THE spin and pace combination of Nikita Miller and Kemar Roach saved the Windies blushes in their ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 warm-up match against the United Arab Emirates when they bowled the two-time former world champions to a 32-run victory at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday.

The Windies were heading for an embarrassing defeat when they were spun out for 115 in 33.4 overs after being 31 for no loss at one stage with wrist spinner Imran Haider claiming four for 16, off-spinner Rohan Mustafa bagging two for 10 and left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza snapping up two for 14.

However, left-arm spinner Miller and Roach turned the screws on the UAE batsmen and reduced them to 58 for seven before rain stopped play. When the match resumed, the UAE innings lasted for another 7.1 overs as they were bowled out for 83 in 29 overs.

Miller finished with figures of 10-2-20-5, while Roach claimed three for 15. Off-spinner Ashley Nurse captured two of the last three wickets, to finish with two for 21.
Captain Rohan Mustafa (12), Shaiman Anawar (12) and Rameez Shahzad (11) were the only batsmen to reach double-figures as the result meant the UAE lost both their warm-up matches in the build up to the event proper which will start on Sunday, 4 March.

For the Windies, the victory must have lifted their spirits, morale and confidence as they bid to qualify for next year’s World Cup, but a few questions remain unanswered from the batting perspective. On Tuesday, the Windies were bowled out by Afghanistan for 110 while chasing 140, and today they managed only 115.

With the likes of Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Marlon Samuels and Jason Mohammed in their ranks, they will need these proven performers to live up to their reputation and help the Windies take maximum carryover points into the Super Six stage.

Elsewhere, Ireland defeated Scotland by two wickets, while Zimbabwe carved out an easy five wickets victory over Papua New Guinea (PNG). The Hong Kong and Nepal match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield, while the Netherlands and Afghanistan match was abandoned in the 18th over of the Dutch side who were chasing a revised target of 202.

Scores in brief:
Ireland beat Scotland by two wickets, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Scotland 239 all out, 49.3 overs (Michael Leask 91, George Munsey 77, Calum MacLeod 29; Boyd Rankin 5-38, Tim Murtagh 3-42, Barry McCarthy 2-54)
Ireland 248-8, 50 overs (Andrew McBrine 79, George Dockrell 47 not out, Niall O’Brien 35; Gary Wilson 21; Chris Sole 2-53, Stuart Whittingham 2-26, Ali Evans 2-64)

Zimbabwe beat PNG by five wickets, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo
PNG 195 all out, 49.4 overs (Vani Morea 58, Assadollah Vala 30, Jason Kila 19; Sikandar Raza 2-20, Tendai Chisoro 2-22, Blessing Muzarabani 2-22)
Zimbabwe 196-5, 40.3 overs (Hamilton Masakadza 54, Brendan Taylor 52 retired out, Solomon Mire 36)
Netherlands v Afghanistan, Old Hararians – match abandoned due to rain (target revised to 202 in 45 overs)
Afghanistan 216-9, 49.5 overs (Rashid Khan 63, Sharafuddin Ashraf 42, Mohammad Nabi 32, Dawlat Zadran 18; Shane Snater 4-46, Roelof van der Merwe 2-23)
The Netherlands 86-1, 17.3 overs (Wesley Barresi 38, Maxwell O’Dowd 38 not out)

The Windies beat the UAE by 32 runs, Harare Sports Club, Harare
Windies 115 all out, 33.4 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 20, Chris Gayle 16, Marlon Samuels 15, Evin Lewis 10; Imran Haider 4-16; Rohan Mustafa 2-10, Mohammad Naveed 2-27, Ahmed Raza 2-14)
UAE 83 all out, 29 overs (Nikita Miller 5-20, Kemar Roach 3-15, Ashley Nurse 2-21)
Hong Kong v Nepal, Kwekwe Sports Club – match abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield. (ICC)