Doha CC Beat Bangladesh in QCA Division A League

Doha, January 5 (QNA) - Doha Cricket Club (DCC) defeated Bangladesh Cricket Club (BCC) by 128 runs on Friday in a Division A League 50-over match organized by the Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) and played at ground number two of the cricket complex here in West Bay. Electing to bat first, DCC were propelled by an entertaining fifth-wicket partnership of 142 runs between half centurions Saad Khan and Shahed Hussain after openers Moazam Butt (26) and Khalid Khatib (18) had given a sedate start. Hussain, a 23-year-old wicket-keeper batsman from Hyderabad, India joined 17-year-old left-hander Saad, who hails from Islamabad, Pakistan, when DCC were 124 for four wickets. The youngsters put to sword Bangladesh bowlers, plundering runs at will during their rollicking partnership which knocked the wind out of Bangladesh sails. Both the batsmen threw caution to wind when only six overs were left. Saad advanced from 68 to 74 with towering six and was eventually out after adding two more runs. He scored 78 with nine fours and one six. Hussain scored 63 runs with eight fours off 68 balls. In a bid to increase the score DCC, lost wickets in heap losing their fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wickets with the total at 266, 257, 268 and 269 respectively. Chasing 280 to win, Bangladesh openers started aggressively swinging their bats wildly, but without much gain as DCC fast bowlers Talha Shah, who hails from Quetta, Pakistan, and the tall and well-built Noor, generated top pace despite being hampered by a strong winter cross wind. Talha despatched the first three batsmen while Noor, who saw a catch dropped in the slip cordon, came back strongly from the West Bay highway end to pick up two wickets. Peshawari leg-spinner Mohammed Amjad Nazib then got into the act, taking a wicket off the first ball he bowled. He picked up three more to finish with the fine figures of four for 16 off seven overs one of which was a maiden. Bangladesh was bowled out for 151 off 33 overs. It was a fine recovery after losing half the side for less than 90 runs, thanks some lusty hitting by tail-ender Titto who slammed three sixes in his entertaining knock of 24. In an another Division A match Umer Taj hammered an unbeaten 83 off 107 balls to power Commercialbank of Qatar to a seven-wicket victory over Qatari Diar. Batting first, Qatari Diar scored 179 off 41.3 overs with Amir (36), Alla Ditta (39) and Iqtadar (37) scoring the majority of runs. With the middle order not making decisive contributions, CBQ hardly broke a sweat on a cold and windy while overhauling the target. Brief scores: Doha Cricket Club 279 for nine off 50 overs (Saad Khan 78, Shahed Hussain 63, Ahmed Fawad Chugtai 29, Moazam Butt 26; Ahad 3 for 21, Arman 2 for 37, Arman 2 for 57) beat Bangladesh Cricket Club 151 all out (Allauddin 29, Titto 24; Amjad Nazib 4 for 16, Talha Shah 3 for 37, Noor 2 for 18, Yassir 1 for 33) by 128 runs. Qatari Diar 179 all out off 41.3 overs (Amir 36, Alla Ditta 39, Iqtadar 37; Parvez Khan 3 for 34, Sajjad Ahmed 3 for 33, Sardar Khan 2 for 19) lost to Commercialbank of Qatar 180 for three (Umer Taj 83 not out, Zaheer Ahmed 32) by seven wickets. (QNA)