Asia piles up 317 for nine

Bangalore, Jun 6 (UNI) Skipper skipper Mahela Jayawardhane (65) and Mohammad Yusuf (66) helped Asia score an unbeatable 317 for nine in 50 overs in the first tie of the three-match Afro-Asia Cup series played at KSCA Stadium here today.

Electing to bat after winning the toss Asia started on a resounding note with Virender Sehwag (45) and Saurav Ganguly (32) putting up 68 runs for the second wicket after the early departure of Sanath Jayasurya (14). Asia went on to build a big score that the young African side in the absence of seniors would find an up hill task to achive.

Jayasurya and Sehwag began with a bang with African rookie speedsters Morne Morkel bowling all over the place conceding 13 runs including 11 wide in the very first over.

Despite the early departure of Jayasurya, Sehwag and Ganguly took the score to 104 in the 13th over. Jayawardhane and Yusuf milked the inexperienced African attack in a solid fourth wicket partnership that yielded 94 runs in 100 balls. But for a mini collapse in the last ten overs, when Yusuf, Yuvraj Singh and M S Dhoni fell in quick succession, Asians could have set a stiffer target. Yuvraj made 31 while Doni disappointed the crowd with just two runs.

Morne Morkel, who bowled with raw pace but with little control took three wickets for 68 while his brother Albie Morkel took two for 56.

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