ABU DHABI // Chirag Suri celebrated his selection to the UAE senior national team with a top score of 70 against England in the Under 19 Tri-Series at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council on Sunday.
The student at Herriot Wyatt University in Dubai will travel to New Zealand for the ICC (50 over-a-side) World Cup qualifier in January, when the UAE will play for the two remaining spots for 2015 Australia.
“Chirag has impressed me and he is in the senior national team,” aid Aaqib Javed, the UAE coach. “And having watched these boys play, I am now thinking of including a few more in the senior squad. There is a lot of talent in this young lot.”
Suri, 18, played a composed inning off 100 balls, hitting three fours and sharing a 157-run partnership for the second wicket with Rohit Singh Jamwal, the captain who played a little cameo knock of 58 off 62, highlighted by eight hits to the fence.
The UAE, chasing 300 for six posted by England, were bowled out for 258 with five balls left.
It was another creditable performance by the amateur cricketers after losing to Pakistan by 26 runs in the opening game on Saturday.
The UAE were in the game twice when England batted. They had them in a bit of a spot at 47 for three in the eighth over and then 146 for five in the 31st.
Joe Clarke and Rob Jones came together when England were 192 for six in 41st over to share a 108-run stand in 57 balls for the seventh wicket without being separated.
They pummelled the UAE bowling for 40 runs in the last two overs to put up a challenging score at the end.
Clarke smashed 81 off 64 balls with nine fours and three sixes. He belted Jamwal for five successive fours in the penultimate over and hit Pankaj Samant for two sixes, pummelling 20 runs each in the two overs.
apassela@thenational.ae
