THE Dubai Wanderers 2nd XI team got off the mark in DSL Division 3 with a perfectly timed chase under the lights at the Sevens Stadium.
Returning skipper, Cam Coles lost the toss and a strong Alif Pharma side decided to bat first. The two opposition openers (Salman and Sultan) got off to a flier and put on a solid stand of 77 for the opening wicket. The introduction of Dan Pawson and Ivaashan Nair pulled things back for the Wanderers with Pawson back to his best, completing his five overs for 22 runs and picking up one wicket.
The opposition continued with some elaborate strokeplay, their number three Hammad Khan hitting three maximums on his way to 53 off 39 balls. However the Wanderers kept to their disciplines with Nair picking up two wickets for 40 runs and debutant Shoaib Nawaz returning excellent figures of 1-36. Pharma eventually finished on 195-5 from their 25 overs due to some tight death bowling and an excellent fielding display, led by Arif Khan with some stunning boundary saves.
The Wanderers started their reply in positive fashion with a 56 run opening stand between Pawson and Will Parkinson. After Pawson was adjudged lbw for 30, the returning Parkinson was particularly brutal on anything short and led the Wanderers chase with a stroke filled 64 off 49 balls including two maximums.
After a cluster of wickets in the middle order, the man in form, Izrath, continued from where he left off last week and steadied the Wanderers chase. His fine knock of 57 from just 30 balls included four brutal sixes with his impressive fast hands.
A nervy finish was in store for the Wanderers however keeper, Scott Doody (18* from 12) calmly steered the side home with skipper Cam Coles, fittingly at the end, as the Wanderers won by four wickets from the last over.
Mohamed Izrath took the DSL Player of the Match award for his stunning half century.
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