arrived in the late afternoon bringing thunder and lightning. No re-calculations were required for Fiji's match against Nigeria, nor Guernsey's against Jersey while hosts Malaysia had their game abandoned against Kuwait but not before D/L was imposed.

Malaysia started its Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 campaign on the right foot, despite a delayed start at Selangor Turf Club cricket ground, when Suresh Navaratnam dismissed Irfan Bhatti on the second ball the Kuwaiti opener faced in the humidity of Kuala Lumpur.

Watched by a small crowd of supporters at a venue that is surrounded by the Selangor Turf Club racetrack on the south-side of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia then removed Aamir Javed five overs later when the 22-year-old was bowled by Hassan Ghulam, while Navaratnam dismissed Sibtain Raza not long after for just one run.

Captain Hisham Mirza's arrival at the crease saw Kuwait steady the ship briefly but he departed after scoring just 22 runs. The Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 7 and 8 winners failed to dazzle against Malaysia, the side only reached a 100 in the 31st over but not before losing six batsmen in the process.

Sloppy shots by the visitors saw the side being caught by superior fielding from the Malaysian side, the team were eventually all out in 151 in less the 50 overs, while strong bowling from Navaratnam ? who walked away with figures of 4-15 - helped the host in the first innings.

Post-lunch Malaysia took to the field and it saw the quick departure of Faris Almas who left the crease after making just one run after Abdullah Akhunzada rearranged his stumps, Rajesh Madhavan departed 34 runs later and it was then up to captain Suhan Alagaratanam and Ahmed Faiz to maintain the side's run-rate before the rains arrived.

After a lengthy stop in play, the match was called to a halt and Malaysia won by 38 runs after D/L was calculated.

Alagaratanam said: "I am very happy to have won. One win and we're building momentum. I was surprised Kuwait chose to bat, the wicket was a bit sticky early on. Our bowlers, especially Suresh Nava did really well and the spinners played a big part.

"It's a little disappointing not to have finished the match but we know our strengths and I was glad to see how fast we were to the ball when fielding."

While Kuwait captain Hisham added: "We're very disappointed to have lost. Our batsmen couldn't cope with the early swing. If we win the toss tomorrow, I will think hard about bowling first.

"We're missing Mohammad Murad, he's the kind of bowler that gets early breakthroughs and he works well with Saad Khalid. Nevertheless we're looking forward to the rest of the tournament. One strong team would have lost today. We can bounce back."

Meanwhile, at Kinrara Oval, Jersey took on local Channel Island rivals Guernsey in the sides' hotly anticipated first round game. Stuart Le Prevost's side won the toss and elected to bat against Peter Gough's bowling attack

Guernsey's star all-rounder Jeremy Frith made his intentions for the tournament clear after the 33-year-old smashed his way to 80 runs to be the cornerstone of the side's innings. Frith departed after being caught by Jersey's Ben Stevens off the bowling of Gough.

Ross Kneller ably assisted Frith for some time, with the 28-year-old right-hander hitting a half-century all of which helped add runs to the board, while after their departure Le Prevost and David Hooper added important runs. Jersey's bowlers shared the spoils with captain Gough the pick of the bowlers with 2-11.

Setting Jersey a target of 252 the men in red made light of the target, knocking off some 131 runs before losing it lost its first batsman, Dean Morrison run out on 59. After a brief interval for a passing rain-shower, the teams returned to the field and Ben Stevens departed without a run to his name after being bowled by Jamie Nussbaumer.

Nussbaumer then dismissed in-form batsman Ed Farley who dragged the ball onto his stumps to depart for 64 while a thunderstorm took control over Kinrara as play continued in the suburb of Kuala Lumpur. Corey Bisson added a hard-fought 29 but Jersey captain Gough managed just 17 runs.

As thunder and lightning struck around the ground and the rain clouds converged, Jersey began to lose wickets and at six down in the 44th over, it was beginning to look like the game may stop between the two Channel Islands due to possible downpours.

Some poor bowling from Stuart Bisson, who managed to let 19 runs go on the 44th over after meant the Jersey side were well ahead on D/L even though the match was continuing under grey clouds.

Some poor bowling by the Guernsey side saw Jersey take full advantage, but the side tightened up and with two overs left and Jersey needing 14 runs to win and one wicket in hand it was looking to be a close finish. Jersey required 10 runs off the final over, which was to be bowled by Tim Ravenscroft, were to be denied after James Faudemer was bowled with Ravenscroft's second ball and scoring Guernsey a well deserved victory if a nerve-wracking one.

Jersey's Gough was obviously disappointed after some fine performance in the field: "Obviously gutted about today with the fact we couldn't score a victory but to keep them down to 250 on such a good batting track.

"I was really pleased with the way our two young lads worked out in the middle ? Corey Bisson and Sam de la Haye both worked really hard and now it's about improving for tomorrow."

Meanwhile Man of the Match, Frith said: "I think we were 15 to 20 short of runs on the board and then we didn't bowl well to begin with which didn't help us. I am a little disappointed that I didn't make it to a hundred and got us to 270 but we're underway to get the two points.

"Fundamentally today got us two points, Jersey played fantastically and all credit to them they probably deserved to win. It was a tough game out there but it's good to walk away with a win and take the two points."

East Asia-Pacific side Fiji began its Division 6 campaign against Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 7 promoted side Nigeria at Bayeumas Oval and Joe Rika's men side got off to a flying start after beating the Africans by 63 runs.

Having won the toss and electing to bat first, Fiji lost wickets early on but the advent of the Rika brothers, captain Joe and brother Colin, saw the duo add important runs to the scoreboard in the morning sunshine at Bayeumas Oval.

After the Rika brothers departed it was up to the lower order to share the runs with Maciu Gauna and Mohammed Khan both proving to be useful run makers as the islanders posted a respectable total of 203 in its 50 overs.

Nigeria's Ramit Gill proved to be the pick of the African bowlers but player-coach Sean Philips once again proved to be useful with his off-spin bowling, dismissing two of the lower order in Kitiano Tavo and Sakaraia Lomani.

In reply the Nigerians simply could not handle the off-spin bowling of veteran Fijian stalwart Iniasi Cakacaka who dismissed four of the side including key batsmen Gill and Philips. Despite the best attempts of Oluwaseun Odeku the side was on its way to be all out for 140 when Lomani took two bottom order wickets and the victory was sealed for Fiji when Joshua Ogunlola was run out.

Joe Rika said of the side's first win of the tournament: "It was great to start off with a win and the boys are feeling good.

"Iniasi (Cakacaka) did really well to come back after making a duck with the bat, to come back and take four wickets was a great effort. The boys are really happy and we're looking forward to our next match tomorrow."
At Kinrara

Guernsey 251-8, 50 overs (Frith 80, Kneller 50; Gough 2-11)

Jersey 242 all out, 49.2 overs (Farley 64, Morrison 59; Ravenscroft 3-34)

Guernsey won by nine runs

At Selangor

Kuwait 151 all out, 46.1 overs (Saud 35; Navaratnam 4-15)

Malaysia 88-2, 21 overs (Alagaratanam 28, Faiz 31)

Malaysia won by 38 runs D/L method

At Bayeumas

Fiji 203-8, 50 overs (C Rika 40, Gauna 37; Gill 2-24)

Nigeria 140 all out, 41 overs (Gill 36; Cakacaka 4-27)

Fiji won by 63 runs

Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6 Points Table