Dubai: Fly Emirates crashed to a two-wicket defeat to New Medical Centre (NMC) in the Emirates Cup tournament being held at the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC) ground.
Defending champions Fly Emirates, who were flying high after setting a record score of 489 runs against Air India the previous weekend, slumped thanks to Lucky Fernando and Vijay Mehra's stubborn batting.
In another match, Lanka Lions' Shahane Perera bowled his team to an 82-runs win over Arab Udupi with a deadly spell of 5 for 7.
Batting first, Fly Emirates were restricted to 196.
New Medical Centre bowlers Shadeep Silva, Dhananjay and Saqib Ali bowled a tight line and length and were backed up by smart and agile fielding.
Kashif top scored (68x 84 balls; 4x4; 2x6), while Nigel made a sedate 44 in 76 balls.
New Medical Centre began badly, losing two quick wickets. Experienced Mehra (31), and Fernando put on 86 runs for the sixth wicket.
After Mehra fell to Yasin Siqander, Fernando carried on with Yogesh Mistry (16), to see NMC through to an exciting win.
Lanka Lions won their first game in the tournament upsetting Arab Udupi. The Lions batted first and were bowled out for 157 runs in 46.5 overs.
Spinners Abdullah Mazhar, Mohammad Kamil, Vikrant Shetty and Devender Taneja picked up two wickets each.
Oshad Warnapura (25), Eranga Jeyasekara (34) and Janaka Bandara (22) were the main scorers.
Defending 157 runs was never going to be easy but a brace by Mithila Rajapakse and Janaka Kumarajit set the Lions on their way.
Shahane Perera, coming in as the sixth bowler, then rocked the batting line up with a spell of five wickets for just seven runs in 5.2 overs.
Arab Udupi were shot out for just 75 runs.
Defending champions Fly Emirates, who were flying high after setting a record score of 489 runs against Air India the previous weekend, slumped thanks to Lucky Fernando and Vijay Mehra's stubborn batting.
Brief scores
Emirates Cup
New Medical Centre bt Fly Emirates by two wickets
Fly Emirates 196 ( Amjad Javed 29, Nigel Fernandes 44, Kashif Khan 69, Saqib Ali 2 for 29, Shadeep Silva 2 for 20, Dhananjay F. 2 for 34) New Medical Centre 197 for 8 ( Saqib Ali 20, Vijay Mehra 31, L. Fernando 78, Clarence 2 for 38, Moather Raza 2 for 24, Amjad Javed 2 for 26, )
Man of the match: L. Fernando.
Lanka Lions bt Arab Udupi by 82 runs
Lanka Lions 157 ( Oshada Warnapura 25, Eranga Jeyasekara 34, Janaka Bandara 22, Abdullah Mazhar 2 for 22, Mohammad Kamil 2 for 21, Vikrant Shetty 2 for 33, Devender Taneja 2 for 24) Arab Udupi 75 ( Mithila Rajapakse 2 for 12, Janaka Kumarjit 2 for 5, Shahane Perera 5 for 7 )
Man of the match: Shahane Perera.
