Usman's 49 powers UAE to three-wicket victory

A brave innings of 49 by middle-order batsman Fahad Usman helped the UAE Emirates Cricket Board avoid a series whitewash against the visiting Bangladesh A team at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday night.

Usman's knock helped secure a three-wicket win for the hosts and prevented the visitors from winning all four matches of their eight-day tour of the UAE.

After restricting Bangla-desh to 142 in 39.1 overs, the UAE reached the target in the 46th over and for the loss of seven wickets.

Usman, who came in at the fall of the third wicket, struck six boundaries as he built small, but useful partnerships to take the UAE towards the required total.

After he was dismissed, caught-and-bowled by right-arm fast-bowler Mahmudulla Riyad, Ali Asad hit a quickfire 16 runs off nine balls to ensure victory for the UAE. Asad, who shares the new-ball with Mohammad Nadeem for the UAE, struck two sixes in his brief tenure at the wicket. Earlier, five home-team bowlers picked up two wickets apiece to contain the free-stroking Bangladesh batsmen.

A 44-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Raqib Hassa [22 off 40 balls] and Sanur Hossan [33 off 33 balls] provided Bangladesh A with the thrust to build a bid total.

However, the UAE bowlers were spot on and allowed the visitors few liberties. Wickets fell at regular intervals before the Bangladesh tail collapsed, the last four wickets falling for the addition of only 22 runs.

Bangladesh A had won the first three one-day games in rather convincing fashion. They beat UAE by eight wickets in the first match on February 1, followed it up with a 64-run win two days later and wrapped up the series with a seven-wicket win on February 5.

Scoreboard:

Bangladesh 'A'
N Ahmad c Rizwan v Asad 10
D Ghosh lbw Ahmad 22
S Rehman b Saleem 4
R Hassan c Taskeen b Zia 22
S Hossan c Nadeem b Ahmad 33
S Hassan b Zia 12
M Riyad lbw Saleem 2
Wasseluddin c Taskeen b Sarwar 13
S Rassel c Asad b Sarwar 5
M Sharif b Asad 5
S Zabir (not out) 3
Extras11
Total (all out, in 39.1 overs)142
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-39, 3-52, 4-96, 5-103, 6-106, 7-128, 8-134, 9-134.
Bowling: Ali Asad 7.1-0-2-2, Usman Saleem 8-0-28-2, Shoab Sarwar 7-0-42-2, Rizwan Ahmad 7-0-25-2, Sameer Zia 10-1-22-2, Mahmud Riyad 3-1-13-1.

UAE Emirates Cricket Board
R Chadha b Zabir 11
M Nadeem lbw Rassel 9
R Khan lbw Zabir 6
Naeemuddin c Hassan b Zabir 7
Fahad Usman c & b Riyad 49
S Zia c Ghosh b Sharif 9
U Saleem lbw Hassan 4
Extras 36
Total (for 7 wkts, in 45.2overs)148
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-40, 3-42, 4-54, 5-88, 6-115, 7-138.
Bowling: S.K. Rassel 10-1-27-1, Mohammad Sharif 10-3-28-1, Sahfaq Zabir 8-1-43-3, Saqib Hassan 10-3-22-1, Mhamudullah Riyad 7.2-1-19-1.
Result: UAE won the match by 3 wickets.
Man of the Match: Fahad Usman.