Ismail guides Emirates to victory over NMC

Javed Ismail piloted Fly Emirates past New Medical Centre (NMC) with an unbeaten 64 in the Dulsco Ramadan Floodlight cricket tournament at the Dubai Cricket Council grounds.

Restricting New Medical Centre to 170 in 34.3 overs, Emirates won by seven wickets in 32.5 overs.

Electing to bat, NMC lost the UAE team player Kaif Ghaury for just five. Kanchan Cooray (35) and Saman Tushara (28) put on 51 runs for the second wicket. Amjad Javed, bowling a good length, struck twice removing Cooray and experienced Vijay Mehra for a duck.

Peter Rodrigues tightened the grip by dismissing Indika Fernando and Chamara de Zoysa quickly.
Five down for 88, Imran Tahir (22) and Yogesh Mistry (17) saw NMC past the hundred-run mark, but ran out of overs. Khuram Khan hastened the end with two quick wickets.

Though Emirates lost their opener Mohammed Ishtiaq for five, his partner Ismail began to stroke brilliantly. He got an able foil in the form of Khuram Khan (26) and the pair put on 56 runs for the third wicket.

After Khan was trapped leg before by Charinda, Fahad Usman joined Ismail. The pair saw their team past the target. Usman remained unbeaten with 39.

In a B division match, Dubai United Cricket Club defeated National Bank of Dubai (NBD) by 23 runs. United, despite being dismissed for 117, managed to restrict the bankmen for 94.

Electing to bat, United lost their first three wickets for nine runs. Rohait (28) and Wajahat Rehman (34) managed to steady the innings with a 59-run fifth wicket partnership. After Rehman was run out, the bankmen ran through the tail.

Chasing the easy target, the bankmen began well with opener Remy Rodrigues and Syed Mohsin Ali putting on 23 runs for the first wicket.

Irfan Ansari struck twice and NBD slipped into trouble with half the side back in the pavilion for 49. Tufail fought valiantly through an unbeaten 23 but he could not see his team reach the target.

Brief scores:
New Medical Centre 170 in 34.5 overs (Kanchana Cooray 35, Saman Tushara 28, Imran Tahir 22; Peter Rodrigues 3 for 48, Amjad Javed 2 for 15, Khuram Khan 2 for 34) lost to Fly Emirates 172 for 3 in 32.5 overs (Javed Ismail 64 n.o, Khuram Khan 26, Fahad Usman 39 n.o.).
Man of the match: Javed Ismail.

Dubai United Cricket Club 117 in 22.4 overs (Rohait 28, Wajhat Rehman 34; Munaf 2 for 10, Saeed Khan 2 for 23, Nazeer APM 2 for 32) bt National Bank of Dubai 94 in 22.3 overs (Tufail 23 n.o.; Sajid Ansari 2 for 11, Irfan Ansari 2 for 16, Abdullah 2 for 19).
Man of the match: Abdullah.

Today's fixtures:
8pm:NMC vs UNB (Div.A).