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Sharjah: UAE skipper Saqib Ali hit a fighting century to help his team gain a vital 60-runs first-innings lead on the second day of the four-day International Cricket Council (ICC) Intercontinental Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Ali received excellent support from lower order batsmen Ahmad Raza and Zahid Shah. With Raza, Ali put on 86 runs for the seventh wicket. From the overnight score of 147 for six, the pair held on until they equalled Namibia's first-innings score of 164.
Raza, delighted at having reached the total, seemed to lose his concentration and became L. Klazinka's third victim. Raza, who had performed brilliantly in the recent inter-collegiate tournaments, hit a patient 35 runs.
Skipper Ali got good support from fast bowler Zahid Shah too. They saw the team score past the 200-run mark when Ali fell for 104. His knocks came off 184 balls and contained 14 boundaries and a six.
After Ali's departure, Shah was trapped leg before by J. B. Burger for 29 and UAE's last three wickets fell for an addition of just four runs.
Namibia fought back brilliantly in their second knock. Their openers refused to make the same mistakes they made in the first innings and put on 81 runs for the first wicket to set the stage for a big total.
Left-arm spinner Khurram Khan provided the breakthrough by clean bowling opener J.B. Burger for 38.
Arshad Ali also struck immediately, dismissing one-drop Du Randt for two runs.
Next batsman, G. Snyman and opener Botha put on a solid 52 runs for the third wicket before Zahid Shah clean bowled Snyman for 19.
Botha remained unconquered with 96 runs off 223 balls with 12 boundaries and a six.
The match is excitingly poised with Namibia ahead by 104 runs with seven wickets in hand.
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