Dubai: A coach and his student hit half-centuries to steer their team to victory in the Dubai Cricket Council's Emerging League at the Sevens cricket ground.
G Force Cricket Academy coach Ayoub Iqbal, who missed out on a century by three runs after hitting five sixes and ten boundaries, showed the way for schoolboy Varun Totadri, who hit 54.
Speaking to Gulf News, Iqbal, who missed out on a century by just three runs, said: "I was not disappointed at missing my century because it was more heartening to see young Totadri get his half-century." Iqbal hails from Karachi and has played for Seven Seas and Dulsco before joining G Force as coach.
Iqbal and Totadri, along with Nanda Kumar (38), helped G Force pile up 283 for five in 20 overs and record a 102-run victory over Raiders Cricket Club.
The fourth Al Dhaid Gold Cup 40-over tournament produced a deadly bowling spell from Humayun Gul of William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana. He bagged six wickets for just 37 runs to restrict Farouq Cricket Club to 157 and win the match by five wickets in 28.3 overs.
Phoenix Medicines' Yousuf produced a five-wicket spell to bowl out Sharjah Club for 98 runs and win the match by two wickets. Despite a small target, Phoenix fought well taking eight wickets with Tahir and Fayyaz picking three wickets each.
The Al Dhaid Cricket Village also produced an exciting match between the touring Under-16 Jain International Residential School from Bengaluru and Sharjah Cricket Academy. Dhruva Praveen of Sharjah Cricket Academy emerged the hero of the match with a brilliant 93 runs with nine boundaries and a six to help his team post 193 runs in 35 overs. Jain School was restricted to 159.
