Barras level ODI series

The National Sports

PAPUA New Guinea bounced back with a hard-fought 26-run victory over hosts, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the second One-Day International ICC World Cricket League Championships (WCLC) round 5 fixture in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
After captain Assad Vala won the toss and elected to bat first, the Hebou Barramundis posted a modest 232/8 off their allotted 50-overs.
The day did not start well for the Barramundis, with Tony Ura (6) being run-out in the fourth over of the innings before Van Vagi Morea (52) and Lega Siaka (27), then resurrected the innings to put on a 52-run second wicket partnership.
From there, all the Barramundis’ batsman made starts, with UAE pegging back the visitors’ charge by taking regular wickets.
In fact, eight of the Barramundis made double figures with the bat, with only Morea making a half-century.
Imran Haider (2-31) was the pick of the UAE bowlers, while Zahoor Khan (2-34) also snared up a couple of wickets.
In reply, UAE got off to a brilliant start to be 91/1 in the 23rd over before Barramundis all-rounder, Mahuru Dai dismissed the UAE captain, Rohan Mustafa for 37.
Ghulam Shabber (70) and Shaiman Anwar (15) then put on a 57-run third wicket partnership to take UAE into a comfortable position before John Boge Reva ran-out out Anwar.
Vala, bowling his handy off-spin, then trapped the prized wicket of Shabber leg-before-wicket (LBW) the following over.
These two wickets were the start of a UAE middle order collapse where they lost five wickets for only 13 runs to be trouble at 161/7 in 38.3 overs.
UAE never recovered from this collapse, to be eventually bowled out for 206 in 47.4 overs despite a gutsy 30 runs off as many balls from Muhammad Usman down the order.
Vala was the outstanding bowler for the Barramundis, taking a match-winning 3-20 off his allotted 10 overs. Vala was ably supported by Norman Vanua (2-20), John Boge Reva (2-42) and Mahuru Dai (1-32). PNG had a rest yesterday and face the hosts in their final ODI today.  Match Summary: PNG 232/8 (Vani Vagi Morea 52, Dogodo Bau 46, Lega Siaka 27, Assad Vala 23, Sese Bau 22; Imran Haider 2-31, Zahoor Khan 2-34) UAE 206 (Ghulam Shabber 70, Rohan Mustafa 37, Muhammad Usman 30; Assad Vala 3-20, Norman Vanua 2-20, John Boge Reva 2-42, Mahuru Dai 1-32). PNG won by 26 runs.
Fixtures:  Today – PNG v UAE (ODI); Fri-Mon April 7-10 – PNG vs UAE (ICC ICUP); Wed, April 12 – PNG v UAE (T20I); Fri, April 14 – PNG v UAE (T20I 2 matches).