Mustafa, Usman star as UAE stun The Netherlands

Captain Rohan Mustafa led from the front with a fine all-round show and Muhammad Usman anchored the innings to help the UAE stun The Netherlands in the first 50-over match of UAE's tour of The Netherlands on Monday.

The UAE, ranked right at the bottom in the eight-team World Cricket League (WCL) defeated the top ranked Dutch by three wickets and an over to spare at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen.

Opting to make first use of the surface, The Netherlands were kept in check by a tight and tidy UAE bowling attack with the hosts able to muster only 182 for the loss of eight wickets in their 50 overs.

Medium pacer Amjad Javed and off-spinner Mustafa snapped up three wickets apiece to keep The Netherlands down to that score. The Netherlands captain Peter Borren top scored with 56 from 82 balls with four boundaries. Sikander Zulfiqar remained unbeaten on 41 from 56 balls.

The UAE too encountered a few hiccups along the way despite opener Mustafa's 34 but they managed to hold it all together through Usman and a few vital partnerships. The 31-year-old left-hander conjured an unbeaten 57 from 80 deliveries with four boundaries, the last of them winning it for the UAE.

Mustafa's knock had come from 36 balls and contained five boundaries. He and opening partner Mohammed Qasim put on 38 runs after which Usman added 60 runs for the fifth wicket with Rameez Shahzad. Usman also put together 31 runs for the sixth wicket with Adnan Mufti.

"We did a great job in the bowling department. All the bowlers bowled very well and with a consistent line and length. We were not expecting much because we are not used to this kind of conditions. But the bowlers did a great job and managed to restrict them. It was an easy total to chase but the conditions not being suitable to us, we managed to chase it down," Mustafa said after the game.

The victory couldn't have been more sweeter for Dougie Brown, who is in his first assignment since being appointed as permanent coach by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).

The UAE take on The Netherlands in the second match on Wednesday, with the third and final fixture to be played on Thursday.

Source: Khaleej Times