Some Hong Kong players ‘need to lift their games’ after 58-run win over Italy, says coach Trent Johnston
- Despite making a winning start to their CWC Challenge League B campaign, Hong Kong’s fielding ‘needs to be addressed’
- Johnston’s side face Uganda on Monday and a win would take them top of the table
Hong Kong can go top of CWC Challenge League B on Monday with a win over Uganda, but they will have to improve their batting and fielding if their opening triumph against Italy is anything to go by.
Nizakat Khan’s team eventually got home by 58 runs, but they needed a stand of 172 between Kinchit Shah (102) and Aizaz Khan (75) to rescue them from a precarious 85 for four before posting a respectable total of 283 all out.
Then, having reduced their opponents to 101 for eight in the 25th over, they dropped several chances as Italy’s tail-enders Jaspreet Singh (81) and Crishan Kalugamage (50) put on 124 for the ninth wicket, getting their side to within sight of an unlikely victory.
The tournament in Uganda is the second leg of three, and also involves Jersey, Kenya and Bermuda. Part of the Cricket World Cup qualification process, for Hong Kong, winning could help restore the team’s One-Day International status.
While Hong Kong coach Trent Johnston said he knew his side would eventually make the breakthrough against Italy, he acknowledged they “could have dealt with it [the run chase] better”.
“I think our fielding is what we need to address because we’re certainly not doing what we should be in that area,” Johnston said. “Having said that, the outfields we’re playing on so far on this tour haven’t exactly been bowling greens, so it’s been difficult for the guys to adjust to that.
“But I think they are getting there and certain players in the group need to lift their games a little bit.”