Brandon King struck his maiden one-day international century as West Indies beat UAE – and the heat – in the opening game at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.
The touring side brought their pedigree to bear as they claimed a seven-wicket win in the first game of a three-match series organised to give both sides to prep before the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe later this month.
The match extended Sharjah Cricket Stadium’s world record number of ODIs staged to 245. This was the first time one had ever been played in June, and the temperature proved a test for the players.
In a bid to combat the heat, all three matches in this series will have 4.30pm starts. Even then, it will be sweaty work for all involved, especially the fast bowlers.
The two sides have met before in international competition, but this is the first time they have met in a full bilateral series.
Each squad includes a sizeable quota of promising but untried talent. On first glance, it appears the youngsters of the UAE have a larger gap to bridge. The home side were outclassed on opening night.
King, the Jamaican opener, was comfortably the best in show. His innings of 112 reached a peak when he hit three fours in a row off the bowling of Zahoor Khan as the tourists zeroed in on the target.
He reached three figures in fine fashion, too, as he took three sixes in an over off the leg spin of Karthik Meiyappan.
He went before victory was sealed, but it was scarcely less emphatic. The player who replaced him at the wicket, captain Shai Hope, launched successive sixes to clinch it with 88 balls to spare.
At least Ali Naseer had given the UAE’s bowlers something to defend, as the debutant all-rounder took to international cricket with great poise.
The 19-year-old university student arrived at the crease with the home team precariously placed on 107 for five at the fall of the in-form Asif Khan.
That soon turned into 126 for six, then 145 for seven as Rohan Mustafa and Aayan Khan fell to the pace of Dominic Drakes and Odean Smith.
But Naseer found a capable ally in the form of fellow youngster Meiyappan. Between them, they shared 48 for the eighth wicket to edge the hosts up towards 200.
Naseer’s role was sparkling. The left-hander reached his half century in 47 balls, and had hit two sixes and five fours by the time he departed for 58.
Once he was dismissed, as the second of three wickets for Keemo Paul, the end came quickly for UAE. They were bowled out for 202 off the first ball of the 48th over.
