Fly Emirates stop Air India to lift Emirates Cup again

Fly Emirates lifted the Emirates Cup for the second time in a row to prove their supremacy in UAE's domestic cricket.

Beating Air India by seven wickets in the final held at the Dubai Cricket Council ground, Leroy Lindsay, the General Secretary of the Emirates team, told the Gulf News: "Our team has matured. After losing in the semifinals and finals of many tournaments we have displayed our might. We have won the Ramadan Cup and the Emirates Cup twice in succession."

Emirates won the toss and put Air India on a green wicket. Aurangazeb struck in the very first over as he had hard hitter Piyush Maloo caught by Sandesh Desai at short midwicket.

Aurangazeb dismissed Akbar Rana, who uppishly drove to Arshad Ali at short cover, and Bakhtiyar Palekar caught at deep point forcing an uppish square-cut.

Air India never recovered from the early blows. A.M. Adnan stood amongst the ruins to hit 21 but was caught by Aurangzeb off the bowling of medium-pacer Saby Fernandes.

Left arm spinner Khurram Khan spun the ball viciously to bag the wickets of Mohammed Hyder and Sailesh Kalia to sink Air India to 76 for 8.

However Air India's experienced skipper Mohammed Lokhandwala held on at one end and with the help of Paresh Motwani (15) and Syed Khurshid (19) saw Air India past the 100-run mark.

Chasing a small total of 125, Fly Emirates lost Amjad Javed in the second over, caught behind off Kurhsid. Skipper Peter Rodrigues settled down quickly with opener Arshad Ali.

Akbar Rana bowled Arshad Ali on 36 (4x4) while attempting to sweep at the team's score on 87. Fahad Usman steered the side to 111 before he too was caught by wicketkeeper Abbas Khan. Peter and Khurram kept the scoreboard moving and ensured the team's victory in the 27th over.

"This team is a mixture of young and experienced. Players like Khurram Khan, Murali and Javed Ismail have been consistent and the team has clicked well under the leadership of Peter Rodrigues," added Lindsay.

"The support given by the management to tour abroad and play against other teams has helped the players gain good exposure. This has reflected in our performance," said Lindsay, who announced that the team will be leaving for England to play against the Lord Taverner's team on June 11.

"Playing consistently we have proved to be a well knit team. The team spirit has also been outstanding and to win this most prestigious cup twice in succession speaks volumes of the hard work put in by the players," said Desmond Rodrigues, the manager of the Fly Emirates team.

Summarised scores
Emirates Cup (final)
Fly Emirates beat Air India by seven wickets
Air India 125 all out in 42.1 overs (A.M. Adnan 21, Paresh Motwani 15, Syed Khurshid 19, Aurangazeb 4 for 30, Khurram Khan 2 for 17, Saby Fernandes 3 for 16) lost to Fly Emirates 126 for 3 in 27 overs ( Arshad Ali 36, Peter Rodrigues 49 n.o. )
Man of the match: Aurangazeb of Fly Emirates.