Canada stroll past Suriname and look to vital clash with USA on Saturday by International Cricket Council

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Scorecard:	Canada v Suriname
Player:	AA Mulla, E Katchay, Umar Bhatti, H Osinde, MN Bhoelan, SR Bakas, DS Sewanan

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DateLine: 29th November 2008

 

Canada predictably had too much ammunition for Suriname in a comfortable 206 run victory, although they would have been disappointed to have let themselves slip to 168 for 7 after 38 overs, especially after opening bat Asif Mulla had led the way with a stylish century, scoring exactly 100, from 127 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes. It was left to the lower middle order to restore Canada to a respectable total of 269 for 9 in their 50 overs, with captain Umar Bhatti making 37 (31 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) and Eion Katchay contributing a hard-hit 48, made from only 32 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes.

 

Suriname captain Doeraj Sewanan bowled well to take 3 for 19 in 4 overs, while Sanjai Oemraw took 2 for 51 in his 10 overs. The Suriname reply started disastrously as they slumped to 18 for 7 against the Canadian pacemen, but fought bravely to eventually muster 63 all out in 23,5 overs. Top scorer was Mohamed Bhoelan with 26, from 44 balls with 2 fours. Umar Bhatti was rampant with the ball, the left-arm seamer taking an impressive 6 for 15 in 9 overs, while Henry Osinde took 2 for 14 in 4 overs.

 

After his match-winning performance, Canadian captain Umar Bhatti said: “We performed reasonably weel, although there are no excuses for our batting, we should have scored more runs. There are two big games over the weekend, and its important our top and middle order find more consistency.”

 

Suriname manager Cyrill Bonar said the team was continuing to learn and trying to improve: “We were happy to have made a fight of the first part of the Canadian innings, and the bowlers bowled a much better line and length today. But our batsman had no answer to the pace and bounce of the bowling, and we have to learn to deal with that.”

 

The big clash between USA and Canada now awaits on Saturday, a win for Canada seeing them remain on course for the title, while also allowing Bermuda back into the hunt ahead of the Bermuda/Canada clash on Sunday, while a USA victory will leave only the Cayman Islands on Sunday between them and the Americas Division 1 title on home soil.

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2008 International Cricket Council)