Sharjah: The touring Uganda national team is finding Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Blues too hot for them. They suffered three losses on the trot, with Naeemuddin Aslam behind his consistent self with back-to-back half-centuries and a spectacular century from Swapnil Patil doing the damage in the last four matches.
Aslam’s second successive half-century helped the ECB record their second successive win against Uganda at the Al Dhaid Cricket Village ground.
Aslam’s knock of 87 from 139 deliveries came at a time when ECB were struggling at 37 for three and 70 for five at one stage. Speaking to Gulf News after his second match-winning knock following his 52 in the first match, Aslam said: “I played each ball on its merit as I was keen to get my eye in before playing any shots.”
Despite Aslam’s fighting knock, Uganda restricted ECB to 169 for 9 in 50 overs.
For Uganda, Brian Masaba bagged three wickets in his 10 overs giving away 42 runs while Deusddit Muhumuza took two wickets. In reply, Uganda batsmen failed to get off to a good start against a disciplined ECB attack losing wickets at regular intervals.
Khalid Moothosmany withstood the attack to hit 58 runs from 85 deliveries including a boundary and a six but Uganda could muster only 137 in 49.4 overs. For ECB Blues, Saqib Ali bagged three wickets in his 10 overs for 39 runs.
Patil’s knock against Uganda in the fourth One-dayer came off 108 from 127 deliveries. He was accompanied by Haroon Ifthikar, who hit an important 54 from 71 balls as the duo shared a century stand for the fourth wicket. Saqib Ali chipped in with an unbeaten 53 as ECB Blues piled up 257 for 5 in 50 overs.
