Triumph for SAR as Lama tames Lion City

A brilliant burst from medium-pacer Sher Lama, who grabbed three wickets in one over right at the death, earned Hong Kong a heart-stopping six-run victory over Singapore in a rain-curtailed opening encounter at the Asian Cricket Council Trophy yesterday.

Chasing 223 for victory in 36 overs, Singapore seemed well on their way to victory as they reached 180 for two with four overs to go. But with the cut-off time for the match to end fast approaching, Hong Kong were under the hammer and were aware that they could be penalised for a slow bowling rate.

With the pressure right on, Lama came up trumps but not before the SAR's strike bowler Mohammed Zubair had made the crucial breakthrough trapping well set batsman Joshua Dearing leg before for 28. That opened the way for Lama who swept through the middle order to finish with five for 34 as Singapore faltered to 206 for eight. Hong Kong received a 10-run penalty after the match ended for being one over behind.

Singapore skipper and former Hong Kong resident Zubin Shroff was unbeaten on 101 and stranded at the other end as Lama mopped up the resistance.

'Lama bowled superbly. He mixed it up well and all three wickets in that one over were from well-disguised slower deliveries. He got good support from Zubair,' said elated coach Lal Jayasinghe. 'It was a team effort. The guys were throwing themselves around in the field and made some amazing stops. An all-round fantastic effort. In batting too everyone chipped in.' Mainly the men that Hong Kong forgot, Tabarak Dar and Mohammed Jamshaid.

Two years ago in Sharjah, Dar and Jamshaid were just about cast into the desert as Hong Kong felt they were superfluous to the ACC Trophy cause. The pair did not play in any of the five games and turned into full-time water-carriers for their teammates.