Hosts NMC take on Fly Emirates in today's final

Abu Dhabi: Last year's losing finalists Fly Emirates from Dubai take on hosts New Medical Centre in the final of the 17th NMC Hospital Trophy Division 1 Cricket tournament to be played at the Zayed International Cricket Stadium at 3.30pm on Friday.

The NMC team, led by UAE skipper Saqib Ali, and the Fly Emirates team led by former UAE skipper Arshad Ali are two of the top club sides in the UAE and an exciting tussle is on the cards.

The NMC side reached the final earlier in the season when they defeated Dubai's Consolidated Shipping Services while Fly Emirates got past William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana by 69 runs in last week's final.

Fly Emirates scored 256 for 9 with Saby Fernandes scoring 85 from 111 and later he picked up four wickets to restrict Gymkhana to 187.

"This is our first final for this season and we hope to do well. We have beaten Fly Emirates in the league phase and we hope we can repeat that," said Saqib Ali.

"Both teams have some very good players and it will be a highly competitive match," he added.

Fly Emirates, who lost to Arab Udupi in the last edition after winning against the same opposition, will be looking to get back to winning ways.

Both sides are sprinkled with a fair number of players who have represented the UAE and today's match kicks off an exciting week of cricket activity in the capital with the Lashings Cricket Club also in the city.

Brief scores
Fly Emirates: 256 for 9 in 50 overs (Mohammad Iqbal 24, Saby Fernandes 85, Khurram Khan 35, Nigel Fernandes 42, Owais Aftab 2-62, Tahir Butt 3-55).

William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana: 187 all out in 44.1 overs (Haroon Iftikhar 32, Kashif Mahmood 29, Samir Zia 3-33, Nigel Fernandes 4-28).