Saudi Cricket 243/10 in 50 overs (Moazam Shaukat 76(88), 43(97) Riazat Ali 3/36 in 7 overs, Irfan Afridi 2/25 in 10 overs) tied with Uganda 43/0 in 4.3 overs.
- Moazam Shaukat displays another commanding Saudi Cricket presence on the wicket.
- Riazat Ali Shah adds death bowling option for Uganda
- Afridi continues to tie down the opponent’s attacking instincts.
The washed out day belonged to Moazam Shaukat 76(88) who pummeled the Ugandan bowling with alacrity, setting up a possible mouthwatering run chase. The industrious Saudi Cricket opener maintaining a steady strike rate of between 70-90% through his innings batted through a 64 run opening stand with the Faisal Khan 41(39) and a 72 run fourth wicket stand with wicket keeper Zeeshan Safraz Butt 43(97).
The opener who got off the mark with one down to deep square leg was comfortable watching aggressive partner Faisal Khan take the attack to Bilal Hassan and Riazat Ali early on, before he joined in on the carnage clearing long on for six in the fifth over of the innings against Bilal and went on to pillage his opponents bowling clearing the rope ten more times.
He later went on to record the second half century of the series in the 24th over off his 65th ball punching left arm spinner Ssenyondo to the sweeper for one.
He struggled for a partner until the limpet like Zeeshan Butt joined him to from 3/77 to 4/149 in a partnership that stretched the Ugandan bowling despite tidy lines and lengths till he was caught by Ssesazi off the remarkable Irfan Afridi in the 30th over.
The one man who seems unplayable in the series so far Irfan Afridi has now run in to bowl 17 overs, maidens and picked 5 wickets at a paltry 32 runs. The leg spinner has not placed a foot wrong save for a few inches that cost him a no ball but hasn’t offered the opposition anything more in form of extras. It was his parsimonious exploits in the middle overs that kept the Cricket Saudi innings total at least 30 short of their recquired target.
All-rounder Riazat Ali hit his straps early opening the bowling with Bilal and kept true to his form from the Qatar tour with excellent death bowling picking two scalps; one in 48th and another in 50th over to finish with 3 for the match having .
Uganda’s run chase was cut short after they had reduced their recquired runs by 42 in the fifth over by the torrential afternoon downpour that left the Lugogo outfield unfit for any consideration of play; which meant that Roger has now gone 127 deliveries unbeaten in his last two outings; no doubt unsatiated and rearing to go for the final game which Uganda must win to tie the series.
This will be a big one with Coach Steve Tikolo’s playing eleven seemingly taking stronger shape and the Cricket Saudi batsmen growing in confidence.
The game will be played at the Kyambogo Oval where Mukasa and Ssesazi together with Kayondo made the Saudi Cricket bowlers toil to seemingly no respite in their last encounter.
Two big opening stands and a half century a piece for both teams, game on.
