Saqib and Botha ensure honours are even after day two at Sharjah
It’s finely balanced at Sharjah Stadium between the United Arab Emirates and Namibia after day two of their ICC Intercontinental Cup match as the Africans are 104 runs ahead of their hosts with seven second-innings wickets still intact.
The day looked like going the way of the UAE with captain Saqib Ali registering a fine century early on and, in the process, making sure of the first-innings points for his team.
The 29-year-old was eventually dismissed by Michael du Randt for 104 priceless runs in a knock that lasted for 184 balls and included 14 fours and one six. He was ably supported by the lower order with Ahmed Raza making 35 and Zahid Shah hanging around for 29.
With Saqib at the crease, the UAE was in control at 220-7 but the last three wickets fell smartly and the home team finished on 224 all out, 60 runs ahead.
Unlike the first innings, the Namibia opening batsmen stuck to their task well second time around, putting on 81 for the first wicket. Namibia did lose JB Burger (38), du Randt (2) and Gerrie Snyman (19) before the close, with wickets for Khurram Khan, Arshad Ali and Zahid Shah, but at the other end 19-year-old Dawid Botha had stood fast.
Botha finished the day on 96 not out, just four short of what could be his second first-class century. Saqib and his bowlers will be doing everything they can to stop him and to prevent Namibia from building a match-winning lead.
With the visitors already 104 runs ahead, the game is very much in the balance. A good morning for the bowlers could force Namibia to set a very getable target but if Botha and company keep going the way they are, Saqib and the rest of the UAE batting could face an uphill task to save the game.
The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.
Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.
Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.
The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai.
